Courtesy Large 4 Milton, Inc.
As we enter the campaign season, I think it is important for all of us to consider why we support a particular candidate for office. Our community will face several challenges over the next four years. These challenges are an opportunity for us to define who we are and who we are going to be.
Milton already is a special place to live. Our community has received numerous awards and is recognized as one of the most desirable cities to live, but is that all? I believe Milton can be the best place to live AND to work AND to play.
I embrace a concept I call "Heritage and High Tech." This simply means that we can jobs and preserve our way of life. We do not have to choose between the horse farms, having a neighborhood park system, supporting our local businesses and creating a business friendly environment. The choice we face is who will shoulder the burden.
Right now, approximately 85% of our revenues are generated by property taxes while only 15% is generated from businesses. This is unsustainable. With over 200 miles of roads to maintain and dozens of expenses, we have to grow our revenue. I support filling out our three existing commercial zones over raising our property taxes by embracing a "Heritage and High Tech" philosophy. This means supporting our small businesses and attracting high paying, low imprint and environmentally friendly jobs.
Yes, we have the opportunity to do more and that is why I am running. I need your vote so I can vote for you. If I can count on your vote, please join my team.
22 comments:
You have my vote!
How are you going to single handedly fill all the vacant commercial property? Until the economy turns around, you ain't doing nothing but empty "sounds good" promises to campaign on. Sorry. We are sick of this crap in Milton.
If we continue to "replace" at every election, surely this city will go nowhere fast. There is a learning curve. Why should we elect the same kind of candidate across the board? Are the citizens being "marketed" to and what is the strategy? Some people are working very hard for a 7-0 vote every time. Is that good for Us? Be honest.
Agree with last comment. We need diversity of opinions on council. What's so astounding is everyone knows that Thurman and Lusk are the driving council members wanting to replace Tart and Bailey? Ask yourself why is that? Do we want a 7-0 vote every time or do we want discussion and other perspectives to work through and do what the citizens want and what's best for Milton, or should we let 7 who agree do what they want without any check or balance. I'd rather have the fighting than a slam dunk council.
Two new guys with no face time or real involvement thus far in our community? We don't need any more puppies in training by dog whisperers Thurman and Lusk. I will pass.
Can anyone run in this town not affiliated or hand picked by current council persons!!! Come on!
Who is qualified in this town without political ties?
I have to disagree with that sentiment. Milton has not replaced with every election. Two of the three incumbents won out last time (we remember what happened to the third.) Four of the seven members have been on the Council since its beginning. Why make a change now? Look around. Look at the Crossroads. Look at your tax bill. There's plenty of reason to give someone with practical experience an opportunity, especially when the alternative is someone with no experience creating jobs, no experience making payroll and no interest in helping Milton thrive. I like this post.
How is filling up the vacant business space going to help our residential tax bills?
If there was a silver bullet answer, why wouldn't some of the other cities in the Country with the same vacant space have solved it?
Its the economy, not the leadership.
This post is nonsensical.
Seems pretty obvious that the backers are trying to stack the deck for some serious unchallenged zoning variances when the economy finally begins to recover.
My vote goes to Tart & Zahner-Bailey not the "BIG DEVELOPMENT" candidates. They care more about the community than filling their pockets with money from the developers!
I just watched the candidate interview for the first time. That could not have been any more painful. I watched all the way through thinking that it was a spoof and at some point "Opey" would stop and a real candidate might emerge. That never happened. It only confirmed that the dark political machine that works behind the scenes has propped up a candidate. Lusk and Thurman should be ashamed of themselves. Lance did not even realize he had moved to Milton!!! He has nothing to bring to the table. Lance, do yourself a favor and bow out gracefully now. There is no need to further embarrass yourself or your family.
Tart underestimates or does not care about his own abrasiveness. "Hope" should not be a word used in any action plan, so waiting for the economy to turn itself around and doing nothing in the meantime is not a viable option. Had the voters not sought change in the last election, we would have been left with an incumbent councilwoman (endorsed by Large's opponent) who was subsequently found guilty of an ethics charge.
A city has to pay its bills, one way or another. Right now you and I are footing the majority of Milton's bills rather than business. We have one of the highest millage rates around because we have one of the smallest business tax bases around. Here's the reality, there is business aside from the big box stores. A horse farm is a business and you and I work for a business. I don't think anyone is talking about extending sewer or mass commercialization. Filling out the current zones is hardly a bad thing to do.
Everyone over the age of 18 is qualified to run in this town. Political ties is a major turn off! I am sick of the council clicks! Not good for our community.
Do we want to be Milton where the tax base does come from the property owners or do we want to surrender to development and become Alpharetta? What was the purpose of becoming a city if we end up looking like the surrounding over commercialized towns? We all know we want to be unique, so the trade off is the taxes come more from the property owners unless we want to abandon all that is currently Milton. Which is it?
Yawn...this guys is awful, but JZB is worse. I saw him speak/mutter at the Olde Blind Dog last week and was actually embarrased for him. Openly stating he was not willing to go into any deatils about anything was overtly odd. He will get my vote to remove her, but could we really not field a better candidate?
Lance Large will replace Alan Tart, not JZB. Matt Kunz will replace JZB.
Do you think some men run for council positions to further their careers, not originally ever intending to be a politician or a public servant, but seek opportunity for other reasons. What makes a person run for council without prior civic experience, a newcomer from Virginia Beach of only a few years. Does VB reflect our lifestyle? Where does the seated councilmember stand and what does his performance review look like, separate from this ridiculous them vs Us, sewer vs no sewer, this election's theme is Business. Can we treat this like a job interview? Give up all the emotion. Stop taking sides. Who is the most qualified individual for the job?
The suggestion that filling up vacant businesses will aid residential tax payers is simply wrong. The owners are already paying taxes.
Milton City taxes are trivial - around 14% of our total property tax. Fulton County is the bulk of it.
Even though the argument that filling our vacant space will remove tax burden from home owners is not right, how much of a homerun could be hit? Save $50 per year?
This whole argument is a non-starter.
Treating it like a job interview, a smart hiring manager would ask Tart how he gets along with others and why a qualified city manager left after only 5 months rather than have to work with him. Not sure that puppy is house trained yet.
Lance is nothing more than a puppet. Watch his video, he didn't even know he had moved to Milton!! He thinks his one year as student body president in high school was worth mentioning as a valuable asset in his qualifications. Come on, the guy is a bafoon!!
How's mentioning that you were an Eagle Scout different from mentioning that you were a high school president?
Weak sauce is all I see new running.
This vision lacks vision. What is all this development going to save tax payers? perhaps $70-150 per year? In exchange for over crowded roads and unwanted growth. Along with a city council, all tied to the development community, and corrupted by conflict of interest.
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