- ♪♪ - >>> HELLO.

- CAPITAL CORRESPONDENT FOR - LAWMAKERS ON GEORGIA PUBLIC - BROADCASTING.

- WELCOME TO THE ATLANTA PRESS - CLUB LOUDERMILK YOUNG DEBATE - SERIES.

- WE WELCOME OUR VIEWERS ON - GEORGIA PUBLIC BROADCASTING AND - AJC.com THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP - WITH "THE ATLANTA JOURNAL - CONSTITUTION."

- NOW THIS IS THE RUN-OFF AMONG - CANDIDATES FOR THE MAYOR OF - ATLANTA.

- LET'S MEET THE CANDIDATES.

- THEY ARE IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER, - ANDRE DICKENS.

- SERVES ON THE ATLANTA CITY - COUNCIL REPRESENTING POST THREE - AT LARGE.

- FELICIA MOORE IS THE ATLANTA - CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT.

- LET'S MEET OUR PANELISTS.

- J.D.

CAPELOUTO IS A REPORTING - IMPORTANT THE ATLANTA JOURNAL - CONSTITUTION.

- DAVID HUDDLESTON IS AN ANCHOR - AND REPORTER WITH WJB TV.

- FOR COMPLETE RULES ON TODAY'S - DEBATE VISIT THE ATLANTA PRESS - CLUB WEBSITE, - ATLANTAPRESSCLUB.org.

- TO START THE DEBATE EACH - CANDIDATE WILL BE ASKED TWO - QUESTIONS BY THE PANELISTS.

- CANDIDATES HAVE 60 SECONDS TO - ANSWER EACH QUESTION.

- DAVID HUDDLESTON, YOU GET THE - FIRST QUESTION TO FELICIA MOORE.

- >> THANK YOU, DONNA.

- MADAM PRESIDENT, THE FIRST - QUESTION, A CITY RESIDENT SAID, - AND YOU POSTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA, - THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO DECENT - ATLANTA MAYORS SINCE 1974.

- THAT INCLUDED ANDREW YOUNG AND - MAYNARD JACKSON AMONG THEM.

- WHY DID YOU POST IT TO YOUR - INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT IN THE FIRST - PLACE SINCE YOU SAY YOU DON'T - AGREE WITH THEM?

- >> WELL, I DID -- HE DID NOT - SPECIFICALLY SAY THAT.

- HE SAID THAT HE MOVED TO ATLANTA - IN 1979 AND THERE WERE NO DECENT - MAYORS SINCE HE HAD MOVED TO - ATLANTA.

- I DID DENOUNCE HIS COMMENTS.

- I RETURNED HIS MONEY AND I WAS - NOT AWARE OF HIS SOCIAL MEDIA - POST THAT HE HAD PERSONALLY - MADE.

- >> DID YOU POST IT ON YOUR - ACCOUNT AT ALL?

- >> I DID POST THE PUBLIC - SPEAKERS BECAUSE WE WERE DOING - CANVASSING AND WE DID POST THAT - HE WAS ENDORSING MY CANDIDACY, - BUT UNDERSTANDING THE TIME FRAME - IN WHICH HE WAS REFERRING TO, - THE NUANCE WAS NOT READILY - RECOGNIZED.

- AS SOON AS WE DID AND IT WAS - FOUND OUT THAT HE HAD SOME VERY - SERIOUS POSTS HIMSELF, WE DID - DENOUNCE IT AND RETURNED HIS - MONEY.

- >> ALL RIGHT.

- J.D.

CAPELOUTO, YOU HAVE A - QUESTION TO ANDRE DICKENS.

- >> YES.

- THANK YOU, DONNA.

- COUNCILMAN DICKENS, YOU SAID YOU - WANT TO CREATE A NEW CITY - DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, A NEW CHIEF - EDUCATION OFFICE POSITION, A NEW - OFFICE FOCUSED ON - ANTI-DISPLACEMENT.

- MY QUESTION IS HOW DO YOU PLAN - TO FUND THESE INITIATIVES AND - WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO VOTERS - THAT MAY WORRY THEY WOULD ADD TO - COMPLEXITY AT CITY HALL?

- >> THAT'S RIGHT.

- I WANT TO CREATE AN ATLANTA - DEPARTMENT OF LABOR BECAUSE - PEOPLE DESERVE TO BE ABLE TO - EARN A LIVING IN THIS CITY AND - GET A GREAT JOB, AND THAT'S WHAT - I WANT TO BE, IS THE JOBS MAYOR.

- SO THIS ATLANTA DEPARTMENT OF - LABOR IS GOING TO HAVE JUST A - COUPLE OF EMPLOYEES THAT ALSO - WORK WITH WORK SOURCE ATLANTA, - WHICH IS HEAVILY FUNDED BY THE - FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ALREADY.

- AS IT RELATES TO AN - ANTI-DISPLACEMENT OFFICE, IT IS - JUST QUITE IMPORTANT THAT WE - FOCUS ON MAKING SURE THAT OUR - SENIOR CITIZENS AND LEGACY - RESIDENTS CAN ACTUALLY LIVE IN - THIS CITY THAT THEY'VE SOWN - SEEDS INTO FOR ALL THIS TIME.

- THIS OFFICE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE - COMPLICATED OR EXCESSIVE IN - EXPENSE BECAUSE IT CAN COME - RIGHT UP UNDER OUR HOUSING - OFFICE THAT ALREADY EXISTS.

- SO WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS NOT - AN EXPLOSION OR A GREAT EXPENSE, - ADDING A LOT OF LABOR AND - EXPENSES TO THE CITY GOVERNMENT.

- IT IS REALLY ADDING MORE PEOPLE - THAT HELP SUPPLY SUPPORTIVE - ACTIONS THAT WE REALLY NEED.

- >> OKAY.

- THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

- J.D., YOUR QUESTION TO FELICIA - MOORE.

- >> YES, COUNCIL PRESIDENT MOORE.

- IN THE PAST WHEN YOU WERE A - COUNCIL MEMBER YOU VOTED NO ON A - NUMBER OF MEASURES THAT HAD - BROAD SUPPORT.

- THERE WERE A NUMBER OF BELT LINE - RELATED ORDINANCES AND SEVEN OF - THE BUDGETS PROPOSED BY MAYOR - REID'S ADMINISTRATION.

- SOME PEOPLE CRITICIZED YOU OVER - THE NO VOTES, THAT PROPENSITY TO - VOTE NO.

- WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT - CRITICISM?

- >> MY RESPONSE TO THAT CRITICISM - IS I WAS DOING MY JOB AS A CHECK - AND BALANCE TO THE EXECUTIVE - BRANCH.

- THE NO VOTE ON THE BELT LINE WAS - NOT THE ONLY VOTE THAT I TOOK ON - THE BELT LINE.

- I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE - PROJECT.

- IT WAS RELATED TO THE FUNDING - MECHANISM, THE TAX ALLOCATION - DISTRICT, WHAT WE WOULD HAVE - TAKEN AND WE DID TAKE, THE - CAPACITY FROM BEING ABLE TO HELP - OUR MOST BLIGHTED COMMUNITY - AREAS THAT NEEDED THAT - ASSISTANCE.

- AND THEN THE OTHER VOTES ON THE - BUDGET, BECAUSE I AM SUCH A - BUDGET HAWK AND I REALLY - UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF OUR - BUDGET, THERE WERE DIFFERENT - REASONS FOR THOSE DIFFERENT - SEVEN YEARS THAT I VOTED NO IN A - CHECK AND BALANCE TO THE - EXECUTIVE BRANCH.

- SOMEONE NEEDED TO STAND UP AND - SAY THAT WE WERE NOT DOING IT - CORRECTLY.

- I EVEN WROTE A BUDGET ONE YEAR - IN AN ATTEMPT TO HAVE A BUDGET - THAT I FELT I COULD SUPPORT AND - THAT I KNEW THE CITIZENS' MONEY - WAS BEING SPENT WISELY.

- >> ALL RIGHT.

- THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

- DAVE, YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR - ANDRE DICKENS.

- >> THANK YOU.

- COUNCILMAN DICKENS, AFFORDABLE - HOUSING HAS BEEN AN ISSUE YOU - CHAMPIONED SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN - ON COUNCIL, YET IT CONTINUES TO - BE A MAJOR PROBLEM.

- WHY IS THAT AND WHAT DO YOU HAVE - PLANNED THAT WILL TURN THINGS - AROUND?

- >> YES, SINCE 2010, THE COST OF - HOUSING HAS INCREASED BY 50% IN - THE CITY OF ATLANTA, BUT WORKING - CLASS FOLKS HAVE ONLY HAD THEIR - SALARIES INCREASED BY 10%.

- SO A LOT OF PEOPLE BEGIN TO BE - COST BURDENED ACROSS OUR CITY, - AND SO THAT'S WHY I WANT TO - BUILD OR PRESERVE 20,000 UNITS - OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN EIGHT - YEARS.

- WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS BY - AGGRESSIVELY BUILDING ON THE 800 - ACRES OF VACANT LAND THAT WE - HAVE BY ATLANTA HOUSING - AUTHORITY.

- THAT'S THE BANK HEAD COURSE - BOEING HOMES, ET CETERA, TO - BUILD MULTIFAMILY, MIXED INCOME - HOUSING.

- WE WILL MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE - ABLE TO GET A HOME, TO BE ABLE - TO AFFORD A MORTGAGE BY HAVING - DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE THROUGH - INVEST ATLANTA.

- THESE THINGS PLAY OUR CITY - BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD A LEADER - COMPLETELY FOCUSED ON IT.

- "ATLANTA" MAGAZINE CALLED ME THE - AFFORDABLE HOUSING CHAMP AND I - HAVE WORKED WITH THE MAJOR - LEADERS IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING - ACROSS THIS CITY, AND I WILL - MAKE SURE WE GET THIS DONE.

- WE DON'T HAVE TO DO A LOT OF NEW - THINGS.

- THE NEW THING IS DOING THE OLD - THING WELL.

- >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

- NOW THAT CONCLUDES THE FIRST - ROUND OF THE DEBATE.

- THE CANDIDATES WILL NOW ASK - THEIR OPPONENT TWO QUESTIONS - EACH.

- CANDIDATES WILL HAVE 30 SECONDS - TO ASK THE QUESTIONS, 60 SECONDS - TO RESPOND, AND THE CANDIDATE - WHO ASKS THE QUESTION WILL HAVE - 30 SECONDS FOR A REBUTTAL.

- BY RANDOM SELECTION, ANDRE - DICKENS, YOU MAY ASK THE FIRST - QUESTION.

- >> YES.

- COUNCIL PRESIDENT MOORE, THIS - WAS ADDRESSED A LITTLE BIT - EARLIER BUT I WANT TO KIND OF - DOUBLE DOWN ON IT.

- ATLANTA IS MOVING FORWARD AND WE - NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A - MAYOR THAT'S PROGRESSIVE AND - ABLE TO SEE HOW TO MOVE THINGS - FORWARD.

- AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS, - HOWEVER, YOU HAVE CONSTANTLY - VOTED NO.

- YOU VOTED NO TO THE BELTLINE, - YOU VOTED NO TO BODY CAMERAS BY - POLICE, YOU VOTED NO TO SEVEN - POLICE BUDGETS.

- YOU CONSTANTLY VOTED NO TO SO - MANY COUNTLESS THINGS.

- HOW CAN THE CITIZENS OF ATLANTA - TRUST YOU WILL BE AN EFFECTIVE - LEADER TO MOVE THE CITY FORWARD - WHEN YOU CONSTANTLY DON'T FIND A - WAY TO SAY YES BUT YOU ALWAYS - SAY NO?

- >> I DON'T ALWAYS SAY NO, AND I - SAY NO WHEN IT IS APPROPRIATE, - AND THAT'S WHY THE CITIZENS OF - THIS CITY HAVE SAID YES TO ME - TIME AND TIME AGAIN IN MY - REELECTION.

- I SPOKE TO THE BELT LINE, I - SPOKE TO THE BUDGET.

- AS IT RELATES TO THE BODY CAMS, - YOU SHOULD HAVE ALSO VOTED NO.

- THAT WAS THE MOST SHADY DEAL - THAT I HAD EVER SEEN COME - THROUGH CITY HALL IN MY 20-PLUS - YEARS AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL.

- WHEN YOU DO A PROCUREMENT IN TWO - WEEKS, WHEN IT TYPICALLY TAKES - SIX MONTHS, WHEN THE DEPARTMENT - PICKS A VENDOR WHO HAD A BETTER - PRODUCT AND THEN WE TURN AROUND - AND SPIN ON A DIME AND DO WHAT - THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WANTS AND - CHANGE IT, YOU SHOULD VOTE NO ON - THAT.

- IF WE HAD THE PRODUCT THAT WE - WERE LOOKING FOR WHEN RAYSHARD - BROOKS HAPPENED WE WOULDN'T HAVE - BEEN LOOKING AT CONCRETE AND - PAVEMENT.

- WE WOULD HAVE HAD OFFICERS WHO - COULD HAVE RESPONDED BECAUSE - THEY KNEW AN OFFICER WAS DOWN.

- THAT CAMERA WOULDN'T HAVE FALLEN - OFF.

- I VOTED NO AND I'M GLAD I VOTED - NO, AND I HOPE THAT AS MAYOR WE - CAN GET THAT PROCUREMENT RELET - AND GET THE BEST PRODUCT FOR OUR - CITIZENS AND THE DEPARTMENT.

- >> ANDRE DICKENS, YOUR REBUTTAL?

- >> YES, REAL LEADERSHIP LOOKS - LIKE ROLLING UP YOUR SLEEVES AND - FINDING A WAY TO FIND COMPROMISE - AND TO SAY YES.

- I'M AN ENGINEER, SO I'M A - PROBLEM SOLVER.

- WHEN I SAW A PROBLEM I CREATED - THE ATLANTA DEPARTMENT OF - TRANSPORTATION.

- WHEN I SAW ANOTHER PROBLEM, I - CREATED THE BELT LINE - INCLUSIONARY ZONE.

- WHEN I SAW ANOTHER PROBLEM I - HELPED TO GET EMPLOYEES TO $15 - AN HOUR MINIMUM WAGE.

- IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE MAYOR - OF THE CITY OF ATLANTA FIND A - WAY TO PROGRESS AND MOVE THE - CITY FORWARD, AND I THINK THAT - YOU HAVE TO TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY - FOR ALL OF THOSE TIMES YOU SAID - NO TO PROGRESS.

- >> ALL RIGHT.

- THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

- FELICIA MOORE, IT IS YOUR TURN - TO ASK A QUESTION OF YOUR - OPPONENT.

- >> SURE.

- MR. DICKENS, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO - TALK ABOUT COURAGE AND - DECISIVENESS.

- SO YOU RAN FOR THE SEAT FOR THE - LATE, GREAT JOHN LEWIS, FOR HIS - UNEXPIRED TOURNAMENT YOU WERE - NOT SUCCESSFUL IN THAT.

- THEN YOU ANNOUNCED THAT YOU WERE - RUNNING AGAIN FOR REELECTION FOR - YOUR POST THREE AT-LARGE SEAT.

- THEN WHEN THE SEAT OPENED FOR - MAYOR, ONCE OUR CURRENT MAYOR - SAID SHE WASN'T RUNNING, YOU - DECIDED YOU WERE GOING TO RUN - FOR MAYOR.

- SO IS THIS INDECISIVENESS OR ARE - YOU JUST AN OPPORTUNIST?

- >> NO, THIS IS NOT INDECISION - NOR AN OPPORTUNIST MOVEMENT.

- WHAT IT IS IS ME MAKING SURE I - WILL LEAD THE CITY OF ATLANTA - INTO THE FUTURE, AND THAT'S WHAT - I'M DOING RIGHT NOW.

- I DECIDED TO RUN FOR MAYOR - BECAUSE I LOOKED AT THE POOL OF - CANDIDATES THAT WERE RUNNING AND - I SAID THAT THIS CITY NEEDS A - LEADER THAT HAS THE HEAD, THE - HEART AND THE HANDS TO GET - THINGS DONE.

- SO THE OPPORTUNITY CAME UP WHEN - MAYOR BOTTOMS DECIDED SHE WAS - NOT GOING TO RUN, AND I FULLY - KNEW THAT YOU WERE IN THE RACE - AND OTHERS AND I SAID THAT I - WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS CITY - IS RUN BY SURE HANDS AND - EFFECTIVE EXECUTIVE THAT CAN - LEAD US INTO THE FUTURE.

- I HAVE THE SKILL SET AND A FULL - SET OF SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES - THAT HAVE PREPARED ME TO BE - MAYOR.

- SO I'M READY TO BE MAYOR RIGHT - NOW, AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE ON - THIS STAGE WITH YOU.

- >> MS. MOORE.

- >> WELL, I AM A STRONG AND - EXPERIENCED LEADER AND I AM ABLE - TO MAKE DECISIONS, EVEN IF THOSE - DECISIONS ARE NO WHEN EVERYONE - ELSE IS SAYING YES WHEN IT IS - THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

- SO I STEPPED INTO THIS RACE AT A - TIME WHEN NO ONE ELSE HAD THE - COURAGE TO DO IT, TO MOVE THIS - CITY FORWARD, TO HELP US IN A - TIME THAT WE CERTAINLY HAVE - CRITICAL ISSUES BEFORE US.

- I WANT TO BE OUR NEXT MAYOR - BECAUSE I CAN MAKE THOSE TOUGH - DECISIONS.

- I HAVE THE EXPERIENCE, I HAVE - THE KNOW-HOW, AND I HAVE THE - WILL TO MAKE OUR CITY BETTER.

- >> ALL RIGHT.

- THANK YOU.

- ANDRE DICKENS, YOU MAY ASK YOUR - QUESTION.

- >> YES.

- COUNCIL PRESIDENT, THE VOTERS - WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS - RUN-OFF TO BE BETWEEN US BECAUSE - THEY THOUGHT THEY WOULD GET A - CLEAN CAMPAIGN AND THAT WE COULD - JUST REALLY ADDRESS THE ISSUES, - BUT THEY'RE BEING DISAPPOINTED - BY SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY - SEE THAT ARE COMING AROUND YOUR - CAMP.

- YOU KNOW, YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE - GOING TO RELEASE YOUR TAXES, BUT - YOU FAILED TO DO SO.

- YOU HAD A RACIST INDIVIDUAL - STAND NEXT TO YOU AND DENOUNCE - EVERY BLACK MAYOR IN THE CITY OF - ATLANTA.

- THIRD, I HAVE SEEN AN ATTACK AD - BY YOUR SECRET SUPER PAC THAT - HAS DARKENED MY SKIN.

- >> MR. DICKENS, YOUR QUESTION?

- >> HOW CAN YOU STAND THERE AND - HAVE THESE THINGS OCCUR IN YOUR - WATCH AND YOU NOT SPEAK TO IT - AND STOP THESE INDIVIDUALS FROM - SMEAR CAMPAIGN?

- >> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, AS MAYOR - YOU SHOULD DO YOUR -- AS A - CANDIDATE OFFERING YOURSELF AS - MAYOR, DO YOUR HOMEWORK.

- I SAID THAT I WOULD RELEASE MY - TAX RETURNS, AND THEY ARE - RELEASED.

- SO DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND YOU WILL - FIND THEM.

- WHAT YOU WILL FIND IS THAT I - HAVE MADE A PERSONAL SACRIFICE - TO MAKE SURE THAT I SPEND FULL - TIME IN SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS - OF THIS CITY.

- I ANSWERED THE QUESTION ABOUT - THE SUPPORTER WHICH I DENOUNCED.

- I DENOUNCED THE POST THAT HE - MADE THAT I WAS NOT AWARE OF, - AND WE DID RETURN THE MONEY TO - THE CAMPAIGN.

- SO I AM ACTING AS I SHOULD AS AN - ELECTED OFFICIAL AS WELL AS A - CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR, MAKING SURE - THAT I AM TRANSPARENT AND DOING - WHAT I SAY THAT I'M GOING TO DO.

- >> WELL, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, SOME - OF THESE SHADY ANTICS THAT - PEOPLE AROUND YOU ARE DOING ARE - UGLY -- ARE PART OF THE UGLY - PAST, AND I WOULD ASK THAT ON - BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS OF - ATLANTA THAT ARE DISAPPOINTED BY - SOME OF THESE ATTACKS THAT ARE - CLEARLY DIVISIVE AND A PART OF A - RACIST PAST THAT YOU WOULD - DENOUNCE THEM RIGHT NOW AND ASK - THEM TO CALL OFF THEIR DIVISIVE - ANTICS THAT ARE HAPPENING ON - YOUR BEHALF IN YOUR CAMPAIGN.

- >> THANK YOU.

- >> IS IT POSSIBLE TO RESPOND?

- >> YES.

- >> BECAUSE HE DID ASK ME TO DO - SOMETHING.

- >> 30 SECONDS.

- >> MY RESPONSE WOULD BE YOU WILL - NEED TO SHOW ME WHAT IT IS THAT - YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE - I'M NOT AWARE OF IT.

- AND IF IT HAS ANYTHING TO DO - WITH ANYONE WHO IS A SUPPORTER - OF ME, I WILL CERTAINLY DENOUNCE - IT, BUT I'M NOT AWARE OF WHAT - YOU ARE REFERRING TO.

- >> ALL RIGHT.

- MS. MOORE, YOUR FINAL QUESTION - OF THIS ROUND?

- >> SO MUCH HAS BEEN SAID IN MANY - OF OUR CAMPAIGN DEBATES AND - FORUMS ABOUT THE DEFUND THE - POLICE VOTE THAT YOU MADE AND - YOU HAVE MADE MANY EXPLANATIONS - AS TO THE VOTE AND WHAT IT WAS - AND WHAT IT REPRESENTED.

- I WANT TO ASK THIS QUESTION - RELATED TO THE JUDGMENT, AND - WHAT ABOUT THE PROCESS -- NOT - ABOUT THE PROCESS AND THE - ATTEMPT, BUT THE JUDGMENT.

- SO I WANT YOU TO EXPLAIN WHY YOU - THOUGHT A VOTE WAS A POSITIVE - VOTE TO MAKE WHEN YOU WERE - WARNED THAT IT WOULD HAVE - DEVASTATING IMPACTS ON POLICE - MORALE.

- >> THAT'S YOUR QUESTION.

- >> QUITE FRANKLY, MS. MOORE, THE - ONLY PERSON THAT VOTED TO DEFUND - THE POLICE ON THIS STALE IS YOU - WHEN YOU VOTED SEVEN TIMES - AGAINST THE POLICE BUDGET WHILE - YOU WERE A CITY COUNCIL PERSON.

