As the Atlanta airport prepares to award the largest round of concessions contracts in its history, Common Cause is calling for limits on campaign contributions by city contractors.
The nonprofit group, which advocates for open government, plans to release a report Wednesday outlining the history of corruption involving city government contracts in Atlanta. A copy made available to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says that the city has not passed adequate reforms "in spite of decades-long favoritism and cronyism, federal corruption convictions, and multi-million dollar court awards to litigants that cost Atlanta and Georgia taxpayers."
Among the instances cited: the lawsuit over an airport advertising contract that led to a $17.5 million jury award. The city appealed and settled its portion of the suit for $3.9 million in April.
In a proposal in 2009, Common Cause Georgia called for a limit of $250 in donations to candidates by anyone with a city contract.
Airport general manager Louis Miller said Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed has "made very clear" to him that "we want a fair and transparent process, and that's what we're gong to do." Miller said those who evaluate proposals for the concessions contracts "won't be aware" of campaign contributions by the concessionaires.
Reed, in a statement, said the city’s ethics rules for contributions are “as strong or stronger than any major government in the state of Georgia.”
Among those who contributed to Reed's campaign in 2009 were concessionaires and people affiliated with them, including Jackmont Hospitality, Hojeij Branded Foods and Concessions International, according to campaign contributions records.
Meanwhile, Jackmont Hospitality chief executive Daniel Halpern -- which counts former Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson Jr. as a co-founder -- was as co-chairman of Reed's mayoral campaign.
Some concessionaires also contributed to campaigns for Atlanta city council members, including C.T. Martin, who chairs the transportation committee that oversees the airport. Martin said campaign contributions do not influence his votes on city contracts.
"I vote on the basis of the merits of the information," Martin said.
Some states have passed so-called pay-to-play reform, though few cities and counties have passed similar reforms, according to the white paper.
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