East Cobb resident to announce run for Cobb school board

An East Cobb resident involved in youth sports in the community is expected to announce his campaign this week for a seat on the Cobb Board of Education next year.East Cobb resident planning Cobb school board campaign

That’s the Post 5 seat currently held by four-term Republican David Banks, whose term expires at the end of 2024.

John Cristadoro referenced Friday in a post on a Facebook page created for his campaign a “Special Announcement Coming Soon” at the Cobb Republican Party breakfast on Saturday, April 1.

He’s also launched a “John4Cobb” campaign website indicating he’s seeking the Post 5 seat, but has posted no further information.

In response to a message from East Cobb News, Cristadoro acknowledged he will be officially launching his campaign on Saturday and providing more details later.

Post 5 includes most of the Walton and Wheeler and some of the Pope attendance zones.

Cristadoro is the president of Alliance Tax Solutions, with offices in Atlanta and Houston, which helps businesses resolve tax issues.

He’s a parent in the Walton attendance zone and is involved with the Walton youth football and wrestling programs and East Side youth baseball.

Cristadoro, who is is married with two children, hails from New Orleans and is an Air Force veteran.

He also is involved in Advocates for Love, a Christian ministry that cares for orphans in the Dominican Republic.

Banks, who was first elected in 2008, has not indicated if he will be seeking a fifth term.

His seat is one of four on the Cobb school board that will be up for election in 2024. They include two other posts also held by Republicans, who hold a 4-3 majority.

Banks, who is the current board vice chairman, fended off primary and general election competition in 2020. But he won by his slimmest margin, by only 2,639 votes.

He has been a controversial figure, primarily about immigration, racial issues and COVID-19. Most recently, he sparked outrage about comments he made about Roman Catholicism.

Following reapportionment in 2022, Post 5 was altered to include most of the Walton and Wheeler attendance zones that had been in Post 6, which was shifted to the Smyrna-Cumberland area.

Post 6 was represented from 2019-22 by Democrat Charisse Davis, who did not seek re-election last year.

Some of the old Post 5, including much of the Lassiter attendance zone, was placed in Post 4, in which Republican David Chastain was elected to a third term last November.

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