- I NEVER VOTED TO DEFUND THE - POLICE.

- WE HAVEN'T EVEN TAKEN THE VOTE - AS SUCH AS CITY COUNCIL.

- WHAT I DID DO IN 2019 WAS I - VOTED TO GIVE POLICE OFFICERS - THE LARGEST RAISE IN THE HISTORY - OF ATLANTA, AND IN 2020 WE - ACTUALLY DID TAKE TIME OUT, - SEVEN COUNCIL MEMBERS, TO LOOK - AT POLICE TRAINING AND TO TALK - ABOUT POLICE OPERATIONS, OUR - STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES - WAS WHAT WE WANTED TO LOOK AT - BECAUSE POLICE OFFICERS HAVE - TOLD US THAT THEY NO LONGER - WANTED TO RESPOND TO MENTAL - HEALTH CASES AS WELL AS - HOMELESSNESS.

- THEY FELT LIKE WE NEEDED A - NONEMERGENCY SQUAD FOR THAT.

- SO THAT WAS WHAT WE WERE - INTENDING TO DO.

- WE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AT THAT, - AND NOW WE ARE MOVING FORWARD.

- THAT'S WHY I HAVE MY SAFE - STREETS PLAN, WHICH IS A - BALANCED APPROACH TO SAFETY AND - JUSTICE, AND IT IS READY TO MAKE - THIS CITY SAFE ON DAY ONE.

- >> MS. MOORE, YOUR REBUTTAL.

- >> YES, $73 MILLION SET ASIDE - FROM THE POLICE BUDGET.

- IT DECREASED MORALE.

- IT MADE MANY OF OUR OFFICERS - LEAVE, WHICH HAS LEFT US IN THIS - CRISIS THAT WE'RE IN NOW WITH - THE UPTICK IN VIOLENT CRIME.

- I HAVE ALWAYS SUPPORTED OUR - POLICE AND OUR FIREFIGHTERS AND - VOTED FOR AMENDMENTS TO THOSE - BUDGETS, FOUGHT VERY HARD AS A - MATTER OF FACT TO MAKE SURE THAT - THEY GOT THE RAISES THEY - DESERVED.

- >> ALL RIGHT.

- THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

- THAT CONCLUDES OUR SECOND ROUND.

- FOR THOSE JUST JOINING US, THIS - IS THE RUN-OFF DEBATE BETWEEN - CANDIDATES FOR THE MAYOR OF - ATLANTA.

- WE WILL NOW GO BACK TO THE PANEL - TO ASK QUESTIONS TO THE - CANDIDATE OF THEIR CHOICE UNTIL - WE RUN OUT OF TIME.

- AS A POINT OF MODERATOR - PRIVILEGE, I MAY ALSO ASK - QUESTIONS OF THE CANDIDATES.

- I WILL DETERMINE WHEN A REBUTTAL - IS ALSO APPROPRIATE.

- J.D., YOU GET THE FIRST QUESTION - IN THIS ROUND.

- >> GREAT.

- THIS WILL GO TO COUNCILMAN - DICKENS.

- THIS IS ABOUT ECONOMIC - INCENTIVES.

- SO, LET'S SAY, A DEVELOPER WANT - TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY BUT - ONLY ON THE CONDITION THAT THEY - GET MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TAX - BREAKS FROM THE CITY IN ORDER TO - BUILD HERE.

- WHAT WOULD BE YOUR THOUGHT - PROCESS GOING INTO THOSE KINDS - OF NEGOTIATIONS, AND DO YOU - THINK THE CITY NEEDS TO DO MORE - TO MAKE SURE TAX ABATEMENTS ARE - FAIR AND ADMINISTERED WISELY?

- >> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

- TAX ABATEMENTS ARE A PRIZE TOOL - TO BE ABLE TO INCENTIVIZE - DEVELOPMENT, BUT WHAT I WANT TO - FOCUS ON IS DEVELOPMENT IN - UNDERDEVELOPED AREAS.

- IT IS TIME FOR THE SOUTHWEST AND - SOUTHEAST PART OF OUR CITY TO - START HAVING DEVELOPMENT, BUT - DEVELOPMENT WITHOUT - DISPLACEMENT.

- WE NEED GOOD GROCERY STORES.

- THERE'S TOO MANY FOOD DESERTS IN - THAT PART OF TOWN, AND SO I WANT - TO INCENTIVIZE HEALTHY FOOD - OPTIONS IN THOSE AREAS AS WELL - AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR JOB CENTERS - AND BANKS AND AS WELL AS - PHARMACIES AND MEDICAL - FACILITIES.

- SO, YES, I WILL BE ABLE TO USE - ECONOMIC INCENTIVES FOR THOSE - PROJECTS, BUT I WILL NOT BE - LURED INTO DOING ECONOMIC - INCENTIVES FOR DEALS THAT WILL - PENCIL OUT ALREADY FOR SOME - LARGE DEVELOPER OR SOME LARGE - CORPORATION.

- IF THEY CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN ON - PEACH TREE STREET, ET CETERA, WE - SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON USING THOSE - TAX INCENTIVES FOR DEVELOPMENT - IN AN AREA WHERE AN OPPORTUNITY - WON'T ARISE UNLESS WE HELP A - DEVELOPER BRING IT TO BEAR.

- I WILL USE MY GEORGIA STATE - BASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - MASTERS AND PUT IT TO WORK AS I - WILL DO AT INVEST ATLANTA WHEN - I'M MAYOR AND CHAIRMAN OF THAT - INVEST ATLANTA.

- >> THANK YOU.

- DAVE, YOUR QUESTION?

- >> QUESTION FOR MADAM PRESIDENT.

- MADAM PRESIDENT, THERE'S BEEN A - LOT OF TALK, OF COURSE, ABOUT - BUCKHEAD BECOMING ITS OWN CITY.

- WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO UNIFY - ATLANTA AND STOP THE THREAT OF - BUCKHEAD BECOMING ITS OWN CITY?

- >> WELL, I BELIEVE THAT I'M - UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO UNIFY THIS - CITY BECAUSE I HAVE REPRESENTED - A DISTRICT THAT ACTUALLY GOES - FROM BANKHEAD TO BUCKHEAD AND - ALSO HAS A LARGE LATINO - POPULATION, SO I'M USED TO - WORKING WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

- I ALSO HAVE HAD SUPPORT IN THAT - AREA, AND SO PEOPLE ARE LOOKING - FOR US TO STOP ANY SUCCESSION - MOVEMENT ON DAY ONE, AND THAT IS - EVEN BEFORE I GET SWORN IN.

- THAT IS RIGHT AFTER I AM - ELECTED, I WILL BE REACHING OUT - TO THOSE WHO ARE AGAINST THE - MOVEMENT AND WORK WITH THEM TO - STRATEGIZE ON HOW TO STOP IT, - BUT I WILL ALSO BE MEETING WITH - THOSE WHO WANT TO LEAVE THE - CITY.

- I WILL BE AT THE STATE - LEGISLATURE.

- I WILL ALSO BE THERE IN THE - EVENT THEY DO GET A REFERENDUM - TO DO THE THINGS THAT I SHOULD - BE DOING AS MAYOR TO ADDRESS OUR - CRIME, TO ADDRESS OUR SERVICE - DELIVERY THAT PEOPLE ARE PAYING - FOR, AND TO ALSO MAKE SURE THAT - WE ARE DOING IT IN AN ETHICAL - MANNER, SHOWING AND - DEMONSTRATING THAT I AM A LEADER - THAT CAN MOVE OUR CITY FORWARD.

- >> THANK YOU.

- J.D.. - >> COUNCIL PRESIDENT MOORE, - EARLIER TONIGHT I ASKED - COUNCILMAN DICKENS ABOUT HOW HE - WOULD FUND SOME PROPOSED NEW - CITY DEPARTMENTS.

- I WANT TO ASK YOU A SIMILAR - QUESTION.

- JUST YESTERDAY YOU SAID YOU WANT - TO CREATE A 24/7 UNIT OF UNARMED - UNIT OF FIRST RESPONDERS, - DISPATCH THROUGH 911.

- HOW WILL YOU FUND THAT - INITIATIVE?

- >> MANY INITIATIVES I BELIEVE - CAN BE FUNDED BY RE-ALLOCATING - MONEY IN OUR BUDGET.

- THE FIRST THING I WILL BE DOING - IS ASKING PARTICULARLY THE - CURRENT MAYOR TO WORK WITH ME IN - AUDITING ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS - CITY WIDE SO WE KNOW PERFORMANCE - WISE AND FINANCIALLY HOW THEY'RE - STACKING UP.

- IF THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE - WE CAN SHIFT MONEY, AND THERE'S - PLENTY OF MONEY IN CITY - GOVERNMENT, IT IS A MATTER OF - PRIORITIES.

- THIS WILL BE A PRIORITY FOR MY - ADMINISTRATION.

- WE WILL ALSO LOOK TO, IF WE ARE - TAKING THE BURDEN OFF OF OUR - POLICE OFFICER, IS THERE - CAPACITY IN THE BUDGET THAT WE - ALREADY HAVE FOR CONSULTANT - SERVICES THAT THEY ARE USING - RIGHT NOW.

- IF NOT, THE COUNCIL WILL BE - WORKING WITH ME TO MAKE SURE - THAT WE MAKE IT A PRIORITY AND - INCREASE THE BUDGET IN ONE AREA - AND DECREASE IT IN ANOTHER.

- THAT'S HOW BUDGETING IS DONE.

- >> DAVE, ANOTHER QUESTION.

- >> COUNCILMAN DICKENS, WHAT IS - THE ONE THING PROFESSIONALLY - SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN AT CITY HALL - YOU WISH YOU COULD DO OVER?

- >> HMM.

- THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

- WHAT WOULD I DO PROFESSIONALLY - AT CITY HALL THAT I WISH I COULD - DO OVER?

- I WOULD HAVE TO THINK ABOUT - THAT.

- THERE'S A LOT OF PROGRESS THAT - HAS BEEN MADE, A LOT OF THINGS - THAT WE HAVE WORKED ON.

- I THINK, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE - THINGS I WOULD DO IS IMMEDIATELY - AS SOON AS I GOT INTO OFFICE, - YOU KNOW, I FOUND OUT ABOUT - INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE WORKING - FOR CITY GOVERNMENT THAT GOT -- - THEY WERE MAKING $10 AN HOUR, - AND I STARTED WORKING TO HELP - THEM GET TO $15 AN HOUR.

- I DID THAT BY MAKING IT $13, - $14, $15 IN THREE SUCCESSIVE - YEARS WITHOUT A TAX INCREASE.

- I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THAT NOW - TO SEE HOW WE CAN DO MORE TO GET - THEM BEYOND $15 AN HOUR AND MAKE - SURE THEY CAN LIVE IN A WAY THEY - CAN ACTUALLY AFFORD THE AVERAGE - TWO-BEDROOM APARTMENT IN - ATLANTA, WHICH IS $19 AN HOUR.

- I WOULD START LOOKING OUT MORE - FOR THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY - BECAUSE WE DID A GOOD THING - GOING TO $15, BUT I WANT TO MAKE - SURE WE RAISE THE WAGES OF OUR - HARD-WORKING EMPLOYEES LIKE WE - DID BY GIVING POLICE OFFICERS - THAT LARGE RAISE AS WELL.

- >> THANK YOU.

