As in previous years, The Citizen has invited Fayette County candidates in the primary election this July to submit 400-word essays to communicate their positions to the voting public.

As your next county commissioner, my primary focus will be on rebuilding our county’s image.

To say I am disappointed in the incumbent’s remarks directed at me is an understatement. In political races, an incumbent personally attacks an opponent when her own record isn’t adequate to justify her re-election. Such is the case with the incumbent trying to label me as “developer friendly” and “naive.”

As an incumbent being challenged by opponents without a voting record I am often in a difficult position. Opponents can say they would have done things differently but there is usually no way of knowing if those statements of fact or are simply campaign rhetoric until too late.

My pledge to the citizens of Fayette County is that I will not waste your tax dollars. As you read in last Wednesday’s edition of The Citizen, Chairman Greg Dunn spent $226,000 over the last three years in lawsuits involving the County Commission and the Sheriff’s Office. The total legal fees for Fayette County are over $1.4 million. Chairman Dunn has wasted your tax dollars on filing and fighting frivolous lawsuits.

Editor’s note: Candidate Bob Todd provided answers to two questions he omitted in his reply last week. The questions and answers are below.

As we head into the final week before the Republican primary, I continue to seek your support for my re-election to the Fayette County Board of Education.

It is a great honor to know that I served parents and students in the Fayette County School System for 35 years of my life. Those were very gratifying years for me.

In this, my final essay prior to the Republican Primary election, I would like you to know that I have cast hundreds of recorded votes on behalf of my constituents.

My wife and I prayed hard about the decision to run for public office. We determined it was my time to step forward, much like a soldier steps into battle, except my fight is for our family values, better opportunities for students, more resources and better retirement for teachers, uninterrupted delivery of healthcare at an affordable price and no new taxes!

Dear friends,

Affordable quality healthcare for Georgians is a right, not a privilege. For those of us fortunate enough to have medical insurance, our premiums in the last six years have risen more than twice as fast as consumer prices overall (9.2 percent premium increase vs. 3.5 percent prices overall) and more than three times the increase in earnings (2.7 percent).

There are two issues in the forefront of the present county commission race. One is the issue of wastefulness, and the other issue is the unbridled grasp for power. I believe the time has come to change the leadership of our county.

Last week I stated my extensive qualifications to be your Fayette County commissioner. This week I address issues and positions.

One of my opponents, Mr. Chapman, is advocating for MORE. He supports MORE spending for recreation (with a current operating budget of almost $2 million).

This week’s essay will address two issues related to this campaign, personal attacks and land use.

Editor’s note: The candidate provided answers this week to last week’s questions.

Editor’s note: The candidate provided answers to last week’s questions for this week. He also asked that last week’s essay be repeated.

As the incumbent, I have a voting record that may be examined and scrutinized by anyone so inclined to do so.

Dear friends,

I believe it is one of the primary responsibilities of our state government to educate its citizens. This is not only good policy, it is smart policy. No one is going to build a plant or open a business where there is no educated workforce.

As in past years, The Citizen is again opening its opinion pages to candidates for contested local and locally-decided political offices.

As in previous years, The Citizen has invited Fayette County candidates in the primary election this July to submit 400-word essays to communicate their positions to the voting public.

The Citizen posed several questions to candidates for the two posts being decided for the Fayette County Commission. The questions are as follows:

I moved to Fayette County in 1992 incident to military orders assigning me to Ft. McPherson. I intended to leave after my tour of duty was completed. That, of course, never happened. I grew to love the quality of life, and the people of Fayette County. When the time came, I chose to retire and settle here permanently.

I believe that the most important issue that the citizens of Fayette County will face in the coming years will be growth. The management of the growth will be critical.

When our citizens look to Fayette County for services, availability is important. Affordability is important. Believing that they are respected is important. Being able to remain in their homes and pay their taxes is important.

Hello, I am Jack Smith, and I want to be your Fayette County Commissioner:

I would like to take this time to introduce myself to those of you who do not yet know me. Like many of you, I am not a life-long resident of Fayette County. After living in eight different states (including Hawaii) and living three years in Germany, I had the good fortune to make Fayetteville my home.

The Citizen posed several questions to candidates for the two posts being decided for the Fayette County Board of Education. The questions are as follows: