Locals vie for seats in May 22 General Primary

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — The May 22 General Primary is right around the corner and candidates are buckling down for the vote. 

Advanced voting ends May 18. Voters are able to cast their ballots from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Forsyth County Voter Registration and Elections Office, 1201 Sawnee Drive.

Other locations include:

Hampton Park Library, 5345 Settingdown Road

Midway Park Community Building, 5100 Post Road

Sharon Springs Park Community Building, 1950 Sharon Road

Voting times at these locations are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 16 and Friday, May 18, and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 17.

The Forsyth County Administration Building and Cumming City Hall are no longer open for early voting, and there are no polls open on Monday, May 21.

For details and to view a sample ballot, visit the Voter Registration and Elections Department page of the Forsyth County website at forsythco.com, call 770-781-2118, ext. 9 or visit the My Voter Page at mvp.sos.ga.gov.

Forsyth County Board Commissioners

District 1

Why should constituents vote for you?

I believe constituents are ready for a candidate who can make good on that commitment to protect our community feel against unmanaged growth. District 1 is ready to play a vital role in being part of Forsyth’s next steps of becoming a jobs machine for our growing families. It’s time we move away from that bedroom community model and focus on businesses.

What goals do you have for the office?

a. By encouraging development of our secondary roads we can take some of the strain off of our state managed roads that are taking years to finish. I hope to work with state representatives to get an accelerated timetable applied to some of our state managed roads and instill accountability.

b. I’ve managed businesses for many years, and the last thing any business owner wants to deal with is customers getting to a business. We need to offer concrete solutions that our traffic issues will not impact their bottom line.

c. I would like to work with other commissioners who have expressed an interest in getting access to additional “local” water sources so that we can keep the cost to citizens at a manageable level. Development to water and sewer is going to be vital to offering future commercial businesses incentive to relocating to Forsyth County.

What are your thoughts on the potential second city of Sharon Springs?

I made a point to attend committee hearings at our Capitol, because I believe “if” it moves forward the next District 1 commissioner will have a huge responsibility in shedding costs to the county. As a commissioner I will have a laser focus on making sure it does not elevate our current taxes.

Why should constituents vote for you?

I want to bring my years of professional business experience and community service to work for the citizens of Forsyth County. After achieving my MBA, I worked as regional director of a national healthcare company and then owned and operated two local businesses. I was honored to serve as president of Republican Women of Forsyth County, president of Cumming Civitan, and 1st vice chair of Forsyth County GOP. I want our community to grow and prosper for my three generations of family that live here and for our county as a whole.

What goals do you have for the office?

Control residential growth. Infrastructure has to be in place before the building so our roads and schools don’t continue to be overcrowded. We need more commercial growth to balance our tax digest, job and career building businesses in our designated business corridors where traffic can be accommodated.

What are your thoughts on the potential of second city of Sharon Springs?

As proposed, the city of Sharon Springs will be allotted some of the SPLOST money from that which has traditionally been allotted to the city of Cumming. Thus, the revenue allocation for the city of Cumming will be reduced just as long-term plans for a town center in Cumming may be coming to fruition. If approved, it will affect all of Forsyth County through the change in tax revenue allocation. Yet only those in the footprint of the proposed new city are allowed to vote on it. For these reasons I am not in support of the city of Sharon Springs.

District 3

Forsyth County Board of Education

District 1

Why should constituents vote for you?

As I go out into the community and talk with more parents and teachers, the common theme that I hear is that our schools are teaching to the test. Many teachers tell me their hands are tied and they are not able to deliver the instruction in an appropriate and effective way.

The questions I will ask for any new or proposed program or policy:

Why do we need this program or policy?

How will it benefit our students?

How much will it cost to implement this program?

What are the costs associated with maintaining this program per year?

Is this part of grant fund? This is important to me because this is how the federal government puts a carrot to entice local government into programs that are not needed. The issue is that when the grant money is exhausted, the county is strapped with a program that it has to fund, wasting the taxpayers’ dollars.

How much time will it take from our teacher’s schedule? Will it take away from their teaching?

How much time will it take from of our students’ schedule?

I will use these questions as my guiding principle to make a final decision on the new or proposed program or policy.

I will go to our schools’ PTO meeting and listen to our parents and teachers.

What goals do you have for the office?

For our students when they leave our schools to have the academic skill sets and tools needed in their next step in life.

Why should constituents vote for you?

I am the only candidate that is informed, engaged with the community and has a child currently in the school system. I am involved with PTA, Local School Council and worked on several projects with the Board of Education. My favorite and most rewarding time so far in the schools has been with the Forsyth County mentor program.

