Inside South Fulton County Politics with Steven Dingle

0:00Welcome to App In Media's Georgia Politics Podcast. I am Lindsay Coats. And today I'm talking with Stephen Dingle, Steve O. A fellow Fulton resident, community advocate, teacher, reader, former Atlanta City Council candidate. All the things welcome. Hey, Lindsay, I appreciate you having me excited. Yeah, I am excited today because I reached out to you after following your candidate page for a while now. And I think I even found you because my brother lives in East Atlanta. And so I don't know. I'd seen something that he liked or whatever. But at the surface level, we're both, we're pretty different if you're just on the service. But the more I solve your stuff, I really just was like, this guy is speaking my language about local government and wanting more out of them. And I thought it would be bad as I have conversation with you. And so I'm excited to talk about that, the local politics, local stuff that's happening.

1:03And the more I dug in realizing like your music company, the stay low and Atlanta reeds and all that stuff. So let's just dive in. So where are you right now? Tell me what you've been up to today. Yeah. So I'm in Southwest Atlanta literally geographically. And right now I deal some to in the classroom. So that's and it's so funny because I always tell my teacher, I started like two years ago. And so every year I get a permanent job working with autistic children. So like the first year I started, it's in Clayton County, which is just the Southern County below Fulton. I was in Charles Drew High School, then Riverdale High School, and then this recent tenure was at Malzayan. So literally been there this week. But yeah, currently in Southwest Atlanta, and then still in the classroom teaching some of autistic kids. I like that you order the duds for the kids. Hey, I do what I can. I really do enjoy it. And you learn a lot, you know, dealing with those.

2:03Because when you sub, you know, you just pick a kind of, just pick a job. You just know so school, you pick it. And then ever since I started, I've been in that department. So it's really been an eye-opening experience that I really enjoyed. I didn't expect to bring this up right now, but at all, but it was something I saw today that was a great idea that, you know, Fulton County schools, I don't know, I'm sure, you know, were at a deficit, right? Like huge budget deficit and making all these cuts. And they were saying in this text, what's it, Texas? I can't remember, but that school board or that county opted to make central, the central office workers go sub eight times a year in a classroom so that they understand what's going on and it ended up saving the school district for a million dollars. I didn't see that. Wow. I was like, okay, that is something Dr. Looney needs to know about. And also, I would like to see our school board members go and sub in a classroom.

3:05I really know what's going on. Yeah. I'm an APS district like where I live. Oh, you are. Okay. All of Atlanta's in Fulton County. It's a different school district. Yeah, that's right. That's right. Yeah. APS, yeah, y'all, I mean, they're all facing about the same and the cuts from the state level. But you've got a daughter, right? Yeah. She just graduated high school. Just graduated and set her off to college. Yep. Yep. She's at Clayton State right now. All right. How was that feeling? Is she still at home or living off? No, she's on campus. So, you know, I went to school in Henry County. My dad was inside with Atlanta. So I been back and forth my whole life. But it's so funny because I tell her, I'm like, you live the same life your dad did. I was in MacDonna and was back and forth between South West Atlanta. Her mom's in Stockbridge. I live in South West Atlanta. So she's made the trip her whole life. But now she's in the middle of us in Clayton. So her mom's in Henry. She's in Clayton. I'm in Fulton. So she's about 20 minutes if dad from both of us either died. All right. No, that's nice. I mean, I've got a 10th grader and I just been watching all my friends that are starting

4:08to, they just send all their kids off and I'm like, oh god. Right. We're almost there. Okay. So you ran for Atlanta City Council last year, right? What was the actual moment that you went from just citizen to, I got to, I need to jump in. I need to try to do something. Yeah, it was funny because it was a spur of the moment decision because I was in the music business at the time. I just, when I started teaching like two years ago, that's when I kind of transitioned. And I still, I got to foot in, but not as heavy as I would like where it was my main thing. I knew politics was going to be my next pivot. Like I tried the sports like, I just want to see kind of manage the athlete. I try to work with the Atlanta. I did work the Atlanta dream like the game day staff. So you warm it up the players. I did that to try to enter the sports room. And that's I've been in music for the past 12, 13 years. So I was like, you know, I'm getting older. I'm in my mid 30s. I was like, my 40. I was going to, I sold millions of records with this with producers or artists. But I was like, if I get myself to a 40, I could try to win a Grammy and then I'm

5:12a transition to politics. Well, what happened was my sitting city council member at the time, which is Marcy call your over street, who's now the Atlanta City Council president. She was leaving the seat to run for Atlanta City Council president. And I was just watching news like, I'm just going to do it. Like I was just like the fact that she's leaving the seat. There's, I don't know, I haven't heard anybody trying to run. I'm just, I'm just going to just jump out there. There's no competition at the current time. I was, so I was the first one to announce they ended up being 10 candidates total. But when I saw her say, I'm leaving the seat to, you know, pursue a different seat. I just decided to spur the mo light even till my wife. No, I'm just like, I'm going to do it. And then I announced like a week or two later from that. So had you been paying attention to politics, like look before? Um, yes. As heavy as I am now, I wasn't supposed to videos of stuff, of course, but like paying attention within the past two years prior to that yet for sure. But I've always been somewhat politically aware. Like I may have not have known the details of maybe who held what seat, but I was always

6:12aware of who was responsible for what? For what? Okay. That makes sense. Yeah. I, when I ran for Rosal, City Council, I, I was just completely clueless. This was three years ago. I'd never worked on a campaign. I was kind of like ignorant, overly confident about how that's. That's what I was going to ask you. Like were you kind of going into it blind to? Okay. That's what I murdered as well. Like me jumping in, I didn't know anything as far as campaign. I just thought like my name was strong. I like the further music business. I got the land of music industry. I was going to ask all my artists friends to give me some money. It's going to be like, I didn't think it was going to be easy, but I definitely thought like I'm going to raise like $250,000. I was like, whatever I want. And it just you, you realize how hard campaign, not campaign fundraising is. And then like all the particulars, like it was just me. Well, I took my prime and it's funny when people see me in my videos now or see me at the city hall.

7:13They always like, or they may not been aware of me before. They say, you should run. I'm like, I did. But it was just me. Like there was, it was just friends who believed in me, but there was like no campaign manager. They were like, well, I didn't have a friend. I did whose family was in politics. He did help out. But it was just like he was the only one who I would try to take care of financially. And then everything else just friends that could help and they had to spare time. But it wasn't like a big staff and it's a great team and field team and communications manager. It was just basically all this stuff you know you need now. Exactly. Yeah. I had a rude awakening too. I was lucky enough to have a meet a younger, much younger campaign. People that were just starting out their business. And so at least I had them, but otherwise I was just like, what the hell? And I find that with so many candidates. Like there's no, there's no infrastructure.

