By Amethyst Clifton
The residents of communities within Walton county, Athens-Clarke county and Oconee county have two major candidates running for the 2018 election midterm in district 46 of Georgia.
These candidates have dedicated their time and life’s work into serving the public. Both Bill Cowsert, current republican state senator, and Marisue Hillard, current democratic candidate, have different viewpoints on how to tackle tough issues, but both candidates are making efforts to gain votes in their favor.
“It is important to have resources to get you message out to people,” said Bill Cowsert. “Unfortunately, part of what we are doing is demonstrating to voters what we stand for and why we should be kept in office or be elected.”
Cowsert has spent over a decade serving as a state senator of district 46 in Georgia. Cowsert mentioned that this election is just like any other.
His experience has allowed him to gain seniority within state legislation. However, he knows that there is so much more he can do to help.
“I do anything from setting tax policies to doing things to create jobs and opportunities by incentivizing businesses to move to Georgia and opening facilities”, said Cowsert.
Hillard and Cowsert both concentrate on major concerns that pertain to the people of Athens, Georgia and Monroe, Georgia. One thing often emphasized in their campaigns is adjusting the tax burden for current taxpayers.
Additionally, both parties share the objective of serving the public and gaining the integrity of local residents. Their political views differ in some instances, but their common interest to assist citizens with ongoing tax regulations remains prevalent in both parties.
Hillard explained that the Georgia state legislator is responsible for making decisions regarding income taxes and how taxes go to “anything you could think of” to run the government.
Hillard is interested in the distribution of state funds spent on improving the environment and creating solutions to the unemployment rate. She has lots of suggestions on how to enhance local counties and advance the lives of citizens within the surrounding area.
“A better way to help local communities is to try to help the businesses that are already here," said Hillard. "This could be done through incentives or grants. Small businesses are already tied to the community, if we can expand the businesses already here then, I think we could improve employment.”
Lance Palmer, researcher and tax expert, suggests that voters should consider what is best for the entire community during the election. He explains that the tax burden in the U.S. is not proportionate for every citizen within different income classes.
Policies and regulations apply to certain residents of communities differently. He mentions there are other fiscal important issues that impact the country like deficit and national debt.
“If people are voting out of their own self-interest, related to taxes, then we are going to get a continuation of politicians just wanting to please their voting base,” said Palmer.