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Thursday, August 21, 2008
Despite difficult economic times, Atlanta’s United Way sets higher goal
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
While it may not be the best of times for our local economy, Atlanta’s United Way will not aim low for its 2008 campaign.
Ed Heys, a partner with Deloitte who is chairman of the 2008 United Way campaign, said Atlanta’s top business leaders urged him to increase the goal from the $81.2 million that was raised last year.
“The community has been very supportive,” Heys said. “The overwhelming thought was to increase the goal and grow the campaign in spite of the challenging business environment.”
So what is the 2008 goal?
Officially, it will be announced at a kickoff evening event Sept. 4 at the Fox Theatre’s Egyptian Ballroom. But Heys was willing to let me preview the number.
“We have set a goal of $82 million,” Heys said. “There’s more need now than ever as it relates to the kind of services United Way provides.”
He continued: “All of my CEO meetings have confirmed the great support that United Way has in metro Atlanta. Companies like SunTrust, Cousins Properties, Macy’s, Cox Enterprises, Delta, UPS and AGL Resources, as well as professional service firms including King & Spalding and Accenture, are enthusiastic about United Way and this year’s campaign.”
Cumberland gala a two-party party
A bipartisan flavor filled the room Monday at the Georgian Club for the 20th anniversary celebration of the Cumberland Community Improvement District.
Longtime political and business leaders from Cobb County — both Democrats and Republicans — gathered to reflect on the success of the state’s first community improvement district.
Cobb Commission Chairman Sam Olens (a Republican) spoke of three men sitting at the head table — developer John Williams (who’s been known to back candidates of both political parties); U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.); and former Gov. Roy Barnes, a Democrat.
“Without those three folks, we would still be a bedroom community,” Olens said.
Both Barnes and Isakson were serving in the state Legislature when they joined in a bipartisan effort to allow people to tax themselves to invest in their communities.
“Johnny Isakson and I have always been friends and part of the mutual admiration society,” Barnes said.
Isakson told the gathering how hard it is to be a politician who will work with elected leaders of another party.
“I got cussed out pretty well this morning for having the audacity to sit down with five Democrats trying to put together a coalition (on energy),” Isakson said. “Why don’t people understand the value of building coalitions?”
The best evidence for bipartisan cooperation was just outside the Georgian Club’s window. The Kennedy Interchange and countless other transportation improvements would not have happened had it not been for Republicans and Democrats working together.
The modern-day politicians who were present took note. State Sen. Doug Stoner, a Democrat, introduced Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, a Republican.
After the lunch, Cagle told me that “if you are going to get anything done, you’ve got to work together.”
To that, Barnes said: “People are fed up with partisanship.”
Ex-MARTA chief often hits road now
In the 14 years that he’s been retired as MARTA’s general manager, Ken Gregor has ridden 55,000 miles on his bicycle — more than twice the distance around the world.
Gregor has cycled all over the world, and he recently completed a 700-mile ride along the Lewis and Clark Trail from Oregon to Montana in 11 riding days.
But that’s not all.
Earlier this summer, Gregor won the over-65 Mens USHA National Four-Wall Doubles Handball Championship in Overland Park, Kan., with his partner, Pete Willis, who is retired from AirTran.
“Handball satisfies my competitive nature,” Gregor said, adding that he’s not a competitive cyclist. “I do cycling for recreational purposes. I enjoy seeing the world while riding.”
When asked about metro Atlanta’s transportation issues, Gregor had this to say: “I’m still of the opinion that until the state provides leadership, specifically the governor, things are going to continue being discussed, but nothing will happen,” he said. “Most of the activity has to come from leadership at the state or federal level.”
Gregor said MARTA was an example of voters agreeing to tax themselves to improve transit in their counties (Fulton and DeKalb). He said he was disappointed that the Legislature didn’t approve a plan to allow local governments to ask voters for a regional transportation sales tax.
“Give the people an opportunity to express their will,” Gregor said. “To discourage that is wrong.”
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