All of this got me involved with the BOE. Today, I currently serve on the Local School Council at Liberty Middle School, I am on the Parent & Community Advisory Board, and I am on the Beyond Propel Committee.

What goals do you have for the office?

I want to engage the community to build partnerships, to help provide resources for the students and teachers to be successful, work with other community leaders to better plan for future development, continue to operate with one of the lowest educational millage rates in the area and work to address the drug usage rate and the rising suicide rate among teens.

What are your thoughts on the potential second city of Sharon Springs?

As a conservative leader, I believe there must be a balance between limited government and local control. I believe that the Board of Education should work closely with the community, regardless if it is in a new city, or part of the unincorporated Forsyth County. My plan is to be in the community, communicating with students, parents and teachers.

District 2

Georgia Senate

District 27

Why should constituents vote for you?

I’m the only pro-Trump candidate in this race! Unlike my opponents, I have not made a career out of running for office. I’m a small business owner, funding my own campaign, and the only candidate to not accept lobbyist money.

What goals do you have for the office?

I will co-sponsor the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, work to implement the 287(g) deportation program statewide to remove illegals, sign Constitutional carry, author the Heartbeat Abortion Ban, and more.

What are your thoughts on the potential second city of Sharon Springs?

I believe citizens should have the right to vote on how they wish to be governed. However, I’m personally opposed to the new city as I believe it will increase government regulation and raise our taxes.

Why should constituents vote for you?

I have a proven record of delivering results such as the Park and Greenspace Bond, funding for

Alliance Academy, transportation initiatives, firsthand experience with what unfunded state mandates can do to county governments, demonstrated community involvement including 10 years on Local School Councils and numerous volunteer boards. I have worked with the Chamber as a board member and business to grow small businesses and balance our tax base.

No other candidate has my experience and level of investment in the community through government, service and commitment.

What goals do you have for office?

Bring funding back to Forsyth County for transportation projects, create innovative ways such as impact fees to fund schools such as the Alliance Academy and University of North Georgia, protect our children in schools, obtain independent water supply for Forsyth County, make Forsyth County a business-friendly environment to balance our tax base.

What are your thoughts on the potential second city of Sharon Springs?

I have always opposed adding another layer of government and more bureaucracy, and as the only candidate in the footprint of the new city, I don’t want to start on day one with no bond rating, a 0 percent credit rating and no financial reserves when I live in a county that is one of the few with a AAA bond rating, excellent credit and strong financial reserves.

Why should constituents vote for you?

I am the true conservative in this race and would be honored to take our conservative values to the Gold Dome. I own multiple businesses in Forsyth County and understand the challenges facing our families and leaders. Overdevelopment has threatened our quality of life, and it’s time to address this together. I am the only candidate who has pledged to never raise taxes, and I am the only candidate with a history of fighting for Forsyth homeowners.

I am a limited government conservative, committed to protecting the Constitution. I am a pro-life candidate endorsed by Georgia Right to Life and will protect the unborn.

What goals do you have for the office?

• Eliminate the state income tax

• Ensure immigration laws are enforced in Georgia

• Ensure Forsyth County has the proper funding to unlock traffic gridlock and keep school class sizes low

• Implement school impact fees on new development to keep taxes low for current residents

• Protect the senior exemption

• Protect life, liberty and the Second Amendment

What are your thoughts on the potential second city of Sharon Springs?

I am opposed to a new city in Forsyth County, although I do not have a vote as I live outside the footprint. We have real challenges in the county, and I would like to see us address those issues countywide.

Why should constituents vote for you?

Forsyth County can count on me to stand firm on the principles of justice and compassion, and I will speak truth to power, even when that truth is not popular.

What goals do you have for the office?

My goal is to uphold the Constitution for all of Forsyth’s citizens regardless of race, color, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

As Forsyth County continues to grow into the melting pot that America has always been proud to call itself, we must make a concerted effort to acknowledge our county’s difficult history in order to heal the divisions that may manifest themselves in different ways today than they have in the past, but are still very much with us.

What are your thoughts on the potential second city of Sharon Springs?

I am skeptical of the intentions of the groups driving both sides of the Sharon Springs debate. Until we have a better plan for new cities in Forsyth County than the one the Sharon Springs Alliance has come up with, I am a ‘no’ on Sharon Springs.

District 51

For State Senator of District 51, incumbent and republican Steve Gooch, a businessman, will run unopposed.

Georgia House of Representatives

District 9

Why should constituents vote for you?

I live and work here, and I have been involved in the 9th District through countless leadership roles and community organizations. In the State House, I have served with the values we trust and have used my experience in business, law enforcement and on the farm to provide leadership that delivers on issues that matter to our families, businesses and community.

