2021 Atlanta City Council At Large Candidate Questionnaire Responses

Browse at-large candidate responses by clicking below

Individual candidate responses are listed by post below, alphabetically by first name. All Atlanta voters will have the opportunity to vote on each at-large post.

Post 1

Question 1: What is the main way you get around Atlanta on a daily basis?

Candidate	Response
Alfred "Shivy" Brooks	Onewheel electric skateboard and Car
Brandon Cory Goldberg	Before the pandemic, I commuted on MARTA for 6 years. My current answer is drive alone.
Jereme Sharpe	Transit
Michael Julian Bond – incumbent	No Response
Todd Gray	Drive alone

Question 2: Please share your vision for transportation and mobility in the city of Atlanta. How would you support transportation options for the 16% of Atlantans who don’t have access to a car, have a disability, and/or prefer to get around by sustainable, healthy modes of transportation such as transit, walking, biking, etc?

Candidate	Response
Alfred "Shivy" Brooks	The “Walk.Bike.Thrive! - Atlanta Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan” outlines key recommendations to help ensure our city has a more walkable, bikeable, and livable space while prioritizing safety and economic stability. These recommendations align to my C.A.R.E.S platform and vision as city council. We must assess travel patterns, current public transportation capacity, and develop a strategic approach to engage the community to ensure success. Feedback sessions from the public matched with analytical data will help us prioritize recommendations from the plan and begin implementation.
Brandon Cory Goldberg	I commuted on MARTA for six years leading up to the pandemic lockdown. We must provide alternative modes of transport if we have any hope of addressing our transportation issues. The fact that during Atlanta Streets Alive I can travel from Midtown to Downtown faster on foot than I would normally be able to driving is a perfect example of our problem with transportation in our city. Atlanta’s worsening transportation issues could single-handedly threaten our city’s promise. It should not take an hour to drive five miles. Bicyclists should be able to travel safely, and scooters should be properly regulated to allow their safe use and prevent them from blocking sidewalk rights of way. Atlanta is also home to a large segment of the transportation industry. The city must expand its public-private partnerships to effectively navigate our community’s growth, working with corporations and developers in our city to ensure their efforts at being good corporate citizens include working with the city to improve our transportation infrastructure (in addition to housing equity issues). My focus on transportation is reflected in the fact that of my five campaign advisory committees, one is dedicated specifically to transportation. The Coalition’s Policy Agenda forms a core component of my vision and should be the cornerstone of Atlanta’s future planning.
Jereme Sharpe	I'm the alternative transportation champion. I would support the 16% of car free Atlantans by working with City Council and the Mayor to push a progressive agenda filled with alternative transportation options such a Superbikeway (Bike Freeway), BRT, and expanding the Streetcar throughout the City to name just a few. My website provides a full Alternative Transport Plan.
Michael Julian Bond – incumbent	No Response
Todd Gray	As an avid cyclist it is important to me that we emphasize healthy modes of transportation for all citizens. For many of our citizens that utilize MARTA still struggle with the last mile from the drop off point to destination. Offering more modes of transportation for that last mile before they reach home such as bicycles, scooters, and more rideshare partnerships. I fully endorse the Atlanta Regional Commissions Walk Bike Ride plan to better connect not just Atlanta but the region.

Question 3: The Atlanta Department of Transportation estimates the City has a sidewalk funding gap of close to $1 billion dollars. How would you fund sidewalks and other urgent transportation needs in the city?

