Whites run Richmond county...For the first time ever in Augusta politics! (Atlanta: 2015, employment)

[nortonguy]

Ever since the county and city government consolidated in 1996. The racial balance of the commission. Has always been five white and five black. Now it's six white and four black. The mayor is also white.


With all precincts counted in today's runoff voting, Matt Aitken has defeated William Fennoy in the District 1 race for Augusta City Commission.

With all precincts counted, Mr. Aitken had 1,657 votes to Mr. Fennoy's 1,427.

Matt Aitken to the left



Aitken tops in District 1 runoff 120109 - The Augusta Chronicle


How will this affect Augusta-Richmond county?

[nortonguy]

District 1 is downtown and the surrounding areas. CBD, a small part of the Hill/Summerville, Olde Towne, Country Club Hills, Medical District, Harrisburg, Laney Walker, Paine College, Bethlehem, MLK, and Turpin Hill.


Remember Matt Aitken's stance on the tee center. He wants to build it next to the marriott and common. The developer who wants to build the hyatt. In downtown Augusta next to the tee center. Said he won't build it downtown. Unless its next to the tee center, common, and marriott. William fennoy wanted to add it on to the James brown arena.

[par4him]

Ho ray, Ho ray, Ho ray !!! now only if they can quit fighting with each other.

[The Magician]

Wow, I'm happy. Deke is finally going to have some say-so. Everyone knows that he wants the ballpark downtown. So we are going to see it happen, also, along with the TEE center. The division is over. Yet it is sad because the Black Commissioners will be voiceless. I must admit I'm upset with some of the comments like "whites run augusta." But I'm all for progress and this is what I want. We need to move quick though, because Columbus, GA and Savannah are making major strides in economic and entertainment, moreso than in Augusta.

[nortonguy]

Say what? Metro Augusta is gaining 1,000 more people than metro Savannah. And 5,000 more than metro Columbus. Augusta has tons of more construction. Compared to Columbus and Savannah. It's not even close at all. Our GDP is also higher than both.

Have you forgot... Augusta economy will double by 2015. More than $15 billion will be poured into the local economy by 2015.

Augusta is the the 6th Strongest Building Market for Housing in the United States

21st Best Housing Market & 23rd Strongest Economy

79th out of 392 metro areas in the United States for Economic Health during the nationwide recession

#36 out of 392 metro areas in the United States for Employment Growth

[nortonguy]

Big projects in metro Augusta.... Either completed this year or under construction. We have three projects over $1 billion.

$8 billion at Savannah River site, $6.4 billion Plant Vogtle(two nuclear reactors) $1 billion National Security Agency(One of three in the world), $795 million Biomass Cogeneration Facility, $250 million palmetto pkwy(extension of I-520 in GA into SC connecting to I-20) $245 million I-20/I-520 interchange(excluding cost of walton way overpass, half diamond, and I-520 widening and exits) $175 million free-standing Cancer Center and an expanded Neuroscience Center of Excellence, $115 million Medical College of GA projects, $112 million School of Dentistry, $100 million Kroc Center, $95 million Heart and Vascular Institute.

Ramp it Up On I-20 | WJBF
Hospitals pour money into expansion projects 041209 - The Augusta Chronicle
Energy chief breaks ground at SRS 113009 - The Augusta Chronicle
Kroc Center of Augusta | Facebook
Big projects likely to push Augusta growth 041209 - The Augusta Chronicle

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[All4Augusta]

I for 1 am an african american, and have no problem with majority wihites running the city. its sad to say but records show if yu do a little research that more whites are actually willing to bring the projects such as the ball park, tee cente, and hyatt here, without a second thought

[nortonguy]

The voters already approved the tee center. It was going to get built no matter what. The only thing was the location. Im for the multi-use facility and tee center downtown. Im not for pork barrel projects though. The trolley is a stupid idea. They should save the money until 2013-2015. Then try to get some type of rail.

[nortonguy]

Originally Posted by The Magician

I must admit I'm upset with some of the comments like "whites run augusta.

But they do... People who live in Atlanta know blacks run Atlanta(city).

If the mayor is a white male? And majority of the commissioners are white?


Who else runs Augusta?

[andennison]

I agree with TM that framing everything as "black and white" is not the most forward-thinking way of talking about this. Mr Aitken has certainly shown he is concerned about all types of people with the prison ministry work he's done, and I think he is probably discouraged that the Chronicle and most every media outlet presents this almost exclusively through a racial lens. The Chronicle comments section is especially nasty and reflects poorly on the city though a lot of that comes from trolls, I'm sure. From the perspective of a recently arrived resident, this is an unfortunate aspect of Augusta. More good people on all sides need to speak up and work to move this city beyond racial polarization on both sides. Either way, I'm glad I live in District 1 and was able to vote for Aitken.

Also "Whites run Richmond County for the first time ever" is either a misinformed or strangely sarcastic comment. I'm just saying...