What goals do you have for the office?

I have led efforts that support our small businesses and taxpayers by eliminating burdensome regulations, ending double taxation on small businesses, and this year, passing the largest tax cut in Georgia history that includes the first state income tax cut ever.

I sponsored the only religious freedom legislation to pass both the Senate and the House.

Continue leading as chairman of the House Transportation Committee on efforts to push vital transportation projects that reduce congestion and improve quality of life.

Always listen and be accessible to those I serve.

What are your thoughts on the potential second city of Sharon Springs?

I supported letting voters determine their own destiny. However, I am fundamentally opposed to the creation of more layers of government, particularly when it may lead to higher taxes and duplication of services.

Why should constituents vote for you?

I am a business minded leader, not a career politician. I will approach the job with a fresh perspective and new ideas on how to improve our District. I have no ties to big business, lobbyists or special interest groups, and will bring focus back on the people of the district.

What goals do you have for the office?

Meaningfully lower state income taxes with the ultimate goal of eliminating them.

• Improve tax incentives on farm and undeveloped timberland to ease their tax burden and keep more land out of development.

• Improve internet infrastructure throughout District 9.

• Improve medical infrastructure in our District especially in the more rural areas.

• Restore public confidence in government and politics.

What are your thoughts on the potential second city of Sharon Springs?

I am against the formation of a second city. It will drive up costs in the county. We do not need another layer of government.

District 22

*Due to there being one candidate per political party, both will move on to the November election.

District 24

Why should constituents vote for you?

I was born and raised in Forsyth County and am honored to serve as the representative of the home I love. Since being elected three years ago, we have made great strides. Public education is fully funded. Roads and traffic are being addressed.

Taxes were cut with the largest income tax rate cut in Georgia history. Religious freedoms and human life are being protected. I stand up to ensure that your freedoms are not eroded. As long as you keep sending me back, I will keep fighting for you.

What goals do you have for the office?

My goal is to continue serving by actively listening to and working for the hard-working, tax-paying citizens of the 24th district. I will continue to work to bring tax dollars back to Forsyth County. Keeping toll lanes off 400 and out of Forsyth County is a high priority. Other priorities are to promote life-affirming policies, protect the 2nd Amendment, and ensure our religious freedom.

What are your thoughts on the potential second city of Sharon Springs?

Whether the referendum passes or fails, Forsyth County will continue to grow and prosper, and we will need to come together to help keep Forsyth a great place to live, work and raise our families.

District 25

Jones has held his position since January 2017. His business experience has focused on triple-bottom line companies that focus on social, environmental and financial impacts.

He introduced House Bill 626 which would incorporate the city of Sharon Springs.

Why should constituents vote for you?

I am a true conservative that stands for limited government, individual freedom and fiscal responsibility. District 25 and the State of Georgia need people in office who want their constituents to keep as much of their hard-earned money as possible while ensuring what they do pay is spent wisely.

What goals do you have for the office?

If elected, I fully support enacting term limits to eliminate and prevent career politicians. I support creating tax incentives for businesses starting, growing or moving here. I will fight to ensure fiscal responsibility and fight to eliminate every nickel of wasteful spending.

What are your thoughts on the potential second city of Sharon Springs?

I oppose creating another layer of government and wasting tax dollars paying for even more elected bureaucrats. The millions of dollars in revenue shortfall that the county would face would either require higher taxes or slashing the budget, and neither have been promised. Therefore, the new city would be fiscally irresponsible.

Why should constituents vote for you?

As a Representative I will prioritize strengthening Georgia’s public education, expand Medicare, strengthen gun safety laws and question all legislation I am asked to vote on.

What goals do you have for the office?

Expanding Medicare and developing a cost-effective, humane plan to bring healthcare to all Georgians must be addressed in the 2019 legislative session.

Georgia is the best state in the nation for employers, but 42nd best in the nation for employees. I will work with legislators to raise the minimum wage to $7.25. 

Closing gun show loop holes, improving the background check system, banning gun ownership for abusers, banning assault weapons and funding research into gun violence are all initiatives that must be a priority. 

What are your thoughts on the potential second city of Sharon Springs?

Having read the 57 page bill and listened to participants, experts, residents and fellow candidates, I tend to go with the “no” side. The costs of this new layer of local government will outweigh the benefits. A more cost-effective and uniting alternative is to expand the number of representatives on the Board of Commissioners.

District 26

Your questions, answered

All of us here at Appen Media want to know, and try to help answer, the questions you have about our community.

Milton says tree clearing along Little River within city ordinance

Ask Appen: Smith Plantation, Holly Hill and Milton teens

Ask a Question