- J.D.. - >> I'M CURIOUS TO ASK THE SAME - QUESTION.

- WHAT IS SOMETHING AT CITY HALL - YOU WOULD DO OVER?

- >> THE ONE THING THAT I WILL DO - OVER OR WISH THAT I COULD DO - OVER IS HAD THE LEGISLATION THAT - I DID AFTER THE VOTE THAT WE - TOOK TO DO EMINENT DOMAIN TO THE - PROPERTIES IN PEOPLES TOWN.

- THE COUNCIL WAS OFFERED THAT - WITHOUT EXPLANATION OR NOTATION - THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY LIVED IN - THOSE PROPERTIES, AND I IN - RESPONSE TO THAT PASSED - LEGISLATION THAT REQUIRES THAT - WE KNOW THE STATUS OF THE - PROPERTY, WHETHER IT IS - OCCUPIED, UNOCCUPIED, WHETHER IT - IS COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL, ET - CETERA, BEFORE THE COUNCIL TAKES - ACTION.

- SO, IF ANYTHING, I WOULD HAVE - DONE, I WISH I WOULD HAVE HAD - THAT LEGISLATION PASSED SO THAT - WE WOULD HAVE KNOWN BEFORE WE - WENT DOWN THIS TERRIBLE HOLE - THAT WE ARE IN.

- WE NEED TO MAKE THOSE FAMILIES - WHOLE AND WE NEED TO RESOLVE - THIS ISSUE ON BEHALF OF THE - PEOPLE IN PEOPLES TOWN BUT ALSO - ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.

- >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

- I HAVE A QUESTION.

- I WANT TO FOCUS A LITTLE BIT ON - THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE - ATLANTA MAYOR'S OFFICE AND THE - GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, AND THIS IS - FOR BOTH OF YOU.

- YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THAT THERE'S - BEEN A STRAIN, FROM EVERYTHING - FROM THE AIRPORT TAKEOVER TO - THINGS DEALING WITH THE - PANDEMIC, MASK MANDATES, WHETHER - BUSINESSES SHOULD OPEN.

- WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO SHORE UP - THIS MARRED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN - THE STATE AND THE LARGEST CITY, - THAT HAPPENS TO BE IN THE - CAPITAL?

- THESE ARE IMPORTANT TO GEORGIA.

- I START WITH YOU, MR. DICKENS.

- >> YOU'RE RIGHT.

- WE HAVE TO HAVE A GOOD - RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GOVERNOR.

- I WILL MAKE SURE THAT I AM DOING - IT RIGHT NOW, I'M NOT WAITING - UNTIL I BECOME MAYOR.

- I'M MEETING RIGHT NOW.

- I HAVE ALREADY MET WITH A LOT OF - THE STATE REPRESENTATIVES AND - STATE SENATORS ON BOTH SIDES OF - THE AISLE, NOT JUST DEMOCRATS - BUT ALSO REPUBLICANS.

- I HAVE TALKED TO GOVERNOR BRIAN - KEMP ALREADY, AND I HAVE ALSO - PREPARED MYSELF TO MEET WITH THE - SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, SPEAKER - ROSS, TOMORROW.

- SO I'M WORKING RIGHT NOW WITH - THE STATE OFFICIALS IN THE - CAPACITY AS A CITY COUNCIL - MEMBER JUST LIKE I DID AS THE - TRANSPORTATION CHAIRMAN WHEN WE - WERE GOING THROUGH A TOUGH TIME - DEALING WITH THE AIRPORT - TAKEOVER.

- WE HAD TO WORK VERY HARD WITH - THE STATE, AND I WILL CONTINUE - TO WORK WITH THE STATE TO MAKE - SURE THEY DON'T WANT TO TAKE - OVER OUR AIRPORT AND THEY WON'T - BE SUCCESSFUL IN THAT, BUT ALSO - WORKING WITH THE STATE TO MAKE - SURE THEY UNDERSTAND THE VERY - VALUABLE RESOURCE OF HAVING - BUCKHEAD STAY WITH THE CITY.

- I DON'T WANT IT TO GET OUT OF - THE HANDS OF THE STATE - LEGISLATURE.

- I WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE - THAT AND NOT ALLOW BUCKHEAD TO - LEAVE.

- SO I'M WORKING RIGHT NOW.

- >> THANK YOU.

- MS. MOORE, SAME QUESTION.

- >> WELL, I DON'T HAVE TO START - THESE CONVERSATIONS.

- THESE ARE THINGS THAT I HAVE - BEEN DOING FOR THE DECADES THAT - I HAVE BEEN SERVING AS COUNCIL - MEMBER AND NOW AS PRESIDENT OF - COUNCIL.

- YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE UNDER - THREAT OF THE AIRPORT TAKEOVER I - WAS THE ONE THAT WAS AT EVERY - HEARING.

- I WAS TESTIFYING BEFORE THE - BODY.

- I WAS MEETING WITH THE AUTHOR OF - THE LEGISLATION AND MEETING WITH - LEADERSHIP.

- I HAVE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH - THE GOVERNOR.

- I HAVE MET WITH THE LIEUTENANT - GOVERNOR, WAS HONORED BY THE - LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.

- I WORKED IN COOPERATION WITH HIM - AND HE EVEN APPOINTED ME TO THE - GEORGIA FREIGHT AND LOGISTICS - COMMISSION.

- BUT IT DOESN'T STOP THERE.

- I HAVE BEEN ACTIVE, ENGAGED, - INVOLVED IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS - IN THE GEORGIA MUNICIPAL - ASSOCIATION, SO I KNOW ELECTED - OFFICIALS ACROSS THE STATE.

- I'M ON THE ATLANTA REGIONAL - COMMISSION, AND SO I KNOW THE - LEADERSHIP ACROSS OUR REGION.

- I'M ALSO ON THE NATIONAL LEAGUE - OF CITIES AND HAVE HELD - LEADERSHIP POSITIONS AND WORKED - WITH THEM ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO - MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE POLICIES - ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

- SO THIS IS NOT SOMETHING I AM - NEW TO.

- I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR ALL - THE TIME THAT I HAVE BEEN - ELECTED.

- >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

- DAVE.

- >> QUESTION FOR BOTH CANDIDATES, - STARTING WITH MADAM PRESIDENT.

- YOU HAVE KNOWN COUNCILMAN - DICKENS FOR SEVERAL YEARS - WORKING AT CITY HALL.

- WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE AREAS HE - NEEDS TO IMPROVE ON - PROFESSIONALLY?

- COUNCILMAN, VICE VERSA.

- >> WELL, I WOULD SAY TO MOVE - INTO THE ROLE OF BEING THE MAYOR - OF THE CITY OF ATLANTA IT TAKES - MORE THAN JUST PASSING A COUPLE - OF PIECES OF LEGISLATION AND - TOUTING THAT AS WELL AS JUST - DOING THE JOB OF A COUNCIL - MEMBER.

- THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE THAT I'M - UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO RUN FOR - THIS POSITION BECAUSE OF THE - THINGS I JUST MENTIONED.

- I HAVE TAKEN AND MAKE MYSELF A - STUDENT OF CITY GOVERNMENT, - KNOWING IT IN AND OUT, WORKING - ON THE STATE LEVEL, WORKING ON - THE REGIONAL LEVEL, WORKING ON - THE NATIONAL LEVEL, LEARNING - BEST PRACTICES TO BRING TO THIS - CITY, GETTING A MASTERS OF - SCIENCE IN ADMINISTRATION, AND I - DID IT PURPOSELY TO FOCUS ON - PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION SO THAT I - CAN KNOW HOW TO MAKE THIS CITY - BETTER.

- SO I HAVE BEEN A STUDENT OF IT.

- I HAVE EXERCISED IT, AND I HAVE - PROVIDED EVEN COUNSEL TO - MR. DICKENS AND OTHER COUNCIL - MEMBERS AS IT RELATES TO THE - RULES AND OPERATION OF CITY - GOVERNMENT.

- SO I BELIEVE THAT THOSE ARE - THINGS THAT HE CAN STRENGTHEN - HIMSELF IN.

- >> THANK YOU.

- MR. DICKENS.

- >> I CAN REPEAT THE QUESTION FOR - YOU, MR. DICKENS, IF YOU WANT.

- >> SURE.

- >> YOU HAVE KNOWN COUNCIL - PRESIDENT MOORE FOR SEVERAL - YEARS WORKING WITH HER AT CITY - HALL.

- WHAT ARE AREAS YOU WOULD SAY SHE - NEEDS TO IMPROVE ON?

- >> YES, I THINK COUNCIL - PRESIDENT MOORE HAS TO OWN UP TO - THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT SHE HAS - HAD OVER 24 YEARS IN GOVERNMENT.

- BEING ABLE TO JUST POINT OUT - ERRORS AND SAY THIS WAS BAD OR - VOTE NO OR SAY YOU DON'T LIKE - THIS OR YOU DON'T LIKE THAT IS - NOT TRUE LEADERSHIP.

- IT IS ABOUT TAKING OWNERSHIP AND - DELIVERING RESULTS FOR THE - PEOPLE OF ATLANTA, PARTICULARLY - ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN - YOUR DISTRICT WHEN YOU WERE - DISTRICT NINE REPRESENTATIVE.

- YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO GET - THINGS DONE.

- IN OVER 24 YEARS, I WOULD - IMAGINE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO - HAVE A BODY OF WORK THAT - EVERYBODY IN THE CITY WOULD KNOW - A LOT ABOUT.

- SO I WOULD SAY, BECAUSE SHE - DOESN'T HAVE THAT BODY OF WORK, - THAT MEANS THERE ARE SOME - DEFICIENCIES IN HOW SHE GOES - ABOUT DELIVERING RESULTS.

- THERE'S A LOT TSK-TSKING, SAYING - THINGS ARE BAD, LOOKING AT THE - GLASS AS HALF EMPTY.

- BUT A MAYOR, A LEADER, A CHIEF - EXECUTIVE KNOWS HOW TO GET TO - YES AND MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.

- SO I THINK SHE LACKS WHAT SHE - CAN IMPROVE UPON IS THE ABILITY - TO LEAD.

- SHE MENTIONED SHE IS A STUDENT.

- NOW IT IS TIME TO BE THE - PRINCIPAL.

- >> THANK YOU.

- MS. MOORE, YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS - FOR REBUTTAL.

- >> CURRENTLY MY BODY CERTAINLY - OF WORK IS LONG AND STORIED AND - EVIDENCED IN DISTRICT NINE, IN - BOTH -- IN ALL AREAS OF MY - DISTRICT, AND PARTICULARLY AS IT - RELATES TO POLICY.

- I AM THE ONE WHO AUTHORED THE - FIRST INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE - CITY.

- I'M THE ONE WHO HAS AUTHORED THE - LEGISLATION TO CREATE AN - INDEPENDENT PROCUREMENT REVIEW - OFFICER.

- I AM THE ONE THAT AUTHORED - LEGISLATION THAT HAS GONE - STATEWIDE FOR MADDIE'S CALL TO - FIND OUR WANDERING SENIORS, AND - THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.

- >> THANK YOU.

- >> I HAVE A BODY OF WORK.

- >> THANK YOU.

- J.D.

- >> YES.

- COUNCIL PRESIDENT MOORE, IN 2017 - AFTER THE SHOOTING OF A - RECORDING ARTIST OUTSIDE A MUSIC - STUDIO IN YOUR DISTRICT YOU - PROPOSED AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD - REQUIRE NEW RECORDING STUDIOS IN - THE CITY TO GET A SPECIAL USE - PERMIT TO OPERATE AND OTHER - RESTRICTIONS.