Candidate	Response
Alfred "Shivy" Brooks	Fostering public-private partnerships will be key in helping to address the funding challenges regarding sidewalks in Atlanta. Essentially, this will require a multipronged partnership between local government and the private sector to collectively prioritize citywide transportation needs. We must make it safe to walk in all parts of the city and the expansion of the Beltline as well as other citywide infrastructure initiatives must consider the interconnectivity of walking and biking improvements to overall quality of life and health.
Brandon Cory Goldberg	I fully support Councilman Amir Farokhi’s approach to fixing our sidewalks. His years-long analysis and efforts have clarified the financial scope of the situation and proposed critical methods for addressing it. I would add that, as with many of Atlanta’s problems, we should also look to public as well as private grants. Sidewalks are an immediate issue with tangible returns. We should work with partners in Atlanta and throughout the country to secure external funding wherever possible. We also need to recognize that this problem will take years to solve. As Councilman Farokhi has explained, we need to prioritize the repairs, taking into account issues such as equity. Essentially, we have to triage our sidewalks as we work our way throughout Atlanta.
Jereme Sharpe	Additional/New Revenue Streams are needed. So I will look toward creating new revenue streams such as Municipal Broadband, Event Space Fees, Development Impact Fees, and potentially look towards "Transport Impact Fees". Also, there is tons of federal money that we should be applying for.
Michael Julian Bond – incumbent	No Response
Todd Gray	In many of the older and poorer parts of our city, sidewalks are sparse. This is an equity issue across our city that must be addressed. I believe we must look at the city and the areas that have the residents with the least access to cars, sidewalks must be prioritized in these areas. This is a way to better connect our city and also encourage more walking for kids and neighbors to even better the health of our residents.

Question 4: The number of people killed while walking in Georgia increased 22% from 2015 to 2019. Half of those killed were Black, a fatality rate more than twice that of white Georgians. In the city of Atlanta, out of the 16 pedestrians killed so far this year, 15 were Black and 13 were men. This mirrors the national trend of pedestrian fatalities increasing fastest among Black men. What will you do to make streets measurably safer for people biking, walking, and using scooters or wheelchairs? What will you do to address the disparities in whose lives are endangered the most by unsafe streets?

Candidate	Response
Alfred "Shivy" Brooks	As an individual who walks and uses a scooter daily to commute, it is vital that we ensure safe transportation options for all individuals within the City of Atlanta and that will require us to address infrastructure needs for communities that have disproportionately been impacted. The first priority is to increase access to wheelchair accessible sidewalks in predominantly black and brown communities that have the least amount of safe pedestrian accessibility. For example, much of southwest Atlanta does not have sidewalks thereby causing residents to walk in the streets causing an increased risk factor for fatality.
Brandon Cory Goldberg	We need to increase the presence of crosswalks, elevated crosswalks with flashing lights, and other safety measures to ensure the safety of pedestrians, those in wheelchairs, and all those who share the road with automobiles. With 16 specific incidents, we should carefully review the details of those incidents. By identifying ways to increase safety for each particular situation in the future, we can also identify other parts of our city where the roads pose similar concerns. We also need to recognize that different parts of the city have different layouts of roads. As such, we need to ensure that safety measures are placed in an equitable way. Roads should be safe no matter how they are laid out in a particular area. We should work with traffic professionals and local neighborhood associations, as well as the Coalition, to identify the risks that they see and the measures necessary to correct them.
Jereme Sharpe	Equity must be a priority in how we plan and build going into the feature. That's primarily how we address disparities in whose lives are endangered the most by unsafe streets. And when considering equity, we're also inherently having conversations about Safety, Bike Lanes, Buses, Accessibility, Access, and more. So to be specific, we need to be investing in sidewalks, bike lanes, and bus lanes throughout the Southwest.
Michael Julian Bond – incumbent	No Response
Todd Gray	Prioritizing safer walking areas in all areas of our city, starting with those that have the least and working our way out. Equity means balance and can only improve the quality of life for all of our citizens. Prioritizing sidewalks throughout our city in an equitable manner, educating our communities on pedestrian safety for those that walk and those that drive that we all have a responsibility to keep each other safe.

Question 5: In 2019, the City of Atlanta announced plans to "more than triple its on-street protected bike network" saying, "by the end of 2021, Atlantans will see more than 20 miles of safer streets.” Many of those projects are not on track to be complete by the end of the year, and while the pandemic challenged project implementation everywhere, building bike lanes and Complete Streets in Atlanta has always been slow. If elected, would you seek to speed up the completion of transportation projects intended to provide safe travel options for people who walk, bike, or have a disability?

