Q&A: County Commission District 4 Contenders

There are three candidates for DeKalb County Commission District 4: Steve Bradshaw, Clyburn Halley, and Sharon Barnes Sutton, the incumbent.

We asked the candidates about the issues and what sets them apart (Patch reached out to Halley but was not contacted before posting time. His responses will be included in this article when received):

Sharon Barnes-Sutton

1. What do you consider the most important issues for District 4?

Sutton: I would say the preservation of our community and that includes making sure our neighborhoods are safe, bringing jobs to our area, bringing quality of life resources such as parks, YMCAs, restaurants, theaters, and investing in our youth and seniors. Also, addressing our ordinances and policies to help ensure our neighborhoods are clean and beautiful.

2. What do you think sets you apart from the other candidates?

What sets me apart is that I have experience in meeting the needs of my community and I have been committed to district four, to this community, before I was elected and continue with my service after being elected. I actually know what a commissioner does and I know how to do it, and I’ve done a good job of taking care of the constituents of district four. I have built coalitions with other stakeholders and elected officials to help me take care of the needs of our residents.

Steve Bradshaw

1. What do you consider the biggest issues for District 4?

I think the biggest issue, as is the biggest issue in the county at large, is economic development. I think economic development rests on three pillars. First is public safety. People have to feel safe where they are in their homes and their businesses, otherwise given the means and the opportunities they’re going to go somewhere else. Second is fiscal responsibility. Here’s something I tell my students all the time, in good times prepare for bad times in bad times prepare for good times. The third pillar is education. Without having a solid education system, the opportunity cost is significant.

2. What do you think sets you apart from the incumbent?

I think, as I say in one of my pieces, I’m running for public office to be a public servant, not a self servant. I’m not seeking the job for my own aggrandizement. I’m seeking to offer the citizens of this district a conduit to county government and someone who’s going to be responsive to them, and that’s from one side of the district to the other.

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