Tag: Julian Bene

Local governments rely on property taxes to maintain infrastructure and provide public services—to fill potholes, pay schoolteachers, and build affordable housing. In Atlanta, funds always seem to come up short. Julian Bene—a retired management consultant who served on the board of Invest Atlanta, the city’s economic development agency—believes he knows one reason why: By his estimate, the city, county, and school system are being shorted millions of dollars a year by high-value commercial property owners not paying their fair share in property taxes.

For decades, local development authorities and state economic officials have handed out hundreds of millions of dollars to help build high-rises, subsidize warehouses, and woo out-of-state businesses. Why should private companies and well-financed property developers get a cut of public funds?