The most important question of all!   

Mainly,  because I believe in "Government FOR the People" - not "Government TO the People" !!

The city gets the majority of it's revenues from property tax - the money that you pay for living here. I believe that the city should spend most pf that money making Stone Mountain a better place for those people to live! 

Our parks are shabby and neglected, our storm water system is crumbling from lack of repairs, our neighborhoods have no sidewalks and many are poorly lighted and  - like the rest of America and the world - Our people are struggling with the pandemic losses of COVID-19 - but City Hall wants to spend over $1.5 Million dollars on a Visitors Center - with $ 233,000.00 dedicated for 2021 alone! 

I promise, if elected, to help City Hall keep their priorities straight - on what is best and needed by the people.   The people who LIVE here. The people who PAY the taxes.

No - but we cannot rule out the possibility that the City might destroy itself. Our citizens are tired of paying some of the HGHEST TAXES IN GEORGIA - without seeing ANYTHING good for their money! Why would they continue to pay MORE in taxes for LESS in services? (Like $42,000.00 for increased employee only parking at City Hall ? 20 extra spaces at $2,400.00 each ...)

Dekalb County provides our water, our sanitary sewer, our fire protection, our trash/sanitation pick up, our library, our schools, even our traffic lights .  Until recently, they also repaired our roads, handled business licenses and building permits/inspections, and provided most other services too . Is the City BETTER at these services? Are they even trying to improve??

If chosen for City Council, I  will never allow City Hall to forget who they serve, or why.  The priority MUST remain on serving the people.

We are blessed in SMV to have the brave and caring police officers that we have.  Every day, these real life Heroes are placing their lives on the line to keep our homes, our city, and our very lives well protected. With our small city size  ( Maximum distance 1.7 miles! ) we can expect a "Fully Armed Cruiser" to be able to reach any point in the city in 5 minuets or less!

But our safety truly depends as much or more on crime prevention and "watching" as much as to our Officers' response. 

According to the SMV City Manager, it costs in EXCESS OF $ 125.000.00  to add each fulltime shift officer! That means to add 24 hour protection , each additional patrol position cost           $ 525,000.00 per YEAR!!   
And this does NOT include any of the costs for cruiser fuel, repairs, or new technology !!! 

Is there another way ? 

Currently ,the SMV Police to respond to every call - but many or most of these calls are for automobile fender-benders, damage reports, welfare checks, noise violations and other such low level items that waste valuable police patrolmans' shift time. . Is there a way to put more "eyes" on the streets for less money? Could we help our patrolmen maximize their time by giving them assistance? I think we can.

 Dr. King spoke often about creating a Beloved Community - I share his dream.

I believe that SMV can rise above the fears and prejudices that separate us, that through outreach we can be a model of inclusion,  of celebration and strength in our citizen's diversities. 

Stone Mountain needs to find unity in a shared identity, For too long have we allowed ourselves to be defined only by the neighborhood we live in - be it Shermantown, East Mountain, Rockborough,  Ridge, or the Parks - we are all a part of SMV. We will all thrive together, or wither away on our own.

As your city councilman, I will work to make Stone Mountain a unified city - without prejudice or favoritism to any one part of town, It is long past time that we all came together.

Fair enough. I am a 63 year old single male.  I am a single dad, and live with my 16 year old son Gunnar in a small 1930's house on 3rd Street.  I have lived in SMV for about 10 years.

My working life was as an electrical contractor. I founded and operated two separate electrical companies, Icon Electric Co, Inc., and Provar Services Inc. in the state of Georgia.  I hold both a Unrestricted Electrical Contracting license as well as an Unrestricted Low-Voltage Contractors license. I take pride that I have a spotless record with the Secretary of State, and have never been cited or accused of any professional violations whatsoever.

Education wise, I hold a BBA from GSU, as well as Electrical Engineering and Mass Communications Associate degrees.  

Total and unconditional surrender!! The citizens of Stone Mountain deserve no less than 100% of our paid government's best efforts. If these employees can't (or won't) do the job - they need to find some other way to make a living. 

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