- THE COUNCIL OVERWHELMINGLY - REJECTED THIS PROPOSAL AND YOU - WERE IN FAVOR OF IT.

- MY QUESTION IS, IS IT SOMETHING - YOU SUPPORT AND IS IT SOMETHING - YOU WOULD PURSUE AS MAYOR?

- >> IT IS NOT SOMETHING I WOULD - PURSUE AS MAYOR.

- MY CO-SPONSOR WAS COUNCIL MEMBER - DICKENS.

- WE WERE RESPONDING TO ISSUES - GOING ON IN DISTRICT NINE, - KNOWING THERE WAS NOTHING TO BE - DONE OR COULD BE DONE ABOUT THE - STUDIOS THAT WERE THERE, BUT - TRYING TO FIND A WAY THAT HELPED - THE STUDIOS IN ONE INSTANCE TO - MAKE SURE THAT THEY WEREN'T - GETTING CONSTANT COMPLAINTS FROM - NEIGHBORS AND DISTURBING THEIR - BUSINESS, BUT ALSO TO HELP THE - RESIDENTS IN THE CITY TO MAKE - SURE THAT THEY WERE AT LEAST 300 - FEET AWAY FROM THEIR HOME.

- I VOTED FOR IT BECAUSE I TOLD - THE COMMUNITY THAT I WOULD DO - THE BEST I CAN TO MAKE SURE IN - THE FUTURE THAT WE DID NOT HAVE - THESE CONFLICTS.

- I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS A GOOD - WAY TO HANDLE IT.

- UNFORTUNATELY, POLITICS GOT IN - THE WAY.

- THE NARRATIVE CHANGED TO - SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT TRUE, AND - IT IS STILL CONTINUING TODAY IN - THIS RACE.

- BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT - BOTH RECORDING STUDIOS CAN - OPERATE AND FLOURISH AS WELL AS - COMMUNITIES CAN HAVE THEIR - QUALITY OF LIFE AS WELL.

- >> THANK YOU.

- 30 SECONDS TO YOU, MR. DICKENS.

- >> YES, COUNCIL PRESIDENT - MENTIONED MY NAME AND I - CO-SPONSORED WITH YOU, I SIGNED - ON, I LIVED IN THAT - NEIGHBORHOOD.

- WHEN I GOT INTO THE DETAILS OF - IT, I DIDN'T AGREE WITH IT, - WHICH IS WHY I VOTED NO.

- THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW I WENT - AND TALKED TO THE STUDIOS AND - LOTS OF STUDIOS, AND WE GOT AN - UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THEY WILL - MAKE SURE THEY KEEP THE NOISE - DOWN.

- ACTUALLY, A LOT OF THE NOISE - COMES FROM INDIVIDUALS DRIVING - AND HAVING LOUD MUSIC GOING TO - THE STUDIOS AND LEAVING THE - STUDIOS AND THEM HANGING OUT IN - THE PARKING LOT TOO MUCH, AND - THEN THE VIOLENCE THAT ENSUED, - THEY CHANGED THAT PRACTICE.

- NOW WE'RE GOING ON FIVE OR SIX - YEARS WITHOUT ANY INCIDENT - BECAUSE WE WORKED TOGETHER AND - FOUND A WAY TO GET TO - COMPROMISE.

- >> THANK YOU.

- >> YOU DON'T HAVE ISSUES - ANYMORE.

- >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

- DAVE.

- >> COUNCILMAN DICKENS, WE OFTEN - HEAR ABOUT THE FIRST THING - SOMEONE WILL DO ONCE THEY BECOME - MAYOR.

- WHAT IS THE SECOND ITEM YOU WANT - TO FIX IF YOU BECOME MAYOR?

- >> THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS TO - WORK ON, AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU - ASKED ABOUT THE FIRST TWO ITEMS - THAT I WOULD LIKE TO WORK ON.

- ONE IS, OF COURSE, TO MAKE SURE - THAT WE OPEN CITY HALL, REOPEN - IT ON DAY ONE.

- CITY HALL IS CLOSED RIGHT NOW, - AND I WANT TO DO AN AUDIT ON ALL - CONSTITUENT-FACING DEPARTMENTS, - THAT'S THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC - WORKS, THAT'S THE DEPARTMENT OF - TRANSPORTATION, THAT'S ALL OF - OUR DEPARTMENTS THAT THE - CUSTOMERS DEPEND ON, BECAUSE - SERVICE DELIVERY IS VERY - IMPORTANT.

- THE SECOND THING IS I WILL MAKE - SURE THAT WE WILL PUT THE POLICE - CHIEF ON A 100-DAY CONTRACT TO - BRING DOWN VIOLENT CRIME.

- WE WILL HAVE METRICS, BUT BRING - DOWN VIOLENT CRIME, TO BEGIN THE - RECRUITMENT PROCESS TOWARDS 250 - NEW OFFICERS, TO RETAIN OFFICERS - THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON THE FORCE, - AND METRICS RELATED TO OUR - COMMUNITY-BASED POLICING.

- IF I GET A THIRD ITEM, I WOULD - MAKE SURE WE START THE PROCESS - OF HAVING A CHIEF EDUCATION - OFFICER THAT WORKS WITH THE - ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM SO - WE BRIDGE THIS GAP AND BE ABLE - TO PREPARE OUR KIDS FOR THE - FUTURE.

- I HAVE SEVERAL OF THEM, DAVE, IF - YOU WANT ME TO KEEP GOING, BUT - I'M GOING TO DO A LOT IN THE - FIRST 100 DAYS.

- >> THANK YOU.

- DAVE.

- >> MADAM PRESIDENT, THE SAME - QUESTION.

- WHAT'S THE SECOND ITEM YOU WOULD - FIX?

- >> WELL, THE SECOND ITEM -- OF - COURSE, THE FIRST IS THE ONE - THAT'S ON EVERYBODY'S MIND, AND - THAT IS MAKING SURE EVERY - NEIGHBORHOOD IS SAFER ACROSS - THIS CITY.

- BUT THE SECOND ITEM WILL BE THE - THING THAT I WOULD ASK FOR - BEFORE I EVEN GET SWORN IN, AND - THAT IS LOOKING AT OUR - DEPARTMENTS.

- EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR - DEPARTMENTS ARE DYSFUNCTIONAL.

- YOU KNOW, WE ARE NOT GETTING OUR - YARD TRIMMINGS PICKED UP.

- PEOPLE ARE CUSSING AS YOU ARE - DRIVING DOWN THE STREET BECAUSE - YOU KEEP HITTING THOSE POTHOLES.

- THAT SERVICE DELIVERY HAS GONE - AWAY.

- WHAT I WANT TO DO IS MAKE SURE - WE ARE LOOKING AT WHO IS - MANAGING THESE DEPARTMENTS, - GETTING THE CORRECT MANAGEMENT - IN PLACE, LOOKING AT OUR - FINANCIAL POSITION TO MAKE SURE - THAT WE CAN DEAL WITH THE - CAPITAL COSTS THAT WE'RE GOING - TO NEED TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT - GETTING THE SERVICES THAT WE - DESERVE.

- BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, - COMMUNICATING WITH THE CITIZENS - ABOUT THE STATE OF OUR CITY AS I - FIND IT SO THAT WE CAN WORK - TOGETHER AND KNOW TOGETHER HOW - WE'RE RESOLVING THESE ISSUES.

- >> THANK YOU.

- J.D.

- >> COUNCILMAN DICKENS, ATLANTA'S - TREE CANOPY IS AN IMPORTANT PART - OF THE CITY AND ITS IDENTITY, - BUT ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCATES - WAITED IMPORTANT THE CITY TO - COMPLETE AN UPDATE TO THE TREE - PROTECTION ORDINANCE.

- YOU SUPPORTED THE INTRODUCTION - OF A NEW TREE PROTECTION - ORDINANCE.

- WHY HASN'T IT PASSED YET AND - WHAT DIRECTION DO YOU THINK THIS - NEW TREE ORDINANCE SHOULD TAKE?

- >> J.D., YOU ARE RIGHT.

- THIS IS THE CITY IN THE FOREST - AND WE MUST PROTECT OUR TREE - CANOPY.

- IT HELPS US TO BE ABLE TO KEEP - OUR AREAS COOL AND SHADED AND - ALSO PROVIDES A BEAUTIFUL LIFE - FOR EVERYONE TO BE ABLE TO - ENJOY.

- IT ALSO KEEPS US FROM HAVING - EROSION FROM ALL OF THESE HEAVY - WEATHER EVENTS.

- SO I AM IN FULL SUPPORT OF - HAVING A NEW TREE ORDINANCE THAT - ALLOWS US TO PRESERVE OUR TREE - CANOPY WHILE ALLOWING US TO - STILL HAVE DEVELOPMENT.

- IT IS MOVING SLOW.

- THESE TREE ORDINANCES TAKE TIME, - AND I THINK THAT ONE OF, YOU - KNOW, THE FIRST FEW THINGS I - WILL DO WHEN I'M MAYOR IS TO - MAKE SURE THAT OUR CITY PLANNING - DEPARTMENT PICKS THIS BACK UP - AND GETS ON THE PATHWAY TO - PASSING A LEGISLATION THAT WE - ALL CAN AGREE TO AND THAT ALSO - HELPS US MOVE THE CITY FORWARD.

- I'M A BIG FAN OF AFFORDABLE - HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, AND I WANT - TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE DEVELOP - OUT OUR TREE CANOPY -- AS WE - DEVELOP AFFORDABLE HOUSING WE - ARE RESPECTFUL OF OUR TREE - CANOPY.

- BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAINTAIN THE - TREE CANOPY.

- >> MS. MOORE, I WOULD BE CURIOUS - YOUR ANSWER TO THE SAME - QUESTION.

- >> MY ANSWER TO THE QUESTION IS - IF WE CARE ABOUT IT SO MUCH WHY - IS IT STILL ON HOLD?

- ONE THING I HAVE KNOWN FROM - EXPERIENCE AND BEING AN - EXPERIENCED POLICYMAKER IS WHEN - YOU PUT YOUR NAME ON A PIECE OF - LEGISLATION AND YOU WANT IT TO - PASS, YOU WORK FOR IT.

- YOU PUSH FOR IT.

- YOU ADVOCATE FOR IT.

- WHEN THEY WANT TO HOLD IT, YOU - ASK THEM NOT TO HOLD IT.

- YOU CONTINUE TO PUSH UNTIL YOU - GET WHAT YOU WANT.

- SO IF IT IS A CARE ABOUT THE - TREE CANOPY, THIS COUNCIL SHOULD - HAVE PASSED IT.

- FRANKLY, WE ARE IN AN ELECTION - YEAR.

- PEOPLE ARE UP FOR OFFICE AND - THINGS LIKE THAT KIND OF LAY ON - THE DESK BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T - WANT TO MAKE THE TOUGH - DECISIONS.

- THERE ARE TOUGH DECISIONS TO - MAKE.

- BALANCING DEVELOPMENT IN OUR - CITY AND OUR TREE CANOPY AT THE - SAME TIME.

- SO IF WE REALLY CARE ABOUT THE - TREES, PASS THE ORDINANCE AND - LET'S SAVE OUR TREES AND LET'S - HELP OURSELVES IN THIS CLIMATE - EMERGENCY WE FIND OURSELVES - ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND ACROSS - THE WORLD.

- >> MR. DICKENS, YOU MAY HAVE A - REBUTTAL IF YOU WOULD LIKE.

- 30 SECONDS.

- >> NO, I DON'T HAVE TO REBUT - THAT BECAUSE I'M MOVING IT - FORWARD ONCE I BECOME MAYOR.

- >> ALL RIGHT.

- THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

- DAVE.

- >> A QUESTION FOR BOTH OF THE - CANDIDATES, PLEASE.

- A HARVARD UNIVERSITY STUDY SAID - ATLANTA HAS ONE OF THE LARGEST - WEALTH DISPARITIES IN THE - COUNTRY.

- WHY DO YOU THINK THAT'S THE CASE - AND WHAT SPECIFICALLY WOULD YOU - DO TO CHANGE THAT?

- STARTING WITH MADAM PRESIDENT.

- >> SO THE CASE IS BECAUSE IT HAS - BEEN GOING ON FOREVER, AND THERE - HASN'T BEEN ANY FOCUSED - ATTENTION TO THAT.

- THAT IS ONE THING THAT'S GOING - TO BE IN MY TOP PRIORITY AS - MAYOR OF THE CITY BECAUSE IT - DEALS WITH EVERYTHING.

- IT DEALS WITH SAFETY AND IT - DEALS WITH THE GREATNESS OF OUR - CITY.

- EDUCATION IS A VERY KEY - COMPONENT TO THAT, AND I WANT TO - WORK WITH OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM TO - INTEGRATE WHAT THEY DOLL AND - WHAT WE DO AT THE CITY.

- THAT MEANS MAKING SURE THAT WE - CAN HELP GROW OUR CITY WORKFORCE - FOR THE FUTURE, BUT ALSO USING - OUR RECREATION CENTERS NOT JUST - FOR RECREATION BUT AS POINTS OF - EXPOSURE FOR OUR YOUTH WHERE WE - CAN EXCITE THEM ABOUT S.T.E.M., - SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING - AND MATH, WHERE WE CAN EXCITE - THEM ABOUT TRADES.

- IF THEY'RE NOT GETTING THE TRADE - TRAINING AT SCHOOL, WE CAN - PROVIDE THOSE KIND OF - OPPORTUNITIES AT OUR CENTERS.

- I KNOW THAT IF KIDS GET EXCITED - ABOUT DOING SOMETHING, WHETHER - IT IS BEING A RECORDING ARTIST - OR WHATEVER, AND WE KEEP THEM - INVOLVED WITH THAT, THEY WILL - STAY OUT OF TROUBLE.

- >> THANK YOU.

- MR. DICKENS.

- >> YEAH, HERE IS THE DIFFERENCE.

- WHEN I SEE THAT THERE'S AN - INCOME INEQUALITY IN OUR CITY, I - DON'T JUST TALK ABOUT IT AND - PUSH IT OUT TO THE FUTURE.

- I ROLL UP MY SLEEVES AND I GOT - SOMETHING DONE.

- THIS IS WHY WHEN I CREATED THE - TECHNOLOGY CAREER PROGRAM AT - TECH BRIDGE, THIS IS A PATHWAY - FROM POVERTY TO PROSPERITY.

- I WORKED WITH CEOs AND CIOs AND - CTO, CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICERS, - FROM MAJOR CORPORATIONS AND I - ASKED THEM HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE - THAT WE GET ALL OF THIS UNTAPPED - TALENT IN OUR CITY THAT IS IN - POVERTY, HOW CAN WE GET THEM - TRAINING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY - CAN GET THESE GREAT MIDDLE - INCOME HIGH-TECH JOBS.

- I CREATED A TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM - THAT TRAINS PEOPLE TO GET - $60,000, $70,000 JOBS IN JUST - FOUR MONTHS BY GETTING - CERTIFICATIONS.

- WHEN I'M MAYOR, THIS IS WHY I'M - GOING TO CREATE THE ATLANTA - DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, BECAUSE WE - HAVE PLENTY OF INDUSTRIES THAT - NEED A WORKFORCE.

- THEY'RE DEPENDING ON US AND WE - DON'T HAVE TO IMPORT TALENT TO - FILL ALL OF THESE ROLES.

- WE HAVE HOMEGROWN TALENT HERE - THAT WE CAN RAISE UP TO GET THE - GREAT JOBS.

- I TELL EVERY CEO, I DON'T CARE - HOW MANY BUILDINGS YOU HAVE IN - ATLANTA.

- I WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY - ATLANTANS ARE IN YOUR BUILDING.

- >> THANK YOU.

- COUNCILMAN DICKENS, A QUESTION - FOR YOU.

- DELAYED RECYCLING PICKUP, - DELAYED 311 RESPONSE TIMES.

- YOU AND COUNCILMAN MOORE SAID - YOU WANT TO AUDIT DEPARTMENTS TO - FIND OUT WHAT IS NOT WORKING BUT - AUDITS CAN TAKE A WHILE.

- WHAT OTHER IMMEDIATE STEPS WOULD - YOU TAKE AS MAYOR TO IMPROVE - CITY SERVICES?

- >> YEAH, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TO - BASICALLY FIRST OPEN UP CITY - HALL.

- THIS IS IMPORTANT SO THE - CONSTITUENTS CAN COME IN AND GET - THE BASIC SERVICES THAT THEY - NEED.

- WE HAVE TO REOPEN.

- BUT THE REASON FOR THE AUDIT IS - TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SERVICE - DELIVERY, TO BE ABLE TO SEE HOW - FAR IT IS FROM OUR SERVICE LEVEL - AGREEMENT.

- IF WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO FILL - POTHOLES IN FIVE DAYS, ARE THEY - TAKING SIX DAYS OR SEVEN DAYS?

- NOT JUST LEAVING IT UP TO OUR - ANECDOTAL RESPONSES TO, IT IS - NOT HAPPENING FAST ENOUGH.

- I AM GOING TO BE DATA DRIVEN.

- I AM A CHEMICAL ENGINEER.

- I CARE A LOT ABOUT THE METRICS.

- SO WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS WHILE WE - DO THE AUDIT AND SO WE KNOW HOW - FAR WE ARE FROM THE GOAL, BUT TO - START RIGHT AWAY, IT IS ABOUT - GOING DOWN THERE AND MAKING SURE - THAT AS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE THAT - YOU LOOK ALL OF THE EMPLOYEES IN - THE EYE AND SAY, "YOU ARE - WORKING ON BEHALF OF A PUBLIC - THAT NEEDS YOU RIGHT NOW."

- SO WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE - FILL VACANT POSITIONS, BUT ALSO - MAKE SURE THAT OUR DEPARTMENTS - ARE OPERATING AT FULL CAPACITY - IN TERMS OF OPERATIONAL - EXCELLENCE.

- AND, OF COURSE, ALL THE WHILE I - WILL BE ADDING TECHNOLOGY TO THE - MIX SO THAT WE CAN DO OUR JOB - MORE EFFICIENTLY.

- >> THANK YOU.

- MS. MOORE, SAME QUESTION.

- >> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T - NEED AN AUDIT TO TELL ME WHAT IS - WRONG.

- I GET TOLD WHAT'S WRONG A LOT - BECAUSE I'M VERY ACCESSIBLE AND - I TALK TO THE EMPLOYEES WHO DO - THE WORK AND THEY TELL ME WHAT - IS WRONG.

- SO I KNOW THAT THERE IS - DYSFUNCTION, I KNOW WE HAVE BAD - MANAGEMENT, I KNOW EQUIPMENT IS - DOWN, I KNOW FACILITIES ARE BAD, - AND SO THAT MEANS I KNOW THAT - WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE - OUTCOMES THAT WE HAVE.

- THE PURPOSE OF THE AUDIT WOULD - BE TO GIVE US MORE DETAIL ABOUT - PERFORMANCE AND FINANCIALS ABOUT - HOW WE CAN FIX WHAT IS - ALREADY -- WHAT WE KNOW IS - BROKEN.

- THE FIRST THING I WILL DO IS - MAKE SURE I LOOK AT THE - MANAGEMENT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE - GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN PLACE TO - RIGHT SIZE THE SHIP, SO THAT WE - CAN START TO GET MOVING ON - GETTING CITY SERVICES BACK ON - TRACK.

- >> ALL RIGHT.

- THANK YOU.

- DAVE HUDDLESTON.

- >> A QUESTION FOR BOTH - CANDIDATES AGAIN, STARTING WITH - YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.

- WHAT TYPE OF REAL SUPPORT WILL - THE NEXT MAYOR PROVIDE TO MPUs, - SPECIFICALLY HOW WILL THE NEXT - MAYOR GET MORE RESIDENTS TO KNOW - ABOUT THE MPU SYSTEM AND GET - INVOLVED?

- >> SO I STARTED OUT AS A - NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENT AND THEN - CHAIRED A NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING - UNIT AND SERVED AS A DELEGATE - FROM AN MPU ON THE ATLANTA - PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD, AND I - BELIEVE IN THE MPU SYSTEM AND IT - NEEDS A BOOST.

- NUMBER ONE, PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW - ABOUT IT.

- SO THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO INVEST - IN MAKING SURE THAT WE SEND A - SIGNAL, SEND OUT SOCIAL MEDIA AS - WELL AS MAIL AND OTHERS TO LET - PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THE SYSTEM IS, - NUMBER ONE.

- NUMBER TWO, HOW THEY CAN GET - INVOLVED.

- I BELIEVE THE MORE CITIZENS THAT - GET INVOLVED IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD - PLANNING UNIT SYSTEM, THE MORE - INPUT THAT WE CAN HAVE AS A - CITY, TO HEAR THEM, BECAUSE THEY - ARE THE OFFICIAL ARM OF OUR - CITY.

- THEY'RE THE OFFICIAL FEEDBACK - THAT WE RECEIVE.

- I BELIEVE NOW THAT WE HAVE - ENTERED INTO THE WORLD OF COVID, - WE CAN GET MORE PEOPLE ENGAGED - BY TRYING TO HAVE HYBRID - MEETINGS WHERE YOU CAN COME IN - PERSON, BUT YOU CAN ALSO BE - INVOLVED THROUGH TECHNOLOGY.

- THAT'S HOW WE GET MORE PEOPLE - INVOLVED.

- I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING - WITH OUR MPUs TO HELP THEIR - CAPACITY BUILDING.

- >> THANK YOU.

- ANDRE DICKENS?

- >> YES.

- I AM A SUPPORTER OF THE MPU - SYSTEM BECAUSE THEY WERE CREATED - BY THE LATE, GREAT MAYOR MAYNARD - JACKSON, WHEN HE SAW FIT TO MAKE - SURE THAT COMMUNITIES WERE ABLE - TO GIVE FEEDBACK AND INPUT AND - MAKE DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF THE - CITIZENS OF ATLANTA IN THEIR - SPECIFIC AREA.

- I, TOO, WAS ALSO A NEIGHBORHOOD - PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT, AND A - REPRESENTATIVE TO OUR MPU.

- I CURRENTLY AS A CITY COUNCIL - MEMBER ATTEND A NUMBER OF MPU - MEETINGS, WHETHER IN PERSON - BEFORE COVID BUT NOW ONLINE.

- WHAT I THINK WE HAVE AN ISSUE - WITH IS THE COMMUNICATION.

- WE OUGHT TO MAKE THE MPU MEETING - ENVIED ON SOCIAL MEDIA, MAKE - THEM VERY MUCH INVITING TO - INDIVIDUALS, BUT ALSO I BELIEVE - THAT WE CAN GET MORE - STANDARDIZED MEETING AGENDAS, - BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS - INDIVIDUALS DON'T WANT TO ATTEND - THE MPU UNLESS IT IS JUST A HOT - BUTTON ISSUE WHERE THEY'RE GOING - TO GO VOTE NO OR VOTE YES.

- I THINK THAT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO - IS MAKE SURE THAT THE MPUs HAVE - AN AGENDA THAT'S INVITING FOR - PEOPLE TO ATTEND AND ALSO THAT - THEY GET THE REWARD OF SEEING - THE PROJECT GO FROM - IMPLEMENTATION TO FRUITION AT - THE END.

- >> THANK YOU.

- J.D - >> COUNCILMAN DICKENS, THIS IS - FOR YOU.

- THREE MONTHS IN MAYOR BOTTOMS - TERM SHE TOLD ALL TO HAND IN - THEIR RESIGNATION.

- THEN SHE DECIDED WHO TO KEEP AND - LET GO.

- SHE SAID SHE REGRETTED SHE - DIDN'T DO IT EARLIER IN HER - TERM.

- MY QUESTION IS, WOULD YOU DO THE - SAME THING WITH THE - ADMINISTRATION.

- WOULD YOU DO IT SOONER, DAY ONE - OR DAY 100?

- >> I CAN RECOGNIZE THAT MAYOR - BOTTOMS DID MAKE THAT STATEMENT - ABOUT HAVING DONE THAT PROCESS - TOO LATE, WHICH IS WHY MY - PROCESS WILL START ON DAY ONE.

- I HAVE INDIVIDUALS IN MY HEAD - THAT I WOULD ASK FOR ALL OF THEM - TO PUT IN THEIR RESIGNATION AND - THERE WILL ONLY BE A FEW I KNOW - OF THAT I WILL RETABLE.

- IT IS, INDEED, I HAVE BEEN THERE - FOR EIGHT YEARS AND I KNOW HOW - THIS CITY HAS RUN, AND I - UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE GOING TO - NEED NEW LEADERSHIP IN SOME OF - THE DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS THE - CABINET.

- WHAT I WILL BE LOOKING FOR IS - FROM THE PRIVATE AND THE PUBLIC - SECTOR, INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE - VERY CAPABLE, FILLED WITH - PASSION BUT ALSO EXTREMELY - ETHICAL IN HOW THEY DO THEIR - BUSINESS.

- SO I'M GOING TO GO OUT THERE IN - MY TRANSITION TEAM AND START - AGGRESSIVELY SEEKING THE TALENT - WE NEED SO THAT I WILL ALREADY - BE PREPARED TO HAVE THEIR - RESIGNATIONS SENT IN, FROM THE - CURRENT INDIVIDUALS THAT I KNOW - WE WON'T BE MOVING FORWARD WITH, - BUT THERE ARE SOME EXTREMELY - TALENTED PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE - RIGHT NOW.

- BECAUSE I SPEND SO MUCH TIME - WORKING WITH THEM, I KNOW WHO TO - KEEP AND I KNOW WHO NOT TO KEEP.

- >> THANK YOU.

- MS. MOORE, THE SAME QUESTION.

- >> SO I WILL BE STARTING THE DAY - AFTER I AM ELECTED, STARTING TO - LOOK AT WHO IS IN PLACE AND WHO - WILL BE REPLACED.

- THERE WILL BE REPLACEMENTS.

- IT WON'T BE A WHOLE SALE - REPLACEMENT.

- I BELIEVE WE WILL DO IT - OVER TIME.

- I WOULD ALSO WANT TO GET THE - BENEFIT OF WHAT THEY HAVE DONE, - WHAT THEY ARE WORKING ON AND GET - THAT KNOWLEDGE SO THAT WE CAN - PASS IT ON TO THE NEXT TEAM - MEMBER, BUT I WILL BE SELECTING - MY OWN TEAM, WHETHER IT BE - IMMEDIATELY OR OVER TIME, TO - MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE THINGS - THAT WE WANT TO GET DONE.

- THAT'S MAKING THIS CITY SAFE, - AND IT IS MAKING SURE THAT WE - CAN DELIVER THE CITY SERVICES - THAT OUR CITIZENS DESERVE.

- AGAIN, I SAY IT IS A MANAGEMENT - ISSUE.

- SO WE NEED SOME HIGHLY CAPABLE - PEOPLE TO DO THESE THINGS, AND I - WILL BE REACHING OUT NOT ONLY - HERE IN THE CITY, BUT ALSO - LOOKING NATIONALLY FOR PEOPLE - WHO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CHANGE - CULTURE IN AN ORGANIZATION AND - TO TURN US AROUND AND DO - TURNAROUND IN THEIR DEPARTMENTS.

- THOSE ARE THE KIND OF PEOPLE - THAT I WANT TO HAVE ON MY TEAM.

- >> THANK YOU.

- DAVE HUDDLESTON.

- >> A QUESTION FOR MADAM - PRESIDENT.

- CRIME, OF COURSE, HAS BEEN A - DRIVING FORCE DURING THIS - MAYORAL RACE, BUT HOW DO YOU - PLAN TO MAKE THE CITY SAFER - WITHOUT MAKING CERTAIN CITIZENS - FEEL LIKE THEY'RE BEING HARASSED - BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT?

- >> SO THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO WORK - ON THE CULTURE OF OUR CITY - GOVERNMENT.

- SO, FIRST, I'M GOING TO START - WITH THE LEADERSHIP, OUR INTERIM - CHIEF, AND THEN LOOK FOR A - PERMANENT LEADER WHETHER IT BE - THAT INTERIM CHIEF OR SOMEONE WE - BRING IN NATIONALLY, THAT SHARES - MY VISION OF KEEPING OUR - CITIZENS SAFE BUT ALSO MAKING - SURE THE CITIZENS FEEL SAFE IN - THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH POLICE.

- I HAVE HAD FAMILY MEMBERS WHO - HAVE BEEN BEATEN BY POLICE.

- I HAVE HAD CLOSE FRIENDS WHO - HAVE HAD THOSE INCIDENTS WITH - POLICE.

- I HAVE PERSONALLY RUN INTO - OFFICERS AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL - AND AS A REGULAR CITIZEN AND NOT - LIKED THE INTERACTION THAT I HAD - WITH THEM.

- SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I - SET THE TONE AT THE TOP AS THE - MAYOR THAT WE ARE GOING TO DO - POLICING IN THIS CITY, BUT WE'RE - GOING TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT - RESPECTS THE COMMUNITY.

- WE'RE ALSO GOING TO LET OUR - OFFICERS DO WHAT THEY ASK US TO - DO.

- IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY - SOMETHING.

- I'M GOING TO ASK THEM AND GET AN - ANONYMOUS LINE WHERE THEY CAN - GIVE TIPS ABOUT THEIR OWN - OFFICERS.

- >> THANK YOU.

- >> BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHO ARE THE - BAD ONES IN THEIR OWN DEPARTMENT - SO WE CAN HAVE ALSO.

- >> THANK YOU, MS. MOORE.

- >> HAVE AN INDEPENDENT BODY TO - ROOT THAT OUT.

- >> ANDRE DICKENS, I WOULD BE - CURIOUS TO THE QUESTION.

- >> COULD YOU REPEAT THE - QUESTION?

- >> I SURE CAN.

- OF COURSE, CRIME HAS BEEN A - DRIVING FORCE AND ISSUE DURING - THIS MAYORAL RACE, BUT HOW DO - YOU PLAN TO MAKE THE CITY SAFER - WITHOUT MAKING CERTAIN CITIZENS - FEEL HARASSED BY THE POLICE - DEPARTMENT?

- >> DAVE, I AM A NATIVE OF - ATLANTA SO I'M MUCH AWARE OF OUR - CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORY, OUR HUMAN - RIGHTS HISTORY, AND YOU ALSO OUR - PROGRESS TOWARDS CRIMINAL - JUSTICE REFORM.

- THIS IS WHY I HAVE OFFERED UP MY - SAFE STREETS ATLANTA PLAN, WHICH - IS A BALANCED APPROACH TO SAFETY - AND JUSTICE.

- IT IS ABOUT BEING SMART ON CRIME - AND NOT JUST TOUGH ON CRIME.

- THIS IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT - WE MOVE THIS CITY FORWARD, - MAKING SURE WE HIRE OFFICERS - THAT WE TRAIN IN A 21st CENTURY - WAY TO BE ABLE TO DE-ESCALATE - CRIME AND UNDERSTAND RACIAL - SENSITIVITY AND CONFLICT - RESOLUTION.

- IT IS ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT OUR - OFFICERS HAVE A GREAT - RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY, - WHICH IS WHAT I DID IN 2017 WHEN - I WAS PUBLIC SAFETY CHAIRMAN, - AND I HAD WHAT I CALLED - WALK-AND-TALKS IN EVERY ZONE - WHERE WE HAD POLICE OFFICERS AND - COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND CLERGY - GOING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND - TALKING AND WALKING AND POINTING - OUT ISSUES THAT WOULD ADDRESS - CRIME.

- WE WANT OUR OFFICERS TO FIGHT - VIOLENT CRIME, BUT WE ALSO WANT - TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP THEM - FROM BEING ABLE TO HAVE ANY - EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE AND SWING - THE PENDULUM BACK THE OTHER WAY - TO WHERE WE HAVE EXCESSIVE USE - ACROSS OUR NATION.

- >> THIS IS GOING TO BOTH OF YOU.

- STARTING WITH COUNCIL PRESIDENT - MOORE, THE CITY IS IN THE - PROCESS OF GETTING INPUT ON A - PROGRAM FUNDED BY THE - INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.

- WHAT WOULD BE NUMBER ONE ON YOUR - LIST OF MOST-NEEDED - INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS IN - ATLANTA?

- >> NUMBER ONE ON MY LIST WOULD - BE FOR US TO GO BACK TO MANY - PROMISES THAT WERE MADE AND - PROMISES THAT WERE NOT KEPT, - FROM RENEW ATLANTA BOND ALL THE - WAY BACK TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE - BOND, WHICH WAS THE FIRST TIME - THAT WE DID BOND ISSUE.

- THERE ARE SOME VERY SIGNIFICANT - PROJECTS THAT HAVE HAD A LOT OF - COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND A LOT OF - COMMUNITY INPUT THAT, FRANKLY, - HAVE NOT TAKEN OFF BECAUSE OF - MISMANAGEMENT OF MONEY AND OVER - PROMISING THINGS WE COULD NOT - FUND.

- I WANT TO START THERE BECAUSE I - BELIEVE THE CITIZENS DESERVE - THOSE PROJECTS TO BE BUILT.

- THEN NEXT WE WILL BE DOING A - TOTAL ASSESSMENT, NEIGHBORHOOD - STANDARDS, WHERE WE'RE GOING - THROUGH EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN - THE CITY AND ASSESSING THE NEEDS - OF OUR RESIDENTS TO MAKE SURE - THAT WE'RE PUTTING FUNDING WHERE - IT DESERVES AND WE'RE ALSO GOING - TO BE FUNDING TRANSIT, LOOKING - TO SEE HOW WE CAN UTILIZE SOME - OF THAT MONEY TO POSITION THE - BELT LINE RAIL THAT WE WANT, OR - THE HAMILTON ROAD RAIL LINE AND - EVERY THE CLIFTON CORRIDOR.

- THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT TRANSIT - PROJECTS THAT ARE OUTSTANDING - AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE BELOW - GROUND.

- >> THANK YOU.

- ANDRE DICKENS.

- >> YES, WHAT AN EXCITING TIME TO - HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY WHERE THE - INFRASTRUCTURE BILL THAT WAS - PASSED BY PRESIDENT BIDEN, - SIGNED BY PRESIDENT BIDEN ON - MONDAY, IS NOW GOING TO FIND ITS - WAY TO GEORGIA AND TO ATLANTA - WHERE WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO USE - THAT FOR SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS TO - ADD TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF - EVERYONE.

- I'M LOOKING AT RAIL ON THE BELT - LINE AND OUT TO HAMILTON ROAD - WHERE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE AT - GREENBRIER TRYING TO GET INTO - THE CITY DOWNTOWN TO WORK SPEND - 40 MINUTES ON A BUS TO GET TO A - RAIL STATION.

- ABOVE GROUND WE HAVE TO DO RAIL - AND WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE - THAT WE COMPLETE STREETS BY - HAVING SIDEWALKS AND BIKE LANES - SO THAT WE CAN REPAVE OUR ROADS - AND GET RID OF ALL OF THESE - POTHOLES, ET CETERA.

- SO WHAT WE ALSO HAVE TO DO IS GO - BELOW GROUND.

- THE CITY OF ATLANTA HAS A SEWER - GRID THAT CONTINUES TO NEED - ADJUSTMENT AND IMPROVEMENT - BECAUSE WE HAVE A CITY OF A LOT - OF HILLS, SO THERE'S A LOT OF - VALLEYS THAT END UP HAVING FLASH - FLOODS AND LEAD TO TROUBLESOME - ISSUES.

- SO WE'RE GOING TO WORK ABOVE - GROUND AND BELOW GROUND.

- ALSO, SINCE THE PANDEMIC WE ALL - SHOULD KNOW THAT PARKS ARE A - VITAL PART OF OUR - INFRASTRUCTURE.

- SO I WILL BE MAKING SURE THAT WE - INVEST IN PARKS, OUR ROADS, THE - TRANSIT AS WELL AS -- - >> THANK YOU.

- >> -- SEWERS.

- >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

- DAVE, YOU HAVE THE FINAL - QUESTION.

- >> A QUESTION FOR COUNCILMAN - DICKENS.

- IS THE ATLANTA YOU GREW UP IN - PROVIDING THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES - TO CHILDREN TODAY?

- IF NOT, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO - TO TURN THAT AROUND?

- IF IT IS PROVIDING THE SAME - OPPORTUNITIES, HOW DO YOU PLAN - TO IMPROVE IT?

- >> YES, THIS ATLANTA IS SLIGHTLY - DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE THAT I - WAS BLESSED TO GROW UP IN AND GO - TO THE ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS - AND GRADUATE, TO GO ON TO - COLLEGE.

- I WENT TO GEORGIA TECH AND THEN - GEORGIA STATE RIGHT HERE IN THE - CITY OF ATLANTA.

- THAT'S BECOMING TO BE MORE AND - MORE DIFFICULT TO SEE PEOPLE - HAVE THAT PATHWAY.

- ATLANTA RIGHT NOW HAS THE - HIGHEST INCOME IMMOBILITY.

- A CHILD BORN IN POVERTY HAS A 4% - CHANCE OF MAKING IT TO THE UPPER - MIDDLE CLASS.

- THIS IS BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF - GROWTH, BUT WE HAVE AN IMBALANCE - IN OUR GROWTH IN THE CITY.

- I WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE BALANCE - OUT THIS GROWTH BY - GEOGRAPHICALLY AND - DEMOGRAPHICALLY.

- WE WILL GROW THE SOUTHWEST AND - SOUTHEAST PART OF OUR CITY TO - MAKE SURE WE HAVE DEVELOPMENT - WITHOUT DISPLACEMENT, BUT WE - WILL ALSO MAKE SURE THAT - DEMOGRAPHICALLY OUR BLACK AND - BROWN INDIVIDUALS WILL HAVE THE - OPPORTUNITY TO GET GREAT JOBS, - TO BE A PART OF OUR - SOCIOECONOMIC INCLUSION, TO BE A - PART OF THE ECOSYSTEM BY - TRAINING THAT I ALREADY PROVIDE - AT TECH BRIDGE BUT ALSO WITH OUR - UNIONS AND APPRENTICESHIPS, - MAKING SURE WE HAVE A CHIEF - EDUCATION OFFICER TO WORK WITH - OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND AFTER - SCHOOL PROGRAMS.

- WE WILL DO IT TOGETHER.

- >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

- MS. MOORE, I KNOW YOU DIDN'T - GROW UP IN ATLANTA, BUT DO YOU - HAVE A RESPONSE ABOUT WHAT - CHANGES YOU HAVE SEEN OVER THE - I HAVE COME HERE TO ATLANTA LIKE - OTHERS LOOKING FOR THE GREAT - PROMISE AND OPPORTUNITY, AND I - FOUND IT.

- I SAW WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE - THERE WERE YOUTH PROGRAMS, - PARTICULARLY WHEN I WAS FIRST AT - CITY HALL WE WOULD HAVE YOUTH - EVERY SUMMER THAT WOULD COME - THERE, THAT WOULD WORK, THAT - WOULD BE ABLE TO BE SUPERVISED - AND LEARN DIFFERENT THINGS AND - INTERN IN OUR OFFICES.

- I HAVE SEEN THAT GO AWAY, AND I - HAVE ALSO SEEN WHERE OUR - RECREATION CENTERS WERE THRIVING - LOCATIONS WHERE KIDS COULD GO - AND LEARN, HAVE RECREATION OR - MEET WITH THEIR FRIENDS AND DO - DIFFERENT THINGS.

- OF COURSE, COVID HAS A PART OF - IT, BUT WHAT HAS ALSO HAPPENED - IS WE OVER THE RECESSION AND - OTHER TIMES, WE HAVE REDUCED OUR - FUNDING AND REDUCED OUR - ATTENTION TO OUR SERVICES TO OUR - YOUTH, PARTICULARLY CAMP S - FRIENDS.

- WE NEED TO REVITALIZE THAT AND - INCREASE IT BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY - NEED TO BE PAYING ATTENTION TO - OUR YOUTH, KIDS AGED 12 TO 24 - ARE THE ONES WHO ARE COMMITTING - A LOT OF CRIMES AND WE NEED TO - PAY ATTENTION TO THEM.

- >> THANK YOU.

- THAT IS ALL THE TIME WE HAVE FOR - QUESTIONS.

- EACH CANDLE NOW HAVE 60 SECONDS - FOR A CLOSING STATEMENT, AND, - ANDRE DICKENS, YOU GET FIRST - CLOSING STATEMENT.

- >> WELL, THIS HAS BEEN A - FANTASTIC EVENING, EVERYONE, - WHERE I HAVE GOTTEN A CHANCE TO - BE ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AS - IT RELATES TO HOW ARE WE GOING - TO OPERATE THIS CITY.

- I BELIEVE THIS ELECTION IS ABOUT - THE FUTURE AND THE SOUL OF THE - CITY OF ATLANTA, THIS WONDERFUL - PLACE I WAS BLESSED TO BE BORN - AND RAISED IN, TO BE EDUCATED IN - AND TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO - RAISE A FAMILY IN, TO START A - BUSINESS, AND NOW I WANT TO BE - THE MAYOR THAT HAS THE HEAD, THE - HEART AND THE HANDS OF A LEADER - THAT CAN GET THINGS DONE.

- IT IS NO LONGER TIME TO HAVE A - BUNCH OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT - THINGS THAT DON'T GET DONE.

- WE NEED A CHIEF EXECUTIVE RIGHT - NOW, SOMEONE THAT KNOWS HOW TO - DRIVE HOME AND IMPLEMENT THINGS - TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITIZENS - OF ATLANTA SEE THE RESULTS - IMMEDIATELY.

- A PART OF OUR CITY IS LOOKING TO - LEAVE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO FEEL - SAFE AND THEY WANT TO FEEL HEARD - AND GET THE VALUE.

- THAT'S THE SAME FOR ALL OF - ATLANTA.

- NORTH SIDE, SOUTH SIDE, EAST - SIDE, WEST SIDE WANT TO FEEL - SAFE AND WANT TO FEEL HEARD.

- I'M ANDRE DICKENS, I'M SMART - ENOUGH TO LISTEN BUT I'M STRONG - ENOUGH TO LEAD AND I WANT TO BE - THE NEXT MAYOR OF THE CITY OF - ATLANTA.

- >> THANK YOU.

- FELICIA MOORE, PLEASE GIVE YOUR - CLOSING STATEMENT.

- >> THANK YOU TO THE ATLANTA - PRESS CLUB FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY - TO COME AND SPEAK TO THE VOTERS.

- YOU KNOW, I HAVE COME TO - ATLANTA, THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY - AND PROMISE.

- I HAVE OFFERED MYSELF IN SERVICE - AND TAKEN IT ONE STEP AT A TIME - FROM NEIGHBORHOOD TO MPU TO - WORKING AT CITY HALL TO RUNNING - FOR COUNCIL AND NOW AS PRESIDENT - AND OFFERING MYSELF TO SERVE AS - YOUR NEXT MAYOR.

- WE NEED SOMEONE WHO HAS - EXPERIENCE AND THE DAY ONE READY - KNOW-HOW TO GET THINGS DONE IN - CITY HALL, ONE WHO HAS - DEMONSTRATED THROUGH POLICY AND - THROUGH WORK IN ACTION, NOT ONLY - INSIDE CITY HALL BUT WITH THOSE - RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE NEED TO - BUILD OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL, TO - GET THE THINGS DONE THAT WE - NEED.

- I HAVE EXHIBITED THAT IN ALL OF - MY YEARS.

- I STEPPED UP EVERY TIME THAT I - UNDERSTOOD THAT I HAD TO TAKE ON - A LITTLE BIT MORE RESPONSIBILITY - IN ORDER TO SERVE THE CITY THAT - I LOVE SO VERY MUCH.

- SO I'M STEPPING UP TO THIS ROLE - TO BE OUR NEXT MAYOR, AND I - WOULD LOVE YOUR SUPPORT.

- >> THANK YOU.

- WELL, THAT CONCLUDES OUR DEBATE.

- WE WOULD LIKE TO REMIND VOTERS - THAT THE RUN-OFF ELECTION IS - TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 30th.

- PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR POLLING - LOCATION ON DIETS AND HOURS FOR - EARLY VOTING.

- OUR THANKS TO THE CANDIDATES AND - TO OUR PANEL OF JOURNALISTS.

- WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE - ATLANTA PRESS CLUB AND GEORGIA - PUBLIC BROADCASTING FOR - ORGANIZING TODAY'S DEBATE, AND - WE THANK "THE ATLANTA JOURNAL - CONSTITUTION" FOR SERVING AS A - SPONSOR.

- FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT - DEBATES THE ATLANTA PRESS CLUB - WILL HOST THIS SEASON VISIT THE - ATLANTAPRESSCLUB.org.

- THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR THE - ATLANTA PRESS CLUB - LOUDERMILK-YOUNG DEBATE SERIES.

- ♪♪ - ♪♪