Kelly Woodall has been involved in business and economic development for most of his adult life, and he wants to bring a fiscal conservative platform to the county commission.
“Government should be the last option not the first,” Woodall said.
Woodall said industries are looking for infrastructure and educated workforce when they decide where to locate.
Woodall said there are issues between county leaders and the citizens when it comes to spending.
“We need to contain spending within our county budget,” Woodall said. “The trust level is not there with constituents to ask for more tax on a T-SPLOST on infrastructure or anything like that. We have to do the little things before we do the big things.”
Woodall said he believes in a consumption tax, as opposed to piling the burden onto property owners.
Woodall wants to see public and private officials come together at the table, bring resources and come up with solutions for the community.
“If you get the weight too heavy on one side it will list, sometimes you have to right the ship we are overweighted on taxes in our county,” he said. “We need to set a course together as a community.”
Woodall said he would like the county to get back to zero-based budgeting and work it out openly in front of the constituents.
“I want to be a transparent and accountable commissioner committed to reducing waste and lowering the tax burden on homeowners,” Woodall said. “I have served in Habersham for almost 19 years and my desire to serve as commissioner is to help restrain the growth of our local government and taxes as we prepare for future opportunities. We have drifted from fiscally conservative policies and it has nearly doubled the size and cost of our government. It’s time for local ‘Republican’ leaders to return to our core values of limited government, lower taxes, and individual freedom/responsibility.”
Woodall said he will donate his commissioner salary equally between Habersham United Way and Habersham FCA, “two organizations who are making an enormous impact in our community.”