{"id":15124345,"date":"2026-05-27T23:34:30","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T03:34:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/most-council-members-skipped-the-publics-only-budget-hearing-as-atlantans-demand-more-money-for-parks-not-police\/"},"modified":"2026-05-28T00:01:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T04:01:15","slug":"most-council-members-skipped-the-publics-only-budget-hearing-as-atlantans-demand-more-money-for-parks-not-police","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.inthacity.com\/news\/most-council-members-skipped-the-publics-only-budget-hearing-as-atlantans-demand-more-money-for-parks-not-police\/","title":{"rendered":"Most council members skipped the public\u2019s only budget hearing, as Atlantans demand more money for parks, not police"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/figure>\n

Last year, just one person spoke<\/a> at Atlanta\u2019s one and only budget hearing dedicated to public comment. This year, almost 30 Atlantans braved a torrential downpour to speak out against cuts to the parks and recreation budget, while the city\u2019s police budget increases \u2014 but only three Atlanta City Council members were there to hear what they had to say <\/p>\n

Of 15 council members, only Jason Winston, who is chairing all city budget hearings, Kelsea Bond, Matt Westmoreland and Council President Marci Collier Overstreet attended the May 20 community budget session at City Hall. The 6:15 pm meeting took place despite an emergency weather alert telling people to stay off the roads and flash flooding that paralyzed downtown freeways.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you to the four of you who showed up today. I know that most of us didn\u2019t come here to speak to a bunch of empty chairs,\u201d said Steven Imle, before criticizing a $16.5 million increase in police spending. <\/p>\n

The Atlanta Police Department is set to receive $324.4 million, making up almost one-third (32.7%) of Mayor Andre Dickens\u2019 proposed $995 million general fund<\/a> budget for FY 2027.<\/p>\n

Other Atlantans voiced concerns<\/a> about a $2.7 million cut to the city\u2019s <\/strong>Parks and Recreation Department budget, while the police budget continues to grow every year. The $54.7 million for parks and recreation comprises just 5.5% of the general fund budget.<\/p>\n

\u201cA budget cut to parks is a budget cut to full community transformation,\u201d said Coreen Dent, the president of the Southside Concerned Citizens Community Association<\/a> \u2013 one of several speakers wearing a green \u2018I *heart* Parks\u2019 t-shirt. <\/p>\n

Dent said she takes pride in citizen-led improvements to Atlanta parks where there were once car burnings and shootings. But, she added, more budget dollars are needed to maintain that progress. <\/p>\n

Several Atlantans said they wanted more funding for the city\u2019s Policing Alternatives and Diversion<\/a> (PAD) program, instead of an increase to the police budget.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do not need to raise the city policing budget. I would much rather see us invest in sidewalks, bike lanes, and infrastructure, or even additional support systems for people to prevent crime, rather than just respond once it’s happened,\u201d said Westview resident Ruth Dana in an email read out to the council members. <\/p>\n

Five Atlantans, including Dana, emailed comments before the public meeting, up from just one last year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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About 30 members of the public showed up to share their views on the city budget despite severe weather on May 20. (Credit: Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Make-up session?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Several Atlantans at the community budget session sharply criticized the absent council members. \u201cTo look and see that 12 out of 15 councilmembers didn\u2019t show up is incredibly disheartening, disrespectful, and [shows] disregard for the public\u201d said Clara Green of the Center for Civic Innovation.<\/p>\n

Green asked the residents and advocates who came to comment to stand up. \u201cThis is what community engagement looks like,\u201d she said, then gestured toward the empty chairs behind the council dais. \u201cThis is not.\u201d<\/p>\n

An Instagram post<\/a> panning past the mostly empty council chairs attracted over 4,400 likes. \u201cThis is disrespectful to the people, especially those who trekked through the rain and hail to be here,\u201d wrote the poster, Center for Civic Innovation founder Rohit Malhotra, who is vying for the Fulton County Commission District 4 seat in a special election on Nov. 3.<\/p>\n

None of the 12 absent council members responded to an email from Atlanta Civic Circle<\/em>. <\/p>\n

Atlanta Civic Circle<\/em> asked all of the council members and Overstreet whether there should be a make-up community budget session, due to the emergency weather alert and absences at the May 20 meeting. <\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t be opposed to it,\u201d said Westmoreland, adding that he\u2019d defer to Winston\u2019s judgement as chair of the budget hearings. <\/p>\n

\u201cThat back-and-forth is an important part of building a thoughtful, balanced budget,\u201d said Winston in an email. \u201cWhile Wednesday\u2019s weather was challenging, public input isn\u2019t limited to a single hearing,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Councilmember Jason Winston is chairing all the budget hearings. (Credit: Alessandro Marazzi Sassoon)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Atlantans can still comment on the proposed budget through calls, emails, social media and upcoming council meetings, Winston said. There will also be time for public comment at the council\u2019s Finance\/Executive Committee meeting scheduled for 1:30 pm on May 27. <\/p>\n

The city council is set to vote on the budget on June 1.<\/p>\n

Bond said they\u2019d be in favor of a makeup session. The District 2 council member had encouraged Atlantans to turn out for the community budget session in their newsletter, along with local civic groups.<\/p>\n

During the meeting, Bond criticized Atlanta\u2019s budget process for a lack of transparency and public input. \u201cQuite frankly, I wish these public hearings were before we started the budget drafting process,\u201d they said<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Atlanta Civic Circle<\/em> also asked the council members whether there should be public engagement earlier in the budget process. <\/p>\n

\u201cAs far as timing, if it happens too early, residents are reacting to a moving target. If it\u2019s too late, positions are already largely set,\u201d Winston said. <\/p>\n

Westmoreland suggested possibly using the city\u2019s Neighborhood Planning Unit (NPU) system to engage the public sooner in the budget process. It\u2019s an idea that has been raised before<\/a>: The city charter actually requires NPU input in the budget, but there\u2019s no funding to make that a reality for the all-volunteer groups.<\/p>\n

To call or email your city councilperson or At\u2013Large council members about the city budget or any other issues, <\/em>click here<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

The post Most council members skipped the public’s only budget hearing, as Atlantans demand more money for parks, not police<\/a> appeared first on Atlanta Civic Circle<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Source: News \u2013 World \u2013 Atlanta \u2013 rss.app2 \u2192 manual entry<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Just three council members, plus council president attended \u2014 despite record public turnout
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