P II

Grants for parks should not be funding parking lots.

Georgia House bill could thwart Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens' proposed TAD extension - Atlanta Business Chronicle A bill introduced in the state House would set a limit on renewing tax allocation districts, which allow property tax revenue to be set aside to fund projects within the same area.

Could #GApol Rs save ATL from its electeds on the TAD extension folly?
Usually, state legislators interfere in malign ways. Here, they'd be doing us a favor.
No city & schools can afford to treat 17.5% of its property tax as play money for boondoggles.
www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news...

If you, like me are furious about the #Atlanta illegal change for the beltline eastside rail, consider emailing a few of these folks, like I did this morning. We need to let them know this is not okay. List with email address and some phone numbers: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...

GEORGIANS!

Georgia estimates $2.5 billion in losses to data center tax breaks in a single year.
…in FY 2025, data centers were projected to bring in $41 million in tax revenue, while receiving $474 million in tax exemptions — a loss of $433 million.

goodjobsfirst.org/georgia-data...

US decides SpaceX is like an airline, exempting it from Labor Relations Act US labels SpaceX a common carrier by air, will regulate firm under railway law.

I'm sure this was a fair decision reached entirely on the merits without a hint of political interference.

arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...

Pitts seeks fair assessment of 'trophy properties' and data centers Fulton County Chair Robb Pitts takes action to address undervaluation of trophy properties and data centers, seeking to increase tax revenue.

Making progress here. “Thanks to Chairman Pitts’ & Board of Assessors Chair Lee Morris’ leadership, improved data-center valuation is underway, potentially worth $100M extra in 2026,” Bene said in a statement.
#GApol
roughdraftatlanta.com/2026/02/10/f...

Journalism is a great industry to go into if you want to become speedrun becoming a Marxist.

For one Atlanta grocery store owner who relies on undocumented immigrants, the future is murky President Trump has vowed to enact the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history. However, one Atlanta business owner doesn't see a world where the president can fix the economy while deporting ...

brooo not the owner of prison tacos voted for Trump

www.cbsnews.com/news/atlanta...

Armour Yards endpoint for Clifton bus rapid transit could add decade to project MARTA has recommended the project end at Lindbergh Center instead of Armour Yards.

Exclusive: Ending the Clifton Corridor BRT route at Armour Yards instead of Lindbergh Center could add as much as a decade to the project, a new feasibility study says www.ajc.com/news/2026/02...

h/t Kyle for the info on how this Open Container district will be enforced: by using City-designated plastic cups that ID drinks as having been sold at establishments in the district.

atlantacityga.iqm2.com/Citizens/Det...

Square sized fasho.

Fulton County would have a lot more money for treating homelessness if they stopped under-valuing big commercial properties, which lowers their taxes.

If a government's budget is a statement about our values, so is the amount of money that we let slip away for the benefit of the powerful.

Eastside Beltline light rail work secretly halted last year A group made up of officials with the city of Atlanta, the Beltline and MARTA made the decision in a closed-door meeting without ever informing the public.

“A group of officials with the city of Atlanta, the Beltline and MARTA made the decision in a closed-door meeting without ever informing the public.”

Gonna need this article outside the paywall for all Atlantas to read.

www.ajc.com/news/2026/01...

Life After Cars LIVE: Presented by Propel ATL An evening of community, conversation, and exploring the future of transportation at the historic Plaza Theatre.

Tickets are also on sale now for our live show in Atlanta on Friday, March 13th at the historic Plaza Theatre, presented by @letspropelatl.bsky.social. See you there!

givebutter.com/lifeaftercars

Data centers promise tax gains for Georgia. But are they delivering? As Big Tech has faced pushback from communities about the hulking projects and concerns over rising energy bills, developers have leaned into big financial promises.

Zach could not find a single data center paying serious money in local property taxes. So much for the hoopla.
Fulton has no excuse for valuing QTS's $1.3 billion facility at $96M.
Will Commissioners finally do the right thing?
#GApol

www.ajc.com/business/202...

North Fulton cities want a say before county agency gives corporate tax cuts Sandy Springs adopted a resolution requiring the Development Authority of Fulton County to get the mayor’s permission before voting on economic development deals.

As I said here, it's nuts that N Fulton cities - but not City of Atlanta - can opt out of letting the compromised DAFC throw away tax breaks on projects in hot markets. Atlanta has lost hundreds of millions over the years from DAFC's irresponsible breaks.
www.ajc.com/business/202...

if they did January 6 today, it'd be called "January 6-7." Thank you for reading. RIP Ashley Babbert

Colombian President Petro commenting on the US;

“A clan of pedophiles wants to destroy our democracy. To keep Epstein's list from coming out, they send warships to kill fishermen & threaten our neighbor with invasion for their oil."

A Google Search result for CCH Pounder's birthday showing she was born on Dec. 25, 1952.

The reason for the season:

Christmas in space, illustrated by Moebius, 1982.

It’s dispiriting to see how the U.S. is diverging from much of the developed world when it comes to noncitizen voting rights and many other areas downstream from a functioning, healthy democracy. But history is never settled and always evolving. Georgia is one of the few competitive states that has not taken an explicit stance on the future of noncitizen voting. Atlanta is the cradle of the Civil Rights movement. The best time to fight for our representation and a future we can not just imagine, but take part in, is right now.

How would @alexip718.com fix Atlanta?

Immigrants pay taxes, work hard, send their kids to public schools, and build better futures for their communities.

It's time to let them vote in local elections as well.

how-id-fix-atlanta.ghost.io/how-alex-ip-...

hey @ossoff.senate.gov and @warnock.senate.gov what the fuck

I have to wonder: would APS be in a situation where they have to close 16 schools if they hadn't lost out on funds for the past 20 years through Tax Allocation Districts?

Mayor's folks are trying the line that TAD funds come only from "future tax growth". True in 1998. False in 2025. The future is now with $200M of taxes being diverted from APS, City, County.

Mayor's team say, "Once the TAD closes ... it increases APS funding."

Exactly. So close them already!

Couldn’t Sam Altman just ask ChatGPT how to make itself profitable

Atlanta City Council approves mayor’s scaled-back Housing Trust Fund restrictions “I feel like we’ve moved in the opposite direction of what this was intended to do,” Councilmember Alex Wan said.

Mayor Andre Dickens’ administration successfully gutted legislation to restrict how the city can spend its Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

“I feel like we’ve moved in the opposite direction of what this was intended to do,” Councilmember Alex Wan said.

For @atlantaciviccircle.org:

sunday scaries are creeping in after the holiday so here is some fun news: I’m doing weekly focaccia orders and the first drop is tomorrow.

these weekly sales will help fund bakery costs like ingredients and materials for pop ups.

www.hotplate.com/vinnysmutual...

Call and email your city council members to tell them to vote NO on extending the TAD.

Use our letter writing tool at atldsa.org/stopthetad

YouTube video by Upchuck Upchuck-Freaky (Official Video)

was today years old when i discovered ATL punk band Upchuck. just because ive been living under a rock doesnt mean you should too. tap in fashoooo

www.youtube.com/watch?v=oObK...

Y'all — As a journalist covering global health and environmental disparities, I've lived in Atlanta car-free since 2018 because that is the easiest way to put my money where my mouth is!

I am organizing a half-marathon length bike ride to support my newsroom, and I'd love for you to be my sponsor: