Reed pushes Norwood to remove TV ad

By Eric Stirgus

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta mayoral candidate Kasim Reed called on campaign rival Mary Norwood to remove a television ad he says exploits two high-profile shooting deaths.

In the 30-second ad, Norwood stood at the location where Spelman College student Jasmine Lynn was shot by a stray bullet in September. Norwood is then at the site where former boxing champion Vernon Forrest was gunned down in July.

"I was deeply offended that Ms. Norwood would stand on the hallowed sites of their murders -- when she twice cast votes which led to the police and fire furloughs which resulted in a significant spike in crime and violence in our city," Reed said Wednesday.

Norwood said she would not drop the ad. The two-term councilwoman says she didn't vote for a tax increase in June 2008 because city officials did not give her information she felt was critical to making an informed vote. Mayor Shirley Franklin ordered police officers to take furloughs in December 2008 to help balance the city budget. The furloughs ended four months ago.

Norwood campaign manager Roman Levit said Reed's complaint was a "patently political attack, something you'd expect to see less than two weeks before the (Nov. 3) election."

Meanwhile Wednesday, candidate Lisa Borders said she'll use eminent domain powers to take land from owners who poorly maintain their property.

"We need to take it from them," said Borders, the City Council president.

Borders said she recognized eminent domain is a controversial issue, but argued it is a useful tool to remove blight. Abandoned properties and overgrown lots have been a constant problem in the city.

State lawmakers passed a bill in 2006 that prohibits local governments from taking property for economic development purposes, such as increasing the tax base. The bill also makes it easier for owners to defend their property in court against condemnation.

Levit said Borders' comments show she is paying more attention to an issue his candidate frequently speaks about, code enforcement. Norwood has said she wants to create a code enforcement board.

Reed, a former state lawmaker, said eminent domain "should be a tool, but it shouldn't be the first tool." The candidate said the city should focus on increasing the number of lawyers handling code enforcement cases in the city's solicitor's office. He blamed the council for budget cuts that reduced the number of attorneys and other workers in that office from 54 to 18 employees since 2008.