Candidate	Response
Alfred "Shivy" Brooks	Yes: Being responsive to the needs of our residents has to be a priority to the City of Atlanta. We should make a concerted effort to expedite the completion of transportation projects designed to provide safer travel options. One way to do this is to host job fairs specifically for the transportation workforce to generate interest. There must be intentionality behind prioritizing completion of the projects.
Brandon Cory Goldberg	Yes. One of the most important ways to deal with our traffic and transportation issues is to provide safe alternative forms of transportation. However, good intentions are not enough. Our projects to enhance transportation options and safety infrastructure must be completed on time and at a high quality. Of course, COVID-19 impacted pre-planned timeframes. However, as revised timeframes are solidified, projects should be subject to regular auditing and public reporting. Projects that fall behind schedule should result in city employees and contractors appearing before City Council to explain why the particular project will not be completed on time.
Jereme Sharpe	If elected I will first focus on building three "Superbikeways" along Piedmont/Capitol, Marietta/Dekalb, and Ponce/Hollowell. 2-way planter protected bike lanes, connecting all major areas of the City and creating a backbone for our larger Bike Lane Network. The Superbikeways will give us the public buyin that we need to further the smaller bike lane projects. In addition, I'd present a "New Atlanta Transport Plan" which would provide a guide/lead for City Council to follow.
Michael Julian Bond – incumbent	No Response
Todd Gray	Yes

Question 6: Communities across the country have found stark racial disparities in enforcement of “jaywalking” and similar laws. In many parts of Atlanta, the nearest crosswalk is over a half-mile away. How would you address the over-policing of walking, biking, and riding transit, including crossing a street outside of a crosswalk?

Candidate	Response
Alfred "Shivy" Brooks	We need to implement a policy that mandates crosswalks throughout the city within a shorter distance, like a quarter mile limit to ensure accessibility. Currently, no absolute rule for crosswalk spacing exists. Instead, determinations are made based upon block length, street width, building entrances, and traffic signals. With the rise in crime being a country-wide issue, there needs to be partnership in redirecting over-policing minor infractions like “jaywalking” and a larger focus on public safety and reform.
Brandon Cory Goldberg	Only the most basic laws relating to crosswalks, jaywalking, and other similar aspects of crossing the road should remain in place. However, enforcement should be limited to situations where a person has created a truly reckless circumstance, and instances of enforcement should be audited to ensure equity in how the reckless standard is applied. Body cam footage should be reviewed as a part of that audit. In parts of the city where crosswalks are spread too far apart, additional crosswalks should be added.
Jereme Sharpe	I will work with APD to ensure things like jaywalking are not criminalized.
	No Response
Todd Gray	Educating our youth about crossing in safe spaces is important, but also continued training of our law enforcement professionals to apply equitable treatment regardless of the neighborhood, socio economics or race.

Question 7: The More MARTA tax allocates $2.5 B to expand MARTA in the City of Atlanta over the next 40 years. What do you think the relationship between MARTA and the City of Atlanta should be in implementing this program? What considerations should MARTA be expected to provide for on-street facilities for people getting to and from transit?

Candidate	Response
Alfred "Shivy" Brooks	It is vital that MARTA and the City of Atlanta collaborate for expansion implementation. Our city is growing exponentially and without proper public transportation options that are safe and reasonable, there will continue to be an increase in traffic jams, car accidents, and pedestrian killings. There should be a policy established requiring all bus stops to have standard shelters/awnings to ensure the safety of our residents both in cases of inclement weather and to provide comfortable transportation for every citizen. While there is progress by having Wi-Fi is currently available on all buses and trains, we should also make the MARTA travel experience convenient for travelers by expanding the Wi-Fi services beyond Five Points, Peachtree Center, and Dome Stations. The More MARTA initiative should partner with the City of Atlanta to make MARTA a premier choice mode of transportation by also having faster service and more bus routes. Over time, these changes will create a fundamental cultural shift in how the everyday resident uses MARTA.
Brandon Cory Goldberg	Having commuted on MARTA for six years leading up to the pandemic lockdown, I fully support the expansion of MARTA’s services. Over the next 40 years, the city and MARTA must make real the partnership that we’ve been promised. MARTA should provide information and expertise on transit flow analyses, technological options, and operational proposals. The city should focus on the impact of expansion on issues such as housing equity, economic impact, and environmental implications. The two sides should continue to advise each other on these various matters to ensure all aspects of the project are thoroughly considered. The city should maintain final decision making authority, though every effort should first be made toward consensus. As a part of this effort, MARTA should make it as easy as possible to access its services. While parking throughout Atlanta should be reduced, parking for MARTA is one area where it should be maintained and as easy an option as possible. Additionally, MARTA should provide better resources for people to plan their trips and switch between the train and bus system. For those who haven’t used MARTA before, the process can be so complicated that usage is discouraged entirely. Additionally, elevated or underground walkways and safe street-level crosswalks should be enhanced to ensure getting to MARTA is as easy without a car as with one. Lastly, having no elevator access due to needed or ongoing repairs in a MARTA station that has multiple levels is unacceptable. Every such station should have at least two elevators. Too often, I heard announcements that those who require an elevator would have to use a different station. That should never be tolerated.
Jereme Sharpe	COA should be provided MARTA with the plans to be implemented and not the other way around, as it seems to be today. As the hopeful future head of the Transportation Committee, you can bet that the COA will be telling MARTA how we needs things done. Proper Bus Shelters is an expectation to be provided by MARTA.
Michael Julian Bond – incumbent	No Response
Todd Gray	The City of Atlanta should have an active role in the implementation of this program. As maintenance and improvements will continuously be needed, that funding will come from the city budget. Transit works when its convenient and easy to use, if getting to stops is cumbersome to riders, participation will be low. This consideration should be a part of the implementation plan, that as a member of council I would actively be involved with insuring for our citizens.

