About Dunwoody reporter. (Sandy Springs, GA) 20??-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 23, 2013)
Perimeter Business A monthly section focusing on business in the Reporter News papers communities Incentives are the new normal for cities Phil Mosier Employees of GT Software, a global information technology company with its headquarters in Sandy Springs, meet in the conference room. Left to right, Heather Frogge, director of accounting, Tim Sacklyn, financial analyst, Deborah Reed, accounting clerk, and Ellie Soleymani, marketing manager. GT Software received $6,284 in economic incentives to locate in the city of Sandy Springs. By Dan Whisenhunt GT Software in Sandy Springs buzzes with the chatter of people the city wants to attract. The employees are young, well-paid professionals working at high-tech jobs in an office with rows of cu bicles. The office building is close to a MARTA station. Getting the company to locate in Sandy Springs re quired more than a nice lunch and a memorable ele vator speech. The city gave the company a tax break, called "economic incentives." GT Software received $6,284 in incentives, a minor amount compared with the hundreds of thousands other companies received from Sandy Springs. A company official with GT Software said Sandy Springs was the right fit overall. "Our Sandy Springs headquarters allows us to take advantage of the best IT talent found in the Atlanta area," GT Software President Eric Nelson said in a statement emailed to Reporter Newspapers. "We of fer innovative solutions for complex IT challenges to businesses all over the world, and our Sandy Springs headquarters provides the perfect environment for our employees." Incentives are becoming a permanent reality for cit ies looking to land jobs to boost their local economies. The New York Times in December 2012 investigated incentives programs nationwide, and found that gov ernments in the U.S. give $80 billion annually to pri vate companies. According to records provided by the cities of Dun- woody and Sandy Springs, Dunwoody has award ed $8.4 million in incentives and Sandy Springs has awarded $1.8 million. The city of Brookhaven, which incorporated last year, is still in the process of determining how or if it would grant incentives, spokeswoman Dana John son said. At its Aug. 6 meeting, Sandy Springs City Coun cil members revived the debate over the city's incen tives program. Mayor Eva Galambos has been an out spoken critic. Sandy Springs City Council imposed a 30-day mor atorium on new incentives while the city reworks its current policies. The moratorium came shortly af ter City Council awarded $120,000 in incentives to CH2M Hill. CH2M Hill is a contractor that used to CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 Q & A: Georgia toll roads -Page 12 Pizza party -Page 15 Profile: They love books -Page 10 Atlanta Vintage Books is thriving despite the digital revolution. Co owners Bob Roarty and Jan Bolgla are passionate about books and their book- loving customers. Christopher Tomlinson, executive director of the State Road and Toll Autority, says there are other local toll road projects in the works. The iconic Sandy Springs Mellow Mushroom location is closed, but that's not stopping the company from celebrating 40 years in business.