8:15There's no playable. There's nobody telling you like, here, this is where you should start. Here are vendors like that you can use. Like it's wild to me. And these are our non partisan races in Georgia, right? So I was going to ask you like, there's no party label. What did you think of that non partisan label going into it? And what do you think of it now? Um, I loved it, um, especially my approach to politics. Um, I think it gets like it gets all rid of that whole dividing, divisive Republican Democrat independence. It's just what are the issues like all we're focused on? What are the issues? What do constituents want? And what do they feel like they need it? How do we solve a problem? And so I personally a fan of the non partisan race, especially on the local level. Um, because in Georgia, because even I mean our counties are kind of, because the Ford County, we know who's Democratic Republican, but I think those are non partisan too. But I'm a fan of it then. I'm a fan of it now. I don't have any like my people have a change regarding it.

9:17Um, before I ran after I ran. And I think that might be an effect of where you live too, like the area you're at. Like more people are it. Like for me, I clung on to the non partisan thing because that's the way I like to roll anyway is like we're all, especially like when it comes to municipal stuff. And Atlanta is a different beast, right? Compared to Roswell, but, um, it doesn't take a Democrat to take out the garbage or like clean your streets, right? Or a Republican to make sure that water gets delivered. Um, but for me at least up here in the Northern Berbs, it would, I tried to go that route. It does not stay that route. And so what I learned afterwards is always like, Oh, they're going to make it partisan no matter what? Like in so for, from my perspective, like before I was like, I'm down for this. And I do think it should stay that way, but it, they, they still make it some hard

10:24partisan, partisan stuff. I think that would be the case now. I mean, it would be the case if there was someone who had a traditional Republican background in my area, like Atlanta or really Atlanta, general, I can speak with some West Atlanta is Democrat heavy. So it's like, and this your, your, your political stances and ideology is like out really right leaning. I don't think anybody would make it like that big of a deal. But if you were out really like if you voted for Trump or you something like that, that just signaled you were, I don't know if I mean, I see a lot of people like Ryan Kim, I can't even use that anymore because a lot of people come around on him too. Yeah. You know, I'm saying there has to be something outward that people can point to be like, he's a Republican trying to run for this seat that it would, I could see it becoming way more partisan. But the fact that mostly everybody in this area and this district, I'm saying, it's literally more left of center. That's why it's not a big deal. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. I think that's probably true, which is why we probably should just keep it nonpartisan

11:25across that like, you know, the municipalities anyway. Because people are, it just depends on which ones. They're just keeping all that way. What catch you in politics and kind of advocacy and doing this public social media work after you lost? Yeah. Cause I was a sore loser. I'm not going to lie. Like, the stats of the stats, I came in last place. So it was like, I was close to winning. But I definitely was like, I was always going to be engaged. Don't get me wrong. But I was definitely like, forget the page, forget like, I'm still going to be in the community and still going to do what I do. But I'm done with this. And then people were just, I just was reflecting and people were like, bro, when you lost, cause they went to a runoff. And I was still supporting a candidate. I was supporting the guy who didn't win. But you know, my council members, great. I still, it was, it definitely wasn't against him. I just was for the other guy. But people were just like, bro, you lost like, I wouldn't know what was going on if you didn't keep posting.

12:26Like they were just like, we thought you were still in it. Like even though, you know, some people don't have a understanding. They're not made the tension. Right. So I was still posting me speaking on his behalf or like going to his events. And I'm speaking, I was still post myself at certain events. So people were just like, bro, we thought you were still in it. They're like, who are our insight to what's going on? So I just was like, even though it wasn't an overwhelming amount of people, I just was like, that's kind of cool. If I could keep this a leg group of people engaged, then that's just a form of advocacy that I don't mind keeping established posts, you know, the campaign. And from that, it's just turned into this. I just was trying to look out for a few of my friends and say, Hey, okay, I got you. This is easy. Just I can watch the city council meeting or know what's going on and just inform you all of the every person I shared it. And then it's just turned into a whole new thing now to where like, now I'm going to other municipalities. I'm moving around and it's like it's stuff that I would be moving around anyway. And East Point College Park and South Foo and all that. But like the level I'm doing now is definitely with a sense of like, I feel responsible

13:29almost to share the information that I gained. Yeah. That's was it a natural transition? I mean, how do you already been doing a good bit of social anyway prior or? Yeah, I think it's because my music industry background. I was a manager. So I always was like, and I've always been, I'm a millennial. So I'm always been on social media since my space and all of that. So no one had a work social media wasn't ever the issue, but then also working so close with talent and being a manager, like you always get make suggestions to your talent, but you can't make them do anything. It's with politics, what I thoroughly enjoyed and what I enjoyed now is like, I'm in control. Like I know I can get up and read an article or talk to my city council member or somebody in the mayor's staff or a congressperson. And like, I know I can post. Like nobody has to tell me to post this or that. Like I'm responsible for my own action. So that was kind of refreshing in a way that I don't have to kind of, hey, you know, we got to promote your song. You got to post this, this, this, we got to do music video. We got it. It kind of was like, no, I know what needs to be shared.

14:31I know what needs to be posted. So it was refreshing that I could do it myself and it's all on me. Yeah. How do you decide what you're going to post about like what your audience? Whether it's personal or the other thing. Yeah. Of course, I try to pick things that are because one day I tried to people, I'm not media. I don't, I know some people consider me such the only thing I operate with media. Not I tried to operate with integrity, of course. But like the rules is like, I try to always honor people. Like if they talk to me, I don't share information that if like we have a conversation, I'll say, do you mind if I share this and they say, no, it's no. And let's just like on the public forum. If it's a news article or you made a public, you know, something in the public space, then I'll just do what I want. But if we talk, I definitely, it's definitely things that I don't share due to my relationships that I don't want to rule. Like I don't have ill intent out for anyone. But I just try to do things that one, I always try to do things that people may not

15:31have found if I didn't post. So it could be like, for example, I just posted today around the Marda and Atlanta coming to a settlement thing. And people may see that like it was on the news. It's post on Instagram. The mayor's talking about it. But like do they have the context of how we got here? So my thing is like, you may see something polarizing or you may see something. It's not as polarizing, but can I add context? So we were like, oh, okay, I see it. I'm trying to do it in a way that just people understand and just provide information. So I don't touch on everything. Like something's I can't make attractive. But that's my thing is how do I just make it appealing to where it's like not provocative. But where people just be like, oh, okay, like that's pretty, he made Marda bus this sound cool. Like that's my. You do a good job of that. That's just my aspect. How do I highlight something that is informative, but also people can find somewhat entertaining. Where's not just a media report. Yeah. I mean, we focus, especially on this pod and my interest in like I've just been focused

