Council to consider legislation seeking changes to tax abatements in Atlanta
The Atlanta City Council will consider legislation during Monday’s remote meeting to call on the Development Authority of Fulton County to cease acting as the issuer of lease purchase taxable revenue bonds for property within Atlanta’s city limits (Legislative Reference №20-R-4319).
Under Georgia law, communities can create local development authorities to be used as financing mechanisms to further economic development initiatives through items and actions such as issuing lease purchase taxable revenue bonds and delivering tax incentives. The Development Authority of Fulton County facilitates economic development initiatives within a jurisdiction that encompasses all of Fulton County, including Atlanta.
The resolution, co-sponsored by 14 Council members, states that tax abatements offered within Atlanta’s city limits should be solely provided by Invest Atlanta and meet the objectives of the Economic Mobility, Recovery and Resiliency Plan, which was adopted by the Council on Sept. 8. Upon adoption, the legislation will be forwarded to all Fulton County Commission members and board members of the Development Authority of Fulton County.
Other items on Monday’s agenda include:
• A resolution to request that the Atlanta Department of Transportation partner with the City’s Office of Innovation Delivery and Performance to develop a funding plan that provides for the City to annually invest in its road infrastructure at a rate equal to the replacement cycle for all of the City’s streets and roads (Legislative Reference №20-R-4320).
• A resolution authorizing the mayor or her designee to enter into an intergovernmental agreement between the City of Atlanta and Invest Atlanta for economic development and redevelopment services and to establish performance objectives and reporting requirements (Legislative Reference №20-R-4267).
• A resolution to urge the Georgia General Assembly to enact legislation to adopt ranked choice voting for all elections and/or permit counties and municipalities to make use of ranked choice voting in local elections (Legislative Reference №20-R-4313).
• An ordinance authorizing the acceptance of donations of personal protective equipment, COVID-19 test kits, and professional services from the state of New York on behalf of the City of Atlanta to assist the City’s ongoing COVID-19 response efforts (Legislative Reference №20-O-1565).
• A resolution urging the federal government to pass legislation to provide universal, comprehensive healthcare coverage with zero cost-sharing for patients during public health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and calling on federal legislators to work toward enactment of legislation to provide fiscally feasible and appropriate healthcare coverage for all U.S. residents (Legislative Reference №20-R-4316).
The Council’s Zoning Committee and the Committee on Council will be held in committee of the whole during the meeting.
Monday’s meeting will take place remotely at 1 p.m. in response to the telework protocol activated for City Hall. The meeting will be simulcast on the Council’s website, YouTube channel, Facebook and Twitter pages, and on Channel 26.
Media and the public can tune into the remote meeting by dialing (877) 579–6743 and entering the conference ID number 8315991256.
Remarks from the public for all remote meetings will be accepted between the hours of 4–7 p.m. on the day before the scheduled meeting.
Residents can participate in the public comment portion of the meeting by calling (404) 330–6001 and leaving a voicemail, including their name and contact information.
Public comments for the Zoning Committee may be left by calling (404) 330–6035, and for Committee on Council by calling (404) 330–6069. No public comments are allowed on legislative items that have gone before or will go before the Zoning Review Board.
