Petition Update: Important Issues for Mableton Residents
Thank you for your continued support of the petition seeking a legislative path for residents to reconsider the future of the City of Mableton. Your signatures demonstrate that there are residents who want their concerns heard by our state legislators.
As we approach the November 3, 2026 election, I want to share three developments that are particularly relevant to Mableton residents.
1. Georgia House District 39
State Representative Terry Cummings currently represents House District 39, which includes a significant portion of Mableton.
Rep. Cummings has publicly stated that she does not support legislation to dissolve the City of Mableton.
There is now a certified write-in candidate for District 39, Yashica Marshall. Because she is a write-in candidate, her name will not appear as a printed candidate choice on the ballot. Her write-in candidacy is confirmed on official 2026 election information.
Marshall has stated publicly that she supports giving Mableton residents another opportunity to vote on cityhood. According to her published statement:
“Yashica Marshall believes the choice belongs to the citizens. She has promised to draft and support legislation granting Mableton residents a re-vote on cityhood bringing voters one step closer to the goal of dissolution.”
Read Marshall's Nextdoor statement
Marshall has also published her description of the legislative process she believes could lead to another vote on Mableton's future.
Read her explanation of the proposed process
For those who signed this petition because it seems a another vote on Mableton's future is the path to dissolution, I encourage you to research the candidates' positions on this issue and understand how write-in voting works before Election Day.
2. Cobb County SPLOST
Also on the November 3 ballot is the question of whether to renew Cobb County's Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST.)
The proposed SPLOST would fund capital projects throughout Cobb County and its municipalities, including projects for the City of Mableton.
Mableton's project list includes substantial funding for municipal facilities, including $47 million identified for “Municipal Building Facility Enhancements/Improvements/Acquisition.”
For residents concerned about the size, cost, and future direction of Mableton's government, I encourage you to review the complete project list and understand what would be funded before making your decision.
Review the 2028 SPLOST Final Booklet — see Mableton projects on page 31
Cobb County is also holding public information sessions where residents can learn more and ask questions.
Cobb County SPLOST information and meeting schedule
3. Mableton Redevelopment Powers
Mableton voters will also decide whether to authorize the City to exercise powers under Georgia's Redevelopment Powers Law.
HB 1213, sponsored by Rep. Terry Cummings, authorized this referendum. The Georgia House described the legislation as providing “for a referendum to authorize the City of Mableton to exercise redevelopment powers.”
These powers can allow the City to establish Tax Allocation Districts (TADs). Generally, a TAD "establishes a geographic area in which increases in property-tax revenues associated with growth in the tax base can be used to support eligible redevelopment and infrastructure investments." (Source: Google)
Before voting, residents may want to understand what authority the referendum would give the City, how TADs work, what projects could potentially be financed, and how redevelopment powers fit into Mableton's long-term financial plans.
Watch the information about Mableton's Redevelopment Powers proposal hosted by the Mableton Improvement Coalition (MIC.)
Why I'm Sharing This
These three issues are different, but each could affect Mableton's future direction, finances, development, or the legislative pathway available to residents seeking another vote on cityhood to lead to dissolution.
Please take the time to research the candidates, read the ballot questions, review the SPLOST project list, and understand the Redevelopment Powers proposal. (View the November 3rd ballot.)
Most importantly, please go to the polls Novemeber 3rd to vote!
Thank you again for signing the petition, staying informed, and continuing to make your voice heard.
Kimberly Houston