This is part of a week-long series of posts on East Cobb News about candidates in the May 22 primaries where there are contested party races. This post includes information about those vying for Cobb Commission District 3.
There are two Republicans and two Democrats on the primary ballot. District 3 includes most of Northeast Cobb, the Town Center Mall area and a good bit of the city of Marietta. It has been redrawn since the Republican incumbent, JoAnn Birrell, was first elected in 2010.
Birrell, a former lobbyist and consultant, is seeking her third term. She is touting her record against tax hikes, greater support for public safety and advocating redevelopment of the Canton Road corridor and the creation of Mabry Park.
She voted to cut the millage rate in 2016, and said she does not support raising the property tax millage rate to help solve Cobb estimated $30 million to $55 million budget for fiscal year 2019.
Birrell has advocated for the creation of a special one-cent sales tax earmarked for the Cobb Police Department, similar to what exists for the Cobb Fire Department, with a corresponding reduction in the general fund millage rate. No state legislation for a referendum was submitted.
Last year, Birrell came under fire for proposing the closure of the East Cobb Library, which is on the potential closing list again this year.
Her GOP opponent is Tom Cheek, an account manager for a software firm that services the restaurant industry. He recently moved into the district from West Cobb and was a vocal critic of former Cobb commission Chairman Tim Lee regarding his handling of the Atlanta Braves stadium deal.
Cheek has campaigned on reforming SPLOST, reducing county spending and curbing development that doesn’t conform to the land use plan.
He’s also fought the county on reforming the Cobb Medical Examiner’s Office and filed suit against Cobb in 2016, claiming a pedestrian bridge to SunTrust Park was improperly earmarked with 2016 SPLOST funds.
His SPLOST proposal calls for having a referendum to remove what he calls “infeasible” projects on the 2016 SPLOST.
Cheek also opposes TODs, or “transit-oriented developments” along Highway 41 and is skeptical of a state law passed this year creating a new metro Atlanta transit authority.
At a recent candidates forum, he also said he wants to see more detailed figures about how big the county budget gap really is.
Home-schooling mother Caroline Holko is running as a Democrat, and she admits to having liberal views in what’s regarded as a conservative district.
She supports greater transit options for Cobb citizens and is not opposed to raising the millage rate in paying for services such as libraries and senior services, saying raising the millage rate by 1 mill would cost the owner of a $250,000 home an extra $100 a year.
At a candidates forum this month, she said “I don’t really support any significant budget cuts.” Holko also has asked for an audit of the Cobb Tax Assessors office. She has said her support for a property tax increase is predicated on “realistic property assessments.”
Retired Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority manager Jim Smith, who has been involved with the Canton Road Neighors civic group, is the other Democrat, and like Holko he is a first-time candidate.
In the campaign he has been vocal about paying county employees better. “We’re trying to do more with less,” he said at a campaign forum this month. “We’re not giving people a living wage and benefits to keep them here.”
Smith has been critical of Birrell’s and Cheek’s opposition to raising taxes, and on his Facebook page has detailed delays in road repairs as an example of lagging county services due to tight spending.
Related coverage
- Candidates on the Issues: House District 44
- Candidates on the Issues: House District 37
- Advance voting in East Cobb all this week
- See what’s on your sample ballot
- Who’s running for office in East Cobb
