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DEL.ICIO.USShut-off valve activated on a bill that might have created water rival for Atlanta
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Certain people at Atlanta City Hall are smiling today.
Shortly before the House adjourned at 10:30 p.m. or so on Tuesday, a bill to make it easier for local governments to build water and sewer systems was yanked from the floor, without a vote.
Atlanta had lobbied heavily against the measure, charging that H.B. 1145, sponsored by state Rep. Wendell Willard (R-Sandy Springs), was designed to rob the city of revenue generated by its water system, which serves north Fulton County.
Atlanta officials said the bill jeopardized the city’s $3 billion, court-mandated plan to repair its aging sewer system.
“This bill is a positive opportunity for your local areas to come together and work together where there are needs addressing their water systems and sewer systems,” Willard said.
State Rep. Bob Holmes (D-Atlanta) was one of many who lined up to speak against the legislation.
“You’re going to take hundreds of thousands of customers, and hundreds of millions of dollars from the bonds that must be paid in order to clean it up,” Holmes said. “We will have chaos in this state.”
But Willard was getting tough questions from Republicans as well. He consulted with Speaker pro tem Mark Burkhalter, who is from Alpharetta. And Burkhalter moved to postpone action on the bill indefinitely.
Comments
By Rick
March 12, 2008 11:18 AM | Link to this
You have to admire the fiber in a man like Bob Holmes (D-Atlanta). He moves in political circles with ease. He’s the go-2 guy in a pinch.
By Operation Dump@Fart
March 13, 2008 2:17 PM | Link to this
Heck of a job Brownie
By ATL
March 20, 2008 9:32 AM | Link to this
Atlanta will fight every attempt to attack its water and sewer system. North Fulton must deal fairly with Atlanta.