Post 2

Question 1: What is the main way you get around Atlanta on a daily basis?

Candidate	Response
Sonya Russell-Ofchus	Drive alone
Matt Westmoreland – incumbent	Drive alone

Candidate	Response
Sonya Russell-Ofchus	My vision is to provide the city with safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders. I will support sustainable coordination in project design and construction with partners to provide a safe, efficient, and viable transportation network for Atlanta. I will support the City’s multi-modes of transportation and parking infrastructure through an extensive economic improvement program. This means we will need to improve our streets and sidewalks for the various modes of transportation. Provide education programs to help pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists travel safely and efficiently. Build curb ramps and mark cross walks at high priority intersections, increase bike share stations, protected bike lanes, bike parking and bike racks to make biking more convenient. Work with private partners to have employers talk to their employees about incentives to commute differently.
Matt Westmoreland – incumbent	I was born and raised in Atlanta-- and frankly spent almost all of those 18 years moving around (a certain part of) Atlanta in a car. My first extensive experience with MARTA didn't come until I took part in the Model Atlanta Regional Commission as a high school sophomore. Went on to write my college thesis about the role that race and regionalism played in the development (or lack thereof) of MARTA around the Atlanta region. But it was my four years as a teacher at Carver Early College High School (and years of staying in touch with students and families), coupled with four years on the Atlanta Board of Education, that have provided most-helpful and impactful insights into transportation and mobility across our City. When we talk about creating economic opportunity or closing opportunity and racial wealth gaps-- transportation and mobility are key to that conversation. When we talk about Atlanta remaining and continuing to exist as a major economic engine as it grows and becomes more and more dense-- transportation and mobility are key to that as well. Essentially, my vision for transportation and mobility in the City of Atlanta is to design a framework that gets people (myself included, honestly) out of our cars-- and one that fully supports the transit-dependent residents in our city.

Candidate	Response
Sonya Russell-Ofchus	Let's move Atlanta forward. We need to determine our priorities to get a clear picture of which projects are most critical. Explore opportunities to require new development projects to provide transit passes and other travel options as a condition of development approval. Federal grants and utilization of some of the funds from infrastructure bill being passed by congress with approximately $930 million coming to metro Atlanta. Private Partnerships and Georgia State funds would also be a means for bridging the transportation needs in Atlanta. With other city departments, we could consider using the impact fees or other funding tools to ensure that new development contributes to the cost of infrastructure needed to accommodate growth.
Matt Westmoreland – incumbent	It is essential that the City go back to voters in Spring 2022 for both a TPLOST reauthorization and for a new infrastructure bond. That bond needs to include funding for a project list with public safety, parks, recreation, greenspace, and transportation projects. I joined Council after passage of the Renew Atlanta program in 2015 and the TSPLOST authorization in 2016. But I was present for the rebaselining work that was needed after the cost to deliver everything on the initial project lists far exceeds funding available Between actual project costs that are significantly higher than original estimates, quickly rising construction costs, and lower-than-anticipated sales tax revenue, the City overpromised in 2015 and 2016 what we would be able to deliver. For that, we owed folks an apology-- one I personally made in February 2019. But that doesn’t change the fact we continue to face a significant infrastructure backlog-- one that will require another infrastructure bond and TSPLOST reauthorization. To regain trust in the public, we must present a detailed project list with very specific budgets and timelines-- and then deliver those projects on budget and on time. I will be working hard in the weeks ahead to ensure we have all of that lined up as we begin a lengthy public engagement process. I’m proud of our work earlier this year to update our impact fees for the first time since their creation 27 years ago. Phased in over the next 2.5 years, this new framework will provide millions of dollars a year in much-needed sidewalk and road improvements, greenspace expansion and new multi-use trails and public safety infrastructure.

