Last year, Atlanta voters approved new sales taxes to pay for transportation and transit builds. This year, mayoral candidates are talking about what they would do in a city that’s raising cash, is predicting a lot of new residents and that aims to attract big employers.
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Atlanta City Council candidate profiles: District 1
In one of the more crowded races for Atlanta City Council this year, five folks including the incumbent are looking for votes in parts of southeast Atlanta from Downtown to Lakewood.
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Atlanta City Council candidate profiles: Post 2 at large
The race for a vacant at large City Council seat has attracted three men who are talking about ideas like free pre-K, decriminalizing marijuana and building a more equitable Atlanta.
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Perdue tours Irma-damaged farms as his policy focus remains funding to fight fires
As U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue tours storm-damaged farms in Georgia today, his broader focus is on changing fiscal policy that seems to have contributed to the record-breaking wildfires out west – more than 2.2 million acres of national forest lands have burned as of Thursday.
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Fulton leaders may seek state help to blunt property tax spikes
In the aftermath of a taxpayers’ revolt over a surge in many 2017 Fulton County home property tax bills, local government leaders are trying to figure out how to dodge the pitchforks and torches next time. A cap on home property tax increases could be part of the plan.
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Atlanta Police Foundation raises record $20 million for campaign
The Atlanta Police Foundation celebrated raising $20 million for its most recent “Cutting Edge, Cutting Crime” campaign – far exceeding its initial goal of $12 million.
At the annual “Crime is Toast” breakfast Thursday morning, the chair of that campaign – Jeffrey Sprecher – made the announcement at the end of the event.
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Mayoral hopefuls’ pitch to business: partnership, permitting
Six top contenders for the mayor’s office told a business group’s forum that City Hall needs to change some of its ways.
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Metro Atlanta Chamber to emphasize region as hub for ‘Internet of Things’
The Metro Atlanta Chamber today is launching its latest initiative – IoT.ATL – at the GSMA Mobile World Congress meeting this week in San Francisco.
The initiative reflects Atlanta’s dominance in the area known as the Internet of Things (IoT) – the digital connection between items like cars and appliances and the internet. It is also a next generation of the Chamber’s Mobility initiative, which highlighted Atlanta’s strength in mobile communications.
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How the Internet of Things could save lives in disasters such as Hurricane Irma
Georgia Tech researchers are devising a way to track smart phones and other devices in ways that would enable rescue workers to locate folks who are in harm’s way even when a power outage knocks out the internet.
Posted inATL Business Chronicle
Column: Gary Reedy wants Cancer Society to be more relevant, well-known
Gary Reedy, president and CEO of the American Cancer Society since April 2015, is on a mission to make the Atlanta-based nonprofit more relevant and well-known.
As a former executive of Johnson & Johnson, Reedy began volunteering with the American Cancer Society 15 years ago, joining the board in 2006.
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Atlanta to sell $25.3 million in bonds Thursday to fund housing for the homeless
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed is closing out his term of office as the city provides its share of funding to expands its effort to address homelessness. The city on Thursday is slated to sell $25.3 million worth of bonds that received a top credit rating from Moody’s Investors Service, according to a rating action.
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Atlanta City Council candidate profiles: Post 1 at large
All Atlanta voters have a say on this question in November: whether to transfer an Atlanta school board member over to City Council or opt for the candidate who’s represented all or part of the city on council for more than a decade.
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Big freighter due in Savannah hours before port is to close for Hurricane Irma
Hurricane Irma isn’t helping the Port of Savannah as huge ships come and go. The good news is that largest ship ever to call on the East Coast departed Sunday from Savannah. The not-so-good news is that a large vessel is due to arrive Friday at 2 p.m. – just 10 hours before the port is to close.
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Chief Counsel Elizabeth O’Neill named interim MARTA leader
MARTA Chief Counsel Elizabeth O’Neill will temporarily l take over leadership of the agency as it searches for a new permanent leader to replace outgoing General Manager and CEO Keith Parker.
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Purpose Built adds Atlanta’s Grove Park to its national network
Atlanta-based Purpose Built Communities will partner with a new Grove Park neighborhood organization to revive a community in the same way the founders of the nonprofit have revitalized East Lake and areas around the country.
The Grove Park Foundation, a newly-formed nonprofit that grew out of the Emerald Corridor Foundation, joins the East Lake Foundation as the second Atlanta-based member of the Purpose Built Communities Network.
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Loathe to hire, for whatever reason, some companies turn away business
The economy in the Southeast picked up modestly in July through mid August. An anomaly in the region, compared to elsewhere in the country, is that employers looked for alternatives to hiring when a job became open, according to the latest survey released Wednesday by the Federal Reserve.
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Mayoral candidates promise to find affordable housing cash
In a packed forum, top mayoral candidates said their ideas for raising money for affordable housing polices range from parking taxes to bonds, to maybe even casinos.
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Grady Memorial Hospital makes its debut in City Hall campaigns
Grady Memorial Hospital made its debut Tuesday in the campaign for seats at Atlanta City Hall. Every member of the Atlanta City Council signed a proclamation commending Grady for its 125 years of service.
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CEO Keith Parker leaving MARTA
MARTA General Manager and CEO Keith Parker is stepping down from a post he has held for nearly five years to take over management of Goodwill of North Georgia.
“We are deeply grateful for his stewardship and proud of the many strides we made as an agency during his tenure,” MARTA board Chairman Robbie Ashe said. “He leaves MARTA stronger and healthier than ever before.”
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Hundreds close Labor Day weekend with rally for dreamers
As much of Atlanta skipped work or school on Labor Day, a few hundred folks gathered Downtown to rally in support of immigrants who want the permanent right to work or go to school.
