May 1, 2008 - A lesson in politics

Tim Darnell

May 1, 2008

Imaginary conversation between Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and Chickamauga state Sen. Jeff Mullins, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee:

Mayor Franklin: "Mr. Chairman, we sure could use your help on that constitutional amendment that my good friend Sam Williams and his chamber are in favor of. You know, the one that lets communities decide if they want to tax themselves to pay for their transportation improvements and all?"

Mullins: "But Madam Mayor, folks up in my neck of the woods think Atlanta ought to stew in its own juices for a while, seeing as how y'all been gobbling up the land, dirtying up the air, clogging the roads, and drinking all the water. Why would I want to help you?"

Mayor Franklin: "Well, Mr. Chairman, I understand from reading the next issue of Business to Business that Chattanooga would really like to be the home of Atlanta's second airport. Seeing as how Chickamauga sits right on the Tennessee line, you might stand to get a lot of extra retail tax revenue coming through Walker County, which, I'm sure you know, only has a median household income of about $32,000. Seems to me your north Georgia community up there could use some more jobs and money, particularly since Chickamuga is right in the middle of a downtown beautification project.

"Tell you what, if you can help us out, I'll talk to my friend Ben DeCosta down at Hartsfield-Jackson, and see if I can get him on board. Of course, he's cool to the whole second airport thing anyway, so that could take some time. But I'll do my best. And I'll also give a ring up to Chattanooga City Hall. A matter of fact, I just saw Mayor Ron Littlefield a few weeks ago at a Southern mayors conference, and he and I were talking about this very thing."

Mullins: "You know, Madam Mayor, you make a lot of good points. Let me think about it, and if I can get my committee to go along, I'll see what I can do to get Casey Cagle on board to make sure this little ol' amendment makes it on though."

***

That conversation, of course, likely has never taken place. Nor are the odds very good any other Atlanta official – either in the political or business arena – has taken that approach when advancing this region's agenda in the Georgia General Assembly.

The current legislative leadership has one of the most anti-Atlanta bents in a long time. Say what you will about the late Tom Murphy, but the legendary lawmaker from Bremen fully realized our city's impact on the Peach State.

But it's simply time to accept that playing the game of politics is how things get done in a republic. It doesn't matter how much Glenn Richardson despises Casey Cagle, or how either one of them feels about Sonny Perdue. The fact is, the private sector – and more importantly, the chambers of commerce that represent it – had best learn that it's one thing to hire a slew of lobbyists to do the distasteful work of back scratching for them.

It's quite another to get into the arena yourself, but that's where our city's business leaders have to go if we want to save this region from self-destructing from its own prosperity.

Note to Michael J. Russell – I understand a certain Albany hospital is in line for a $1.6 million post-traumatic stress center. If you can win the contract, say hello to state Rep. Ed Rynders, vice chair of the House Health and Human Services Committee. You might could use his help next year to get some of that trauma-care cash for Grady.