Atlanta prides itself on being “the city too busy to hate.” Indeed, race relations here are cordial and the city provides economic and social opportunities for people of many different racial, ethnic and social backgrounds.

Yet in the “cradle of the Civil Rights Movement,” social issues and politics are viewed through a racial prism. Such is the case with this year’s mayoral campaign.

For the first time since 1973, Atlanta may elect a white mayor. A poll from last week, commissioned by local TV station WXIA 11Alive and radio station V103, suggests Atlanta City Concilwoman Mary Norwood is leading a six-way race for mayor with 46 percent of the vote. Her closest contender, Georgia State Senator Kasim Reed, trails at 26 percent.

Although the candidates have kept the focus of their campaigns on crime, taxes and city services, two African-American professors released the racial genie back in August when they wrote an open letter, urging black voters to unite behind Atlanta City Council President Lisa Borders “in order to defeat a Norwood (white) mayoral candidacy.”

Both Norwood and Reed were quick to distance themselves from the letter. “It was wrong minded,” Reed told FOX News. “It represents the worst of Atlanta in my mind.”

Despite Norwood’s considerable lead in the polls, she will likely face Reed in a runoff. Election rules require the winner of the Atlanta mayoral race to receive a 50 percent plus one vote majority.

“The conventional wisdom has always been that a white candidate could get in a runoff in a citywide election, but that that white candidate was doomed in the runoff when all the black voters consolidated behind a black candidate,” said Dick Williams, a longtime Georgia publisher and political commentator.

But much has changed since current Mayor Shirley Franklin was elected to the first of her two terms eight years ago. Atlanta’s African-American majority, which once accounted for two out of three voters — now hovers just above 50 percent.

Williams said the closing of Atlanta’s large public housing projects has removed a loyal minority voting bloc. “Those were reliable foot soldiers for the mayoral candidates who could arrange the money and the transportation to the polls,” he said.

The gentrification of many inner-city neighborhoods has attracted many white and black professionals, who may be less likely to see race as a key issue in a political contest.

While many Atlantans still hold painful memories of the days of segregation, younger citizens have grown up in a city with many prominent African-American politicians and entrepreneurs. Race has become an issue not so much for division, but discussion.

No doubt, that discussion will continue through the November 3rd election. Watch my video report here.

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Long lines outside the Jefferson County Courthouse.

When we arrived at the Jefferson County Courthouse in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, a long line of residents stretched down the front steps and along a sidewalk. Many of these people were simply waiting to renew their vehicle tags.

“You’ve got people 60, 70 and 80 (years old) and they have to stand up for four and five hours,” said Timothy Stanfield, a Birmingham resident.

The long lines are symptomatic of a budget crisis that has prompted Jefferson County to close satellite government offices in outlying areas and lay off well over a quarter of its workforce.

Although Jefferson County has been in the national spotlight recently for its difficulties paying off $4 billion in sewer bonds, commissioners say the mass-layoffs stem from an unrelated financial crisis: loss of tax revenue.

Earlier this year, a judge struck down Jefferson County’s occupational tax — a half percent levy on the earnings of people who work in the county (excluding certain professionals, such as barbers, who already pay county licensing fees). That tax had generated approximately $75 million in annual revenue.

State lawmakers from the area are proposing a new occupational tax that would affect every worker in the county — no exceptions — thereby surpassing the previous tax in the amount of revenue generated.

The local sheriff is asking for something even more dramatic.

After losing a legal battle to protect his budget from the Jefferson County Commission’s fiscal ax, Sheriff Mike Hale sent a request to Alabama Governor Bob Riley, asking him to consider sending state funds — or the National Guard.

“I need force multipliers” Hale said. “I need the National Guard to partner with my deputies to make sure communities and neighborhoods are safe.”

According to the Sheriff, the $4 million budget cut slated for his office could result in layoffs of as many as 300 of his 700 employees.

Hale insists public safety is crucial. But so are many other public services, according to Jefferson County Commissioner Jim Carnes.

“It’s no good if we’ve got law enforcement (and) we don’t have a coroner to say, ‘This person was murdered,’ and a D.A.” to try the suspected killer, he said.

As for the people waiting for vehicle tags, we saw one man emerge from the courthouse with his renewed license plate — nearly 9 hours after he arrived.

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Educators protest outside South Carolina's statehouse.

