What Atlanta’s business leaders want candidates for mayor, council to prioritize

May 7,2021

J.D. Capelouto, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A coalition of business leaders in Atlanta has unveiled a list of issues it wants mayoral and City Council candidates to focus on ahead of this year’s elections.

The Committee for a Better Atlanta, which is made up of representatives from over 30 large and influential businesses and civic organizations including Coca-Cola, Home Depot, Delta and Georgia Power, released its 2021 policy platform Wednesday.

The group’s top issues for this year include public safety, economic growth following the pandemic and housing affordability.

“If elected leaders delay or under-deliver on these issues, it will hamper Atlanta’s and Georgia’s competitiveness, and substantially weaken our standing as a top-tier city,” the platform states.

The CBA does not endorse candidates, but later this year it will assess each candidate based on their positions and understanding of the issues.

“Our in-depth platform dives into the critical policy discussions happening in the Atlanta business and civic community,” Kyle Waide, the 2021 CBA co-chair and CEO of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, said in a statement. “We look forward to discussing our platform with candidates and educating Atlanta voters.”

The coalition said Atlanta’s leaders should have “a unified voice on criminal justice and policing reform” and prioritize improving relationships between police and the communities they serve.

Read the complete article at the link above.