Candidate	Response
Sonya Russell-Ofchus	Start by prioritizing pedestrians. Make the sidewalks more walkable by constructing new blocks of sidewalks connecting to transit stops and community centers. Use high-reflectivity crosswalk markings on all projects and make signal timing favor pedestrians in neighborhood business districts.
Matt Westmoreland – incumbent	A new infrastructure bond and TPLOST reauthorization, coupled with increased revenue from new impact fees, provides a real opportunity for making streets measurably safe for folks biking, walking or those on scooters and in wheelchairs. I will be holding myself and my Council colleagues to high standards in terms of where, how, and when we spend these resources. The public deserves to know exactly how we plan to spend these dollars-- and then it deserves to see us spend the funds exactly that way, delivering a quality project in the process. I know how badly City government handled Renew 2015 and TSPLOST 2016, and any hesitation or reluctance around new funding streams would be completely justified. Just means we have to work that much harder over the next 10 months to articulate the need and the plan-- and then execute.

Candidate	Response
Sonya Russell-Ofchus	Yes!
Matt Westmoreland – incumbent	This is my first term on City Council, and before that I spent four years on the Atlanta Board of Education. I've noticed a difference between the two entities in terms of how they move projects forward while funding comes in. At the City, we seem to wait until all necessary funding has been collected before beginning work on a given project. At APS, budget capital projects in such a way as to begin work before all funds had been collected. As we think about the next TPLOST and infrastructure bond, I will be pushing for us to deliver projects sooner for our residents. Second, our Procurement Department needs and complete overhaul.

Candidate	Response
Sonya Russell-Ofchus	Evaluate and address safety concerns at locations that are considered to be "over-policed." Make available educational programs to help pedestrians, bicyclists and other type motorists travel safely and efficiently. I don't believe Atlanta has a high number of enforcement on these types of crimes.
Matt Westmoreland – incumbent	We should follow guidance in the ABC platform around removing laws that allow for over-policing of walking, biking, and riding transit-- including crossing a street outside of a crosswalk. As well as prohibiting racial profiling in all traffic stops.

Candidate	Response
Sonya Russell-Ofchus	The relationship between the City of Atlanta and Marta should be a collaboration that also includes input from the citizens of Atlanta. The process should be transparent.
Matt Westmoreland – incumbent	For the last two years I've had the opportunity to serve on Council's Transportation Committee-- and have been present for the formal quarterly presentations and the countless conversations that take place on a weekly basis between City officials and our partners at MARTA. Informal conversations are important-- as are our three appointments to the MARTA Board. More than anything I've seen over the last three years, thought, is that the City needs to articulate a clear and direct vision on how we want to see the More MARTA program allocated. That leadership-- from Council and from the Mayor's Office -- is incredibly important. And I think it will yield the results we want.

Post 3

Question 1: What is the main way you get around Atlanta on a daily basis?

