The Louisiana Attorney General’s office has issued an opinion saying the purported annexation of portions of The Mall of Louisiana into the City of Baton Rouge does not invalidate the petitions currently circulating to incorporate the proposed City of St. George.

The opinion said, “This office does not find support in the law for a conclusion that any change to the circulating petition invalidates it, including a change in the legal description of the area sought to be incorporated… To require the individuals supporting the incorporation to circulate a new petition based on this change would severely cripple the efforts which have been taken to gather signatures in support of the incorporation of the City of St. George, and Louisiana law fails to specify that this is an appropriate conclusion.”

Norman Browning, chairman of the movement to incorporate the City of St. George applauded the opinion. “While it is merely advisory, the opinion does indicate that what we have been saying all along is correct. The annexation does not affect the incorporation drive.” The opinion was sought by Parish Attorney Mary Roper at the request of the Metro Council.

For a copy of the Attorney General opinion, click here: http://centralcitynews.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/4654_001.pdf