Atlanta Progressive News

(APN) ATLANTA — Steve Broadbent, who was the Republican nominee for Chairman of Fulton County in 2010, has made statements in his campaign for Johns Creek City Council which are inconsistent with statements he made in 2010 regarding Fulton County and the movement to create Milton County.

Broadbent participated in a sit-down interview with APN during the 2010 race, and unlike the incumbent, John Eaves, also participated in an APN Town Hall Meeting and Candidates’ Forum that year.

During both the interview and the Town Hall, Broadbent stated that he was running to reform Fulton County; that he believed reforming Fulton County was the only way to alleviate the demand for North Fulton to secede as Milton County; and that, in fact, electing him was the only way to prevent Milton County from happening.

During the Town Hall, APN’s Editor asked Broadbent if Milton County was completely off the table for him.  APN asked whether, if he did get elected and was unable to reform Fulton County, whether he would still support keeping Fulton together.  Broadbent replied that that was an impossible scenario, because there was no way he could get elected as Chairman and not reform Fulton County.

However, in his current campaign for Johns Creek, he is on the defensive, being forced to explain to voters–many of whom support Milton County–why he ran for Chairman of Fulton.

“One of my opponents, Brad Raffensperger, is making telephone calls this week stating that he is the only candidate that has consistently supported the creation of Milton County,” Broadbent wrote in an email yesterday, October 28, 2011.

Has Broadbent been consistent in supporting Milton County?  The case could be made either way.  By running for Chairman of Fulton County, he campaigned on reforming Fulton as an alternative to Milton, although he would probably argue that he supported Milton as a back-up plan if he didn’t win the election.

“Last year, I ran for Chairman of the Fulton County Commission on a platform to immediately reduce county spending, cut wasteful programs, and lower property taxes,” Broadbent said.

But then Broadbent went on to say: “Anyone familiar with the Milton County issues knows it could take up to five years to get Milton County approved in the state legislative and then establish it as an operational county.”

As if to suggest that, while Broadbent was serving as Fulton County Chairman, that the process that would establish Milton County would continue, but that he wanted to provide immediate relief through Fulton reforms until Milton was established.

This is in direct contradiction to the statements Broadbent made in 2010 while campaigning, specifically, that by electing Broadbent as Fulton Chairman, that any need to create Milton County would go away.

The statements made by Broadbent in Midtown Atlanta and in North Fulton are inconsistent.  What is not clear is whether Broadbent was being misleading about his position on Milton County then; or now; or both.

Broadbent did not immediately return a voicemail seeking comment.

(END/2011)