A.M. ATL: Sweet memories

Morning, y’all! Early midterm voting begins today in Georgia. Vote early, and avoid Election Day stress. Is it as dramatic as standing in a little (or very long) day-of line, carping genially with a stranger about the wait? No, but you still get a little sticker.

Early voting runs from Oct. 13 to Oct. 30 every weekday and two Saturdays. Here’s all you need to know before you go.

Let’s get to it.

HOW PROPERTY TAX RELIEF COULD SQUEEZE SCHOOLS

Slashing residential property taxes is a very hot political promise right now. The problem is, such a move would end up sapping school districts of much of their funding.

What the property tax scene looks like in Georgia

• Property taxes have skyrocketed in recent years. Median property tax bills have increased 20% or more in 117 of Georgia’s 159 counties, according to an AJC analysis.
• Some metro Atlanta counties, such as Clayton and Rockdale, have seen spikes of more than 50%.
• In response, state lawmakers introduced several bills in 2026 that would reduce or eventually eliminate property taxes.

How it affects schools

• Several public school districts get the bulk of their revenue from property taxes. Without them, there aren’t a lot of viable options to make up the money.
• Other options like special local option sales taxes, higher sales taxes or increased property taxes on non-residential properties all have strong drawbacks or caveats according to economic experts.

🔎 READ MORE: How schools, in turn, affect property tax value

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A GSP PURSUIT ENDS IN TRAGEDY

A 7-month-old girl named Kalayia Tolbert was killed, and several others, including young children, were wounded when a high-speed Georgia State Patrol chase ended in a multiple-car crash over the weekend.

• The pursuit began when a Georgia State Patrol trooper initiated a traffic stop for a vehicle traveling over 100 mph on I-20.
• The driver pulled over, but then sped off before taking an exit and returning to the highway with a trooper in pursuit.
• The driver lost control of the car and hit a guardrail and multiple other vehicles. He also died of his injuries.

A deadly pattern

• An AJC investigation of 6,700 Georgia State Patrol pursuits found more than half ended in crashes and often injured bystanders. In some cases, bystanders or passengers were killed.
• The department’s loose chase policy contributes to Georgia’s police pursuit death rate, which the AJC found to be the worst in the U.S. at the time the investigation was published in 2025.
• Georgia State Patrol defends its pursuit policies and says it’s the drivers fleeing law enforcement, not the troopers, who initiate chases.

🔎 READ MORE: What the GSP said, plus the suspect’s criminal record

MUST-KNOW POLITICS AND BUSINESS

🎙️ The Atlanta Press Club’s Loudermilk-Young debate series kicked off yesterday with debates for lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, Public Service Commission seats and governor. Here are the biggest takeaways.

🎤 The debate-a-palooza continues today with showdowns for school superintendent, agriculture commissioner, insurance commissioner, labor commissioner and U.S. Senate. Here’s how to watch.

✈️ Rick Jackson did not attend Monday’s gubernatorial debate, opting for a statewide tour with Gov. Brian Kemp. Keisha Lance Bottoms took the stage alone and outlined a spending plan centered on Medicaid expansion, education and tackling the affordability crisis.

🐘 President Donald Trump will campaign in Georgia on Friday in an effort to energize the Republican ticket. Both Rick Jackson and U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, the GOP nominee for U.S. Senate, are expected to attend despite Jackson’s recent strategy of distancing himself ever-so-slightly from the Trump nucleus.

💰 South African trillionaire Elon Musk has spent more than $276 million since July to bolster U.S. Republican candidates, including $158 million to a PAC supporting Republican Senate candidates.

SPELHOUSE CAN STAND THE RAIN

The joint homecoming celebrations of Morehouse College and Spelman College are an annual staple of Atlanta and HBCU culture.

This year, Hurricane Isaias threatened to rain out the festivities, but after a day’s postponement, 19,000 people showed out on Sunday to watch the Morehouse Maroon Tigers beat Savannah State University.

Some other highlights of the weekend:

• A halftime show featuring Morehouse’s House of Funk marching band and the Mahogany N Motion dance team
• The attendance of Mister Morehouse College, Miss Maroon and White, Miss Spelman College and their respective courts. (The HBCU homecoming court situation is on another level.)
• An appearance by former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, an HBCU alumna herself

For these two bastions of Black excellence, homecoming is more than a party or a game or crowds of beautiful, highly educated people in unbelievable outfits. It’s something not far from spiritual.

• “The magic and the power is in being together,” said Henry Goodgame, Morehouse’s VP of external engagement and alumni relations. “Whatever affords us an opportunity to do that, that’s the blessing.”
• “Homecoming is family,” 2024 Spelman graduate Ariana Williams said. “Being here is like no other place on Earth.”

🐅 FROM UATL: The SpelHouse traditions that won’t quit

NEWS BITES

Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr. injured his rib, but shouldn’t be out for long

Raise your hand if you hold your breath and wince before every snap. 🙋🏼‍♀️

Photos from Atlanta’s Pride Parade

Much love to everyone who stopped by the AJC booth! I was sad to miss it.

Whiplash, newest comedy club in Atlanta, aims for ‘upscale’ experience

So you can snort very expensive cocktails out your nose.

High school sports fan? Player? Parent? Come out to Smyrna tomorrow for the AJC’s Varsity Crown event