MINUTE-BY-MINUTE: Atlanta mayoral candidates participate in forum

ATLANTA — Eleven candidates for Atlanta mayor took part in a forum Thursday night at Emory University.

The forum was hosted by WSB-TV, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, WSB Radio and the League of Women Voters. The candidates are vying to take over Kasim Reed's position in November.

WATCH THE ENTIRE FORUM BELOW: 

Here is a minute-by-minute look at tonight's forum:

9:02 p.m.: Woolard called Emory part of her family's home, but the city needs data on what it takes to "absorb" any new part of the region to the city. She said the city needs to understand the costs and needs. Woolard also said it doesn't have to be revenue neutral or positive to annex, she said. "Let's just be clear with any annexation we do."

QUESTION: What is your position on the annexation of Emory University, the CDC and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta into the city of Atlanta?

8:59 p.m.: Mitchell said he would look into Fort's charges to see if any quid quo pro happened. But he said he is supportive of the annexation. Mitchell also said the issue of transit to Emory should be addressed. The other question, Mitchell said, is if APS' jurisdiction would extend to this area.

8:58 p.m: Laban King said he does not support the annexation. He called it "redlining" that could be used to take control of voting in the city of Atlanta.  Fort again criticizes the addition of Emory if it jumps in line for MARTA. "It's Emory, a wealthy community, jumping in line." He also alleged an agent of Emory paid $10 million to help the purchase of the Peachtree-Pine homeless shelter, calling it a "quid quo pro" to get the university into the city. (The AJC has looked into this and so far has not found any proof of it.).

8:55 p.m.: Bottoms and Eaves also supportive. Bottoms said Emory, CDC and Children's Healthcare coming into the city are "testaments" to the city's improved financial performance since the recession. Eaves called it a "win-win" for the addition of the institutions and brain power in the city.

8:52 p.m: Aman said the city has a problem, including a broken revenue and expense model. The city is 8 percent of the population but it's population doubles with all the workers who come into the city. It comes with huge infrastructure cost burdens. He said he's "in favor of the growth of the city in any direction," including South Fulton and Emory. Aman said he wants to make the city so good at services all will want to join.

8:50 p.m.: Mitchell touts his connections to the school system, including his teacher wife. "As mayor, our superintendent is going to come to cabinet meetings." Mitchell also pitches an initiative he calls Seventh Period for after school programs.

8:46 p.m.: Fort calls for a community schooling model like in Cincinnati and other major cities. Fort also touts apprenticeships with the city's unions to get kids into jobs. Fort also touts his plan for two-years of free community college education for all city school graduates.

8:44 p.m.:  Eaves said he supports a partnership that he called "bold." "There's a school to prison pipeline." If you add law and jail costs for Fulton and Atlanta. He's proposing closing the Atlanta detention center. Only nonviolent offenders are there. "it's unnecessary." Eaves calls for saving $35 million, put the non-violent inmates there on ankle monitors and put the money into education.

8: 43 p.m.: Ammanamanchi said he's at an advantage as a candidate in his 20s for having to gone to schools in the Internet age. He wants to build more schools in neighborhoods so kids can walk and bike there and participate in after school programs without being dependent on someone else to transport them.

8:42 p.m.:  Aman said the issue is beyond partnering but also about youth development.

Aman said he leads on the issue and he’s willing to bet on youth development as the key to winning a second term as mayor. Aman said birth to age 3 learning is critical to the future of the city of Atlanta. A system need to be introduced and needs to be made available to all.

8:40 p.m.: Sterling said he wants to be the partner-in-chief with the schools and expand hours of Centers of Hope, among other items. Woolard touts her ability to partner when she was on the City Council. Woolard said when she launched her campaign for mayor, she said she met with APS Superintendent Meria Carstarphen to learn what the schools needed from the city.

8:38 p.m.: Hall said he doesn't support privatization, and then quips unless Amazon wants to bring a new pilot program here. Hall echoes call for more of the contracting material to be available and searchable online. Hall said there might be a place to privatize some portion of services, but generally opposes.

8:37 p.m.: Mitchell said he'd evaluate privatization on a "case-by-case basis." He called for a full audit of procurement. Mitchell also is calling for an independent ethics czar. Mitchell said he created a portal for council to put expenses online and he wants the procurement department to have all their contracting done online.

8: 34 p.m.: Woolard said: "Everything starts with ethics." She said she wants a full review of the department and the process to figure out what went wrong. She also wants to look at every aspect of contracting from writing the requests for proposals through the award process. Woolard said she would look at limited privatization but by and large isn't in favor of it.

8:31 p.m.: Let me focus on ethics first. If the citizens of a government don't' trust it to spend money, there's nothing else we can do. Aman said he had procurements investigated when he saw red flags. Aman said contracts need to be linked to payments and people who own businesses need to be linked to their companies so people know where citizens' money is going.

