Atlanta leaders on Monday discussed several ideas -- including raising property taxes -- to pay for the city's most pressing challenge, its skyrocketing pension costs.

The idea, however, that was more popular among some Monday -- particularly union leaders -- is to create a special sales tax to help fund its three pension plans.

Those and other options were discussed during a two-hour presentation on pensions held at City Hall by a special panel created by Mayor Kasim Reed to look at pension reform.

Some compare the problem to the ongoing effort to fix the city's crumbling sewer system, which resulted in a series of rate increases on water users and a penny-per-dollar sales tax to help fund the ongoing $4 billion program.

"It is as weighty a challenge as the sewer infrastructure work," said City Council President Ceasar Mitchell.

More than 20 percent of city spending is devoted to pensions. The city is spending nearly as much money on pensions as it does for its police department. At its current pace, the mayor told reporters Monday, it will be tougher for the city to provide services such as fixing sidewalks and adding more parks and greenspace.

"Atlanta's [potential] greatness is really in the money we're spending on pensions," Reed said. "It's literally absorbing all of the dollars."

Shirley Franklin took on the title of Atlanta's "sewer mayor."

Her successor, Kasim Reed, may wind up being known as its "pension mayor."

Reed has crisscrossed the city in campaign-like form in recent weeks, warning civic leaders that pension reform is a critical challenge. In one speech, Reed likened the problem to Franklin's effort to fix the sewers, a $4 billion project that is still going.

Without sweeping changes, Reed said the city will be able to do little aside from policing, fighting fires and picking up trash. It also has hurt the city's bond rating, which could force Atlanta to pay higher interest rates to borrow money to fund various projects.

"[Pensions are] putting the long-term health of our city in jeopardy," the mayor said in a recent speech to the Buckhead Coalition.

IBPO Local 623 Members:

The Union is proud to announce that our President, Lt. Scott Kreher, has been chosen by Mayor Reed to sit on his Transition Team, the Police Chief Selection Committee and the Pension Review Panel.  The Mayor has kept his commitment that the men and women of the Atlanta Police Department will have the opportunity to help shape the future of our department and our city.  We will provide updates when available on the website on any developments from these committees.

By Eric Stirgus, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

An Atlanta city councilman's effort to find a new way to pay for new police cars, firetrucks and other public safety needs passed one hurdle Monday, but the biggest test is yet to come.

The City Council voted 13-0 in favor of a plan drafted by Councilman Michael Julian Bond to create a penny-per-dollar sales tax to fund public safety improvements, which are estimated at $287.5 million. But the Republican-controlled state Legislature, which is often allergic to new taxes, must allow the bill to come before Atlanta voters in a referendum. It's estimated the tax would collect about $100 million a year.

One leading Republican, state Rep. Ed Lindsey of Atlanta, said in an interview that he has several concerns about the idea. Lindsey's primary concern is he doesn't believe the legislation is specific enough. He fears some of the money will be used for other purposes.

"That's how government works," said Lindsey, the House majority whip.

Bond said the legislation outlines that the funds would be specifically used for vehicles and equipment. The councilman said he would meet with Lindsey and anyone else necessary to get the legislation passed at the Capitol.

"We have an obligation to provide safety and make sure our citizens are safe," Bond said.

State Rep. Roger Bruce (D-Atlanta), chairman of the Fulton County delegation to the Legislature, said Monday that he is willing to help the city as long as the council's idea is thoroughly researched.

Another state lawmaker, Rep. Wendell Willard, a Republican from Sandy Springs, said he is worried about the impact an increase in the city's sales tax rate would have on low-income families. The city's sales tax rate is currently 8 percent. State lawmakers are considering an idea that could allow local governments to impose a penny-per-dollar sales tax to pay for transportation improvements.

"This would be a tough burden put on people who are probably the poorest," Willard said of the city's proposal.

State Rep. Rashad Taylor (D-Atlanta) said he also plans to meet with Lindsey, agreeing his support is critical to getting the bill passed. Taylor, who was deputy campaign manager to Mayor Kasim Reed, said he is "intrigued" by the idea because it may be a revenue source that could free up other city funds to pay for more police officers.

"The city doesn't have many options to raise revenue," Taylor said.

Reed must sign the legislation before it goes to the state Capitol. Mayoral spokesman Reese McCranie said the mayor wants to study the measure before deciding whether he'll sign or veto it.

Bond hopes the tax could go into effect in 2012, when a 1 percent sales tax that currently goes to Atlanta Public Schools ends. Keith Bromery, a spokesman for the city school district, said the district hasn't decided whether it has an interest in continuing the tax.

Staff Writer Aaron Gould Sheinin contributed to this article.

By Eric Stirgus, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta city council members on Tuesday discussed legislation to create a penny-per-dollar sales tax to pay for new police cars, fire trucks and other public safety facilities.

Councilman Michael Julian Bond is pushing the idea, saying the city has $287.5 million in needed improvements and new vehicles.

