Atlanta City Council members celebrated the passage of the tumultuous Fiscal Year 2026 budget last week after butting heads with the mayor’s office over spending, and working to prepare for a potential nationwide recession.

But the usual sigh of relief over an end to the busy season was bittersweet as longtime Council member and finance guru Howard Shook cast his last vote on budget legislation.

Shook announced last year that he would not run for reelection after serving on the body for more than 20 years. To his colleagues, he’s seen as a mentor and the steady hand that has guided the city through dozens of budgets.

Shook is self-described as the “worrier in chief,” who often challenges the administration’s finance strategies.

“If budgets are kids, I’m now an empty nester, which i

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