Comments on: Badges for lobbyists at Atlanta City Hall?

By: Borders watcher

Borders watcher — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 02:43:26 +0000

If Borders thinks she can squeeze more out of businesses in Atlanta, why doesn’t she just propose another tax increase on them instead of creating yet another incompetent city bureaucracy for taxpayers to fund. Either way, taxes go up.

By: newA

newA — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 05:54:29 +0000

Borders… Bought and SOLD by Cousins Properties!

By: A Political Demographer

A Political Demographer — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 15:02:16 +0000

Lisa Borders’ ethics problem Herring claims that Borders used her position as Atlanta City Council president to secretly lobby state legislators on behalf of her then-employer, Cousins Properties. http://www.sundaypaper.com/More/Archives/tabid/98/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/4525/Lisa-Borders-ethics-problem.aspx
… that Borders used her position as Atlanta City Council president as a cover in order to secretly lobby state legislators on behalf of her employer, Cousins Properties. … At the heart of the matter is Borders’ then-position as a senior vice president with Cousins Properties, and Cousins’ support of state legislation aimed at making taxpayers financially responsible for private developments. The measure was nicknamed the “private cities bill.”   … In answer to the complaint, Borders and her attorney claimed she was not paid by Cousins to lobby. Borders further stated she wasn’t there on behalf of Cousins: “It was in my capacity as President of the Atlanta City Council performing the official duties of my public office.”   Yet, the City of Atlanta took no position on the private cities measure. … There was no reason why the City of Atlanta would have taken a position on it. If it had, the city would have sent its own paid lobbyists; after all, the City employs 14.   So was Borders really there in her official capacity as Atlanta City Council president, or was she lobbying on behalf of Cousins Properties? Lobbying can be a hard thing for the unpracticed eye to spot, especially when Borders’ duties at Cousins, according to her own affidavit, seemed to be not much more than those of a lobbyist. Borders told the ethics commission that her duties—for which Cousins paid her a salary of about $195,000—included answering solicitations for charitable contributions, writing some company communications, and “establishing positive relationships with elected and appointed officials in the jurisdictions in which the company does business and coordinating political contributions made by the company.” … do Atlantans want yet another slippery, professional schmoozer in the mayor’s office? Is that really what this city needs? … To view a video of Borders at the Capitol on the day cited by Herring, visit YouTube.com and search for “Lisa Borders: Atlanta City Council President … Lobbyist.”

By: Small business owner

Small business owner — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 02:45:49 +0000

If Lisa Borders gets her way on the City collecting sales tax we’re leaving the City limit, taking our employees and two-million-dollar revenues with us.
We regret severely the day we allowed an employee to move back to Mobile AL and work remotely – we’ve been screwed on taxes in every town in Ala, even tho’ our employee isn’t there.
It will give them the excuse to audit us regularly, levy more taxes, etc.
It’s nuts we’re paying 8% (whilst everyone else is 7% or even 6%) for a no-accountability school board.
THe City is about as incompetent as they get, and corrupt. We went on an art crawl tonight and I marveled at all the funky architecture, and my husband and i agreed that the only way they got thru Building Code with their building plans (after the hoops we had to shimmey thru week after week) is they paid bribes. Which was the worst kept secret in Atl. amongst all the big builders.
Lisa’s getting all her $$ from outlying counties’ republican axe grinders.
Screw Lisa and her brilliant tax ideas – let her subsidize all those OTP’ers some other way.
The only Mayoral candidate with most of her support $$ coming from INSIDE the CITY is my favorite bubble-headed nitwit Norwood.
I don’t like her, but i despise the rest.

By: Shin Jasher

Shin Jasher — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 20:09:36 +0000

Anyone who keeps referencing the yellow journalism of Atlanta Progressive News doesn’t have too solid of a grip on what’s real and what’s fake (or what’s just trumped up bull).

By: newA

newA — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:45:39 +0000

I think Reed’ idea is a good one. Seeing what happened in New Jersey and Detroit, tighter oversight over municipal lobbying is necessary to mitigate corruption.

Reed is thinking out of the box, which is the starting point for a new direction.

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:33:19 +0000

Issue them badges with bulls-eyes on them, but you’ve got to give them 3 steps before firing.

By: billy bob from cobb

billy bob from cobb — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 19:12:39 +0000

if they had badges could the planet of the apes read them?

By: RV

RV — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:49:42 +0000

I’ve come to expect this type of mindless, hollow pandering from Kasim. Grow a backbone, buddy. And how about those ethics fines. Irony anyone?

By: Lucky Luciano

Lucky Luciano — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 18:47:25 +0000

Hey, this proposal by Kasim ain’t a good look for us mobsters. Now we gotta pay off legislatures including Reed evenmore.