Last Minute Push

Mobile Theodore Less than 24 hours before voters go to the polls in Mobile's controversial annexation plan.

by Jessica Taloney

Published: Mon, October 06, 2008 - 4:29 pm CST Last Updated: Mon, October 06, 2008 - 6:32 pm CST

Voters will go to the polls Tuesday to decide whether the city of Mobile can expand its borders.

Mobile Mayor Sam Jones unveiled the plan in August, but he was immediately met with opposition. Critics say the annexation proposal is nothing more than a power grab for tax dollars.

"He gerrymandered the lines to get our businesses but leave us out," says Chris Barbour, who lives just a few hundred feet from the Tillmans Corner businesses on the Mayor's map. Barbour lives just outside the annexation lines, and won't be allowed to vote. "He doesn't want the citizens of this area, but he wants our money," says Barbour.

Only 4,000 people are eligible to cast a ballot in Tuesday's special election, but $10 million in business tax dollars are on the line. The Mayor says annexing the businesses is necessary to provide city services to new residents.

"When municipalities annex they certainly annex the economic corridors that are adjacent to the areas they annex," said Mayor Jones, as he continued to defend his plan one day before the election.

Polls are open from 7am-7pm.

Here are the four polling locations:

Moffett:
6871 Moffett Road (formerly A Little Bit Country restaurant)

Theodore- Tillmans Corner:
5201 Washington Ave (Mt. Ararat Baptist Church)

Windmill
1206 Smithfield Road East

Dominion
1500 Snow Road (Saving Grace Lutheran Church)

WKRG.com » News Stream » Alabama

Video
Photo

Embed:

WKRG.com Related

News –› Alabama

News –› Mobile

News –› Semmes

News –› Theodore

Discuss this in the forum

Email to a Friend

Printer Friendly

Download Video

BamaBob Says:

Tue, Oct 07, 2008 at 6:33 pm

1 of 1 precincts reporting. lol

Democracy no longer exist in Mobile, AL.

BamaBob Says:

Tue, Oct 07, 2008 at 6:09 pm

It’s pure BS! The mayor needs 10 million dollars to take care of 4,000 new voters? Yeah right! Those new voters will pay through the nose for all these new services no one can identify beyond garbage pickup.

tellitlikeitis Says:

Tue, Oct 07, 2008 at 5:56 pm

I don’t agree with this annexation at all. They talk about free garbage pick up,better road conditions and faster response times. Whatever! You can live next door to the police and it still takes them 30 min. to get there! Then go ride down the city streets in Mobile for awhile- you will need new shocks. Free garbage- ha whatever, you will pay for it one way or the other!

BamaBob Says:

Tue, Oct 07, 2008 at 5:24 pm

I guess after tonight we will see how many lawsuits will be filed against this obvious attempt to cherry pick voters.

BamaBob Says:

Tue, Oct 07, 2008 at 1:03 pm

I wonder if the city is chauffeuring anyone to the polls today and maybe buying them lunch along the way….