Held Atlanta plan would bar designated funds from promoting city legislation and programs

Atlanta's held spending proposal would prohibit using designated public funds for marketing, digital-media management, grassroots organizing or public-relations consulting intended to build political support for—or opposition to—municipal legislation, initiatives or administration programs.

Ordinance 26-O-1400 lists 21 covered funds, including the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Community Development Block Grant Fund, TSPLOST Fund and multiple tax-allocation-district funds. Its operative restriction turns on the spending's political-support or opposition purpose; it is not a blanket prohibition on every marketing expense.

The Finance/Executive Committee kept the ordinance held Sept. 30. The legislative history lists Oct. 5 at 1 p.m. as the next checkpoint. The held proposal does not establish an enacted spending restriction.