December 2019 - Buckhead Reporter

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DECEMBER 2019 • VOL. 13 — NO. 1

Olympic Park bombing investigation: Remembering dark days P8

Buckhead Reporter

Tax breaks targeted by new neighborhood task force

COMMUNITY

Historic American Legion building renovated

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P2

COMMUNITY

Ryan Gravel

Designer of the Atlanta BeltLine

Richard Jewell

A public challenge: reimagine I-285 P6

BY JOHN RUCH johnruch@reporternewspapers.net

ART & ENTERTAINMENT

‘A Tuna Christmas’ continues theater partnership P26

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The Buckhead Reporter is mail delivered to homes on selected carrier routes in ZIPs 30305, 30327 and 30342 For information: delivery@reporternewspapers.net

JOHN RUCH

Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Meria Carstarphen talks about the district’s progress and the impacts of tax breaks on revenue and equity at the Nov. 20 meeting of the Northwest Community Alliance at Northside Church of God. BCID NEWS ROUND-UP | More inside ►

‘Revolutionary’ shuttle service is delayed by liability question BY JOHN RUCH johnruch@reporternewspapers.net

An on-demand shuttle van service that was to debut in central Buckhead in January has been delayed – and possibly endangered – by legal liability questions. The service, involving four free-roaming vans hailed on Uber-style cellphone apps, would be operated by a company called Via

in a contract with the Buckhead Community Improvement District. It is intended to replace the current fixed-route “buc” shuttle bus service. The Via program was approved by the BCID board earlier this year, with one member praising it as a “revolutionary” service that could be imitated metro-wide. But in contract negotiations, the BCID See REVOLUTIONARY on page 28

Commercial tax breaks and discounts are the target of a new “task force” within the Buckhead Council of Neighborhoods, which says such deals are shifting the tax burden to homeowners and putting a drag on the school system budget. The Taxes/TADs Task Force came from a team-up suggestion from Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Meria Carstarphen, who blasted tax breaks on luxury redevelopments at the Oct. 10 BCN meeting. She repeated the theme at a Nov. 20 meeting of the Northwest Community Alliance, where she responded positively when told about the BCN task force. “Good for them,” she said. “They seem to be thoughtful. Maybe something good can come out of it. [Or] at least some better understanding.” See TAX on page 30

It’s that time of year... “Siri, where can I buy the best wife insurance?”

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