District 3 Issues

Promote Economic Development and Job Growth

Coming out of the recession that started in 2007, the most important issue for Gwinnett County moving forward is economic development. As a result of Mike's tireless efforts, Gwinnett has the lowest unemployment rate of the core metro Atlanta counties.

When Mike took office in 2004, he saw that much of the county's growth was fueled by residential development. As the county grew, the ratio of the residential tax base to the commercial tax base increased, making it more difficult for the county to fund its operations. To bring back a balance between residential and commercial, Gwinnett County needs to bring in more companies that provide high-paying jobs and add to the tax base.

What's Been Accomplished:

• Mike helped promote economic development by supporting the Partnership Gwinnett program in his first term. In the last five years, the program has aided in the expansion of existing companies, and has brought hundreds of new jobs to the county.
• Mike has gone on many business recruitment trips in an effort to lure companies and jobs to Gwinnett.
• Two Fortune 500 companies, including NCR, have relocated to Gwinnett County in the last few years.

Mike Keeps Working on Important Issues

While campaigning for the office of County Commissioner in 2004, Mike listed the following issues as the most important for District 3 residents, and the county as a whole. After more than seven years in office, he feels that considerable progress has been made in addressing these issues, as you can see below.

Foster a More Open and Accessible County Government

Many Gwinnett residents feel little or no connection to their government. They think that decisions regarding development, road building, and taxes are made behind closed doors, and that commission meetings serve to rubber stamp these decisions.

Mike wants to represent the people of the third district, and to make sure that their voice is heard when decisions affecting their neighborhoods are being made. As commissioner, he will hold regular office hours on Saturdays, where residents can meet with him and let him know the issues and concerns they would like to see addressed at commission meetings.

In order to avoid conflicts of interest between the citizens he represents and those who stand to gain financially by the decisions he makes as commissioner, Mike has refused to take campaign contributions from developers, and will continue to do so in the future.

What's Been Accomplished:

• Mike has met with over 800 District 3 residents at over 85 Saturday Meetings with Mike, held each month at different locations in the district.
• Mike accomplished his goal of getting comprehensive ethics reform passed in 2011, including greater disclosure and transparency requirements for county government.
• Mike spearheaded an initiative to allow taxpayers to go to the county website to see exactly what their individual property taxes pay for.
• County Commission meetings are now broadcast live on Gwinnett TV, and are streamed over the Internet.
• Mike brought in county Transportation department officials and outside consultants for a special meeting with homeowners affected by the Sugarloaf Parkway extension so they could get their questions answered prior to the county's approval of the project.
• A new section of the county's website offers information for homeowner's associations.
• Mike has attended over 200 community meetings and festivals to gather constituents input and feedback.
• Mike has yet to take a single financial contribution from a developer.

Promote Community Friendly Growth

Mike believes that homeowners have a right to expect that their property values and neighborhoods will not suffer from zoning and development decisions that are inappropriate for their communities.

This homeowner friendly growth can be achieved in several ways:

• By making sure that new development in a neighborhood matches the quality and lot size of existing homes in the area. Prior to this change they could be built without going through zoning or a public hearing.
• By ensuring that before new development is allowed, the county has the appropriate road, water, and sewer infrastructure in place so that the new construction does not overwhelm the community's ability to support it.
• By making sure that new development conforms to the county's land use plan.

The county's land use plan was created to guide Gwinnett's growth through the year 2030. Developed by the county's professional staff, and approved after considerable public hearings and community input, it defines the zoning, lot sizes and type of development allowed in every area of the county. It serves at the county's "budget" for future growth. Rezonings and other variations from the land use plan should only be made as a result of demonstrated community needs.

