E-mail from Beltline CEO Terri Montague to board members
February 11, 2008 at 11:17 am by Thomas Wheatley in NewsBeltline CEO Terri Montague sent a mass e-mail to members of the project’s tax allocation district advisory council. It’s pasted below. Emphasis has been added to highlight some of the questions that have been raised by the court’s ruling.
From: “Terri Montague”
To: [redacted]
Subject: GA Supreme Court Ruling – Update
Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:18:07 +0000Dear BeltLine TADAC Members:
We just learned that the Georgia Supreme Court has reversed the Fulton County Superior Court’s January 2007 ruling validating the BeltLine TAD bonds. In a unanimous ruling, the Supreme Court specifically held that funding plans like the BeltLine’s violate the Educational Purpose Clause of the State constitution – in effect preventing the inclusion of school district tax increment for these types of projects.
We are disappointed in this ruling, but we remain focused on the BeltLine vision. And we will continue working without interruption with our staffs and public and private partners toward its fulfillment using alternative funding sources – as we have for the last 16 months.
Our work over that time has built important momentum and revealed the broad political, civic and business will behind the BeltLine – not as merely an amenity for Atlanta but, rather, as an integrated solution to some of the City’s and region’s most pressing needs. Neither those needs nor that will is diminished by this legal decision.
The BeltLine Team now faces questions about precisely how the BeltLine will proceed – considering, as we will in the coming days and weeks ahead, our legal, political and financial options. Meanwhile, communities with pending TAD programs across the State will undoubtedly be evaluating how they will implement their priority projects, as well. Please feel free to contact Roland Young or Rukiya Eaddy if you have questions, or would like to arrange a fuller briefing in the meantime. We expect that this important ruling will attract extensive media coverage, starting this morning.
As stewards of the BeltLine vision and support, we will update you again soon.
Sincerely,
Terri Y. Montague
President & CEO
Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.
404-614-8322
February 11th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Well if past history in this town is any indication, the “Beltline” will proceed, but only as a ‘mixed use’ development corridor in the already established neighborhoods on the city’s east/northeast sides – without any of the transit component save for a jogging path/bike path and minimal greenspace additions. So much for Mayor What’sHerName’s? legacy.
From what I’ve heard of the beltline in the past few months, coupled with the incredibly long, projected due dates – the officials in charge of this project have been looking for a way to ditch the public transit aspect because of cost and lack of dedication to the concept of public transit as a whole in Atlanta. This ruling will give them the political cover to do so. Anyone want to take any bets?
February 11th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
atlpaddy may be right in the transit component. not only is the public transportation in jeopardy, bringing more cars into the city, but there are other ways that the beltline will effect working low to middle-income atlantans, divvying up our school tax at will and also accelerating the demolition of low-income housing. I’d rather look at the unused railroad track than imagine how much poorer and disenfranchised some us are going to become. to get serious about public transportation atlanta and what’s-her-face would have to be dedicated to people and not money.