APS Parents Press City Council, Mayor on BeltLine Money
The Atlanta public school system has been pushing city officials to pay up millions of dollars it says it’s owed. Now, some APS parents are getting involved.
Hear the audio version of this story.
Some background: In 2005, APS agreed to give some of its property tax dollars toward the development of the BeltLine. In return, the city said it would make yearly payments to APS. But once the recession hit, the city said it couldn’t pay.
Richard Quartarone is one of several APS parents who wrote a letter to the city council, urging it to step up.
“We want our government agencies to be responsible and accountable,” he says. “We want our Atlanta public school system to have all the money it can have to serve the kids in the community.”
The letter asks council members to press Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed to settle the issue. The council has been on a winter recess and hasn’t responded.
Mayor Reed’s office issued a statement, saying the letter “perpetuates a manufactured controversy”. It said “current negotiations between APS and the BeltLine have been positive and collaborative.” Click here to read the full statement.
A note of disclosure: WABE’s broadcast license is held by the Atlanta Board of Education.
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