Buckhead Coalition’s PAC takes stand on city elections

By Maria Saporta

The Buckhead Coalition, a group of key business leaders based in Buckhead, is taking a stance in the city’s upcoming elections.

The Better Community Political Action Committee, the PAC of the Buckhead Coalition, interviewed the top candidates for mayor. It decided to divide its $2,400 contribution on a proportional based of a straw vote of the members present.

City Councilwoman Mary Norwood, who lives in Buckhead, was the top vote getter, receiving 56 percent. That meant the BC PAC wrote her a check for $1,344. The other two top candidates — City Council President Lisa Borders and former State Sen. Kasim Reed — each received 22 percent of the vote and checks for $528.

Interestingly enough, the Buckhead Coalition endorsed City Councilman Ceaser Mitchell in the race for City Council President instead of his opponent, City Councilwoman Clair Muller, who is a Buckhead resident and been a longtime representative for that part of the city.

In all city council races where incumbents are facing opposition, the BC PAC decided to support the incumbents with $2,400 checks. Those included Ivory Young for District 3; Cleta Winslow for District 4; Joyce Sheperd for District 12; and Lamar Willis for Post 3.

In contested races with no incumbent, the BC PAC decided to support Yolanda Adrean for District 8 and Michael Julian Bond for Post 1. Both will receive a $2,400 contribution.

The PAC, however, has not yet decided who it will support in the other three contested races without an incumbent — District 6, District 11 and Post 2.

For those city council representatives who are running unopposed, the BC PAC is donating $500 “to help defray” candidacy costs, according to Sam Massell, president of the Buckhead Coalition.

On Tuesday, the Committee for a Better Atlanta will announce its ratings of the various candidates running for office in the City of Atlanta.