By TIM EBERLY, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Sunday, December 14, 2008

A dozen years ago, the owners of the Atlanta Hawks threatened to move the team to the suburbs. The downtown Omni coliseum wasn’t bringing in enough money.

Then-Mayor Bill Campbell and his staff put together an enticing package to keep the team in the city. The Hawks’ owner at the time, Turner Broadcasting System, took the deal.

Now one of those incentives is drawing criticism amid a financial crisis that has resulted in layoffs and furloughs at the Police Department: The city agreed to provide officers to handle traffic at all public events held at the Omni’s replacement, Philips Arena. And it agreed to do it for 35 years, according to the contract obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Corliss Claire, a community activist from southwest Atlanta, said the city already doesn’t have enough officers to keep communities safe, despite officers’ best efforts.

“I am concerned whether or not the city can fulfill that obligation without putting other areas at risk,” she said. “It’s just a terrible concern.”

By ERIC STIRGUS, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Steve Patel came to Atlanta City Hall on Friday morning to apply for a permit to renovate his Buckhead home. The department he went to was closed.

Nearly all departments at City Hall are closed on Fridays these days, part of the latest round of service cuts as Atlanta tries to save money to close a projected budget shortfall of at least $50 million.

Atlanta, Patel said, is shortsighted by closing a revenue-generating department on Fridays.

“I see it as picking up pennies and losing dollars,” said Patel, 33, who took off from work Friday to come to City Hall.

Mayor Shirley Franklin has made four rounds of layoffs since May, and Atlantans are feeling the pain a little deeper with each cut.

The Union will be hosting it’s annual Santa Cop event December 17th, 2008 at 0730 at the Atlantic Station Target.  We will leave there at 8am and take the kids to Mary Mac’s Tea Room for Breakfast and then back to Target for shopping.  We need some volunteers to help us take some kids shopping.  If interested, please contact Kliff Grimes at the office and give him your name.

Kliff Grimes, 404-521-9043