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Winnipeg Free Press
03-07-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Top Democrats in Georgia governor's race each raise $1.1M
ATLANTA (AP) — The two leading Democrats running for Georgia governor in 2026 each say they have collected $1.1 million in early fundraising. State Sen. Jason Esteves announced on Tuesday that he had raised more than $1.1 million, and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced a similar total on Wednesday. Bottoms said she loaned her campaign $200,000 and collected $900,000 from donors, while Esteves said he made a much smaller donation to his campaign with the rest coming from donors. The reporting period covers Feb. 1 through June 30. Neither campaign had filed an official report with the state Ethics Commission by Thursday. Reports aren't due until next week. The totals are less than the $2.2 million that Attorney General Chris Carr, the only major Republican candidate who has declared so far, raised last year. But it's more than Democrats have raised this early on in recent years. Stacey Abrams didn't officially announce for governor until December 2021, although she went on to outraise Republican Brian Kemp even as she lost to the incumbent in 2022. Before the 2018 election, Abrams had raised $480,000 at this point in 2017, while fellow Democrat Stacey Evans had raised $400,000. Like Abrams in the 2022 election, Democrat Jason Carter didn't announce his unsuccessful 2014 bid until November 2013. No Democrat has won a governor's race in Georgia since Roy Barnes in 1998. Bottoms said she had nearly 7,100 donors. Her campaign manager, Ned Miller, said in a statement that the one-term Atlanta mayor has 'major advantages in name ID and popularity that put Mayor Bottoms in a strong position to win the governor's race in 2026.' Esteves is less well-known statewide but has been rolling up endorsements, including from some labor unions, groups of state legislators, Atlanta City Council members and Atlanta school board members. Esteves was an Atlanta school board member before he was elected to the state Senate. Esteves said 85% of his donations came from inside Georgia. 'Georgians are ready for a new generation of leadership,' Esteves' campaign manager Meg Scribner said in a statement. Among other Democrats running for governor, state Rep. Derrick Jackson hadn't filed a report as of Thursday. Atlanta pastor Olu Brown reported raising almost $19,000 and having $16,000 on hand.
Hamilton Spectator
03-07-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Top Democrats in Georgia governor's race each raise $1.1M
ATLANTA (AP) — The two leading Democrats running for Georgia governor in 2026 each say they have collected $1.1 million in early fundraising. State Sen. Jason Esteves announced on Tuesday that he had raised more than $1.1 million, and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced a similar total on Wednesday. Bottoms said she loaned her campaign $200,000 and collected $900,000 from donors, while Esteves said he made a much smaller donation to his campaign with the rest coming from donors. The reporting period covers Feb. 1 through June 30. Neither campaign had filed an official report with the state Ethics Commission by Thursday. Reports aren't due until next week. The totals are less than the $2.2 million that Attorney General Chris Carr , the only major Republican candidate who has declared so far, raised last year . But it's more than Democrats have raised this early on in recent years. Stacey Abrams didn't officially announce for governor until December 2021, although she went on to outraise Republican Brian Kemp even as she lost to the incumbent in 2022. Before the 2018 election, Abrams had raised $480,000 at this point in 2017, while fellow Democrat Stacey Evans had raised $400,000. Like Abrams in the 2022 election, Democrat Jason Carter didn't announce his unsuccessful 2014 bid until November 2013. No Democrat has won a governor's race in Georgia since Roy Barnes in 1998. Bottoms said she had nearly 7,100 donors. Her campaign manager, Ned Miller, said in a statement that the one-term Atlanta mayor has 'major advantages in name ID and popularity that put Mayor Bottoms in a strong position to win the governor's race in 2026.' Esteves is less well-known statewide but has been rolling up endorsements, including from some labor unions, groups of state legislators, Atlanta City Council members and Atlanta school board members. Esteves was an Atlanta school board member before he was elected to the state Senate. Esteves said 85% of his donations came from inside Georgia. 'Georgians are ready for a new generation of leadership,' Esteves' campaign manager Meg Scribner said in a statement. Among other Democrats running for governor, state Rep. Derrick Jackson hadn't filed a report as of Thursday. Atlanta pastor Olu Brown reported raising almost $19,000 and having $16,000 on hand. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Atlanta Budget a Safeguard Against Potential Trump Cuts, Lawmakers Say
Atlanta City Council members say proposed cuts to federal aid programs many Black Atlantans count on and concerns about a national recession were on their minds last week when they approved another record-setting fiscal year budget. 'Everyone seems to assume we're going to have a recession,' council member Howard Shook told Capital B Atlanta on Wednesday. 'Things are so unpredictable in [Washington] that it's just hard to say what's going to happen.' Council members said they put more funding in this year's budget because they worry an economic downturn related to President Donald Trump's tariffs on foreign goods will have a domino effect on Atlanta's economy, and as a result will impact the city's tax revenue. They're also concerned about the effects anticipated reductions to federal aid included in Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act will have on city operations. 