Leah Aldridge
Occupation: I am a healthcare entrepreneur and attorney, formerly with Morris, Manning and Martin, LLP. I am also a Licensed Lactation Consultant and currently work through a business I own, Atlanta Breastfeeding Consultants, LLC. We help new mothers and babies who have breastfeeding difficulties.
Previous elected offices held: None
Other community service experience: I have been involved in community service all my adult life. I have served on the Board of the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia (President 2014-2016). I have been a 15 year member (and leader) of the Junior League of Atlanta. I currently lead La Leche League support groups. I have served in the area of diversity and tolerance on the Boards of the Anti-Prejudice Consortium and as the Board President of Embracing Differences. I received a ROSE Award from the Junior League and the national Award of Excellence from the United States Lactation Consultant Association.
What is motivating you to run for this office?
I am running for state Senate because I am a believer. I believe in the ingenuity and freedom of individuals and the private sector to do what the government simply cannot. We must seek Georgia solutions to Georgia’s problems, and not look to D.C. for our values or priorities. I have been endorsed by Gov. Deal and Sen. Isakson because they trust that I will continue the common-sense policies which have brought Georgia economic prosperity, low unemployment and robust education funding. As senator, I will work to move us towards a place where safety, prosperity and optimism thrive.
What is the biggest issue facing the district and how will you address it?
The overreach of our government is my biggest concern. We must protect our neighborhoods by permanently capping property assessments like all other north Fulton cities and partnering with law enforcement to combat the crime epidemic. In education, we need less bureaucracy, more teachers, and smaller class sizes. I will champion the HOPE/Zell Miller Scholarships and vote NO on the Democratic proposal to change HOPE to a needs-based scholarship. Our healthcare crisis requires state-based solutions, not tax increases to implement failed federal solutions. I pledge to get to work Day One implementing a four-step healthcare plan (see leahforgeorgia.com).
After the new “ATL” regional transit authority forms, what local transit priorities would you advocate, if any?
District 6 covers portions of Fulton and Cobb, and I recognize that one size does not fit all for these communities. Let’s expand smart signal technologies for high-volume intersections, learning lessons from the North Avenue Smart Corridor. Let’s add more HOT lanes like the one opened, with great results, along I-75/575. This ensures that we and the autonomous cars/buses of the future have clear roads and reliable trip times. I support an outer bypass for commercial traffic for goods to travel around (not through) our district. I am forward-thinking and data-driven, and will steward your tax dollars smartly.
What is your position on reducing or eliminating the state income tax and why?
Our economy is humming. This year, due to Republican pro-growth policies, we collected 961 million more tax dollars than we budgeted! Yet, our state income tax rates remain higher than four of our five neighboring states. Instead of spending the “windfall” revenue on the big-government programs my opponent is supporting, I will return YOUR money to YOU. I will seek an immediate reduction of our individual and corporate tax rates this session, similar to North Carolina’s successful reform in 2013. Now is the time to grow the size of your tax refund, not the size of government.