Mayor Franklin on judge’s ‘water wars’ ruling: Sky is blue
July 17, 2009 at 5:02 pm by Thomas Wheatley in News
Mayor Shirley Franklin just released this statement on U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson’s ruling that metro Atlanta can’t tap Lake Lanier for its drinking water:
“Water is a critical resource. The City of Atlanta is spending billions of dollars rebuilding its water infrastructure under federal consent decrees. As mayor, I recognize the seriousness of the ruling and also the value of proper resource stewardship. Clean water is needed for public health, fire protection and economic development for every person and community in Georgia. The Governor and the State have the lead in this case and we and the other Metro Area water providers are following their lead. This is not only a local or regional issue, but a national issue. We welcome the opportunity to resolve it fairly and amicably.”
C’mon! Give us a little pep! Throw some jabs! CL hereby orders all elected officials to attend the Bob Riley School of Public Speaking and Press Release Posturing. We’ve got free papers to sell, after all.
(Cl file photo Joeff Davis)
July 17th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
The mayor’s oft-spoken dream (and our nightmare) of additional millions of metro residents piling in may be fading now that the judge is denying them the wherewithal to flush.
The judge is wrong about one thing, though. If he’d read my comments in Fresh Loaf he could have avoided this false finding of fact. He says, “Local governments allow unchecked growth because it increases tax revenue, but these same governments do not sufficiently plan for the resources such unchecked growth will require.”
Right on part two, but wrong on part one, at least in Atlanta’s case. Mysteriously, with the 50% digest growth of 2002 – 2008, Atlanta’s tax revenue stayed flat. So in Atlanta’s case, government allows growth because that’s what the developers want, and developers call the shots.
July 17th, 2009 at 10:59 pm
Touche, ciyzen!!
July 17th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
This ruling has bene a long time coming.
July 18th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Now Beignet, don’t get too cute with inside jokes about certain people’s names an’ all!
You’re probably minded to give that judge a Thrashing for false finding of fact – am I right? A schreibfest looming?
July 18th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Apropos beignets, I learn that my Schreibfest lunge was off target. Have I Doug myself into a hole or should I have waited till I could see the Jack Whites of their eyes?
July 18th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Magnuson said, “Local governments allow unchecked growth because it increases tax revenue, but these same governments do not sufficiently plan for the resources such unchecked growth will require.”
If that was correct, then Los Angeles and New York City should have the lowest taxes in the country!
July 19th, 2009 at 12:46 am
Like it or not GA better get its act together (read state water adn land use plan) and the GUV had best start planning his negotiating strategy. Otherwise, we’re all cooked.
July 19th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Perhaps this would be a good time to invest in a new reservoir.
Any venturous Capitalists out there ready to put their money where there mouth is?
Maybe there is some stimulus money out there, if it is “shovel ready”.
Our should we go Re-Public?
Just askin.