Peter Aman’s mayoral campaign snags Council endorsements

One Atlanta councilwoman and her predecessor have fingered a favorite in the race to place the city’s 60th mayor: They like Peter Aman.

Yolanda Adrean, the council member representing a northwest Buckhead district, and Clair Muller, who held the post for two decades before passing the torch, say Aman’s business savvy and City Hall experience are just what Atlanta needs.

Adrean says Atlanta’s next mayor needs to be capable of handling the city’s big bucks, and that his time as chief operating officer should be proof of his prowess. “With nearly $14 billion in transportation and water infrastructure on the line, we need a mayor with the background and the backbone to manage Atlanta’s finances and its future in a transparent manner,” said Adrean in a statement sent to CL by Aman’s camp.

Muller echoes that sentiment, adding that she believes Aman will be the champion of transit reform that Atlanta needs. “Our city’s population is expected to double in just a few years,” she said in the statement. “Peter is the one candidate who understands the need for a regional approach to solving our traffic challenges through transit and expanded transportation options.”

And Muller’s quite familiar with most of the other candidates. During her time on the Council, she served with Council members Kwanza Hall, Keisha Lance Bottoms, Mary Norwood, Cathy Woolard and Council President Ceasar Mitchell.

Adrean and Aman worked together at City Hall to fight a plan they thought would “bankrupt the city,” among other things. “Together, we played a leading role in undoing the 2005 votes for increased pension benefits by key council members that nearly bankrupted the city,” Aman said in the statement. Adrean maintains that she and Aman’s Buckhead ties aren’t the only reason she’s standing behind him. “This is not just about Buckhead,” she said in the statement. “This election is about all of Atlanta, and Peter Aman is the one who will advance our city, together.”

No other candidates have claimed endorsements from City Hall, although Mitchell just earned support from the Professional Association of City Employees. PACE is a few-hundred-strong group of city workers that’s backing Mitchell for his commitment to working-class people and his recent role in raising the minimum wage for Atlanta employees.

When we asked the bunch of mayoral candidates if they think any sitting council-people are on their side, all we received was an odd email from Kwanza Hall. “I think Mary Norwood has my back,” he said. We’ll update the story when we figure out what exactly Hall means by that, but check back every week for more coverage of Atlanta’s mayoral race.