Fulton County voters will elect government chair, school board members

Pitts, 74, said property values continue to be an issue for him. He said more than $3 million was allocated to the chief appraiser’s office by the county this year to hire additional appraisers and help the system catch up, as well as better communicate the process for filing an appeal if property values seem too high. Pitts also said he is interested in improving transportation in the county, including transit. The governor recently signed legislation that will allow for transit expansion in Fulton and the rest of the metro area.

Other priorities include reducing Fulton County’s jail population, building a new animal shelter and completing library renovation plans. Pitts, an international business consultant, said he is “uniquely qualified” for the role because of his extensive experience as a Fulton County commissioner and member of Atlanta’s city council, including as president.

Waites, 45, was a three-term state representative and is an emergency management contractor. Waites said she had long supported transit, and also wanted to offer relief for high property taxes. She said she is a bridge-builder, and is running to be county chair because she sees a need for leadership in the county.

Waites said she is interested in improving public safety countywide. She is opposed to building a new animal shelter, saying there are unused county buildings that could be utilized instead. And Waites said there is room to "trim fat" in county government, where she thinks the government has not sufficiently contracted after a wave of municipalizations that left the county with only a small unincorporated area. Waites also said that some government salaries are too high. Her goal, she said, is to save taxpayers money.

On the Fulton County school board, Thomas Pemble faces incumbent Katie Reeves in district 2. Pemble, 65 and a retired Centennial High School chemistry and physics teacher, said he wants fewer students in each class, an increase in counseling services and security officers at each school. Reeves, a board member since 1999 and board president from 2003 to 2005, said she would email comments, but did not do so.

In district 6, incumbent Kimberly Dove is facing LaTonya Rogers. Dove, who was appointed to the seat last year, is a system analyst. She said she has a passion for improving reading among elementary students, and wants to create a science and technology school in the south part of the county. Dove, 48, is also interested in improving the high school graduation rate and reducing the number of troubled schools. Rogers, 45 and a third grade teacher in the Atlanta Public Schools, said she wants to bring awareness to the school board of the issues teachers face. A former member of the East Point city council, Rogers said she wants to ensure that there are no failing schools on the south side of the county, where her district is located, and she has proposed more engagement with parents, including GED classes and help with mental health issues. Rogers also wants to improve school safety.

In Alpharetta, residents will also elect a new mayor. Former council members Jim Gilvin and Chris Owens are both vying for the seat. Gilvin, 53, said he wants a city government that is more transparent and responsive to residents. He also thinks the city should moderate its growth. He thinks new development doesn’t have to be as dense as previous projects, and does not think there is a need for any more apartments in Alpharetta. Additionally, Gilvin is interested in increasing green space and improving Alpharetta’s infrastructure, including roads and expanded transit. He wants to create a council of neighborhoods an an organization for people with special needs. Gilvin is the co-founder of Voterworkz, which provides data to candidates.

Owens, 46, is the vice president of business development for the civil engineering firm Landis Evans and Partners. He, too, wants to fix traffic issues — in part by expanding transit, and in part by widening some local roads where bottlenecks occur. Owens has proposed expanded conversations with Alpharetta’s technology companies to see how they can contribute to the city, and improved wireless service throughout Alpharetta. He also intends to promote Alpharetta as a good place to do business, and wants to redevelop the North Point Mall corridor, including with additional green space and a dedicated cycle track.

Additional elections include city council races in Alpharetta and Fairburn, state court and chief magistrate judges and uncontested races for the county commission and Fulton County school board.