Shirley Franklin
PER
Shirley Franklin Franklin
Mayor Shirley Franklin, who is serving her second and final term, plays down the significance of the change, saying that the city, now 54 percent black, will remain progressive and that voters here do not strictly adhere to racial lines. Ms. Franklin recently tried to impose a moratorium on McMansions, new houses bloated far beyond the size of their older neighbors. But critics say Mayor Franklin and her predecessor, Bill Campbell, betrayed their voter base by not doing enough to keep Atlanta affordable for poor blacks. Ms. Franklin, who has received high marks for restoring credibility to the city government and was re-elected in 2005 with 91 percent of the vote.