The idea would require several steps. First, it must be approved by the council and Mayor Kasim Reed. Then, it must be passed by state lawmakers. Finally, voters must approve the tax in a referendum, which would take place in 2011. If approved, the legislation would take effect in 2012, when Bond said a 1-cent sales tax that goes to the Atlanta school system expires.

The council referred the legislation its finance committee, which will likely take up the matter next week.

By Bill Rankin, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Nineteen Atlanta police officers who are from earthquake-ravaged Haiti are trying to find flights to return to their homeland.

They want to find their relatives and help in the relief effort, acting Chief George Turner said. "We're doing everything we can to work things out so they can go," the acting chief said. "It's a very difficult time for them."

Some of the 19 officers, as well as one civilian employee at headquarters, have heard from their relatives in Haiti and some have not, Officer James Polite, an APD chaplain, said.

"All are highly affected by it," Polite said. "They're more than ready to go."

Polite said the Atlanta police force will ask all metro-area law enforcement officials to come to APD headquarters next Tuesday to donate supplies, such as water, diapers and canned goods, to be sent to Haiti to help in the relief effort.

By Christian Boone, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Interim Atlanta Police Chief George Turner told the AJC on Monday that the department's goal is for 100 new officers by year's end.

Turner said the city has budgeted an additional $16 million that will go toward hiring the new officers and retention, which he plans to address through reinstating "increments," or annual step-pay increases. The loss of those increments has been crippling for morale, Turner said.

The department will soon hire another 50 new officers through funds made available by the federal stimulus package. New mayor Kasim Reed has vowed to hire 750 new officers by the end of his first term.

By Eric Stirgus, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

In his first full day on the job, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed unveiled a reorganization of the police department's command staff and announced other plans including one to hire an economic development czar.

Acting Police Chief George Turner promoted several longtime leaders to new positions to boost morale among officers. The moves included promoting Peter Andresen from deputy of field operations to assistant chief, Ernest Finley from Zone 3 Commander to deputy of field operations, Calvin Moss from the special operation center to deputy chief of criminal investigations and Shawn Jones from the airport to deputy chief of the support services division.

"We think it rewards folks who've done the job well," Turner told reporters.

Some of the people who held those positions left the department with former Chief Richard Pennington. Other changes were described as lateral moves.

Lt. Scott Kreher, head of the city's largest police union, said the changes are well-received because the new hierarchy is composed of  experienced officers who will "get back to crime fighting." He said the most significant change may be Finley, whom he described as a "hard-charging" officer who could put in place several initiatives to combat the rise in property crimes.

Kreher said the moves may determine whether Turner gets the chief job permanently. Reed is conducting a search for chief and wants to hire someone within 120 days.

By Christian Boone, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Scott Roberson was working for the CIA when he was killed in Afghanistan last week. But to former colleagues at the Atlanta Police Department, Roberson was all cop.

"I'm sad Scott's gone, but I know he was where he wanted to be, " said Sgt. Mike O'Connor, who joined the APD shortly after Roberson in the mid-1990s. "He was real police," O'Connor said. "He knew that sometimes [expletive] happens in this job.

Next month Roberson, 39, and his wife of two years, Molly, were expecting their first child, a girl they planned to name Piper.

By Eric Stirgus, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Mayor-elect Kasim Reed announced Tuesday he's forming a panel to tackle Atlanta's costly pension system, which he described as "the toughest challenge the city faces right now."

The city is expected to spend more than $100 million -- about one-fifth of its general fund budget -- on pensions in the fiscal year that ends June 30. In 2002, Atlanta spent just $36 million on pensions.

"It's crippling our city," Reed told reporters.

Reed said he hopes to act on some reforms within his first 60 days in office. He said the problem could prevent him from enacting some of his plans, such as hiring more police officers. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution highlighted the city's pension challenges in its Atlanta Project series in September.

The nine- to 11-member panel will be led by John C. Mellott, the former publisher of the AJC. Mellott, who retired from the newspaper early this year, is a certified public accountant who held several senior financial roles within Cox Enterprises, the company that owns the AJC.

Reed said during the campaign he'd consider changing the time employees could become vested from 10  years to 15. The mayor-elect has also said he'd look into whether the city could enter Social Security to reduce pension costs. Reed said Tuesday he will look seriously at those options.

Reed talked about the city's pension problems early and often during the campaign. He pinned much of the blame for the rising pension costs on the City Council, which approved changes to the pension system in 2001 and 2005 to help Atlanta catch up after years of underfunding its pension plans. Mellott said the panel will offer solutions, not look at the past.

"It will be forward-looking," he said.

In June, the council approved changes proposed by outgoing Mayor Shirley Franklin that reduced how much the city spent on pensions this budget year by about $15 million.

Reed said he hopes to announce the members of the entire panel shortly after Christmas. The mayor-elect said he is working through whether members of the city's unions and employee organizations will serve on the panel.

Recent news about officers being fired over post on facebook and myspace should warn you that anything you post will be used either in court or administratively against you.  Anything you post on these social networks should be as if you are speaking in public.

Sgt. Scott Kreher

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