Milton County Sponsor Wants Public Hearing

By PAUL KAPLAN The Atlanta Journal-ConstitutionPublished on: 01/24/07

The author of a bill that would split Fulton County and recreate Milton County on the Northside now plans to ask for a public hearing on the controversial measure during this legislative session.
Originally, Rep. Jan Jones (R-Alpharetta) did not expect to have public hearings until 2008, when the General Assembly is expected to vote on the measure, but she now says it would be helpful to "lay more of the issues out on the table" this session, before a feasibility study is done on the potential impact of a split.

House Speaker Pro Tem Mark Burkhalter (R-Alpharetta) is seeking legislative funding for the feasibility study.

Jones' enabling legislation — House Resolution 12 — has been assigned to the House Governmental Affairs Committee, chaired by Rep. Austin Scott (R-Tifton). Jones said she, Burkhalter and Scott are "discussing the possibility" of a public hearing, probably in a governmental affairs subcommittee.

Asked whether it's due to heavy controversy over the Milton County bill, Jones said no.
"I'm not finding it that controversial down here [at the Capitol]," Jones said. Jones knows how much support there is for the measure in north Fulton, and she said it would be helpful to hear perspectives from south Fulton and Atlanta, "to see if they have constructive suggestions."