Atlanta Honors the Life and Legacy of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.
Yesterday Mayor Shirley Franklin joined civil and human rights leaders, former U.S. presidents, ambassadors and mayors, and hundreds of residents and visitors to pay tribute to the life and sacrifice of native son Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
This year represents the 40th anniversary of King's assasination. Mayor Franklin attended several remembrance events throughout Atlanta dedicated to King and his late wife Coretta Scott King. Coretta kept King’s legacy alive following his death, launching the King Center and becoming a matriarch for the social and human rights movement.
King’s message was one of non-violent social change, advocacy on behalf of the downtrodden and hope against the odds. During the annual commemorative service at Ebenezer Baptist Church, where both King and his father were pastors, Mayor Franklin referred to King’s most famous speech – I Have a Dream – and America’s responsibility to continue that dream.
"Martin aimed high, acted with faith and dreamed miracles that inspired a nation. Can we act on King's legacy without dreaming? I think not," Mayor Franklin said. "King's legacy gives light to our hopes, permission to our aspirations and relevance to our dreams."
Atlanta recently took another bold step to continue that legacy of change and hope. In 2007, a group of Atlanta business and community leaders, entertainers, residents and stakeholders – led by Mayor Franklin – purchased King’s most famous papers from Sotheby’s auction house for $32 million. The papers include drafts of I Have a Dream, the Letter from a Birmingham Jail, college term papers, sermons and hundreds of personal documents.
The King Papers Collection will be the centerpiece of the planned Center for Civil and Human Rights (CCHR). The CCHR is envisioned as a world-class cultural learning center. The Center will not only commemorate the groundbreaking contributions of Atlantans and Georgians to the historic struggle for African-American freedom and equality, but also serve as a space for ongoing dialogue, study, and contributions to the resolution of current and future freedom struggles of all people at local, national, and international levels.
For more information on the Center for Civil and Human Rights, visit www.cchrpartnership.org
Mayor Shirley Franklin delivers a rousing speech with the theme “Georgia on My Mind” at the Annual Dr Martin Luther King Jr Birthday Observance.. |
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Municipal Option Sales Tax (MOST) on February Ballot
On the upcoming February 5 presidential primary ballot, Atlanta residents will have the opportunity to reauthorize the municipal option sales tax (MOST) - a tool the City uses to keep water and sewer rates low while financing the replacement of Atlanta’s water and sewer systems.
The MOST allows the City to spread the financing of the $3.9 billion Clean Water Atlanta program to visitors and business travelers who use Atlanta’s infrastructure, but do not pay City water/sewer bills. The City estimates that 40 percent of MOST revenues are provided by tourists, visitors and commuters.
The MOST adds 1 cent to Atlanta’s tax rate, so most products purchased inside the city limits are taxed a total of 8 percent. Exceptions include school lunches, medical equipment (like eyeglasses and wheelchairs, prescription medication), sales to Grady Hospital and other non-profit health care facilities, WIC food purchases, and automobiles.
Atlanta voters approved the MOST by a 3-to-1 margin in July 2004. From October 2004 through October 2007, the MOST generated more than $332 million - including interest - money designated specifically to roll back projected water rate increases.
MOST revenues provide a dollar-for-dollar reduction of the rate increases necessary to fund Clean Water Atlanta, which is scheduled to continue through 2014. The program is currently at the half-way mark, and has successfully met 54 federal consent decrees on time and under budget. The Department of Watershed Management (DWM) estimates the program is on track to be completed before its federal deadline.
Atlanta’s new water/sewer infrastructure improvements continue to enhance the quality-of-life for residents and visitors. To date, the City has installed 67 miles of new water mains, separated 33 miles of combined sewers, evaluated 134 miles of sewer pipe and rehabilitated 33.3 miles of sewers. Annual sewer spills have been reduced by 70 percent.
If the MOST passes, Atlanta’s in-city tax rate will remain at 8 percent for an additional four years.
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Major City Projects Get Millions in Private Funding
Last week, the Wachovia Foundation donated $2 million toward the capitol campaigns of two City projects that will dramatically improve the quality-of-life for generations of Atlanta residents and visitors.
Mayor Shirley Franklin joined Wachovia Atlanta president Kendall Alley to accept $1 million each on behalf of the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership and the Center for Civil and Human Rights (CCHR). The donations will support the development of affordable housing along the BeltLine, and construction of the CCHR, which is envisioned to become a world-class educational and cultural center.
