Fix Atlanta's Finances

The situation that Atlanta finds itself in—a recessionary economy, falling revenues, past deficits, a financial organization that needs to be rebuilt—requires that we take strong and immediate action to right our ship. Not only do we need to manage through the recession crisis, but also we must have a solid financial foundation that we can build upon to support our future. We need to fund our critical services, especially public safety, at needed levels. We have to set tax levels that do not over-burden our property owners and insure that we are an affordable city in which to live and work. We need to re-double our efforts to get rid of waste and inefficient programs. We need to implement the changes in the city's financial organization recommended by Deloitte & Touche. We need to deal with long-term expense issues such as pension costs and past debts. We must to be balanced in our approach and focus on the engines of economic growth that will assure that the revenue stream that funds our services can meet our needs in the future.

Improve Public Safety

Public safety is the bedrock upon which a city protects its citizens and builds its entire operating environment. We need to have appropriate staffing, deployed where it is needed. We need to have police and fire departments that can attract and retain officers. We need to have communication and support systems that meet the needs of a large and growing metropolis. While we need to make sure that public safety is at the top of our priority list, we also need to make sure that it delivers its services in the most efficient and effective way possible. When we face the tough questions on how to fund first-rate public safety services, we must insure our future by providing a sustainable solution.

Solve the Transportation Logjam

Atlanta was built upon transportation opportunity. Not having access, or being bogged down in overwhelmingly congested traffic, will ultimately choke our city and starve our economic engine. We must get adequate funding for Atlanta's needs. We need to work together as a region to insure that transportation planning and implementation are regionally integrated and efficiently designed for the scarce dollars that are available. There has to be a balance of emphasis on and funding for MARTA, roads, commuter transit and Beltline if we are to have a functioning transportation infrastructure.

Create a Sustainable Atlanta

The current recession-driven crises have demonstrated that having strong economic base is a significant component of Atlanta's sustainability. Managing all of our resources is essential to the health and sustainability of our community. If we are to have a thriving community, we must insure that we have environmentally sound sources of water, air and energy. We need economic growth to fund our services. We need to maintain and grow our infrastructure while focusing on conservancy and efficiency for when resources are constrained. We need to develop in smart ways to insure that there is a balance of access, proximity to services and green space. Improved educational results, community health, community support and citizen involvement will insure a balance between today's needs and tomorrow's opportunities.