In-towners, please contact the Mayor and Council (Atlanta, White: crime, house)

[mceis]

Now Midtown is getting hit by these stupid gun-wielding thugs. They're robbing and car jacking people in what used to be safe Midtown neighborhoods. The police is telling citizens to watch out for groups of young males wearing hoodies. This furlough problem is really getting out of hand and we shouldn't stand for it any longer. I'm meeting with my Council representative in the coming weeks, and I hope others do the same.

Safety is at the root of most of Atlanta's problems. If people feel safe they'll be more likely to patronize the in-town businesses, which in turn, increases tax revenues.

Atlanta needs jobs, but it sure makes it a lot more difficult to attract companies to the city if its employees aren't going to be safe. The economic impact is obvious.

If the streets and MARTA were safer, more people would be comfortable using public transportation, easing congestion on the roads (I personally believe MARTA is pretty safe, but the general perception doesn't correlate).

Last year the city surveyed tourists and found that aggressive homeless was their primary complaint. Who wants to visit and spend money in a place where they feel threatened? The city still hasn't done anything to clean out the homeless.

The Mayor and Council have cut back on the police resources needed to keep us all safe. Worse yet, they've politicized it. Our safety is not a political issue. Get the streets safe first and the rest will fall into place.

It's an absolute disgrace and I can't wait to vote these turkeys out.

[smoothrat]

I second that!

As I've said before, it seems the City's policy is to first cut essential services like Fire and Police so the taxpayers feel the "hurt." If they hadn't been squandering money on "branding" the ATL, unsustainable pension promises, and padded bureaucracy over the years, the money would be there.

The first things funded, and the very last thing's cut, should be Fire, Police, and municipal utilities. Cut all the other positions in the city government before you talk about cutting public safety.

[straightfromatown]

By the time the city gets around to fixing anything it will likely be too late. I recommend arming yourself, if you encounter any thugs just take them out one by one.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by mceis

Now Midtown is getting hit by these stupid gun-wielding thugs. They're robbing and car jacking people in what used to be safe Midtown neighborhoods. The police is telling citizens to watch out for groups of young males wearing hoodies. This furlough problem is really getting out of hand and we shouldn't stand for it any longer. I'm meeting with my Council representative in the coming weeks, and I hope others do the same.

Safety is at the root of most of Atlanta's problems. If people feel safe they'll be more likely to patronize the in-town businesses, which in turn, increases tax revenues.

Atlanta needs jobs, but it sure makes it a lot more difficult to attract companies to the city if its employees aren't going to be safe. The economic impact is obvious.

If the streets and MARTA were safer, more people would be comfortable using public transportation, easing congestion on the roads (I personally believe MARTA is pretty safe, but the general perception doesn't correlate).

Last year the city surveyed tourists and found that aggressive homeless was their primary complaint. Who wants to visit and spend money in a place where they feel threatened? The city still hasn't done anything to clean out the homeless.

The Mayor and Council have cut back on the police resources needed to keep us all safe. Worse yet, they've politicized it. Our safety is not a political issue. Get the streets safe first and the rest will fall into place.

It's an absolute disgrace and I can't wait to vote these turkeys out.

I don't disagree...but is MARTA not safe? The crime statistics seem to say it is. Some people are just going to have the perception that anything associated with the city and minorities isn't safe. I pray for those people.

[Jimmeh]

I agree. Way too many aggressive homeless people here. Midtown is supposed to be the nice part of Atlanta and the more safe place to be. I never felt safe on Marta. The on duty officer normally chills towards the front of the train. You're best to be with a multicultural mix when riding marta so there is no profiling.

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by Jimmeh

I agree. Way too many aggressive homeless people here. Midtown is supposed to be the nice part of Atlanta and the more safe place to be. I never felt safe on Marta. The on duty officer normally chills towards the front of the train. You're best to be with a multicultural mix when riding marta so there is no profiling.

I've never felt unsafe on MARTA...ridden trains 1,000 times and I've never seen any kind of incident of felt threatened whatsoever. It's one of the safest rail systems in the nation.

[DonnaReed]

The police is telling citizens to watch out for groups of young males wearing hoodies.

__________________________________________________ _________________________

Hell, if that were NYC, that'd be 80 - 90 of the high school population...

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by DonnaReed

The police is telling citizens to watch out for groups of young males wearing hoodies.
__________________________________________________ _________________________

Hell, if that were NYC, that'd be 80 - 90 of the high school population...

That pretty much also describes about 132,000 guys you see walking around on the streets here on any given day, too. I suppose with the warmer weather coming, someone wearing a hoodie in 90 degree heat might stand out more than others, though.

I think anyone who has lived in the city long enough will come to realize the Mayor doesn't give a hoot anymore. When she started, she inherited a lot of crap from Campbell and at least seemed like she wanted to clean it all up, but lately a lot of people are not alone in seeing that she seems quite burned out and ready to move on.

So, as a result, it's really up to the local business owners and people to handle the problem. Local businesses and restaurants should hire off-duty officers or personal security (armed) to patrol their storefront area and streets after-hours in the Midtown and Buckhead areas. Two or more businesses could pool together for it, but the fact is, the streets here need numerous security teams on them at all times in the evenings and night hours. Not cheap rent-a-cops, either... higher-end trained aimed security or off-duty police officers. Sure, citizens could get carry permits and carry guns too, and that might save a life or two, but then unless you really know what you're doing, it could get you more easily killed, too. The only way to curb this is again, for the local businesses to absorb the cost and saturate the streets with visible police/security on their own.

Oh, and yes, folks should be writing from their local reps all the way to the White House to demand that a Federal Law be put in place that forbids police and fire personnel from being furloughed or laid off during budget issues with any City or County.

[noah]

Midtown already has that. Midtown Alliance has the Midtown blue which I believe are off duty police officers and they have a number you can call anytime if you see something you don't like.

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

That pretty much also describes about 132,000 guys you see walking around on the streets here on any given day, too. I suppose with the warmer weather coming, someone wearing a hoodie in 90 degree heat might stand out more than others, though.

I think anyone who has lived in the city long enough will come to realize the Mayor doesn't give a hoot anymore. When she started, she inherited a lot of crap from Campbell and at least seemed like she wanted to clean it all up, but lately a lot of people are not alone in seeing that she seems quite burned out and ready to move on.

So, as a result, it's really up to the local business owners and people to handle the problem. Local businesses and restaurants should hire off-duty officers or personal security (armed) to patrol their storefront area and streets after-hours in the Midtown and Buckhead areas. Two or more businesses could pool together for it, but the fact is, the streets here need numerous security teams on them at all times in the evenings and night hours. Not cheap rent-a-cops, either... higher-end trained aimed security or off-duty police officers. Sure, citizens could get carry permits and carry guns too, and that might save a life or two, but then unless you really know what you're doing, it could get you more easily killed, too. The only way to curb this is again, for the local businesses to absorb the cost and saturate the streets with visible police/security on their own.

Oh, and yes, folks should be writing from their local reps all the way to the White House to demand that a Federal Law be put in place that forbids police and fire personnel from being furloughed or laid off during budget issues with any City or County.