Candidate	Response
Jacki Labat	Drive alone
Jodi Merriday	Integrated modes including driving, walking, rideshare, carpool, and transit.
Keisha Sean Waites	I Drive, use Uber, Walk, and use Marta for Airport travel
Ralph Long	Drive alone
Sherry Williams	No Response

Candidate	Response
Jacki Labat	My vision for transportation and mobility in the city of Atlanta is for Atlantans to become less reliant on their automobiles for every day use and for all of us to begin to take advantage of quality and innovative alternative transportation options. I would support enhancing the city's transit system, walking and biking trails and sidewalks to ensure safe, well-lit and clean environments are available to all.
Jodi Merriday	My vision for transportation and mobility in the city of Atlanta is that residents and visitors be able to move through our streets, using their choice of transportation and preferred means of mobility safely with equity and inclusive accessibility. Everyone in Atlanta should be able to get where they live, work, and play without being endangered. In a city that is largely designed for vehicles, it can be easy to forget about those who do not have cars or chose sustainable transit to reduce the negative impact of transportation on the climate and environment. I would fully support transportation options for the 16% of Atlantans who don’t have access to a car, have a disability, and/or prefer to get around by sustainable, healthy modes of transportation. This support would be delivered by my championing the work of the Atlanta Department Transportation and the adoption of Vision Zero. I would vote in alignment with funding robust construction and repair of our streets, sidewalks, bike lanes and path installations for accessibility and connectivity, and advocate for thoughtfully designed streets that increase visibility, discourage speeding, separate modes of transportation, and protect pedestrian crossings. I would also support the purchase and use of technology that tracks speeding, street racing and other unsafe behaviors by motorists to decrease fatalities and simultaneously prevent over policing, decrease fines and arrests, and leverage safety education to build consensus.
Keisha Sean Waites	My grandmother did not drive and used public transportation. Growing up in Atlanta, during the summer months I spent with my grandmother, I had the privilege of riding the Marta rail during its grand opening. Therefore, I am sensitive to the 16% of Atlantans that do not drive. COVID changed the way people live, work and play. For this reason, I support investing in putting transit on the Atlanta Beltline, expanding MARTA’s rail and bus network, and ensuring Atlanta is a safe city for pedestrians and cyclists. I also support relaunching the City bike share program to provide affordable first- and last-mile access to transit, especially in communities with low rates of car ownership. Additionally, we must provide pedestrian and bicycle amenities that make people want to walk and ride within city limits. This includes parks and greenspace, public transportation, city beautification projects, culture and the arts, and revising zoning and other policies to create mixed use spaces that people want to be in and around. I believe Councilman Amir Farokhi's zoning legislation is a step in the right direction: Updates the zoning code to allow for more flexibility in what kinds of housing gets built, to allow more people to live near transit and to fix exclusionary zoning policies. Councilman Farokhi's bill has the potential to increase Marta ridership and create more affordable housing near Marta transit stations. During my tenure in the General Assembly, I served on the transportation committee responsible for vetting legislation addressing transit. As a result, I authored and sponsored HR 948 legislation that would create an an authority to run light rail locally and high speed rail regionally.
Ralph Long	We need robust sidewalk and bike lane coverage throughout the City of Atlanta.
Sherry Williams	No Response

Candidate	Response
Jacki Labat	Wow, $1 billion is a BHAG to overcome. I will support a new TSPLOST and I am willing to undergo a budget review to ensure the maximum and appropriate amount of the city's general fund is allocated to these projects. Should the PAT3 program be revived within the city, infrastructure jobs could be filled by the program participants as the employment opportunities are made more widely available beyond the Department of Watershed Management.
Jodi Merriday	I would fund sidewalks and other urgent transportation needs in the city by using: 1) designated TSPLOST funding, 2) the 25 million (3.5%) set aside funding from City of Atlanta general budget; and 3) all applicable GDOT funding. I would also support identifying other forms of funding such as: 1) percentage of parking fees and fines collected by the city; 2) engaging our corporate community in supporting sidewalk construction and maintenance within every 500 yards of their business; and 3) exploring cost sharing with visitors. I believe we must be innovative in how we can close the billion-dollar gap. Nearly 500,000 people come to work, play, and enjoy Atlanta daily. Together, we can make transit safer, more accommodating, and inclusively easier to access.
Keisha Sean Waites	The Georgia General Assembly passed HB 170 the Transportation Funding Act of 2015 to fund sorely needed transit infrastructure projects statewide. HB 170 generates $1 billion annually. Each city statewide receives a share of these funds. The City of Atlanta must re-prioritize how we use our state funding. Secondly, ask voters to approve a new TSPLOST that earmarks and dedicates resources to fund sidewalks, bicycle lanes and camera expansion while prioritizing safety and equity.
Ralph Long	I would close the sidewalk funding gap first with a tax on developers of commercial, office and large residential projects then with a penny sales tax SPLOST.
Sherry Williams	No Response

