Ok… I’m kidding of course, but a follow up article in the AJC today only cemented the gloomy outlook for the proposed Beltline. Here are a few of the interesting quotes:
Woodham, the 41-year-old real estate lawyer who brought the lawsuit, declined to be interviewed Monday. He e-mailed a statement: “I am pleased with the Court’s unanimous decision, affirming the very clear constitutional restriction on the use of school tax funds in the State of Georgia. Based on the statements of BeltLine officials, the project will move forward, financed through alternative means. I look forward to a successful project.”
Who is this Grinch that has possibly pulled the rug out from under the beltline? And what is his motivation? Here is a great article by Creative Loafing giving a few quotes from Woodham.
The ruling rocked other local development officials. “It’s devastating,” said Hal Barry, whose company, Barry Real Estate, is the lead developer at Allen Plaza, an eight-block project near the Georgia Aquarium. “To get this kind of a low blow is really . . . I’m speechless. I can’t think it through yet.”
And talk about people upset….
Check out the comments by some of Thomas Wheatley’s readers over at Creative Loafing:
Disappointed Says: February 11th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
I seriously wonder if Mr. Woodham or anyone else who claims to be so concerned about the Atl Public School System sent their kids to ANY public schools. In addition, Mr. Woodham lives in a nice, cushy area of town where they have sidewalks and curbs….
Here is an email that went out from Terri Montague to Beltline TADAC members on Monday:
From: “Terri Montague”
To: [redacted]
Subject: GA Supreme Court Ruling - Update
Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:18:07 +0000
Dear BeltLine TADAC Members:
We just learned that the Georgia Supreme Court has reversed the Fulton County Superior Court’s January 2007 ruling validating the BeltLine TAD bonds. In a unanimous ruling, the Supreme Court specifically held that funding plans like the BeltLine’s violate the Educational Purpose Clause of the State constitution - in effect preventing the inclusion of school district tax increment for these types of projects.
We are disappointed in this ruling, but we remain focused on the BeltLine vision. And we will continue working without interruption with our staffs and public and private partners toward its fulfillment using alternative funding sources - as we have for the last 16 months.
Our work over that time has built important momentum and revealed the broad political, civic and business will behind the BeltLine - not as merely an amenity for Atlanta but, rather, as an integrated solution to some of the City’s and region’s most pressing needs. Neither those needs nor that will is diminished by this legal decision.
The BeltLine Team now faces questions about precisely how the BeltLine will proceed - considering, as we will in the coming days and weeks ahead, our legal, political and financial options. Meanwhile, communities with pending TAD programs across the State will undoubtedly be evaluating how they will implement their priority projects, as well. Please feel free to contact Roland Young or Rukiya Eaddy if you have questions, or would like to arrange a fuller briefing in the meantime. We expect that this important ruling will attract extensive media coverage, starting this morning.
As stewards of the BeltLine vision and support, we will update you again soon.
Sincerely,
Terri Y. Montague
President & CEO
Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.
404-614-8322
Ok… I’m kidding of course, but a follow up article in the AJC today only cemented the gloomy outlook for the proposed Beltline. Here are a few of the interesting quotes:
Woodham, the 41-year-old real estate lawyer who brought the lawsuit, declined to be interviewed Monday. He e-mailed a statement: “I am pleased with the Court’s unanimous decision, affirming the very clear constitutional restriction on the use of school tax funds in the State of Georgia. Based on the statements of BeltLine officials, the project will move forward, financed through alternative means. I look forward to a successful project.”
Who is this Grinch that has possibly pulled the rug out from under the beltline? And what is his motivation? Here is a great article by Creative Loafing giving a few quotes from Woodham.
The ruling rocked other local development officials. “It’s devastating,” said Hal Barry, whose company, Barry Real Estate, is the lead developer at Allen Plaza, an eight-block project near the Georgia Aquarium. “To get this kind of a low blow is really . . . I’m speechless. I can’t think it through yet.”
And talk about people upset….
Check out the comments by some of Thomas Wheatley’s readers over at Creative Loafing:
Disappointed Says: February 11th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
I seriously wonder if Mr. Woodham or anyone else who claims to be so concerned about the Atl Public School System sent their kids to ANY public schools. In addition, Mr. Woodham lives in a nice, cushy area of town where they have sidewalks and curbs….
Here is an email that went out from Terri Montague to Beltline TADAC members on Monday:
From: “Terri Montague”
To: [redacted]
Subject: GA Supreme Court Ruling - Update
Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:18:07 +0000
Dear BeltLine TADAC Members:
We just learned that the Georgia Supreme Court has reversed the Fulton County Superior Court’s January 2007 ruling validating the BeltLine TAD bonds. In a unanimous ruling, the Supreme Court specifically held that funding plans like the BeltLine’s violate the Educational Purpose Clause of the State constitution - in effect preventing the inclusion of school district tax increment for these types of projects.
We are disappointed in this ruling, but we remain focused on the BeltLine vision. And we will continue working without interruption with our staffs and public and private partners toward its fulfillment using alternative funding sources - as we have for the last 16 months.
Our work over that time has built important momentum and revealed the broad political, civic and business will behind the BeltLine - not as merely an amenity for Atlanta but, rather, as an integrated solution to some of the City’s and region’s most pressing needs. Neither those needs nor that will is diminished by this legal decision.
The BeltLine Team now faces questions about precisely how the BeltLine will proceed - considering, as we will in the coming days and weeks ahead, our legal, political and financial options. Meanwhile, communities with pending TAD programs across the State will undoubtedly be evaluating how they will implement their priority projects, as well. Please feel free to contact Roland Young or Rukiya Eaddy if you have questions, or would like to arrange a fuller briefing in the meantime. We expect that this important ruling will attract extensive media coverage, starting this morning.
As stewards of the BeltLine vision and support, we will update you again soon.
Sincerely,
Terri Y. Montague
President & CEO
Atlanta BeltLine, Inc.
404-614-8322
