The GOP-dominated General assembly at times this year has let ideology get the best of pragmatism. Note certain legislation on guns, education, driving privileges and more. That makes it even more laudable that legislation to make medical marijuana legal for certain sick children in Georgia still has a good shot at becoming law. Credit House and Senate leadership for giving their tacit approval to the possibility of ‘legalized pot.’ That ‘gave permission,’ so to speak, for House and Senate members to put preconceptions about drugs aside long enough to do the right thing. We hope. RISING.
Atlanta, Fulton Co. square off in tax fight
The City of Atlanta has long used tax allocation districts (TADs) as an economic development tool, leveraging property tax increases to pay for local infrastructure projects. But the Fulton County Commission has slammed on the brakes, voting 4-1 to reject a proposed 30-year extension of Atlanta’s TADs. That sets up a major budgetary clash, as the Fulton TADs would be expected to generate over a billion dollars over that period. Now the county will vote on TADs on a case by case basis, with stricter oversight and enforcement, leaving Atlanta’s money faucet DRIFTING…




