City Council is tackling several big issues this spring including the budget, pension reform, an infrastracture deficit, zone redesign for the police department and an update of the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP).  The school is grappling with  significant governance issues, the risk of loosing accreditation, recruiting a new superintendent and the construction of an innovative High School for Buckhead. The state is in session talking about everything from water wars to the formation of Milton County and transportation funding.  There is plenty for us to talk about!

I want to know what you think about the Big Issues facing our city and hope that we can connect in person, through email, telephone, facebook and at City Hall to develop solutions that make sense for our city.  If you would like me to attend your neighborhood meetings, please contact my office.  Otherwise, I am generally in the District Thursdays and Fridays and would love to meet with you or connect by phone.  All of my contact information is at the bottom of the page.

Money Matters

Let’s start with some good news.  The City finished 2010 underbudget and increased its reserves from $7 million to over $54 million.  Your City Council and the administration is working hard to provide improved city-wide services with a combination of tax revenues and grants and has no intention of raising your taxes.

Technically, according to economists, the great recession is over. The economy is showing some signs of life though it could be years before it approaches pre-recession levels.The combination of property and sales tax will limp along at somewhere between flat and 2% for the next few years. My focus is to work towards a budget that will provide the best services possible within the contraints of revenues.  I firmly believe that the quality of your interactions with your government should not be diminished by lack of funds.

Pension reform has become part of a national conversation and is undoubtedly the biggest and most sensitive issue this council will face.  We will need to make well reasoned and thoughtful decisions.  I want to know what you think. Rapidly increasing unfunded liabilities have become unsustainable for many states, cities and municipalities.  While some of our neighboring counties have already addressed pension reform (Cobb and Fulton County), the city has not yet completed its reform. The Mayor’s task force for pension reform has presented its findings to the administration and to City Council.  Over the next few months, we will be deeply engaged in the debate for pension reform. Currently, police fire and general employees do not participate in Social Security so their defined benefit plans and any personal savings are their sole source of retirement income.  At the same time, even with one of every five tax dollars spent on pension, the unfunded liability has grown to over $1.2 billion dollars. A balanced solution is in order.

Roads, bridges, sidewalks, traffic lights and buildings. Federal and state funding for infrastructure will continue to lag the growing needs of the city.  Each of you experience the use of sub par roads on your daily commutes to work, school and play.  One of the solutions that will come before the voters next year is a regional sales tax of one penny to put towards a specific list of transportation projects. You will hear a great deal about this bill (House Bill 277) in the coming months and I want to know what you think.

Gifts and Grants

The City has been awarded federal funds for three initiatives.  Most recently, the city was awarded $9.5 million dollars to fund 75 addtional firefighters.  This means our fire trucks will be staffed with four firefighters instead of three, enabling the team to respond immediately to your fire emergency without waiting for back up.

The federal government is funding 50 police officers for the COPs program which is community based policing.  These officers will be devoted to working proactively in communities to prevent crimes and support citizens before they become victims.

The City also received a $47 million TIGER grant for the streetcar which will extend from the Aquarium to the historic Martin Luther King neighborhood.  The street car will be compatible with future Beltline and Marta rails.

The most generous grant to the city this year was the former AJC building.  Cox Enterprises donated their buildings, parking garage and parking lot valued at $50 million to the City in December.  This 400,000 square foot building, which is a 15 minute walk from City Hall, will be used to consolidate numerous operations beginning with the Department of Watershed Management.  Operating costs are $7-8 per square foot which is far below market leases used by Watershed, Parks and other city operations.

Coca-Cola  gave the City $1 million for its Centers of Hope as part of their celeration of 125 years!

Gifts and grants sometimes come at the perfect time and for the perfect reason.  Other times, they change timetables and priorities.  I was not a fan of the grant for the street car, but it is here so my goal is to make sure the execution is done well and that the street car is compatible with other forms of rail including Marta and the Beltline. 

The new High School for Buckhead

I have heard from many of you regarding the proposed Buckhead High School and its proposed location at the IBM site off Northside Parkway.  Although the city does not have governance over this decision (since it is a School Board matter) the impact to the area and traffic plans are something we can talk about.  I have asked Commissioner Mendoza,from the Department of Public Works to look at the I 75 exchange and the challenges it already presents so that we can come up with some traffic calming suggestions.  I would also like him to provide a traffic study so that you have a view point which is independent of the school planners.

Additionally, under present state law, the School Board is not responsible for infrastructure improvements that may be necessary to accomodate new traffic challenges.  We will need to work with GDOT and our traffic engineers to come up with something that makes sense and I want you to be part of the conversation.

Mark Your calendars:

Check out my website and facebook page for dates and descriptions of upcoming events including:

• March 9 for police Zone and Beat Redesign for Zone 2

• March 15 for round table discussions about the Comprehensive Development Plan 

• March 26 for the first ever, Eco-Recycling Event in Buckhead

Katie, Margaret and I are here to serve you and to advocate for you when you need help with City services.  You can reach us at 404 330-6051 or at yadrean@atlantaga.gov. You can also keep up with current events by checking out my facebook page.

Yours in Service,

Yolanda