“With these donations, the Wachovia Foundation has set a high bar for public-private partnership,” said Mayor Franklin. “These are two of the most visionary projects that the City has undertaken. These donations will help us keep the momentum of our BeltLine project going while giving us a kick-start toward financing the $125 million construction of the CCHR.”
The BeltLine will connect over 20 Atlanta communities with parks, trails, new housing and development, transit and more. An estimated 30-50,000 affordable workforce housing units will be built along the BeltLine. BeltLine planners estimate that the $1 million gift will fund approximately 5,600 affordable housing units.
The CCHR is set to become Atlanta’s newest world attraction. The MLK Papers – purchased last year by a group of Atlanta business, community, entertainment leaders as well as civilians, led by Mayor Franklin – will be the centerpiece of the CCHR.
For More Information on the BeltLine Partnership, visit www.beltline.org For More Information on the Center for Civil and Human Rights, visit www.cchrpartnership.org
Mayor Shirley Franklin joins (l-r) Wachovia-Atlanta president, Kendall Alley; private developer Herman Russell (BeltLine Partnership); Herschelle Challenor and Connie Curry, civil rights activists and members of the CCHR Content Council and Doug Shipman, executive director, Center for Civil and Human Rights (CCHR). The Wachovia Foundation donated $1 million each to the development of the BeltLine and the CCHR. |
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Atlanta Workforce Development Agency Has Temporary Location
The Atlanta Workforce Development Agency (AWDA) has had to temporarily relocate due to structural damage and will route customers seeking employment and workforce development to the appropriate partner agencies via cyber buses located outside its main headquarters, 818 Pollard Street, Atlanta, 30305.
While the main offices will remain closed during the recovery period, the Mayor’s Youth Program and Taxi Department will continue to operate out of the building. Mayor’s Youth Program participants should enter through the rear entrance on Little Street.
AWDA will continue to host its weekly Tuesday job fairs. The upcoming Tuesday January 29 job fair will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center. For more information, please call 404.658.9675.
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City officials recently held a news conference to discuss Atlanta’s new policy for outdoor events in parks in response to drought restrictions. Click Here to visit our Video on Demand page to learn more about the new policy.
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Rave Reviews!
- Following last December’s announcement from the U.S. Department of Commerce that Atlanta will host the Annual Americas Competitiveness Forum (ACF) for the second year in a row, officials have announced the official ACF dates of August 17-19, 2008. Atlanta beat out several major cities to host this year. In its first year, the ACF drew several hundred participants representing 30 nations in North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean, including top government officials, several vice presidents, academics and business people to Atlanta. The ACF provides opportunities to share best practices in areas of education, health, business and economic development to increase the competitiveness of the Western Hemisphere nations. The ACF was conceptualized in 2005 by President Bush as a way to assist regions in the Western Hemisphere whose economies were not collectively advancing as fast as other regions of the world. In particular, Latin American countries are advancing slowly in terms of implementing business-friendly reforms compared to the rest of the world. The 2008 ACF will be held in partnership with the City of Atlanta and CIFAL Atlanta – the International Training Center for Government Authorities – a not-for profit organization created by the United Nations. Mayor Shirley Franklin is the Chair of CIFAL Atlanta’s Board of Trustees, and she will co-host the ACF with U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez.
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Upcoming Events & Volunteer Opportunities
- The 13th Annual Master Series exhibition – which features artwork from prolific Georgia artists – will return to City Gallery East Friday, January 25 through March 14, 2008. This annual series honors Georgia artists who have attained a high level of proficiency in their chosen discipline. This year’s exhibit is a reunion of previous Masters’ honorees. Previous participating Masters Series artists have included Jim Alexander, Colleen Sterling, Stephanie Jackson, Louis Delsarte and John Riddle, Michael Murrell, Beverly Buchannan, Larry Walker, Herbert Creecy, Donald Locke, Lucinda Bunnen, Wayne Kline and George Beasley, Mario Petrirena, and Katherine Mitchell. On Friday February 22 there will be a Masters Series Reunion Reception from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at City Gallery East. This event is open the community.
Master Series artist Mario Petrirena’s work - The Wounds Inside. |
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Job Announcements
With the City of Atlanta’s online application system, you are able to create an account and select a Username and Password and then log in to your account.
After your account has been established, you can create an application by clicking on the “Build Job Application” link. Once your application is completed, it will be stored in the system and can be used to apply for future job openings. To get started by viewing current open positions, click here.
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Weekly Features
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