The BeltLine SSD Was a Foregone Conclusion. This Year’s City Elections Are Not.

let’s elect leaders who know that transit doesn’t mean more sidewalk.

It’s been not quite two months since the BeltLine Special Services District resolution first saw daylight in the AJC. Since then, BeltLine Rail Now has been hella busy. 

We asked every councilperson for a meeting to discuss the SSD. We wanted to talk about its strengths (we embraced SSDs in our recent white paper) as well as its shortcomings. We wanted to offer creative ways to yield greater results with such a powerful tool. With a project as big and as important as the BeltLine, we felt certain we were in for many exciting Zoom meetings to brainstorm the brightest future for our city.

And - as you might expect, we advocated for rail transit on the BeltLine. 

In the end, we had meetings with just four council members. It was clear in our few conversations that due diligence was not being performed on any level. For instance, the SSD could have included undeveloped property and raised vastly more sums. We were distressed that such an obviously beneficial improvement was not more deeply considered, and that those in power appeared unwilling to pivot. 

Or perhaps unable. The majority of council members were not responsive to our requests for a meeting. Why? Is it possible the SSD was completely baked in the windowless oven of Atlanta’s powerful political elite before the public learned of it, just two short months ago?  

Regardless of the reason, there’s some good news: it’s an election year. 

This year, BeltLine Rail Now will work to find candidates for mayor and city council who understand that transit does not mean more miles of sidewalk, and who believe in transparency. When we find those candidates, we will work to help them win, so we have representatives who are able AND willing to get started on building a truly great city.