In the Democratic primary for governor, it’s not a question of who can catch Keisha Lance Bottoms – it’s a question of who can claw their way into a distant second place to get into a runoff with her. A recent poll of likely Dem voters from from Education Reform Now Advocacy shows the former Atlanta mayor pulling away from the field, sitting at 42% of the vote. Former DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond is in second at 12%, followed by Geoff Duncan and Jason Esteves. The other candidates say they’re confident they can flip the script in a runoff, but Bottoms’ massive lead has her odds of victory 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…