Candidate	Response
Jacki Labat	As a native Atlantan, I can confirm that we are too attached to our cars and tend to drive even when we have the opportunity to use public transit, walk or bike. Having not been in the shoes of those who are biking, walking and using scooters or wheelchairs, drivers can become desensitized, aggressive and flat out rude. I would support the expansion of the city's (APD's) street camera system. There need to be serious consequences for drivers who break the law and make the streets less safe for pedestrians.
Jodi Merriday	To make streets measurably safer for people biking, walking, and using scooters or wheelchairs, I would partner with stakeholders to launch an awareness campaign to educate the public and introduce key points of emphasis for Vision Zero that increase visibility, discourage speeding, separate modes of transportation, protect pedestrian crossings, and implement traffic calming projects. Moreover, I would support efforts to install temporary safe spaces when sidewalks or bike lanes are closed for construction, and efforts that prevent police (and other agency) pursuits within Atlanta City limits. Pedestrian fatalities increasing fastest among Black men correlates with other data reporting disproportionate negative outcomes for poor, black and brown citizens. To advance equity I would support the use of automated speed cameras to reduce high-speed traffic crashes, eliminate over-policing, and diminish instances of racial profiling. Addressing disparities in the lives of those endangered most by unsafe streets requires implementing systemic and institutional equity that addresses the “tale of two cities” told by observing our streets and sidewalks neighborhood-to-neighborhood.
Keisha Sean Waites	In comparison with other metropolitan cities of our size and population, Atlanta unfortunately is not the most pedestrian or cycle friendly city. The scooter debacle highlighted this issue. Recently, woman was murdered in Piedmont Park while walking her dog. If pedestrians and cyclist do not feel safe, it will be difficult to encourage more people and families to walk and cycle. For this reason, I support increasing bicycle lanes and amenities that encourage families to walk and ride. Finally, given our current officer shortage and public safety challenges expanding our camera network will bring dual benefits of providing law enforcement with additional tools to apprehend those that violate the law.
Ralph Long	We need to move our city awy from its car-centered culture. As a parent of a rising 8th grader at our neighborhood public school, I had to ask APS to move my child's bus stop to a safer location than what was originally assigned because the first bus stop would have required him to stand on our busy street (Peyton Road, SW) where there are no sidewalks and poor visibility. Transportation, which includes sidewalks and bike lanes, is a matter of civil rights and economic development.
Sherry Williams	No Response

Candidate	Response
Jacki Labat	Yes, and I believe that the city and city council need to work together to develop a post-pandemic plan to prioritize all of the projects that have stalled during Covid and formulate a realistic plan and timeline to tackle each one.
Jodi Merriday	Yes, I would speed up and wherein possible, - expedite - the completion of transportation projects intended to provide safe travel options for people who walk, bike, or have a disability. When the ReNew Atlanta bond was approved, Atlantans were given a promise of complete streets throughout the City. Now, several years later, there is little progress to show in the transformation of our roadways to complete streets. We can do better. I am personally outraged that the major street required to access my Ben Hill neighborhood, Campbellton Road has no sidewalk continuity in either direction. You cannot safely walk, bike, access transit, or access accommodation if you are disabled/diversabled. I will work to get projects fast tracked to actualize the 20-mile vision and champion further extension of that goal.
Keisha Sean Waites	YES
Ralph Long	Yes, definitely. I look forward to working closely with the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition to make our city streets safer for bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists.
Sherry Williams	No Response