'The budget is trying to grapple with the potential that some federal money is going to go away,' council President Doug Shipman told Capital B Atlanta on Wednesday. The federal budget bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on May 22 still has to be approved in the U.S. Senate and signed by Trump before becoming law. Major cuts to Medicaid, SNAP and other critical programs many low-income Black Atlantans rely on for medical coverage and for paying their bills are included. More than half of Georgia SNAP benefit recipients were Black in 2020, according to the Georgia Budget & Policy Institute. Roughly 25% of Black Georgians were enrolled in Medicaid in 2023, according to the State Health Access Data Assistance Center. Only about 10% of white Georgians were on Medicaid the same year. In its current form, the Big Beautiful Bill would also cut funding for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's rental assistance programs by more than $26 billion, or roughly 43%. Shipman said those cuts could have a devastating impact on federal funding for affordable housing efforts in Atlanta, which is one reason the City Council voted to increase funding in its next fiscal year budget. 'The city is having to take on more of the burden of the programs that have historically been federal in nature,' Shipman said. 'We're going to try to do our best to continue to support folks [with] rental assistance, affordable housing, [and] new units.' Capital B Atlanta has reached out to Mayor Andre Dickens' office for comment. Shook and other council members voted unanimously in favor of the estimated $3 billion budget for fiscal year 2026, which begins on July 1, despite concerns about running a deficit next year, which includes a general fund budget of about $975.4 million. The city was already projected to have a $33 million deficit for the current fiscal year budget, largely due to lack of attrition and overtime pay for the Atlanta Police Department, according to lawmakers. Dickens' office told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution last week that it has already cut the anticipated deficit in half by limiting hiring for vacant city job openings. Shook said the city's workforce was reduced by about 400 positions to help balance the current fiscal year budget. He said the mayor's office has agreed to periodically report to the council the status of department spending next fiscal year to avoid running a deficit again. Balancing the budget has become an ongoing problem in Atlanta, a city of only about half a million residential taxpayers, that is responsible for providing municipal government services to an estimated 6.3 million metro area residents who work in or commute into the city. 'There's a very widespread recognition that FY26 will have to exist in and compete with a time of really unrivaled [macroeconomic] uncertainty,' Shook said. 'We're not going to wait for quarterly budget reports, as has been the custom.' The post Atlanta Budget a Safeguard Against Potential Trump Cuts, Lawmakers Say appeared first on Capital B News - Atlanta.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
If Atlanta Is a Black Mecca, Why Are 8 Out of 10 Homeless People Black?
Forty-seven percent of Atlanta residents are Black, but the city commonly referred to as the Black Mecca had a homeless population in January that was 80% Black, according to the latest Point-In-Time homelessness census count released on Monday. Of equal concern, on Jan. 27, the city logged 131 homeless families, an 18% rise from the same month last year. Roughly 90% of the individuals in those families were Black, down about 2 points from 2024. Like many cities in America, Atlanta has seen an increase in homelessness — primarily fueled by Black people living on the margins — for a third consecutive year. But city leaders and advocates alike are touting that the rate of increase has slowed considerably. The annual survey of homeless people in the metro area revealed a 1% rise in Atlanta's overall homeless population. The city saw a 7% year-over-year increase in 2024, and a 33% surge in 2023. The results from this year's PIT count show the city's homeless crisis appears to be 'stabilizing,' according to Cathryn Vassell, CEO of Partners for HOME — the nonprofit that manages Atlanta's PIT count on behalf of the federal government. Vassell told Capital B Atlanta that Black Atlantans remain overrepresented among individuals experiencing homelessness due to 'continued disproportionate inequities' in the metro area. The stark disparity underscores the ongoing economic challenges and affordable housing crisis many Black people face in a gentrifying metropolis fueled by a booming economy that has become known as the most unequal city in America. 'We know that there is gross income inequality that is disproportionate racially in our community as well,' Vassell said. 'That is all contributing to the disproportionate representation of people of color in our system.' The PIT count data showed Atlanta's higher cost of living has fueled a sizable rise in the city's number of homeless families this year despite signs that municipal leaders have reached a turning point in their battle to provide housing to people living on the margins. Read More: Atlanta's Largest Homeless Encampment Is About to Be Cleared The nearly 27% rate of consumer price inflation in the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell metro area between January 2020 and August 2024 was the third highest in the nation, according to a Pew Research study released in October. The fact that 8 out of 10 homeless people are Black in a city known as a Black Mecca should 'stop everyone in their tracks.' Liliana Bakhtiari, Atlanta City Council member '[The data] is a signal that the house is still on fire, and the scale of the crisis is bigger than what cities alone can handle,' Atlanta City Council member Liliana Bakhtiari told Capital B Atlanta after attending a briefing on this year's PIT count last week. The fact that 8 out of 10 homeless people are Black in a city known as a Black Mecca should 'stop everyone in their tracks,' according to Bakhtiari. 