What's Been Accomplished:

• Mike sponsored changes in the county's zoning regulations that prohibit vinyl siding for certain types of cluster housing, and require higher quality building materials for exteriors.
• New conservation subdivisions must now go through a planning department review and public hearing before they can be built, thanks to Mike's zoning changes.
• Mike supported the state's Fair Annexation Act, which would have limited the ability of cities to annex property that could be developed for less desirable land uses than what the county had planned.
• Mike has denied many rezoning applications in District 3 that do not conform to the county's land use plan. For example, the Lake Lucerne-Five Forks Trickum Road Gas Station, zonings off Oleander Road, West Park Place, and Grayson-New Hope Road have all been turned down.
• Mike has voted to approve overlay districts in new commercial areas in District 3, requiring higher quality buildings and improved amenities. He as worked with the Evermore Community Improvement District to improve the quality of life in the Lake Lucerne and Snellville areas.

Reduce the County Tax Rate

No one likes to pay higher taxes. With expected cuts in state funding, the county may be forced to tax its residents more in the future to pay for its operations. Mike will hold the line on the property and sales taxes county residents pay.

Mike promises to examine current and future expenditures to make sure that citizens are receiving value for the programs they pay for. This cost-benefit analysis will help eliminate funding of outdated or ineffective projects that represent a drain on the county's budget.

Mike will also focus on the impact that development decisions have on the county budget, both in the short run and the long term. By enforcing high quality standards for new development, the county can save money later when it doesn't have to redevelop or repair shoddy infrastructure.

What's Been Accomplished:

• Mike has never voted for a tax increase during his term as commissioner.
• Mike voted against the stormwater fee that appears on residents property tax bills.
• Mike supported changes in the county's budget that reduced spending by over $200 million.
• Mike sponsored changes to development regulations requiring 100 year minimum standards and higher quality materials for storm drains, thereby saving the county money in maintenance and replacement down the road.
• Mike has voted to spend county funds on projects that will improve the quality of life for county residents, including new and improved parks, libraries, and roads, while questioning spending on projects of little or no benefit to most county residents.

Make Gwinnett a Safer Place to Live

Recent home invasions and reports of gang activity in the county remind us that Gwinnett is no longer immune to the crime and violence that long plagued the country's major cities. Mike believes that by working together, the Commission, county police, and citizens can control the problem.

Mike proposes strengthening and increasing enforcement of zoning codes to make it more difficult for criminals to gain a foothold in our neighborhoods. He will also make sure that county police have the manpower, training and resources needed to effectively fight crime.

Citizen involvement is also key to keeping criminals and gangs at bay. Mike will explore ways that the Commission can promote cooperation between residents and law enforcement.

What's Been Accomplished:

• Gwinnett continues to have low crime rates. In 2011, criminal activity dropped in 10 of 12 categoriess, including all non-property categories.
• Mike voted in favor of pay increases and hiring incentives for Gwinnett's public safety personnel.
• Mike supported the county's Operation Fixing Broken Windows, and voted in favor of ordinance changes that support the project's efforts.
• During Mike's term, the county has broken ground on the new Police Training Facility in Lawrenceville, the Eastside Police Precinct in Dacula, and new or replacement fire stations in Dacula, Grayson, and Snellville. These facilities are expected to open in 2006 and 2007.
• Mike is supporting changes in the property ordinance that would require absentee owners to register, making it easier to enforce zoning and occupancy violations.

Reduce the Number of Trailers in Our Schools

It seems like every time a new school opens in Gwinnett, it comes with trailers to serve as overflow classrooms. Students at existing schools also suffer from having to learn in trailers. The Board of Education plans for expansion and new schools by looking at the county's land use plan and expected growth patterns. Because school funding and construction can take several years, these decisions must be made far in advance. In many cases, these projections are thrown off by development that does not match the county's land use plan.

Trailers at Brookwood High School

By only permitting new housing that matches the character of existing neighborhoods, and that conforms to the land use plan, Gwinnett county can restore a balance between growth and preservation that lets our children learn in schools that are not overcrowded.

What's Been Accomplished:

• Compared to when Mike took office, hundreds of school trailers are gone.
• Mike has imposed conditions on several large-scale development projects, limiting the number of new homes each year until the school system can provide adequate classrooms to support the new residents.
• Mike has denied many rezonings in school clusters that are overcrowded.