Atlanta mayor defends $5.5 billion neighborhood plan at city hall

Atlanta city council tables $5.5 billion neighborhood fund

An intense city council committee meeting lasted nearly seven hours Wednesday night after Mayor Andre Dickens made a surprise personal appearance to defend his controversial 5.5 billion dollar neighborhood growth initiative.  

ATLANTA - An intense city council committee meeting lasted nearly seven hours Wednesday after Mayor Andre Dickens made a surprise personal appearance to defend his controversial 5.5 billion dollar neighborhood growth initiative. 

What we know:

Mayor Andre Dickens spoke passionately at Atlanta City Hall on Wednesday regarding his comprehensive 20-year neighborhood reinvestment initiative. The $5.5 billion proposal seeks to balance growth across the south and west sides of the community to close a severe economic divide.

The mechanism extends the financial lifespan of six of the city's eight existing tax allocation districts. Dickens argued that immediate funding is necessary to raise every single child above the poverty line, calling the current financial state of the municipality "a tale of 2 cities."

Public speakers pushed back during the hearing, voicing deep concerns over a lack of government oversight. Several residents pointed out that the city's tax allocation funds have not faced a formal audit in 12 years.

A review by the city auditor is currently underway but has not yet been published for public review. Critics leveled harsh complaints at committee members, stating that lengthening the tax districts is simply maximizing the financial pain for local taxpayers.

What they're saying:

Dickens grew fired up during the marathon session, explicitly calling out what he viewed as hypocrisy from at least one public speaker. "Atlanta born, I’m Atlanta bread." Dickens stated. "When I die, I’m going to be Atlanta dead."

The mayor criticized affluent residents who live comfortably for telling struggling neighbors to wait for economic relief. He pointed out that past council choices successfully brought commercial investments like grocery stores to former food deserts.

What we don't know:

Officials have not revealed the final numbers from the pending city tax audit. It remains unclear if any council members will demand that the official financial report be published before casting their final votes on the multi-billion dollar package. 

What's next:

The city council committee officially tabled the legislation at the end of the seven-hour meeting. Dickens stated that he will spend the next two weeks answering questions from lawmakers before the proposal comes back for a definitive vote. 

RELATED: 

• How Atlanta plans to protect residents from rising housing costs
• Mayor Dickens issues orders to advance neighborhood reinvestment