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Gwinnett lawmakers oppose expanding Board of Commissioners
Gwinnett County lawmakers came out against a measure in the Georgia General Assembly that would nearly double the number of commissioners in the county and make the school board non-partisan. It was sponsored by the county's only Republican state representatives. Democrats say it is a political move to run end roads around recent gains in the county by the Left.
ATLANTA - Moves by Republican lawmakers to change the Gwinnett County Commission and the Gwinnett Board of Education are drawing fire from a number of Democratic elected officials.
A diverse group of Democratic lawmakers and residents from Gwinnett County spoke out against the moves at an afternoon news conference at the State Capitol on Friday.
They claim the moves are an attempt by Republicans to cut back on the gains made by Democrats in the last two election cycles after white elected officials held those posts for nearly two centuries.
The Senate State and Local Government Operations Committee approved Senate Bill 6EX Thursday.
Under the legislation, the commission would grow from four commissioners and a chair to nine commissioners and a chair. The bill would also redraw district lines.
The bill does not include a fiscal note about the costs to make the change.
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