Political Rewind: Three Georgia mayors outline issues facing their communities

Credit: Sam Bermas-Dawes, GPB

The panel:

Mayor Deana Holiday Ingraham —  East Point

Jim Galloway — Former political columnist

Mayor Skip Henderson — Columbus

Mayor Van Johnson — Savannah

The breakdown: 

1. Public safety leads Georgians' concerns.

• Mayors Ingraham, Henderson, and Johnson all cited public safety as their most pressing issue.
• Mayor Deana Holiday Ingraham noted that environmental justice is crucial in mixed development areas, with federal regulations falling short of what residents need to stay healthy.

2. Georgia is plagued with gun violence.

• According to Mayor Skip Henderson, most all of Columbus' open murder cases are gun-related, interpersonal crimes.
  • According to the FBI, 54.3% of homicide victims know their assailant. 
• Georgia ranked fourth in firearm mortality in the U.S. with 1,897 deaths in 2020.

3. Local economic developments meet varied reactions.

• Hyundai's Bryan County plant hasn't been met with the same scrutiny that the Rivian plant in Rutledge faced.
  • Mayor Van Johnson believes that Savannah's history of economic development eased residents' minds to the idea of a multi-billion dollar development nearby. 
• The housing market was an issue across all three cities as corporate buyers reduce inventory.

4. COVID relief funding has given more options to local governments. 

• Georgia cities are using COVID relief funding to better fund public services, like police and fire departments, to update infrastructure, and to support small businesses.
  • Mayor Henderson noted that Columbus is attempting to move away from a waste management system manned by a prison camp in order to give inmates better opportunities.

Monday on Political Rewind:

Patricia Murphy and Fred Smith join the show to talk upcoming decisions from the Supreme Court.