Fresh Loaf

Ivory Young

One says she’s had trouble sleeping because of anonymous threats. Another received a nasty phone message described as “the most disgusting, vulgar thing I’ve ever heard.” Others have gotten e-mails labeling them the “Hate Eight.”

Yes, the eight Atlanta City Council members who voted Monday to approve a 3-mill property tax increase have been reminded over the past few days that, no matter how sincere your intentions, you can’t please everybody.

For weeks now, most of the folks who voted for the tax hike — Carla Smith, Ivory Lee Young, Jr., Natalyn Archibong, Anne Fauver, Felicia Moore, C.T. Martin, Joyce Sheperd and Ceasar Mitchell — have said most constituents indicated a willingness to pay more in taxes in return for an end to police furloughs.

With the city bean-counters expecting only $490 million in annual revenues — down from nearly $650 million a couple years back — the alternatives to a tax increase, according to Mitchell, would’ve been cutting back on weekly trash pick-up, eliminating the recycling program, closing more rec centers and parks or, perhaps, additional employee furloughs.

But now the Eight are catching hell from people whose top concern was higher taxes.

Once the dust settles on the vote and the hate mail subsides, Council members agree, the newly un-furloughed city workers are going to need to step up their game in order to meet heightened taxpayer expectations.

“There can be no excuses now for poor service delivery,” says Young. “From here on, it’s zero tolerance for mediocrity.”

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 — While everyone else is in a post-convention glow, Dave at Rather Than Working proposes that the Dems missed a sure bet when they didn’t go after the Bush Administration for all their assaults on the Constitution. Like Guantanamo, warrantless wiretapping, and the political firings and hirings at the Justice Department.

— In honor of Obama’s presidential nomination, Shelbinator takes us on a photographic trip through Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s old neighborhood.

— And Chicken Fat reminds us it’s the anniversary of one of the defining moments of the don’t-let-the-door-hit-you-on-the-ass Bush presidency. One hint: Brownie.

— One of the truths that emerged from the convention is that, really, the MSNBC talking heads all dislike one another. Left On Lanier has posted a video retrospective of all that hostility.

— At Atlanta Public Affairs, Decatur Guy takes note that his mayor has called out Gov. Sonny Perdue for raising taxes this year. Mayor Bill Floyd reminds Perdue that he has to see constituents every day; unlike the guv, he can’t hide in China.

— And, finally, the fine but ultimately misguided ladies at Pecanne Log post yet another tribute to our own young Mr. Wheatley. But calling him the poor man’s Flip Spiceland?

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