"Reed conceded that Charlotte has made gains – especially in the realm of high-speed rail. In January, North Carolina’s commercial center received a $545 million slice of federal stimulus money for rail," writes the AJC's Jim Galloway.
“They had a good day,” the mayor said, according to my AJC colleague Eric Stirgus.
But laying braggadocio aside, Reed said Atlanta was, in fact, in danger falling behind Charlotte if the city and state don’t make strides on transportation, education, water and the arts.
Reed compared the situation to the early 1960s when Birmingham was the southern leader in commerce, but lost that title to Atlanta because of its attitude on civil rights. ...
Atlanta, the mayor noted, was more progressive. “Birmingham has never caught up since,” Reed said. ...