8:30 p.m.: 

8:25 p.m.: Aman said the city will see up to $14 billion for the next city council and mayor. That's from MARTA (with federal match), $6 billion from the airport, $300 million for roads and sidewalks. The city needs another infrastructure bond, Aman said. The city also needs new revenue sources for infrastructure, pitching a parking tax to shift some of the burden on commuters entering the city from elsewhere.

8:22 p.m.: Bottoms said the city along can't handle all the needs. Other states take a portion of a property's purchase price that goes into a trust fund that buys land for a land bank. She said such a thing should be explored in Atlanta for properties costing more than $1 million.

8:19 p.m: Eaves said the 8.9 percent local sales tax is too much. People in Atlanta support Fulton County, the city and the city schools. "There's an opportunity to consolidate our efforts," Eaves said. Eaves said the city could use existing dollars to address the capital needs of the city.

Sterling said the city is leverage, echoing Woolard. Sterling said the city has to come up with creative financing. The city passed a local bond referendum, but it is three-quarters of a billion dollars behind. That doesn’t include sidewalks, he said. “We’ve got to find new sources of revenue.”

8:01 p.m.:  Aman said Atlanta is "on the verge of either a wonderful future or choking on our own growth."  "We have a real risk and a real opportunity."  The city has two transformative, once-in-a-lifetime events about to happen: spending of $14 billion on transportation spending (MARTA and the airport). The second is the rezoning of the city and where buildings can go. If not done well, Aman said, "we'll have a nightmare." Said the city needs more light and heavy rail, buses and bus rapid transit and centralize traffic control.

7:57 p.m. Dorsey: How do you plan to address the traffic issues plaguing Atlanta?

Lance-Bottom said it’s not just traffic but about mobility. City needs to be creative, public-private partnerships. Need to look at Beltline expansion. “It’s about connecting all parts of this city.” People needed public transportation need to be connected to jobs centers, she said. City needs to be friendlier to get around by foot and bike. Overall, she said it will take a regional fix. Called it region’s No. 1 issue.

7:55 p.m.:  Hall said he's heard solid proposals tonight. His district has seen a ton of development. Much of it is on private property and can't force private owners. But government owns a lot of property. Also banks and businesses own property who share vision of making the city great. West of Northside Drive there's 5,000 empty houses and 5,000 empty apartments. A huge opportunity along with 400 acres of Atlanta Housing Authority land that could help "revitalize the heart of our city to make our city a place everyone can live in."    Hall says the city can get 20,000 to 30,000 units by using this government controlled land.

7:51 p.m.: Fort said the mayor has to hold accountable people who made commitments for affordable housing. He calls out the Beltline for only doing 10 percent of its affordable housing commitment from 12 years ago. "We're going to have to hold the Beltline accountable to make sure it doesn't continue to be what it is, an engine for gentrification."

7:48 p.m.: Eaves said that rampant development has caused displacement and crunched affordability. He said he saw the issue as Fulton County chairman and the spiking property assessments. "The most vulnerable people in our city are seniors." When people turn 65 they leave the city of Atlatna and Fulton because of high property taxes. He's pitching a senior exemption for school taxes. He said it would be only a $32 million impact on tax digest.

7:43 p.m.: Aman said he'll bring "will and commitment to this issue."

“I will bring will and commitment to keeping Atlanta affordable,” he said. He touted his help in founding the Westside Future Fund, a nonprofit to steer redevelopment on the Westside near Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The organization has a non-displacement fund to help keep people in their homes. He said the city needs inclusionary zoning, public-private partnerships. “But at the  end of the day, they all require money.” Aman also touted his ability to find budget savings under mayors Kasim Reed and Shirley Franklin when  he was city chief operating officer.

7:33 p.m.: The Atlanta region is expected to grow by 50% in the next 25 years. What are your plans for housing equity and affordability for Atlantans in light of the revitalization of in-town neighborhoods, especially concerning long-time residents? ​

Woolard said need focus on long term policy and transportation within the affordability issue. Need to talk to schools about whether seniors could get some relief from school taxes. “We need to talk about policies related to inclusionary zoning.”  Need to work with developers about creating permanent affordable units. She also suggests reducing parking to reduce development costs. The third piece is transportation, if people can get around quickly and affordably, you can lower cost of living. “We really do have displacement for the poorest of the poor right now,” calling it an “emergency.”

Mitchell calls it the top issue of the city seeing people displaced. The redevelopment he said, “It’s good in some ways, be we have to be cognizant of the bad.” Pitches a plan called “Blight to Light” to convert abandoned homes, renovate them and make them affordable units. Worries about seniors being able to age in place.

7:26 p.m.: The candidates almost universally hitting on themes of tackling income inequality in their intros.

7:17 p.m.: Dorsey asks candidates to introduce themselves and asks what makes you a great candidate for mayor?

7:15 p.m.: 11 of the 13 overall candidates are here. "All of the candidates were invited."

7:14 p.m.: Your moderator for the night, WSB's Jocelyn Dorsey;

7:10 p.m.: Here are the rules:

7 p.m.: candidates take their seats for forum

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