Harry Johnston

Standing Up for Cherokee's Quality of Life

By Cyndi Braun

Responsible. Reasonable. Ready.

These three words describe Harry Johnstons candidacy for Cherokee County Commission Chairman, a position he believes will make a big impact on Cherokee Countys future.

Cherokee County is the best place in the world to live, said Johnston. With careful management of our growth and development, and effective leadership to build quality infrastructure and maintain great County services, we can retain the small-town quality of life that makes us all want to live here, even as we grow.

The Qualified Candidate

With many years of financial training and experience, Johnston is the most qualified candidate on the ballot. He previously served fourteen years as District 1 Commissioner and four years as a member of the County Planning Commission.

He holds degrees in finance and accounting from Georgia State and is a certified public accountant. He retired recently after 42 years in accounting management with a Fortune 500 company.

Involved in many civic and community groups, Johnston grew up in Canton and graduated from Cherokee High School. He is the current chairman of the City of Canton Board of Zoning Appeals and a member of the Canton Historic Preservation Commission. Johnston has been a member of the Republican party his entire life. Hes also a deacon, Sunday school teacher, church treasurer, and choir member.

Why Vote for Harry?

Im well-qualified, and Ive got the financial training and experience. During my fourteen years on the Board of Commissioners, I functioned as the financial leader of the board. I know how to keep taxes low and services good. Ive got a proven track record as a fiscal conservative, said Johnston. I love Cherokee County. We have fully half of our growth and development left ahead of us. If we do it right, we can make Cherokee County the absolute shining jewel in the crown of metro Atlanta.

Key Issues

Responsible Growth Management

We are in the enviable position that more people want to move to Cherokee County than we can accommodate without adversely affecting our quality of life, said Johnston, a long-time leader in the responsible growth movement. We can afford to be selective about the growth we want.

Johnston supports the Countys restrained land use plan thats built around a 3% annual growth rate, versus an unrestrained rate of about 4.5%. Translating that into population numbers, a 3% growth rate will double the County population in 25 years, while a 4.5% rate will triple it.

Johnston believes residential development should be restrained by limiting high-density development to areas in and around cities, with gradual stepping down to semi-rural and rural areas. Inappropriate annexations often lead to high-density development in areas that are semi-rural. Johnstons goal is to reduce such annexations by improving City/County relationships and cooperation.

Another element of responsible growth management is building a strong business presence, which leads to more jobs in the County. Johnston will work aggressively to bring quality jobs by offering tax incentives and developing business parks to create more local employment opportunities for County citizens.

Infrastructure

We need to improve roads and other infrastructure as fast as possible to support the land use plan, said Johnston. Its very challenging to keep up, even at a restrained growth rate. Its nearly hopeless at an unrestrained rate.

The biggest challenges are State highways, which are not under County control. At this time, the State is improving I-575 and will start soon on Highway 20, but more is needed.

Johnston has experience working with State, Regional, and other local leaders to get projects moving. He believes in building relationships and developing creative solutions to challenges like these.

Conservative Fiscal Management

We need careful and capable financial management to allow services to keep up with the growth while keeping tax rates low, said Johnston.

The groundwork Johnston laid while previously serving as commissioner helped ensure low taxes in Cherokee County. In fact, Cherokee County enjoys the sixth lowest County-controlled tax rates out of all 159 counties in Georgia. Effectively managing the Countys finances will be critical as Cherokee continues to grow and expand services such as those provided by the Sheriffs Office and the Fire Department.

Through efficient management from a qualified financial leader, Cherokee County can continue to offer low taxes and excellent services.

Dignified, Cooperative Leadership

I will present a positive and professional image of Cherokee County to Regional and State leadership. After working with four Board of Commissioners chairmen over eighteen years, I understand that the role of the chairman is to be a consensus builder more than to promote a particular agenda. The chairman needs to reach out to all sides and seek solutions that work for everyone, said Johnston.

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