ATLANTA (CBS ATLANTA) -
If the Falcons get their way, they'll be playing in a new stadium a few years from now.
Voters like Candis Fonooni, however, want to be the ones to decide how any public money will be spent.
"It think the public should be involved," Fonooni said. "It's people money you're talking about. We're going through a recession right now. People are already upset enough as it is about paying taxes."
The proposed stadium would cost $1 billion in total.
About $200 million of that would come from revenues generated by the already existing hotel-motel tax.
Supporters have said that means visitors from outside metro Atlanta would foot the bill.
Critics, however, say the Falcons, the city and the Georgia World Congress Center, which runs the team's current stadium, the Georgia Dome, have excluded public input.
Jim Honkisz, who heads the Fulton County Taxpayers Association, along with watchdog group Common Cause and Georgia Senate Democratic Whip Vincent Fort, are calling on the city to hold a public referendum on how the tax is spent.
"It's still public revenue. What the (Arthur) Blank and the Falcons are asking for is public money, funds being used to build a new football stadium," Honkisz said.
Jennifer Page said she does not have a problem with public funds being used since the money would come from the hotel tax.
"I'm OK with them proceeding without a public referendum on it. As long as people understand there is an issue of people from the outside paying for it, I think people would be much more willing to say, ‘Yeah, I think it's OK,'" Page said.
Atlanta City Council must approve the deal.
Copyright 2013 WGCL-TV (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.
