Reed absent, but not disinterested in Fulton transportation talks
As The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Sunday, Fulton County's elected leaders are discussing a possible referendum next year on a 1-percent sales tax that would generate $1.2 billion for transportation projects.
County commissioners, mayors and other officials from Fulton’s 14 cities met last week to discuss the transportation proposal, as well as ways they can cooperate on economic development. It was the latest in a series of such meetings.
But a key player – Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed – has been noticeably absent from the meetings. In an e-mail last week, Reed’s spokeswoman, Anne Torres, said city staffers have attended on his behalf.
“The mayor believes it is still very early in the process to determine the best approach,” Torres said. “At this time, we don’t believe there is a need to engage because both strategies (transportation and economic development) are still in their infancy.”
They mayor's absence from the official meetings does not mean disinterest. As Jim Galloway reported Sunday, Reed met with Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul and Roswell Mayor Jere Wood last week to discuss a possible MARTA expansion that may be part of the transportation sales tax measure.
You can learn more about the discussions of that transportation proposal here.
About the Author
David Wickert writes about the state budget, finance and voting issues. Previously, he covered local government and politics in Gwinnett and Fulton counties. Before moving to Atlanta, he worked at newspapers in Illinois, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington.
