Borders releases tax return, urges opponents to do the same

Oct 22, 2009

Atlanta mayoral candidate Lisa Borders released her 2008 income tax returns Thursday and asked her campaign rivals to do the same to be transparent to voters.

"With less than two weeks remaining in this election cycle, I challenge my opponents to release their tax records immediately and promise Atlantans good, clean government," Borders said.

A spokesman for candidate Kasim Reed agreed, but challenged Borders to take it a step further.

"We see her 2008 and raise her 2000 through 2007," said Reed spokesman Reese McCranie, urging the candidate to release her taxes through each of those years. "There's not much transparency in one year's taxes."

Borders made $119,317 in 2008, according to her income tax form. The majority of her income, $84,639, came from her consulting business, campaign officials said. The rest came from her salary as City Council president. Borders was hired in December 2008 to run the fundraising arm of Grady Memorial Hospital.

In 2001, mayoral candidate Shirley Franklin released her prior three income tax returns as part of her campaign pledge to bring the "highest ethical standards" to City Hall. Franklin won and produced her taxes for several years afterward.

Candidate Jesse Spikes said he would release his income taxes if elected. He called Borders' actions "political gamesmanship."

"What I would have preferred is that she had ensured better value of our tax dollars in the time she's been at City Hall," said Spikes, who's continuously attacked Borders on the spending of her council budget.

Candidate Mary Norwood did not immediately respond for comment.

About the Author

Eric Stirgus

Eric Stirgus joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2001. He is the newsroom's education editor. Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Eric is active in the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the Education Writers Association and enjoys mentoring aspiring journalists.

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Borders releases tax return, urges opponents to do the same

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