Candidate	Response
Jacki Labat	If additional crosswalks need to be added in areas that are heavily traversed by pedestrians, I would be in full support of creating those crosswalks. It would be unfortunate and a questionable use of resources in my opinion for APD or any law enforcement agencies to "over police" crosswalks when staffing levels are so low and violent crime is so high. Jaywalking and darting out in moving traffic can be two very different things. I will support any actions and measures that are pragmatic and improve the quality of life for all.
Jodi Merriday	Over policing can be addressed through police reform that recruits, retains, promotes, and trains community-based officers. Our officers deserve a state-of-the-art facility, equipment, and on-going professional development training. Racial disparities in the enforcement of, “jaywalking” intersects with racial profiling. The inclusion of implicit and explicit bias and microaggression sensitivity training will heighten officer’s cognizance and socio-emotional intelligence. Moreover, it will provide exposure to policing practices that enable civility, justice, and equity for all citizens. Over policing can also be addressed by excluding traffic stops from the Atlanta Vision Zero strategy and authorizing the use of automated speed cameras. Police enforcement should be limited to high crash areas and behavior patterns that contribute to fatal crashes. Robustly funding sidewalk improvements/expansion and utilizing technology could also offensively address over policing. Walkable pathways and equity in sidewalk distribution neighborhood-to-neighborhood will enable transit to become more demonstrably connected and minimize the necessity of officers for enforcement.
Keisha Sean Waites	Having served on both the Juvenile Justice and Public Safety committees during my tenure in the General Assembly, I quickly realized the Policing and Alternatives & Diversion Initiative (PAD) is an essential tool to addressing the underlying factors that impact crime and violence. Arresting and jailing people who are causing disturbances or harm as a result of substance use, mental health challenges, or survival activities doesn’t serve our communities. Instead, it pushes people even further to the margins, away from the connections and resources that support recovery and wellness. The cycle of arrest and incarceration does not address the actual issues people are struggling with. In the meantime, our communities continue to suffer from a lack of housing options and access to income, mental health services, medical care, and substance use recovery services. There is widespread agreement: we need a different approach if we want safer and healthier communities for all. PAD fosters a new approach to community safety and wellness by engaging in creative problem-solving to respond to community concerns, and addressing people’s human needs with dignity, patience and care.
Ralph Long	Jaywalking should not be a crime and is often a pretext for a racially-motivated police stop. As a lifelong resident of Southwest Atlanta, I have lived the experience of having crosswalks that are inconveniently placed. If elected to the City Council, I would call for an audit and redesign of crosswalk placement, particularly in underserved portions of our City.
Sherry Williams	No Response

Candidate	Response
Jacki Labat	MARTA and the City of Atlanta should continue to work together on the final project list. MARTA should work to provide accessible parking, station-area development that allows people to live, work, shop or go to school within walking distance of the station and to promote greater transit ridership.
Jodi Merriday	The relationship between MARTA and the City of Atlanta to implement More Marta should be one of collaboration, inclusive stakeholder engagement, communication, and mutual accountability. As an At-Large Councilmember, I will diligently listen to the needs of residents and offer recommendations to MARTA. We must be creative in how we close transportation gaps. Both MARTA and City of Atlanta have agreed to prioritize transparency, equity, and including alternative travel modes such as bike paths and lanes and sidewalks. Atlanta’s residents and visitors benefit when we have a transit network that can serve all citizens. Further, MARTA must provide safe access and spaces to board their buses and trains including keeping their stations and stands and walking paths clean and regularly sanitized so that residents and visitors are eager to access services.
Keisha Sean Waites	MARTA program is too important to the future of Atlanta to chance letting it get bogged down in inefficiency, poor prioritizing or non-transparent decision-making. I think that Atlanta’s various transportation focused advocacy groups could better coordinate with each other, with city planners, and with More MARTA to make sure their concerns are being heard and addressed. I believe that candidates for city appointments should have strong vision for what the city needs to look like 30 years down the road, and expertise in city transportation and growth management so that transportation improvements are focused on where they should be focused for the overall health of all communities within the city, and not simply where the loudest voices or flashiest development projects are today. They must also be held to strict ethical standards.
Ralph Long	My father was a longtime employee of MARTA and I spent most of my childhood and teenaged years as a regular MARTA rider. I still remember the MARTA bus routes that took me from Douglass High School to my family's home on Fair Street. The City of Atlanta should collaborate closely over the implementation and allocation of the More MARTA tax. We are all friends in the struggle for better public transit. Atlantans should be able to count on MARTA to provide safe and comfortable on-street facilities for riders who are getting to and from transit.
Sherry Williams	No Response

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City Council At-Large Candidate Questionnaire Responses

Browse at-large candidate responses by clicking below

Post 1 At-Large

Post 2 At-Large

Post 3 At-Large

Individual candidate responses are listed by post below, alphabetically by first name. All Atlanta voters will have the opportunity to vote on each at-large post.

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