16:33on these northern Metro burbs for the most part. I mean, it's where I live, work play, right? So when I discovered you and started learning about more of what was happening in the city and discovering Kelsey Bond and like all these other people that are just truly putting the information out there and in a digestible way, I was like, okay. And I was really just happy and great. I was like, okay, this is cool. They're focused on similar things that I'm interested in at the local level. And they're explaining it in a great way because I am not done. I don't think a great job of that part until bit on this podcast. Like I can do stuff around Rosalind. People know me that way, but I haven't done as great on the social media part is from that perspective. So taking notes from you guys and coming. I can do a better job of the northern part of the county. Like I definitely, of course, I'm saying I, every city, kind of smart, East Point city is South Foot and they, they touch like literally my type of stuff.

17:35I had a touches, hate bill touches all of these cities. So like, like I said, I live, work play in all these areas where I do want to get more aware of what's going on in the alpha redder's and the Rosalind's in the sandy springs because what city springs cobs, excuse me. But wait, it's floating. Yeah, yeah, it's in this place. I'm sorry. I'm thinking of smarter. Yeah, sorry. Yeah, but because I, it's, it when you get into this and the more conversations you have with people, you just find the interconnected of it all. And that's one thing that I find fascinating is just we are different municipalities, but us being in one county and sometimes even touching other counties. Right. Like, I don't know where we'll get into it, but I know like Commissioner Bob Ellis, I ain't gonna say I know, but through conversations I've had like his perspective on the tans, and this is my perspective on his perspective. So I could be a legend here. Like his thing about the Atlanta tans, he's trying to do stuff up there. I don't know if it's Roswell or Freda, but like that development that he's working on, like he probably thinking like, okay Atlanta, we gave you a shot for the tans for 20 years.

18:35You try to extend it 30 more years. I got stuff. I need your money back in the county. So I could build in my district because he got him in Bridget Thorn. They don't have Atlanta in the district. So I'm not saying they don't care, but their emphasis are priority to their own district. So like our is our Atlanta people thinking about that when Commissioner Bob Ellis makes a decision on behalf of his district. And I'm just saying like just because we don't live up there doesn't mean that doesn't affect us in a certain kind of way. So just an example. So I don't know if that's how Commissioner Bob Ellis is thinking, but that's how I'm thinking as an Atlanta, when I see him make decisions that are financially could impact us and our decisions could impact his district. This is exactly where I wanted this conversation to go. It's so, it's so bad. It's so, it's so bad. And seriously like we've our county elections, we have no idea what's going on. I can, one of my questions is going to be like, do you think people down there are talking about our elections up here because Bridget Thorn has, she's about to lose her seat to strong, strong Maggie Goldman.

19:37I'm pretty certain. Are you an additional one or two of you on my behalf? She's one. Bob Ellis. I'm in, I'm in two with Bob Ellis, but Bridget Thorn's up for real election and Maggie ran against her last time lost by like 300 votes maybe. And then so now she's back and she's, she's showing it strong. Anyway, all that to say that that changes the, and with moe ivory winning for Fulton Chair. Like, there's just all these pieces that tie us together. And so like as a Fulton resident, and we're going to get into the tads too. That was my next question. Like it, even though our demographics vastly different, we're still tied together in this way from a commissioned standpoint. And I, I think so many people failed to realize that like how our elections up here or your elections down there are affecting all of us. Yeah, that's true. And then I say, I'm, I got to do better at keeping up. I do know you all's mayor.

20:39I don't know personally, but I'm aware who the mayor will show. Yeah, but like Afroredo mountain park of the, John Street. I'm kind of, yeah, I'm not. I mean, that's why I wanted to have this column. I was like, this will be good. Let's jump in then. So I, let's talk about the tads. Let's get into that. So there are tax allocation districts. And so the city of Atlanta passed them, even though there was a lot of public pushback. And then about a month later, the County Commission, commissioners had this rushed vote, which kind of says something in itself and rejected these tads, four to one. It's the same voting block that Chairman Pitts had been using for years. And he's now lame duck essentially. But anyway, all that to say, what is the story in your opinion about the tads being kind of not kind of you're Atlanta?

21:40Like what? Tell me from your opinion, give me some background. Yeah. And just be clear, this was the extension of the tads. The mayor of Atlanta wanted to, they already exist. We have eight and there are six that are going to, that he wants to extend because two, they're going to let expire, which is the belt line tag and Perry Bolton. I'm not sure what year's they expire, but whatever the year they're sent to expire, they're going to let those hit. But I'm sure mayor, I'm sure Dickers wanted to extend the remaining six all to 255. Some in in 2030, I know the Calmington Road tab, which is in my city council district, that one was already sent to 2050. So we had that to add to 2050 anyway. But like I said, he wanted to extend the remaining six all until 2055, which gives him in the city of Atlanta the ability to basically use bonds to basically like use the potential income from the tax allocation districts to give incentives to developers to reinvest in the six specific areas of Atlanta.

22:41What makes it tough is you need, like you name the two entities, which is Fulton County and city of Atlanta, via city council, but Atlanta Public Schools gets majority of our property tax money. So 25% goes to the city of Atlanta, 25% goes to Fulton County, but APS, Atlanta Public Schools, gets 50%. So they are really the heavy duty lifters of the tads. And with like you just talked about at the beginning of the conversation, when you said Fulton County Schools operating at a deficit. APS, I don't think it's a deficit, but we definitely got some money that we need more of. But we're closing 16 schools. So you just see those kinds of decisions that happen in the city. It's hard. Yeah, 16. They're open this year. So 2027 year, the 16 are supposed to close. So when you see things like that happening, that you also see a tag where you want APS to continue to give a lot of their income, that's where we got a little tough. You got the same perspective for the city and the county as well. So, you know, and what the city auditor and Fulton County said was something I said from

23:43the very beginning, at least as you saw the bargaining campaign regarding the extension of the tads, is that Atlanta struggled with expressing exactly what they wanted to do with the tad money. Like, one of these tads, Mayor Dickens, you've got three more years left in your term, but you want roughly a 30 year extension till 255. But you're not saying what projects you want to build, how you want to develop, what makes these, each six unique areas different, like Thomas Villanese, this, Cramidero, May need this more. You know, you didn't point out any specifics. And the city auditor and the county said the exact same deal. We don't know what you want to do with this money. So we're not asking, or I don't think anyone was asking the mayor in this administration to like, to solve all the problems. They were just asking you have some projects in mind to give people a vision to either hop on or say no, and like for the auditor and the county for the end, even for myself, that was a critique when I talk to the mayor's administration. I had personal conversations. I'm like, I'm with the NRI, which is the grand idea of other tads, which is just closing the wealth inequality gap because Atlanta has the worst in the country.