'That's not a coincidence, that's the product of a system that's failed Black families for generations — due to redlining, due to wage discrimination, due to mass incarceration, due to unequal access to healthcare and education,' she added. 'Homelessness isn't just a housing problem. It's a justice problem.' The report noted the strides the city has made addressing homelessness in recent years, citing that the overall homeless population has declined 30% since 2016 and about 11% since 2020 despite increasing for the past three years. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has made increasing affordable housing and combatting homelessness two of his signature issues since taking office almost four years ago. Last year, the Atlanta City Council allocated $60 million at Dickens' request to addressing the growing homelessness problem. Those funds, Vassell said, are paying for construction of 500 rapid housing units for the homeless, including 40 apartments at the Melody Project, located in southern downtown Atlanta, and 23 at the Bonaventure, both of which opened last year. Dickens' office hasn't responded to requests for comment. Read More: Revamped Motel Gives Atlanta Unhoused Second Chance— But for How Long? 'By the end of the year we will have brought on 500 units from that $60 million,' Vassell said. Unfortunately, Vassell warns, the progress Atlanta has made housing its homeless population could be undone later this year if President Donald Trump advances his plan for significant budget cuts. The Trump administration has proposed cutting rental aid by 40% in its 'Big, Beautiful Bill,' which the U.S. House approved in May. Vassell called the proposed cuts 'terrifying' and said it could eliminate Atlanta's permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing programs funded through the city's Continuum of Care resources. As many as 2,000 people could lose stable housing, according to Vassell. 'This would be a tragic impact across our community,' she said. The post If Atlanta Is a Black Mecca, Why Are 8 Out of 10 Homeless People Black? appeared first on Capital B News - Atlanta.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Atlanta City Council approves $3B budget for 2026
The Brief The Atlanta City Council approved a $3 billion budget for fiscal year 2026, focusing on public safety, housing, infrastructure, and youth programs. Key spending priorities include strengthening police and fire services, affordable housing, infrastructure upgrades, economic development, and expanded youth programs. Additional measures include infrastructure improvements, small business support, and environmental considerations for new data centers. ATLANTA - The Atlanta City Council unanimously approved a $3 billion operating budget for the 2026 fiscal year on Monday, including a $975.4 million general fund, marking the fourth consecutive year the Dickens administration has passed its budget without opposition. What we know The budget, which takes effect July 1, allocates funding across multiple city departments and major funds, with investments in public safety, housing, infrastructure, and youth programs. What they're saying "This budget represents our shared commitment to building a city that invests in its people, strengthens our infrastructure and looks to the future," Mayor Andre Dickens said in a statement. "I am grateful to the City Council for their collaboration in advancing a budget that puts public safety, economic growth and sustainability at the forefront." Chief Financial Officer Mohamed Balla called the package a "balanced budget" that reflects "smart, responsible planning—prioritizing impact, equity and long-term value for Atlanta residents." By the numbers Among the spending priorities: Public safety and community programs: Funding to strengthen police and fire services and expand youth engagement and violence prevention programs. Affordable housing and homelessness support: Continued investments in housing developments and services for residents experiencing homelessness. Infrastructure and transit: Upgrades to roads, sidewalks, and public transit systems. Economic development: Programs to attract new businesses and support small business growth. Youth and education: Expanded after-school programs and youth employment initiatives. Big picture view In other action, the council approved a series of measures ranging from infrastructure improvements to small business support: An ordinance requiring reflective roofing materials in new construction to reduce urban heat (25-O-1310). A resolution accepting $80,000 in upgrades from the Atlanta Hawks Foundation for the Pittman Park Recreation Center (25-R-3507). Renewals of contracts with 10 vendors to continue afterschool programs through the Centers of Hope initiative (25-R-3515, 3516, 3518). A resolution to study challenges small businesses face in securing affordable retail space and explore possible solutions such as tax incentives and lease subsidies (25-R-3503). An ordinance mandating special-use permits for new data centers, with environmental considerations for water and energy use (25-O-1063). A $3 million agreement with the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District for pedestrian wayfinding improvements (25-R-3449). Additional funding of up to $250,000 for the Silver Comet Connector trail project (25-R-3508). Authorization for the city's public defender office to accept a $156,000 grant to provide immigration deportation defense services (25-O-1305). Several new proposals were also introduced Monday, including a $61.3 million sewer replacement project in southwest Atlanta, a reallocation of federal funds for affordable housing, and an agreement with Cobb County to provide wastewater treatment services in some parts of the city. The council also issued proclamations recognizing National Safety Month, Paralegal Week and the National Puerto Rican Day Parade. The Source The details in this article were provided by the city of Atlanta.
