Because of my strong belief that the citizens of District 6 and Dougherty County deserve a choice, I have decided to become a county commission candidate for District 6 as of 10:00 a.m. , Friday morning.

As a resident of Dougherty County for over 37 years, I have watched District 6 and East Albany slip into despair and become a “dumping ground” for a number of undesirable things in Dougherty County. The District itself is riddled with urban blight (unenforced building codes), crime (gangs, drug-trade, and thugs abound), severe unemployment and poverty (closed plants and businesses), and “good ol’ boy politics” have seemed to thrive there for decades.

If any citizen of this District is happy and satisfied with the status quo (they way things are), then they should not vote for me. However, if the citizens of District 6 and the entire Dougherty County area want a change of direction and see: 1. The end of the reign of local “slum lords” and urban blight;

2. The reduction of crime, with mass convictions and banishment of criminals from the entire judicial district;

3. The incomes of County Police brought up to standards with City Police;

4. A bright light shined upon and exposing of mismanagement of government funds, corruption, and political “favors” of the past;

5. The establishment of government priorities, (as essential and non-essential services) in trimming waste from our budget as taxpayers

and families have been doing for years; and

6. A County Commission vote to give senior citizens (over 65) a property tax break to the extent of property taxes (now 51%) appropriated

To the School Board;

Then you have a choice.

This seat is important not only to District 6, but to the entire Dougherty County area and the population affected by it, and we will need their support to win and change the course of Dougherty County.

You now have a choice.

Bio: Richard R. Thomas, age 63

Married to wife, Sharon, and daughter, Paige (15)

President of Corporate & Estate Analysts, Inc. (An estate planning firm)

Owns and operates a pecan and timber farm in Dougherty County

Education: B.S. Degree in Economics, M.B.A. degree, Finance, and C. L. U. designation

Resident of Dougherty County for 37 years