24:44And given every neighborhood in Atlanta community access to grocery stores, quality food, quality education, so on and so forth. So I was like, that idea is great. But, you know, the execution of the beard attached, that was just like, I don't see the vision. Like, I said, the overall plan is cool, but there wasn't any specifics. And that was the struggle. So yeah, was that the consensus for a lot of the feedback from a lot of the pushback? I wouldn't call it the consensus for people who understand the concept. I think it's very, it's very mixed. Some people are like, look, we aren't going to get this like in order to build and reinvest and redevelop these areas, there is no other funding source. Some people are like, if we want to see our neighborhoods and communities improve, this is the only way other people were kind of on my, not saying my side, they had more questions. It was just more quick. It wasn't like a staunch no. Although the people who are staunch no are people who are really like, I care about education too, but it's the people who like APS, they're like, no, that's where you, that's where I'm

25:45hearing the most knows from. People who are like really involved in their kids, education or APS, they're like, we are not, APS is not in the position to get involved in these tasks anymore. Those for me, that's where I'm hearing the most hard knows from. They are the biggest financier of the tasks when they have to get 50% of the property taxes. Okay, so it's just hitting me now. So the tads take money away from APS because it splits the tax allocation. So if you saw some marketing material around that, there's a lot of marketing material from the administration. Yeah, I think it's great. Tads don't take away from APS. So they don't take away from APS as it stands today. Right? So the tax allocation district's work is, if your property is worth a certain amount today, so let's just say the tads don't exist. Your property tax, let's just say you pay $100 because your house is worth 100. Whatever that percentage is not important, but say you just pay $100 a property tax a year. As your property increases in value, your millisrate doesn't change, but instead of paying

26:48$100 next year, your property value goes up, now you're paying $150 because your property value rose. Cool. That $50 because it now tads exist. That $50 goes into the pot. So you're, that $100 you were paying, that keeps going to $50 goes to APS, $25 goes to the city of Atlanta, $25 goes to Fort County, but that $50 now that you're paying, now $25 of that $50 to $50 to $50, $25 goes to, from APS to the tads, you know, what is that? $12 and 50 said goes to, not goes to the tads, but 25% to 25% to 50%. From that $50 goes on to the tads. So it's future income that the tads is taking away. So the administration loves to say we're not taking away money because this money they never had. That's what their idea was. Like you're still paying their property tax you had, but when you're doing projections of it, it probably tax increase in these tads. APS is not seeing those projected funds. So that's taking away from the projected. Projected. Right. So with the county voting no, it is really only going to affect the areas of overlap.

27:56Like how does, do we know what happens now? Yeah. So what happens is the tads themselves in these specific, you really can say eight, because as long as the eight are all open, they're all going to, they all can get bonds against the, the future income. But let's just, I mean, if you say you want to focus on the seeks. So I'll just be going my calendar roll tab is one of the major tads in this. But the county saying no, right now only Atlanta City Council is sitting at 25% into the tads. But county road is not a robust financial. It's not the built line. So it's that's very simple. Without for the county and APS, it's not, we can't use the funds because we can't get a bond against projected funds because it's not that much money. So what, how benefit is for county to say no is that now there's tax money, even though we're locked into 2050 for counting the road, like I mentioned with Commissioner Bob Ellis, that city money of Atlanta now goes back into the county money. So now they have a more robust budget because the tax money that was going directly to Atlanta

29:00being a tads can now go back into for that 25% returns to put in county. So that's the plus of food county before Atlanta. It just means we can, especially in not as financially privileged tax allocation districts, it just, it just lowers our possibility to incentivize development. That's why we have the road. But like, it plays like belt line and it's another one. I mean, Atlanta station was a tab, but in my opinion, there's only been three successful tads. And the city order said the same thing. They ranked them like green, yellow and red. The only green was Atlantic station belt line and press the lakes, which is in my city council district as well, which is if you think about Camp Creek marketplace by the airport, Atlanta part of that, because it's each point in Atlanta. Atlanta part of that, I'm sorry, is through it was a tab. So Atlanta station and press the lakes tab don't exist anymore, but they are considered successes. That's why they close and then the belt line when it's obviously still press. Okay. Okay. So that gives me some insight into that.

30:02You're in Southwest Atlanta. You cover those. I mean, you've got this not necessarily the cover all of these, but from our from our northern births people. It's a city of South Fulton, hateville, Chattahue Gehills, East Point, College Park, Union City, Fairburn and then Palm Meadow, which also goes into another county, Cali, I believe. And like I said, you don't cover all of this, but give us some news about a few of those. Like give us the tea. What's happening in some of those cities? What are they doing? Well, what are they not like are there some drama that's happening in any of them? Okay. I'm gonna try to tell Chattahue Gehills is the one I'm least familiar with. Okay. I've been trying to make my way down there, but I've never stepped foot in Chattahue Gehills. I'm gonna keep it. So that's tough. Palm Meadow, the mayor of Palm Meadow is actually from Southwest Atlanta. She with the high school with mayor, Andre Dick is a maize high school. So I have a decent relationship with her mayor, Teressa Thomas Smith. That area is known for a huge data center, Palm Meadow, because it's a lot of land out

31:06there. They got a lot of warehouses out there. It's another male, like I think it's like a big US male facility out there as well. So Palm Meadow's a small city, but they have a lot of like said warehouses and they're tight knit community. And I'm being nice and I'm working my way up to the drama. Yeah. I love it. But the mayor is a peaceful city. It's on the rise though. Fairburn. I love their mayor. She's so short, but she is a sweet. She is trying to. I think I was short mayor too. I love it. Mayor Hattie. I can't remember her last name, but Mayor Hattie, the Union City, they are doing it. I love Mayor Williams is this Williams is the truth. He has a saying. He's like, I love you. And there's nothing you can do about it. Like the whole crowd says it with them. It's crazy. They just got the hospital, excuse me, healthcare emergency facility because it's not. But I was at that grand opening. And that's right on the fairburn Union City board of that was really important because Southampton County ever since the well star and East Point and even Atlanta closed down some hospitals.

32:07Yeah. Southampton County, you had to go to Fayette or you had to go all the Atlanta, Grady, like 45 minutes, the closest like some people were going over an hour. So it's good to have a healthcare facility there. So I see they call it emergency healthcare facility now, but they're going to it's on a lot of land. The full county election center. So it's right next door. So there's a lot of land. They said it's going to become a hospital. It's got a helipad. I think it's got like 30 rooms. There's one floor right now. Oh, me. You can see like you can see how they're going to build on top. You left right. You see the vision clear. Yeah. That just happened earlier this year. And I was able to be present for that. Thanks to Mayor of this Williams inviting me. So we get into the city of South Fountain, which is one of my neighbor in cities like Lillie. I turn left out of my neighborhood. I'm in the city of South Fountain. I don't council member a district one, Dr. Catherine Ryle. You're my council member because we're literally. Yes, I'm glad they make a fix us. And that's when I go back to collaboration and just real quick, when Reverend City Council,

33:09like we don't have, we have one grocery store in our city council district, which is by a ball. And it's basically a food desert here. We all ran on that. But where I live and the current council member who won and share a patch of the bot live over here in my area due to the city of South Fountain, we have access to three grocery stores less than a mile from us. But that's not in Atlanta technically, but that's that collaboration I'm talking about. The city of South Fountain, but those grocery stores there help me even though the rest of my city council district only has one. So but the city of South Fountain is on the rise. They're like the third or fourth largest city in the state. And they're the newest, right? They're 27. They're 29 years old and due to their incorporation, Fort County is basically besides a small part of I guess it's still unincorporated, but it's specifically zone for warehouses and factories and stuff over here, all for industrial. Besides that area, Fort County is 100% municipalized since the city of South Fountain because it used to be unincorporated for the county. A lot of areas. So they're the newest city in the state, nine years old, over a hundred thousand people.

34:12And they're on the rise and you see it. You ride through the city of South Fountain, you see it. They've also grabbed parts of other parts of the city. Like if you know College Park, when you go on O National now, most of O National is the city of South Fountain and not College Park. I grew up like old net all the way down to the old, the whole of the fields, old house, which is now with Rolsa's house. That was it. It comes part and then you got the Fayette County now. College Park, city of South Fountain, didn't Fayette County. So they've even grabbed parts of Fairburg, parts of South Wiss Atlanta, Cascade now. So they're just, they're just growing. Keeping their tax dollars local. They have a little bit of mess before the, you know, the previous mayor, but now, you know, Mayor Carly Lee, the gums in and she's straighted out of that, that council. So to the messiness, we'll go to East Point next. East Point, we all know is one of the cities that, you know, is, is all going to hate bill. Hable is small. Hable is like eight thousand. I was going to say, I was like, I have good things. I just know, because me and my wife went to Boston recently and talked to a couple from there, they're property taxes for Sydney for hate bill or high.

35:15The love hate bill is known as a creative city, the arts music, you know, unique businesses, cultural food. And then they got the Porsche, that Porsche plan. Oh, that's right. Right there. Right there. I've been to several events there. It is amazing. So hate bill is legit. They're pretty peaceful down there. I said, they're a small city. Tighten it. But high taxes to pay for it all. Yeah, high taxes to pay for it all. And they're one of those, they're one of the tri cities. And this is where the drama comes in. But hate bill is cool. So the tri cities at East Point, the college park and hate bill. And it's basically just the three cities that touch Atlanta that are all like heavily involved in the airport. Okay. So yeah, to East Point, they are struggling in the sense of East Point such an important city to the fabric of the Metro Atlanta area to Atlanta. I mean, the music you think about escaped. Outcast. Outcast. Yeah, tri cities high school. Like East Point has just meant so much. And I was born in East Point actually on Washington Road. So it's got sentimental value to me as well.

36:15But this recent council, they just, they just recently passed their budget. But they're supposed to pass it by June 30th. There's a lot of drama going on with their city manager where a lot of residents and some city council members don't feel like their city manager is, I was going to use the Frank Word very competent. Okay. And even there for a year and a half and the budget not being passed. Sometimes how he talks to people, it just, it rose people the wrong way. And there's been a lot of them with that. The newly elected mayor. There was, she doesn't come with any personal drama. But if you want to see the council meeting, you may see her like, you know, they, they operate by the Robert's rule like most families do. You may see her struggle with the, you know, the process of the porn process or whatever it is. She leaves. Like you'll see her question. Can we vote? Do we need to take a vote? But that, I mean, she's a newly elected mayor. Right. She's growing pains. But that count, they don't, a lot of the councilmen, they don't get along with each other. It's a lot of slight comments and sneak dissing and it can get real to mags. And that's why like me going down there and like getting involved. I'm not saying I'm one person, but if I could just assist, which is like keeping the

37:18main thing, the main thing. Right. Right. Let's focus on the issues and not a personal. Yeah. Cause everybody's watching. Like I'm saying, yeah, you're, your East Point, but I'm in Atlanta. Some other people out in college, part like we're all watching. Right. Come on, guys. Come on. And then I just know there's been some racism claims cause they have East Point is mostly black. They do have two white council members. And I, I've never seen them in a meeting. I'm only attending two, but I've never even seen. Oh, really? So it's been questions around that like who shows up and then it was recently some legislation saying they want to break and they want more money and more time off. Like, so people do it. Yeah. They're like, what are you the new pastor budget? And they're like, you want to more to know? So it's just some drama around that. And then college part. I don't know college part. They are small city too, but they have a lot of money because when really, really the airport is in college part. Like this is the right. The airport is really in college part when you get on camp Creek or any highway, you are in the city of college part. So when you fly to Atlanta, you want to have a conference for your business or festival

38:21or exhibition, everything on right by the airport is college part. Those hotels. Okay. That's why they're a small city, but they have a lot of money due to all of that. So they're mayor and all these municipalities, I just beat college parking East Point specifically. They operate on the Wheat Mayor system. So I don't know how Roswell operates. Wheat Mayor supposed to be out of the house when didn't follow that. Go copy and college part. That's a big struggle for them because they're mayor. This is her second term. I love Mayor Molly Burwood. Like I think she's brilliant. She's a lawyer. She's a former prosecutor. You see that when she hosts the meeting, but you know as a Wheat Mayor, in the meetings, you literally are there as a facilitator. You are there to manage the meeting. You're not really there to flex your executive power if you even have any. For her, she's very opinionated. She like she says which and people you heard counsel. I like her not her counsel, but college parts counsel. You can tell they're like they are annoyed and even the city may you've seen them and

39:21they've tried to check not even try they checked her and she's worn shirts to say you can't gas like me and you know it's always you know, excuse me, excuse me, excuse me. The power struggle. The power struggles with that. And then there's a lot of speculation around like it's just you watch those city council and get that the last one was really nasty. Um, and you just really like her mental health was questioned. They were like point of order. I want to call in the question the mayor's mental health and it was just was a, it just was a lot. I think we can throw down on some city council stories. Yeah. I don't like the drama, but I try to use it to get people like, right. It's just boring. Yeah, but so it's like, hey, you watch slow enough. You get some power. It's so far. Like, yeah, so I just wrap up there. I know I went on a tangent, but all these comments part is that all these cities are important. Right. But comments part. Some I was talking to a resident, somebody who's deeply involved. He was like, comments part is George's front door to the world. Like when you land parts of Jackson, you are in Cotters Park.

40:24There's no reason why Cotters Park shouldn't be this, not changing the culture of it, but this grant, I mean, you land and you go on Camp Creek or Main Street, you should feel like this is what it's like to be in Georgia, Cotters Park is welcoming. They have all these businesses and it's like they can't focus due to all this drama. Cause like, and I'll in here, like I asked the community, I'm like, what the y'all, what though? Like y'all, some people on the mayor's side, some people on this council member's side. Okay, they don't get along cool, but what do y'all want? And that's where I'm trying to get Cotters Park to do is like, these people aren't going to get along. Their job isn't to get along. But what can y'all get them to align over guarding y'all's materials, material conditions? And let's focus on that to keep them focused. Because if y'all just pick a side, every city council meeting is going to be the same over and over and over again. That's what it's been. So that's what it's all about. Yeah, not moving up forward. Oh, this is fascinating. And just see the similarities too and how the municipalities are running. Maybe they're being run by different people and we just overturned our, we have, and

41:28it's nonpartisan, right? But nonpartisan. But we just overturned our council mayor and council last year and have three new council. Two of them very well known Democrats and our mayor was a state house elected. And so that was like a big to do. But it was really interesting because it was a coalition of people from all sides, all walks just like that up with what the previous person was doing and like not giving it shit about what we as residents wanted and, and for us to all come together in the way that it happened. It was one of those things of like, we can do this people. We know, like we can come together on these things. Let's switch. I'm going to shift gears just a little bit and then we'll wrap it up. But the overwhelming majority of residents, like we talked about, like they're not paying

42:29attention. They don't go to council meetings. What was your first time? Do you remember your first time going? And do you remember your first time speaking and, and what that was like? My first time, I went before I ran, but do I remember my first time? One I was just surprised how, not one surprise how lonely works. I knew that. I mean, it wasn't a big deal if I can remember correctly my first time. That was kind of says something in and of itself, right? It's not that scary. It's not at all. But speaking, that I definitely spoke for the first time after I ran and, um, I can speak. I'm a people person that never wanted for me either. I guess the biggest thing is like, I try to put myself in a position to where when I speak, they're listening because I don't know if every municipality operates this way but for the most part that I've seen, they don't really respond.

43:31Well, each point does. Each point has a whole section. They don't respond directly like after each person talks, they don't respond. Once it's done, the mayor goes to each council member says, anybody want to address anything? Atlanta does it. They only address it if they want to after everybody speaks like they could, it's nothing. So you really have to decide like, what can you say in the two minutes you're offered? And in Atlanta, you can get donated time of the 10 minutes. But what can you say or how can you operate even outside of those meetings to where when you get up to that podium that their, their heads are up and their ears are perked up when you're talking. And for me, that's something I don't know. Hey, I sound just one person, but I would think based on how I presented myself in the community online in person in city hall. How have you are familiar with me? I would think they listen every time I speak. Now does that mean I'm going to change legislation and get something done? I don't know, but I think I've positioned myself in a place now to where they know when I speak, I'm not here to play. They know I'm serious. They know like I'm worried about Atlanta's end of the day.

44:31I'm trying to work together. Like they know I'm about there to be divisive. Like I'm here to lock in and let's say, but there's one topic where I'm trying to tackle certain things in the two minutes. They, I think my city council knows like, and even, I was saying, I haven't spoken to College Park yet. I've attended, but even when I spoke to East Point, the relationships I built with those the council members that made her like after like they were listening as well. So for me, I just always make sure that I keep the main thing, the main things, they focus on whatever topic I was focused on and at the end of the day, we're in this together. That's why I always try. And I, in every public comment with, you know, thank you for your service, thank you for your time and God. Like, because I, I generally mean that regardless of if I think you're doing wrong, right, I just, I still appreciate you. I still respect you. We still can work together. Let's just, just get right. Right, right. Yeah, I kind of think that approach to, I've only spoken at Roswell and attended those for like the last five years, but it was a similar approach and being, being reserved, not that I'm very reserved, but I pick in my poison, right?

45:35Like I'm not going to go in there and just spell off, we have those people that are going to spell off about every single thing. And that dilutes your, your like, it dilutes your voice because, oh, here they come again. Oh, here they come again. So try to make sure that I'm like talking about things that like genuinely matter that I think people should be paying attention to. Yeah. You know what's our main diplomatic? That's right. Yeah. That's where it's going to come to a time where you're probably going to go off or I'm going to go off like, but I want the record to reflect. I was diplomatic. I want to go all, if people are like, whoa, what the? Like, it was a point of time where there was a subject where I emailed a committee. I showed up to a specific committee meeting about the same issue. I showed up to a different committee meeting. I showed up to the budget meeting and then the full city council meeting and I didn't get a response. So I had to like, I didn't give this respect, but I turned up, I had, like by the time the last meeting came, I was able to reflect and say I did XYZ and I was just like, is this not what civic engagement is supposed to be like?

