Thank you for taking your time answering questions and as well as pointing out key issues we all face. We need more like you representing us!

Airport corruption can be handled by privatizing the Jackson portion of the airport (concessions) while leaving public the Hartsfield portion (flights). It is the selling of concessions that leads our officials to don prison garb. Protect them from themselves!

So I guess the question could still be posed to the canidates and if they say they’re going to do it, it shows they don’t understand the basics of the program and why it isn’t an option. Come to think of it, Buzz you should ask the question just to see if either of them falls for the trap.

Over the past decade, the number of residents living in multi-family housing has increased to the point that they now outnumber residents in single family homes. City policy however seems to heavily favor those living in single family homes.

Two prime examples of this: 1) the high penalties paid by those living in a multi-family building with a single water meter since they’re only allowed the same amount of water as one single family home regardless of the number of dwelling units on that one meter. 2) the plans for the Peachtree Streetcar places most of the burden paying for the operational expenses on those living within a quarter mile of the route (not streetcar stop but route) of the streetcar while explicitly excluding single family homes, even those with a stop in front of their home.

Under your administration, will this policy of favoring residents in single family homes over those in multi-family homes continue?

Ask Mary what happened to the endorsements that she had before the General Election but are nowhere to be seen now that she’s in a runoff.

Fair question.

I’ve voted for a regional transportation plan in the past and intend to do so again. I’ve pledged to help whichever candidate gets elected Mayor to advance transportation in my city, the metro region, and the state.

This issue has a lot of moving parts but I expect a consensus bill to emerge in the next few weeks. Therefore, I think with a coordinated effort by the Metro Chamber, Atlanta’s new mayor, Republicans, and Democrats will get a solid regional transportation plan passed in the opening few weeks of the General Assembly in January. I’ll be doing my part and I hope that you and the other contributors at Peach Pundit will be down at the Capitol in January urging your friends on both sides of aisle to get it passed and placed on the ballot in 2010.

Representative Edward Lindsey (R-Atlanta)
edward.lindsey@house.ga.gov

Representative Edward Lindsey (R-Atlanta)
edward.lindsey@house.ga.gov

Here are 7 questions that My Newsletter has put to the candidates and asked them to address in the final days of the campaign:

1. How is the City of Atlanta going to crawl out of its long term financial crisis, created in large part by unfunded pension entitlements granted over the past 10 years to city workers?

2.As mayor, how are you going to address the recent high profile increases in violent and property crimes that have threatened our students at our in town colleges, our businesses in Grant Park, and our homes throughout the City?

3. What are you going to do about the City’s long term water needs and the chronic problems that have plagued the Atlanta Department of Watershed Management?

4. Will you finally take steps to address the cronyism at the Atlanta Airport that has led to repeated scandals in the awarding of contracts?

5. With the City’s commercial district facing record levels of vacancies, what are you going to do to make Atlanta more business friendly?

6. How are you going to promote a regional transportation plan to address our City’s mobile needs?

7. Atlanta taxpayers pay the highest local taxes in the region but residents in surrounding cities and counties have better basic municipal services. What are you going to do to address this disparity and provide our citizens with the services they deserve at a price they can afford? In particular, will you consider the privatization practices that have been embraced successfully in other communities?

The candidates have responded to the budget and crime questions and the back and forth has been pointed. Tomorrow they will address the water issue. I will be happy to forward the Newsletters to Peach Pundit or any of its readers if anyone is interested. Simply e mail me at the below address.

Take care and remember to vote December 1.

Reprensentative Edward Lindsey (R-Atlanta)
edward.lindsey@house.ga.gov