Thursday, August 2, 2012
The transportation sales tax failed in DeKalb County by 51%-49%, which means a lot of people in the county voted yes. Fill out one of the fields below and find out out how your neighborhood voted.
The transportation sales tax failed in DeKalb County by 51 percent to 49 percent, which means a lot of people in the county voted yes. Fill out one of the fields above and find out out how your neighborhood voted. For a recap of Tuesday's coverage of the TSPLOST vote, visit our blog and join the ongoing debate about the issue. Related Items: Come join the rest of the Decatur/Avondale Estates Patch fans on Facebook! It's Patch and Facebook together. Doesn't get much better than that.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Here's a roundup of comments on the Tuesday night defeat of the regional transportation referendum.
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I’m here to stick out my chin and take the loss, to accept the loss … but to ask in a respectful way that we really do sit down and not wait six or eight or 10 years but work on it right away. Because the future belongs to those who figure it out. … We’re going to have to have politics of cooperation if we’re going to meet these big challenges.” Tad Leithead, chairman of the Atlanta Regional Commission, in the Marietta Daily Journal. “I was surprised at the level of energy behind the opposition, particularly because much of the opposition was mounted by elected officials who originally supported the concept." Gov. Nathan Deal in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "It will …
"My hope now is that we will work together as we search for a method to move forward."
Decatur Mayor Bill Floyd emailed this statement to Patch about the TSPLOST referendum that was defeated in the Tuesday referendum. Floyd was a big supporter. I am glad it is over and that there is no doubt what the voters wanted… or did not want. It was in my opinion decisive. I spent most of my time last year arriving at the list of projects to vote on and if that list is why anyone voted no then I certainly share the responsibility for the no vote. If it is mistrust of elected officials, since I have been an elected official for 21 years, I certainly share that responsibility also. This vote brought together people of different parties, different races and different cultures on both sides of the issue. I think good can and will come from…
She's racked up a huge lead over Edmond Richardson in District. 6. She has no Republican opposition in November.
Kathie Gannon, the incumbent DeKalb County Commission for District 6, won re-election Tuesday night in the Democratic primary. With all precincts reporting, she had 75.08 percent of the vote for the Democratic nomination, compared to 24.92 percent for her opponent, Edmond Richardson. "I've been working hard for the people in my district," Gannon said late Tuesday night. "I've developed relationships with the people in my district." The vote totals included mail-in ballots did not include provisionals. The provisional ballots could not change the outcome. Because no Republicans signed up to run for the seat in the November general election, the primary win is tantamount to re-election. Gannon has served on the DeKalb County Board of …
Steve Bradshaw, Clyburn Halley finish a distant second and third.
Incumbent DeKalb County Commissioner Sharon Barnes-Sutton apparently has been re-eleced to the District 4 commisson seat. Barnes-Sutton easily outpolled challengers Steve Bradshaw and Clyburn Halley. No Republicans qualified to run in the November General Election, so Barnes-Sutton is assured another term in office. With all reporting, she won 73.20 percent of the vote, compared to 22.67 for Bradshaw and 4.13 percent for Halley. The vote totals included mail-in ballots did not include provisionals. The provisional ballots could not change the outcome. District 4 covers the part of the county between Stone Mountain and Avondale Estates and west of Stone Mountain. Barnes-Sutton was first elected in 2008, becoming the first African-American …
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Before you vote in the Georgia Primary, read this.
The Georgia Primary is being held today. If you're registered to vote, go out and do your civic duty. If you haven't been paying too much attention, here's some nuts and bolts info. What: The Georgia Primary. When: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 31. Where to vote: If you don't know, go to the "My Voter Page" part of the Georgia Secretary of State webpage. Voters who used to go to Avondale Middle School and the Covington Highway Library will now go to Avondale Pattillo United Methodist Church. The big issue: The regional transportation referendum, sometimes called TSPLOST. A penny sales tax would pay for transportation projects that benefit the 10-county metro area. Decatur and Avondale Estates would also receive a cut for their own …
Monday, July 30, 2012
"Decatur is the place that's going to make the difference in the vote tomorrow," Decatur Mayor Bill Floyd told crowd.
Metro Atlanta elected leaders got together with supporters in Decatur Monday afternoon to hold a TSPLOST pep rally. "Decatur is the place that's going to make the difference in the vote tomorrow," Decatur Mayor Bill Floyd told the crowd in the courtroom of the old DeKalb County Courthouse. "We're going to pull it off tomorrow," said Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, who was stuck in traffic and arrived an hour late. "Not by much -- but I'll take it." "This is our moment," DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis said. "This is our time to make a difference." If the regional transportation refererendum passes, a penny sales tax will pay for road and mass transit improvements in the 10-county Atlanta metro area. Money would also be available for Decatur, Avondale …
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Get a refresher on the candidates and issues on the ballot Tuesday. These ballots allow you to see the exact wording of the transportation sales tax question and other issues.
Here are the official sample ballots for DeKalb County voters. To generate a personalized sample ballot and to check on your polling place, go to the My Voter page of the state Board of Elections and enter your name, county and birthday. (This will only work if you are currently registered to vote.)
'Atlanta’s future will live or die on the health of its transportation arteries.'
- OPINION
-
Sunday, July 29, 2012
by Glen D. Bottoms On July 31, you, the good citizens of the Atlanta metro area, get the opportunity to vote on a measure that would raise more than $7 billion (over a 10-year period) for highway and transit projects throughout the 10-county metropolitan area. This is a momentous occasion that may determine whether Atlanta moves forward to invest in critical transportation infrastructure or begins to slide toward mediocrity and despair over its inability to achieve a simple 50 percent consensus to address what may be the nation’s worst traffic congestion. Growing up 90 miles from Atlanta, I have always had a keen interest in Atlanta affairs. I’ve followed the city’s robust journey through the years, from the emerging years of the 1950’s to…
Monday, July 23, 2012
One of DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis's opponents said Ellis had an unfair advantage because his office is in the lobby of the building where votes are cast. Ellis's photo was covered with paper, but the elections director says that's routine.
Early voting in Decatur started with controversy Monday. Jerome Edmondson, one of DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis's primary opponents, complained that voters would be "intimidated" because Ellis's office is in the Clark Harrison Building at 330 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., where a polling place is located. Edmondson said Ellis's photo should not be displayed there. The photo was covered with paper, but DeKalb Elections Director Maxine Daniels says that's not unusual and wasn't done in response to Edmondson's complaint. She said photos of incumbents up for election have been covered for several years during elections. As far as the location of Ellis's office, Daniels said that's going to happen whenever incumbents run for office and is not a good …
narwanna
12:32 pm on Thursday, August 2, 2012
@c it is a shame all did not vote YES!, they want to complain but never want to provide and help with the solution but want to bask in the sun of glory when it works. We will never move to a higher ground of events in Georgia like the Olympics again we complain too much, we dont really want head way or growth or to better we want to complain. more ›