46:36And if I'm going to pay it like, you aren't going to respond, then like, what are we doing? And so it, I didn't get this sort of respectful, but it's just like, it was reasonable for me to turn up a notch because I had that evidence of email. I've done all these things. Yeah, I've done all these things. So when I'm raising my voice when I'm speaking a little bit more, Flicksh is like, he got a point. You know what? Yeah. And I was meeting Ray to go off kind of thing. Well good on you. You've been more diplomatic than I have at certain instances. At least with our freebies administration, like in that I've been kicked out of a meeting, but not for me. I'm like trying to file ethics anyway. Well, that's another story for another time. So what's something that, well, I was going to kind of go with the party at the state, I'm moving. I was going to ask you something that annoys you or you wish you could change about the Democrat party and in general or in the state, like, what is there something that annoys

47:37you or you wish, like, that's what are we doing? Yeah. First of all, nationally, I'm a Democrat. I'm a Democrat, but I'm not. The Democrat is not my identity. Like I tell people, I'm Jimmy, I'm a Jimmy Carter Democrat. I love Jimmy Carter. He's, you know, people say he was a better man after he was a president. Like he probably had a better career post presidency. A lot of presidents can't say that. The president used their magnum opus, but for Jimmy Carter, he was like, he's a better man than he was president. But I, I, I, it's more about the character of a person and really benefiting the people. So that's my political philosophy. Democrat is my political home. I voted Democratic primaries, but I look at the whole landscape. I'm like, the guy who won the Democratic nomination for governor of Wisconsin, he said, Democrats don't have a monopoly on good ideas. And I was just like, my man, I'm not going to say this is not a good idea because it came from a Republican. It's not a good idea because it came from DSA. A good idea is a good idea. So that's him. Democrat is my political home, but I'm just open to whoever has the best ideas.

48:39So nationally, Democrats ignore me. And then I'm a fan of strength too. I'm like, so I'm just one of those people who like, I always want to be at the table, but I hate when people play in my face. So we know you have all the, whatever that looks like for people. But like, once I see the details of the playing field, it's like, are you playing? I see what's going on here. Like, let's cut through and I'm not somebody to fool. So with the Democratic Party today, nationally, I just feel like we're weak. And it's weird. I feel like we're proud of being weak. Like I remember when Trump won and the Congress people got locked out of the education thing. Like Maxi orders out there and they did a press conference like, we can't get in. I'm like, who is proud? You look so weak right now, just say they locked us out. Like, I'm like, I'm just going to get arrested. I don't know, but like, don't be, it's like they were proud of it. I'm just like, this is so weird. And I remember even, it was a right wing political somebody. It was like, think of the most masculine person in the Democratic Party on national level. Who is it? And I was like, not saying masculine is important, but I'm just thinking about strength.

49:41Like when people make fun of the Democratic Party, I'm just like, and me growing up, the Democratic Party was like a party, not saying overall, but like of the working man. It was the union man with his lunch, pale, going to work. And I'm just like, that is, you think about the grand party today? You know, think about that. So and I'm just like, and I know you can think about Mark Kelly, John Ossoff. There are people you can think of, but like the question being posed just maybe sitting just like, yeah, this party is different. So for me, weakness is I just, I get annoyed on the national level. State wise, and this could go to national level too. I just don't get into the divisiveness of the political parties being against each other. I know when they lock in in those forms in the, in the Senate hall and under the gold don't cross day, they get along more than they don't. So all that political theater of the republic. And I know Georgia, the Republicans have ran the general symptoms of the governor's mansion for 20 years. But I don't want to like, if the divisiveness is real, if you don't really get a law Republicans, then you're doing your constituents a disservice by not talking to your fellow

50:41legislators like get over like getting that's why I'm glad I got a representative in Dr. Johan Howard, who just recently won Jason S. if I see I'm in Senate district. Um, he's, he's taking out several articles in the AJC talking about how he's willing to work with, you know, his fellow legislators, no matter what that part is, like we have to do the work on behalf of Georgia's. Like that's, and I just don't like what I hear. There are Republicans, the Democrat get over it. I don't, I don't, I just, I just don't say grow up every time I hear people try to position the Republicans, the Democrats go talk across the aisle and get it done. And I know y'all, I walk through those buildings in your offices. I see how y'all speak each other in the hallway. It is pleasantries. Y'all do not hate each other as much as y'all try to present. So like, I'm saying lock in and get it together. So that's what I know a lot of that stuff can go for the Republican party too. Like get over to, but I'm a Democrat. So I'm a speaker to my political party. Like yeah, they just got to give over themselves and get the work. It's funny. I had a people, this was earlier this year, but it just kind of like dumbfounded that I wouldn't

51:45just come right out and be like, I'm a Democrat. And I'm like, I don't like identity politics. Like it's not my thing. I'm not. I used to keep it a secret. Well, people would be on social media and I have a conservative, I'm from the south. Like I'm Christian. Like I got some conservative, but like, and I don't agree with the Republican if I see it, but I would just say I wouldn't answer people because I'm like, if I tell you, you're automatically putting me in a category where we could be working together. You're going to let me like, when I tell you determine whether we can build and, but now I just got over it. Just like, it is what it is. I got a no, I don't know. I don't know. I just think we'd be like anybody who keeps it a secret is really a conservative Republican. Because if you know, that's what they try to tell you. You and tell who you voted for. You must be a conservative. I'm like, anybody's scared of y'all. But it runs off half the population or at least up here too. It like it shuts down half the people from wanting to talk to you. Exactly. And I think it is. Or at least have a, you know, come to the table with a fair, a, in a fair conversation.

52:47What candidates, whether state or local, we're going to keep it down this way are exciting you right now. Anybody that you're paying attention to? Um, I guess we've got so much low. Yeah, I'm just trying to think who would really excited because I people I like, but who, I'm really excited for the guy, Ken Collier who took who just won Tony Miller's seat in the state, one state house. She's running for attorney general. Yeah, I'm excited about her. He's, he's a guy who you wouldn't expect to be in the Georgia State Legislature. He, he's a guy from Atlanta, Southside of Atlanta. This district represents college part, East Point, Atlanta, but he lost his son to Gunvonis and the mother of that child the year before. So he lost the mother of his child and his son to Gunvonis within two years of each other. And he runs, um, organization where he, like his bio as you see, he says, um, I lost my son, but it doesn't stop me from helping take care of yours kind of. It's something like that. So he, and he, and so organization, he focused on young men, but it's, it's young ladies in there too.

53:47And he teaches them like about entrepreneurship, character, all this. And this was before he ranked like, and I'm just like, man, you are incredible. So he, him going to the state legislature is like, I'm excited for what he brings to the table. Um, you know, Rohit's running for the kind of commission. I feel strongly that he, I know it's early, but I feel strongly he's going to win that district four seat. So that's going to be exciting to see him. I'm excited to see him in action. Like we see his, his, you know, the organization he created, we see him on a campaign trail, but I'm excited to see him at the table have a legislative power. That what is he ready for again? One more time for the court. There's a court, court, kind of commissioner. I'm trying to commissioner. Moir, councilor County, that's right. That's right. Okay. The seat, however you had to, you know, separate. Yeah, that's right. I'm trying to think across the country on the state level. And you stay like, no, that's county. That's the, it's full county. Yeah, yeah. But he's the wide candidates like, um, we've got Nikki Portia for labor. Oh, yeah, yeah. I'm sorry. Yeah, I'm sorry. Yeah, I do like Nikki Portia. I love, um, Lydia Powell superintendent.

