In northern Gwinnett County, Georgia lawmakers are drumming up support for the creation of a new city dubbed Mulberry. The proposed urban enclave comes with a key financial incentive: the absence of city property taxes. According to WSBTV, Mulberry aims to utilize existing fees such as vehicle registration and stormwater charges, in addition to insurance premiums, to sustain city funding without imposing new taxes on residents.
Mulberry's initiation closely follows last year's public disapproval of a developmental plan involving the construction of 700 apartments near Seckinger High School. State Representative Clint Dixon (R-Gwinnett), mentioned by Atlanta News First, suggests that a new city structure with its council could provide more localized and expedient management of zoning issues. "Kind of the big plus for the folks within the city limits, because of the outcry on what’s happening with zoning in the area they would have complete control over that," Dixon explained.
The proposed City of Mulberry, which would be situated on both sides of Interstate 85, is predicted to grant its inhabitants more control over the development of their community. Dixon, who has experience on the Gwinnett County Planning Commission, outlined the potential for more efficient governance and local code enforcement. “There’s no additional taxes, there will be no property tax levied to the city, you would still pay your property taxes to the county but no change would happen there,” Dixon assured, as reported by Atlanta News First.
Legislative support for Mulberry is not lacking, with House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration (R-Auburn) spearheading its creation alongside Dixon. The KB Advisory Group has posited a financially viable blueprint for the city, forecasting $9.4 million in annual revenue against expenses of nearly $8 million. This fiscal strategy emphasizes the redirection of existing taxes and fees for local benefit, rather than piling on new fiscal burdens on the denizens. "Folks are already these taxes are fees," Efstration said, in a statement obtained by WSBTV. With voter and legislative approval, Mulberry could make its debut as early as January of next year, rapidly becoming Gwinnett County's second-largest and most affluent city based on median income.