South Carolina’s fiscally-conservative governor has agreed to meet today’s midnight deadline for authorizing an influx of up to $2.8 billion in federal stimulus aid to his state. However, Republican Mark Sanford continues to fight the White House and members of his own party over his plan to apply $700 million toward state debt.

“If you’re looking at the kind of financial storm that we’re looking at in this nation and around the world, it makes sense to get your financial house in order,” Sanford said. “And what this stimulus represents is sort of the mother of all lotteries to state governments.”

We’ve all heard the stories of everyday folks who win the lottery, become instant millionaires and then overspend themselves into bankruptcy. Gov. Sanford said the situation is no different for his state as it prepares to receive billions of dollars in federal aid over the next two years, with no guarantees of what funding will be available after that.

“A prudently managed household would set some aside for a rainy day,” Sanford said. “They’d pay down their mortgage. They’d pay down their credit card balance. And why should government be exempt from the same thing?”

But much of the $700 million dollars the governor wants to use for reducing state debt is earmarked for education. Many educators fear that losing out on that money would cost jobs and drive up tuition.

“Ultimately, it’s about access to an education in a state where not enough South Carolinians have attained a college degree,” said Harris Pastides, president of the University of South Carolina.

On Wednesday, hundreds of teachers protested outside the South Carolina statehouse, while dozens of counter-demonstrators urged the Governor to stay the course. Keep Reading …

Boy this better have been worth it. I’m sure that’s what a lot of people are thinking.  About the G20 summit that is.     Never have I seen London so turned on its head.   Convoy after convoy of top leaders whisking around the city.    As my cameraman Olaf asked, “Where the heck did they get all those motorcycles?”

The big newsmaker of course was not the twenty most important people in the world deciding the fate of our future.    It was four thousand scruffy kids and aging hippies making noise and a bit of mayhem.

I was rooted to my Buckingham Palace live shot position, so was spared most of the up close and personal of that.  But it seemed as pointless and anarchic as ever.

Except maybe not completely pointless.      The hooligans made a point of hitting out at the Royal Bank of Scotland branch for a reason.   It and its exiting CEO were beneficiaries of a massive UK bank bailout.  A practice even law-abiding folks in the States are getting a bit steamed up over.

No, as mentioned, I was on Queen watch.   President Obama and Michelle met Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh to be exact.    As I said in my live shot, it was arguably the high point of the Obamas’ visit.

He was actually early for a change and sneaked in without us barely noticing.  The video of the meeting has since been carefully scrutinized.   He gave her a two handed handshake. Ouch.  And she clasped hers behind her back.   Eeeek.   And an ipod as a gift?     Hopefully the greatest hits of Queen not included.

So here I sit overlooking the Excel Center as the G20 leaders wrap up their deliberations.     We already know what’s going to be in the final document.    A little bit of money and little bit of verbiage to appease everybody.   More or less.

And oh yes, one more chance for another scruffy bunch of protesters to keep a few thousand policemen occupied.

Hmmmm. Worth it?   Next time I recommend G20 Twitter.

It’s an oversimplification. But the slogan “man versus mussel” illustrates the conflicting priorities of three states involved in a 20-year-old water dispute.

For Georgia, Lake Lanier, a reservoir built in the early 1950’s, represents the primary source of drinking water for nearly 4 million Metro-Atlantans.

But the lake feeds the Chattahoochee River, which supplies fresh water to Florida’s Apalachicola River and Bay — home to federally-protected Gulf sturgeon and two species of mussel. (This is where the “man versus mussel” part comes in).

Florida claims these species require a steady flow of fresh water to survive. But Atlanta’s rapid growth, compounded by an ongoing drought, threatens to reduce the supply.

The “spigot” controlling how much water flows from Lake Lanier into the Chattahoochee is the Buford Dam — a Cold War era facility built to generate hydroelectric power. Now, the dam — managed by the Army Corps of Engineers — is at the center of a battle between three Republican governors.

Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue says any water use plan should put “people first.” But Florida Governor Charlie Crist insists reduced fresh water flow would affect people in his state as well. Some biologists have suggested increased salinity would wreak havoc on Florida’s oyster harvest and hurt commercial fishing.

Alabama Governor Bob Riley says reductions in water flow down the Chattahoochee would also affect people in his state. The Farley Nuclear Power Plant, which draws water from the Chattahoochee River for coolant, provides his state with approximately 20 percent of its electricity.

All three states are embroiled in ongoing legal battles to determine how best to distribute limited resources among conflicting interests.

Related Post: Southern Governors Rage Water War Over Rights to Lake Lanier

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