Lisa Borders reverses on tax rollback comment
September 23, 2009 at 1:53 pm by Scott Henry in News
Last night in north Atlanta, during what must now be the 83rd mayoral forum held so far, Council President Lisa Borders said a rather interesting thing: “Yes.”
This single-word statement came in response to a question of whether, as mayor, she’d roll back the 3-mill tax increase adopted by the city only a couple of months back. To those who’ve repeatedly heard Borders take credit for coordinating the passage of the tax hike by the City Council, it sounded like a remarkable — and unexplained — about-face.
Well, it’s unexplained no longer. Liz Flowers, Borders’ campaign spokeswoman, told me this morning that the candidate thought she was being asked if she’d favor a rollback after the city’s public-safety needs had been adequately funded.
“We’re not backing away from her original position” supporting the tax increase, Flowers said. “She misunderstood the way the question was framed.”
So concerned is the Borders campaign over her apparent reversal that it’s now issued a press release explaining the gaffe more fully:
When asked about her response at the debate, Borders explained that she understood the question to ask whether she would rollback taxes after public safety was adequately funded. The question came during a series of inquiries in which the moderators had condensed a number of individual prepared questions.
For the record, Councilwoman Mary Norwood also answered in the affirmative, which is consistent with her opposition to the tax hike. State Sen. Kasim Reed said no, he wouldn’t roll back the increase — at least not until the city had gotten crime under control. Jesse Spikes said something similar.
Last night’s forum, held in a large church sanctuary, attracted about 400 people — the largest audience so far — and was certainly the smoothest one I’ve seen, thanks largely to co-moderators Bill Nigut and Dick Williams, both old hands at this game.
Borders also served up the biggest laugh line of the night when she described Mayor Franklin coming into office following “an ethically challenged administration.” She’d barely gotten the words out before the crowd erupted into guffaws at her extreme understatement. Particularly funny to me was the fact that Steve Labovitz, Bill Campbell’s former best pal, chief of staff and an alleged unindicted co-conspirator in Campbell’s massive campaign fraud, was sitting with his family in one of the back pews. Bet he got a laugh out of that.
September 23rd, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Thanks, Scott, for a timely example of Lisa’s problems in the ‘understanding’ department. She sounds quite good when repeating her campaign script verbatim – when asked to think, not so much.
Who would really be running the show with Cousins’s muni-schmoozer-in-chief as mayor?
September 23rd, 2009 at 2:37 pm
There in lies the problem with most politicians. When they don’t say what they really mean and they have to change the message to match what people want to hear. If Lisa would always say exactly what she means then she would get tripped up by these types of questions.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Borders also said something about this on her website: http://www.bordersforatlanta.com/2009/09/23/borders-clarifies-statement-on-taxes/
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:22 pm
the much bigger story is kasim’s reversal. hasn’t he been crying about the tax hike? now all of a sudden he wouldn’t roll it back but instead, SPEND IT ON EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS PASSED FOR; PUBLIC SAFETY.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Good grief. For the past year, we have had (mostly appropriate) moaning about the fact that Shirley Franklin wouldn’t own up to her mistakes.
Now, we have Lisa copping to a small mistake and explaining herself, and apparently that’s a sign that she’s just another politician.
Bless your little half-wit hearts.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:26 pm
That’s it! I can’t take Lisa Borders’ flip flopping any longer. It was a simple question – she understood it perfectly I’m sure. I don’t know what to believe when it comes to this lady.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:29 pm
@Mr. T I know you’re a Borders’ apologist, but we both know that wasn’t a mistake. She was pandering to the crowd as usual. These kind of “mistakes” only lead to bigger trouble down the road. Politics as usual for Ms. Borders.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Finally, someone calling Lisa Borders out on her inconsistencies. I’m for Norwood and for this very reason…Borders can’t be trusted. Whether it’s ethics violations or her relationship with Aaron Turpeau, she’s always in the middle of a mess. Atlanta doesn’t need this type of nonsense. We deserve better.
September 23rd, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Corrupt and fickle people are always “clarifying”, misunderstanding and then begging for forgiveness once they get caught aren’t they? She’ll probably have a press conference blaming Bill Nigut and Dick Williams for her freudian slip.
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Mistake? You be the judge:
http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2009/09/23/a-clarification-on-taxes-from-lisa-borders/
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:25 pm
That last Betsy is NOT me — stop slandering me, you gutless wonder. Creative Loafing can vouch for this.
September 23rd, 2009 at 4:46 pm
i don’t have a horse in this race but this seems like a simple enough issue that wouldn’t/shouldn’t trip up someone running for mayor.
i expected a better showing from borders.
smh.
September 23rd, 2009 at 9:16 pm
I agree that if Borders talked from her gut, and not to appease audiences, she would not have so many flip-flop issues. You have to remember she dropped out; then re-entered the Mayor’s race!
She makes so many negative headlines, I seriously think it may be a strategy of her campaign.
September 24th, 2009 at 1:01 am
Just read their record on voting. I don’t know if Lisa has this type of record in place but the other two do. I am not leaving out Mr. Spikes or or the others for that matter(Kyle ??) but I think they serve as the activist as opposed to policy leader and community builder. We don’t want to viewed nationally as the city too busy to hate and too dumb to function.