Mayor Andre Dickens has released the proposed city budget for fiscal year 2024. The $790 million general fund budget would be the largest in Atlanta’s history if approved. Between now and then, City Council members will spend roughly 45 days in committee hearings listening to Atlanta service department leaders make their case for their municipal funding requests. […]
Politics & Policy
Posted inCity Politics
It’s Not Just the City of Atlanta. Black Residents in DeKalb Have Water Issues, Too
Earlier this week, Janis Gardner sat outside the DeKalb County government office in downtown Decatur looking for answers. It was early in the morning, but she waited, alongside a dozen others, for the 10 a.m. Board of Commissioners meeting. Next to her were fellow members of the DeKalb Water Watch, a community group created with […]
Posted inCity Politics
How Will Atlanta Spend Your Tax Dollars? Read Our Budget Explainer.
City budget hearings start next week, which means it’s almost time for Atlanta residents like you to tell leaders how to spend your tax dollars during the next fiscal year, beginning on July 1. Concerned residents will have opportunities to weigh in on the latest budget, which impacts government services for the nearly half a […]
Posted inCity Politics
The City Shut Off Their Water. Now, These Black Residents in Atlanta Want Answers.
The water leak at his home first began in the summer of 2019, as far as Nick Aaron can recall. He didn’t know exactly where the leak was, but says it sounded like his water was constantly running after flushing the toilet or using a faucet. Aaron first reached out to a plumber, who told […]
Posted inCity Politics
Why More Black People Are Showing Up for Atlanta NPU Meetings
Lynette Grant didn’t know developers were building a new apartment complex in her community before attending the latest Neighborhood Planning Unit meeting Wednesday night. Grant was one of about 30 resident members of NPU-R who participated in the most recent monthly Zoom call to weigh in on issues happening in their predominantly Black, southwest Atlanta […]
Posted inState Politics
Your Elected Officials Were Busy Passing Laws That Affect You. Here’s a Recap.
Lawmakers inside the state Capitol ceremoniously threw shreds of paper in the air in celebration after working past midnight to decide the fate of several contentious bills on Sine Die, the last day of this year’s legislative session. Many of the year’s most controversial measures, including one that would create a Georgia school voucher program […]
Posted inCity Politics
What Did Mayor Andre Dickens Say? Read Our State of the City Breakdown.
In case you missed it, Mayor Andre Dickens delivered his second State of the City address on Tuesday. Dickens spoke for just over half an hour, touching on everything from youth engagement programs and affordable housing to reiterating his support for the public safety training facility known as “Cop City.” “Today, I can tell you […]
Posted inState Politics
Georgia’s Legislative Session Is About to End. Here’s What We’re Watching.
The fate of several proposed laws that could impact the lives of Black Georgians will be decided on Wednesday, the 40th and final day of the state’s latest legislative session — aka Sine Die. The term “Sine Die” is a Latin phrase that means “without assigning a day for a further meeting or hearing.” In Georgia, it’s […]
Posted inHealth, Social Welfare
With Black Residents at Risk of Losing Medicaid, These Orgs Are Here to Help
Starting next month, millions of Georgia residents will have their Medicaid eligibility reevaluated, and local grassroots organizations are mobilizing to keep Black communities informed. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which, among many things, required states to keep people enrolled on Medicaid through the end of […]
Posted inCity Politics
We Asked All 16 Members of the Atlanta City Council About ‘Cop City.’ Two Responded.
Land clearing is underway in the South River Forest where Atlanta is set to build its new public safety training center, nicknamed “Cop City.” As the community continues to debate the need for the facility, Atlanta City Council members have remained tight-lipped on the issue. Back on Sept. 8, 2021, the council voted 10-4 in […]