ATLANTA (AP) -- Atlanta could have its first white mayor for the first time in 35 years. Blacks have been the majority population and voting bloc in the city for decades, but the demographics have changed in recent years.
Atlanta Councilwoman Mary Norwood, who is white, is one of the front-runners in the November 3rd election. Two black candidates are also considered top candidates.
Some in the African-American community are worried the black candidates may split the black vote and force a runoff.
All three front-runners have tried to steer the conversation away from race. But a group of black community leaders recently circulated a memo urging black voters to rally behind City Council President Lisa Borders. She is one of the leading black candidates.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Monday, August 31, 2009
Reichert suggests earlier last call for Macon bars
Mayor Robert Reichert wants to move up last call in Macon, cutting alcohol sales off at 1:30 a.m. instead of 2 a.m.
An ordinance to do that likely will be discussed later this month by the City Council, which is scheduled to refer the mayor’s proposal to the council’s Public Safety Committee tonight. But several council members asked pointed questions at the mere mention of the change Monday, signaling that the mayor may have a tough time steering his idea through council.
“What is bringing this about?” Councilman Lonnie Miley asked Monday. “Have we actually had a problem with this? Why do something just to do it?”
The mayor hopes that shutting off sales a little earlier will cut down on fights, spokesman Andrew Blascovich said. Currently bars have to stop selling drinks by 2 a.m., and the city code says no one can drink in a bar after 2 a.m.
But the code does allow people to simply hold an open beer or other drink inside a bar until 3 a.m. Reichert’s proposal would address this apparent discrepancy in the code, moving that cut-off time to 2 a.m., and effectively forcing bars to clear people out and clean up any open containers by 2 a.m.
Blascovich said that, in some places, bartenders will sell one person several drinks right at 2 a.m., “clearly trying to get around the law” and the proposed ordinance “is an attempt to curb that.”
He said it was developed with police input.
Several council members indicated that if the mayor or the police department wants to argue that changing the city code will cut down on after-hours troublemaking, they’d better come armed with statistics. “I don’t see why we would just suddenly pull this out of the air and do it,” Councilman Rick Hutto said.
“This is crazy,” Councilman James Timley said.
Tim Obelgoner, operations manager for the Hummingbird Stage & Taproom downtown, said he doesn’t see a need for the change.
“We don’t have fights in here,” he said. “We don’t put up with them. ... I can’t imagine that putting last call 30 minutes earlier is going to reduce fights.”
An ordinance to do that likely will be discussed later this month by the City Council, which is scheduled to refer the mayor’s proposal to the council’s Public Safety Committee tonight. But several council members asked pointed questions at the mere mention of the change Monday, signaling that the mayor may have a tough time steering his idea through council.
“What is bringing this about?” Councilman Lonnie Miley asked Monday. “Have we actually had a problem with this? Why do something just to do it?”
The mayor hopes that shutting off sales a little earlier will cut down on fights, spokesman Andrew Blascovich said. Currently bars have to stop selling drinks by 2 a.m., and the city code says no one can drink in a bar after 2 a.m.
But the code does allow people to simply hold an open beer or other drink inside a bar until 3 a.m. Reichert’s proposal would address this apparent discrepancy in the code, moving that cut-off time to 2 a.m., and effectively forcing bars to clear people out and clean up any open containers by 2 a.m.
Blascovich said that, in some places, bartenders will sell one person several drinks right at 2 a.m., “clearly trying to get around the law” and the proposed ordinance “is an attempt to curb that.”
He said it was developed with police input.
Several council members indicated that if the mayor or the police department wants to argue that changing the city code will cut down on after-hours troublemaking, they’d better come armed with statistics. “I don’t see why we would just suddenly pull this out of the air and do it,” Councilman Rick Hutto said.
“This is crazy,” Councilman James Timley said.
Tim Obelgoner, operations manager for the Hummingbird Stage & Taproom downtown, said he doesn’t see a need for the change.
“We don’t have fights in here,” he said. “We don’t put up with them. ... I can’t imagine that putting last call 30 minutes earlier is going to reduce fights.”
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Meet The Press - U.S. bids farewell to Sen. Kennedy
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Saturday, August 29, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Macon Council: Reichert has the Power to Furlough
The power to furlough Macon city employees will remain in the hands of Mayor Robert Reichert.
Tuesday night, Macon city council members did not pass an ordinance that would require council to approve furloughs or reductions in force that may come from the mayor's office.
Nine council members voted against the ordinance with six voting for it.
It needed eight votes to pass.
Councilman Rick Hutto sponsored the ordinance after the city attorney said they may want to clarify language in the code and personnel administrative guidelines.
The proposed ordinance would require that any reduction in force or furlough be approved by council.
Hutto says the decision council made Tuesday shows that that several members of council do not want to take any blame when the difficulty comes.
Hutto believes furloughs may come up again during budget talks for the next fiscal year, and council should have a say.
But some on council who voted against the ordinance say the right to furlough belongs to the mayor.
Erick Erickson, who voted against the ordinance says, "I think the mayor needs to have the power because routinely when council is presented with the right choice and the easy choice, it takes the easy choice."
The mayor's office opposed the legislation from the beginning.
Mayor Robert Reichert says council's decision shows their confidence in his administrative powers.
Reichert says, "I take this as an affirmation by the majority of council that they do think that the executive power is vested in the mayor's office and the decisions that need to be made on a day to day basis are here, not to be decided by committee votes."
He says he believes changing the code would have created more confusion in who has the power, instead of less.
Reichert says personnel guidelines require that the mayor makes the determination and advises council, if it comes to that. He says what they're looking for is balance.
He says that balance remains with city council's decision to vote down the ordinance.
Tuesday night, Macon city council members did not pass an ordinance that would require council to approve furloughs or reductions in force that may come from the mayor's office.
Nine council members voted against the ordinance with six voting for it.
It needed eight votes to pass.
Councilman Rick Hutto sponsored the ordinance after the city attorney said they may want to clarify language in the code and personnel administrative guidelines.
The proposed ordinance would require that any reduction in force or furlough be approved by council.
Hutto says the decision council made Tuesday shows that that several members of council do not want to take any blame when the difficulty comes.
Hutto believes furloughs may come up again during budget talks for the next fiscal year, and council should have a say.
But some on council who voted against the ordinance say the right to furlough belongs to the mayor.
Erick Erickson, who voted against the ordinance says, "I think the mayor needs to have the power because routinely when council is presented with the right choice and the easy choice, it takes the easy choice."
The mayor's office opposed the legislation from the beginning.
Mayor Robert Reichert says council's decision shows their confidence in his administrative powers.
Reichert says, "I take this as an affirmation by the majority of council that they do think that the executive power is vested in the mayor's office and the decisions that need to be made on a day to day basis are here, not to be decided by committee votes."
He says he believes changing the code would have created more confusion in who has the power, instead of less.
Reichert says personnel guidelines require that the mayor makes the determination and advises council, if it comes to that. He says what they're looking for is balance.
He says that balance remains with city council's decision to vote down the ordinance.
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