By Eric Stirgus

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The city of Atlanta's largest union said Monday it is endorsing former state Sen. Kasim Reed for mayor in Dec. 1 runoff against city Councilwoman Mary Norwood.

The 1,100-member International Brotherhood of Police Officers, Local 623, said it picked Reed because of his plans to tackle gang violence and because Norwood voted in June against a property tax increase that was approved by the council and ended police furloughs.

"This is not the kind of leader Atlanta needs to keep our citizens safe," union leader Atlanta police Sgt. Scott Kreher said as he stood with Reed at a news conference.

Norwood campaign manager Roman Levit countered in an interview later that raising taxes to end police furloughs should not have been on the table.

"Mary Norwood fundamentally believes you shouldn't have to raise taxes to be safe," he said. "I think the real question is why Kasim Reed believes you should raise taxes in order to be safe."

Norwood has said she did not support the tax increase because of her concerns about how city funds have been spent. She has complained about not getting financial information from the city, which city officials reject.

The city's Police Benevolent Association has endorsed Norwood.

The International Brotherhood of Police Officers initially endorsed City Council President Lisa Borders for mayor. Borders finished third in the Nov. 3 general election behind Norwood and Reed. Kreher said Monday the union's choice of Borders over Reed was narrow and primarily because they knew her better.

Monday's endorsement was announced in southwest Atlanta at the  Oakland Recreation Center, which was closed last year to help balance the city budget. Reed, who said he played basketball there as a child, wants to reopen it and more than 20 other centers to offer tutoring and help keep kids out of trouble. The word "bloods," the name of a street gang, was scrawled across the entrance sign to the center.

"We do not save money by closing the recreation centers," Reed told reporters. "We're paying for it on the other end (with increased property crime)."

Reed estimates it will cost $3.4 million to reopen centers. He said he would get the money from doing a better job collecting revenue and possibly cutting the city's Information Technology department budget. Atlanta Chief Financial Officer Jim Glass has said the city should not cut that department's budget.