A new poll commissioned by the opponents of Atlanta’s planned public safety training center shows Atlanta voters are split on whether or not they would vote for or against a ballot initiative to overturn the project.
The poll ― conducted over the course of three days in September ― posed questions to 454 likely voters in Atlanta that ranged from gaging support for the facility, opinions of City Council, and where voters fall on the controversial domestic terrorism charges filed against dozens of anti-training center activists.
When asked if they would support the repealing the ground lease between the city and the Atlanta Police Foundation passed by City Council in 2021, 43% of voters polled said yes while 38% said no. The numbers fall within the 5% margin of error.
Still, a majority of voters said they would support the chance to vote on the issue. Fifty-nine percent of respondents said that residents should be able to vote on the project regardless of where they stand, while 33% said that the decision should remain with Atlanta’s elected officials.
Voters were also split on how they feel about the performance of City Council members. When asked their opinion of the body, 43% had a favorable view of council while 42% had an unfavorable view.
The poll gets into other topics like the level of trust citizens’ have for the Atlanta Police Department and whether or not the city is putting too much or too little funding toward public safety.
As we always warn readers, take polls with a grain of salt. You can view the entire results here.
---
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Court systems in metro Atlanta and across Georgia are still playing catch-up to tackle the backlog of cases that grew when the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered courthouses and pushed proceedings to virtual platforms.
The Municipal Court of Atlanta gave its year-end presentation to City Council members last week outlining how many traffic, criminal and housing cases were opened and closed in 2023.
While nearly 71,000 traffic cases were filed with the court this year, nearly 73,000 were closed.
“This is good news especially as we move further away from the pandemic,” Chief Judge of Municipal Court of Atlanta Chris Portis told council members.
Still the court is slow to close criminal cases. While around 7,200 were filed this year, only around 4,700 were closed.
---
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
The city of Atlanta officially purchased an 11-acre property along the Campbellton Road corridor to build affordable housing units in the area. The $1.48 million investment — funded through Invest Atlanta’s Housing Opportunity Bond program — is another step toward Atlanta Mayor Andre Dicken’s goal of building and preserving at least 20,000 affordable housing units by 2025.
The mixed-income development comes at the same time as MARTA moves forward with the proposed $300 million bus rapid transit project that aims to create faster access between the planned Greenbriar Mall Station and Barge Road Station.
“This investment will ensure there are affordable housing units on a corridor which will soon undergo a major transportation and economic transformation,” Dickens said in a statement.
The Young Women’s Christian Association of Greater Atlanta which previously owned the property said that proceeds from the sale will go toward programming and the restoration of the Phillis Wheatley Westside YWCA at the intersection of Mitchell Street, Tatnall Street and Martin Luther King Drive.
---
Got tips, tricks or just want to say hello? Email me at riley.bunch@ajc.com.
Credit: Miguel Martinez
Credit: Miguel Martinez