54:49Okay. You're right, I'm just superintendent of schools. Um, I just, it's so crazy because I try to meet every Republican and Democrat. I cannot find the Republican candidates for all the state, right? Secretary, I wonder about this too. I would love to meet them, but I can't find them, but I've met every Democratic candidate down the ballot. I met Nikki Portia, I met, met Katherine. You had, um, I forget her last name is just a, you had commissioner. Yeah. Yeah. So when I say I like these people, I do like them, but I have nothing to juxtapose. I'm against because I haven't met their opponent. So I do like everybody down the ballot. Josh McClarin. I will say, oh, I love Josh. I met, I met Dolas all though. I did meet Dolas all. Okay. And I, on the Republican side, I actually liked, um, what's the red head? Blake Tillery. I like Blake on the Republican side more than Dolas. But Dolas all, Dolas all is a little out there. Yeah. So yeah, I love, I love Josh. I think Josh is that guy, like he doesn't care about. Yeah. He cares, but like he says that I'm going to work with Republicans.

55:50Like I just want to work. And I feel like, and you know, they try to critique him like, oh, Republicans like you for a reason because you would like shut up. But anyway, I love Josh. I do love Josh. And I'm not going to lie. I love talking Miller. I do. But I haven't met Brian Strickland. But I've heard a lot of great things about Brian Strickland. Haven't met him. I'm just saying, and what I see on his campaign stuff, he kind of stays, I mean, he got Trump supporting all that. But that don't bother me. Like what I've seen him stand for, it's just a way of life protecting Georgia's. Like it's just general stuff. And I'm just like, yeah, and I have to say he did go to my high school too. So, okay. It was a little bit of bias, but I would love to meet him as well. But to be clear, I love Nicky Portshake for sure. I love Josh McLaren. Hey, the Rick Jackson and Keisha, they Keisha was my council member. My mayor, I still haven't met her. That's the crazy part about it. Haven't met Rick either. I want to meet both of them. I got some tough questions for both. But I could definitely say to answer your question, Josh, Nicky Portshake and Dr. Lydia Power for Superintendent of Schools.

56:51I love them for sure. Excellent, excellent. Yeah, it'll be interesting to see how this all plays out this fall. Last topic and then we'll wrap this up. Atlanta Reads. Talk to me about it. Yeah, that's so, it's so crazy because in the past few months, this has taken all. So I created this page on Instagram during the pandemic or coming out of the pandemic. So I've had it for six years now. So what happened was Atlanta was opening back up and I've always been an avid reader on my life. That's so reading isn't anything new. This is just a hobby. I just want somewhere to just the post. Kind of even for myself to just have, okay, I got my library, but just to, you know, I want to, because I have a problem remembering the ins of books. So I want something to wear if I just go back to my Instagram. Oh, that's what that book was about. Kind of thing. So but as the world was opening back up, I just love Atlanta as well. I was going to spots to kind of like, I would give a book that kind of would be, it was

57:51really loosely baited. Like I went to a movie theater. I might have took a picture of the book at the movie theater and talk about why this movie theater is like the one on, there's one in Atlanta that's something pleasant on forgetting. I remember I took a picture there with the book. I think I took the HBO book there. Like that's what I was trying to draw some distinction or connection. So I was just like trying to highlight spots because the world was opening back up. So I was like, I love to read the world's over the back up. That's why my bio says the interactive page with books in Atlanta. So I was trying to just show people like we're back outside, but I love to read. And then like after a while, I was just like, okay, the world's back open that approach isn't it? So I just would post every book I finished. I would just post. But then this year, I just started talking about it. Like because I didn't even talk based on the page. I was just, it wasn't for anything. Right. I love books. I love Atlanta. Let me post both. And then I just started talking more and the, I don't know what happened. It literally 500 followers for five years. And I did a couple of reviews. I'm in 14,000. I like it doesn't make any sense.

58:54I don't get it. Let's say I've been posting for five years, five six years. But yeah, just this year, it's just, I said, I got invited. I can't talk about it yet. The details, I got invited to a book festival next year in the whole another state. They're paying for the group and everything. I'm just like, what is happening? So all kinds of pages I created in the pandemic. That is so fun. So as we wrap it up, what is up? What are you reading now and what's one book that's stuck with you that's like still and like cooked in your brain? Yeah. I'm reading Yes to Year by Carol Claire Burke, one of the most popular books of the year. Everybody. I've got to get to it. I'm good. Yeah. I'm all those, I got 100 pages left. I've got 100 left. But my favorite book of all time and the most, like it's everything. It's my favorite book is the book that's impacted me the most. And I think it's one of the best books ever written. It's short, but animal farm by George Orville. I just, when you read that book and look at life, everything is animal.

59:55I have tweets. I'm like, I was like, everything is animal farm. People tell me everything. You just looking around everything is animal farm. I just think that book was, I mean, 1984 is great too, but George Orville is just, I can't go outside or look around, watch the new, anything without being like George Orville said this. He said, he said, he called it. So that is definitely the book that impacted me. It is almost like he was a sous-sale. Like you, you can see that it's just kind of well. And I was a sociology major in school too. So like all that, that's my bag. Like how people react and thought behavior. That's my thing. So yeah. Well, listen, Steve O, thank you so much. Tell us where can people follow you? Yeah. So I got multiple pages. So out my personal where, you know, I post my family, some things I may be into going to concerts, traveling is Steve O, SCVO zone, spelled correctly, the number four on everything. But then my, if you want to keep up with Georgia politics, I keep it Georgia. Anything Georgia and smaller is dingle my last name for Atlanta.

1:00:56Everything spelled correctly. So it's dingle for Atlanta because I remember City Council, but I talk about Fulton County. Something's going on in Brunswick in Water Robbins. It may take me a long time, but I could get to it, but I specifically want to keep it Georgia. I don't really touch on national stuff unless it's like a Congress person or our senator. But I really don't touch on national issues unless the national issue touches us specifically like gas prices or something. I love it. Yeah. No, that's how I found you. I mean, I didn't even find your personal page until today. It's all, it's all. Oh my God. This comes from a horrific thing. It's a good A.T.A. reads, of course. If you end the literature at all, A.T.A. reads is where everything looks. Well, we will post those when this goes live and I just, I really appreciate this conversation. So thank you very much and I hope to have more in the future. So thanks for joining today. And that is another edition of the Georgia Politics podcast by Apple Media. I hope you'll join us next time. Thanks so much.