Mayor Sandy Stimpson has proposed to expand the city’s borders to annex four separate sections and add 26,000 residents to the population.
That’s like adding a whole new town to the city!
The Mayor is pumped.
Referring to it as a historic vote, he emphasized its potential to bring in tens of millions in tax revenue.
Plus, residents will get emergency medical services and garbage collection, among other city services they don’t currently have.
But some people aren’t supportive of this plan.
They are worried that it will upset the delicate racial balance in the city.
The City Council (who voted in favor of the proposal, 6-0) insists that it’s crucial to the city’s long-term health.
This could be the solution to reverse the decades-long population decline that has seen Mobile fall from the second — to the fourth—most populous city.
The Mayor also maintains that the annexation will preserve Mobile as a majority-minority city, with African-Americans retaining a small plurality among residents old enough to vote.
So, what’s next?
Well, the election date hasn’t been announced yet, but the Mobile County probate judge has ten days from the date he receives the resolution to call the election.
And the election must happen between 20 and 40 days from that point.
So, stay tuned!
