In a rare show

of dissension in the ranks, the Fairburn City Council decided Monday night

not to support the Fulton County Board of Education's sales tax proposal.

Mayor Betty

Hannah said she had received four requests for the council to pass a resolution

in favor of the proposal to bring more than $800 million to the school

system's coffers through a special purpose local option sales tax.

"I would

rather everybody pay for this than just the property owners," Hannah

said.

But Councilman

Harvey Melear said he planned to vote on the issue March 19, and a resolution

would reveal his position on the issue.

Councilman

Glenn Higgins also had difficulty supporting the idea.

"What's

the guarantee for these South Fulton projects?" he said.

Both City Administrator

Tony Cox and City Attorney Brad Sears said if projects were listed in

the SPLOST vote, they are required to be completed by law.

Councilman

Gene Wiggins brought another perspective to the table.

"I don't

think it takes a panel to tell people how to vote," he said.

Hannah said

some municipalities in north Fulton County had already passed resolutions

of support for the sales tax extension.

But she stressed

that she would not push the issue unless it was with the City Council's

unanimous support and she did not call for a vote on it.