Despite mayor's veto, Riverdale to proceed with project

Wed, Oct 31st 2007, 08:39

 By MEGAN MATTEUCCI
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 10/29/07

Despite some last-minute political wrangling, Riverdale will move forward with plans to break ground on a new town center early next year.

Voters approved the downtown redevelopment project — part of a tax allocation district — during a special election in September.

"It's not only a town center," Council member Michelle Bruce said. "This will create jobs and a sense of unity that we never did have in this city. It will bring everybody together and give kids something to do."

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/clayton/stories/2007/10/29/riverdaleplan_1030_web.html

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Riverdale City Council overrides mayor's TAD veto

Wed, Oct 31st 2007, 08:36

By Joel Hall

The Riverdale City Council has overturned a veto by Mayor Phaedra Graham that would have derailed the city's plan for the Riverdale Town Center, a tax allocation district (TAD).

"To me, [Graham] slapped the voters in the face when she did this," said Councilmember Bruce. "[The Town Center] creates jobs for our citizens, it creates tax base ... [the voters] wanted this and this hurts the taxpayers in the city."

http://www.news-daily.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=22460&SectionID=2&SubSectionID=2&S=1

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Proposed mortgage rules face hurdles

Mon, Oct 29th 2007, 16:37

WASHINGTON -- Democrats introduced legislation Monday that would tighten an array of mortgage lending standards and require U.S. regulators to issue new rules ensuring that loans be made only to borrowers who can afford to repay them.

The bill, by Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and two North Carolina colleagues, could set the baseline for the emerging debate over how to prevent a repeat of the mortgage meltdown. But its passage is by no means assured, and elements of the bill are likely to draw intense opposition from the lending industry.http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-mortgage23oct23,1,6715773.story?coll=la-headlines-frontpage&ctrack=1&cset=true

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Novice challenges city council incumbent Clark

Thu, Oct 25th 2007, 14:10

Judy Fenton, who wants to retrofit the Alaskan Way Viaduct and remove statues at the Olympic Sculpture Park, is running for Position 9 against incumbent Sally Clark, who wants to continue the work she's done for the city's neighborhoods.

"I'm a geek for Seattle's neighborhoods," Clark said.

"I want to figure out how to both retain the character that we like about them and see them grow in ways that allow new people to move in."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003946792_elexseacouncilnine13m.html

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Governor Schwarzenegger Approves DPA Legislation to Expand Clean Syringe Access

Thu, Oct 25th 2007, 13:55

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger recently signed Assembly Bill 110, authored by Assemblymember John Laird (D – Santa Cruz), which allows local governments to use state HIV prevention funds to purchase clean syringes. http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/102307ab110.cfm

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