Shea Roberts
Occupation: I am one of three owners in the Buckhead boutique real estate law firm of Giacoma Roberts & Daughdrill, LLC. Our attorneys assist individuals, families, civic/neighborhood organizations and small businesses with matters related to commercial transactional real estate, litigation involving construction, real estate, zoning and land-use disputes, and administrative zoning and land-use applications, which is my personal practice area. Additionally, I have predominant responsibility for management of the firm and its employees.
Previous elected offices held: None
Other community service experience: For the past nine years, I’ve dedicated my free time to volunteering at my daughter’s school. Additionally, I’ve had the unique opportunity to share my passion for public service with my daughter. In 2016, we were recognized for our commitment to community by being accepted into the National Charity League, where we have served on mother-daughter volunteer teams at local philanthropies such as: the Agape Center, City of Refuge, Meals on Wheels, CHOA and many others. Currently, I am one of the NCL Liaisons to the Northside Activity Center, where we enjoy interacting with the elderly citizens of our community.
What is motivating you to run for this office?
I’m running because I’m concerned about the polarization and over-politicized climate of our state. I’m running because we need leaders who have something at stake in all of this and who know, firsthand, that we deserve more from our legislators. As a mother, wife, small business owner and attorney, I know that I’m capable of being that voice of accountability and action under the Gold Dome. It’s time we had real solutions for healthcare quality and accessibility, traffic, safe schools that prepare our children socially and academically for their future, and an infrastructure that supports our working families.
What is the biggest issue facing the district and how will you address it?
It’s difficult to name just one, but having talked to thousands of district voters, the top three issues are accessibility to quality health care, traffic and safe schools. I will advocate: to stop giving $9 billion away to other states and expand Medicaid to insure 500,000 Georgians; for women to make their own healthcare decisions; for an infrastructure investment plan that includes multiple modes of public transportation that will actually connect our communities and reduce commute times; and for our children’s education to be fully funded with a 21st century formula and common-sense gun legislation to keep them safe.
After the new “ATL” regional transit authority forms, what local transit priorities would you advocate, if any?
The ATL legislation passed last year, while a step in the right direction, was only a small step in the process of resolving our exclusive dependency on cars. For more than three decades, the priority has been to add more highway lanes, but our commute time has not been reduced. We need real investment in our public transit that will actually connect our communities, with global options such as light and heavy rail expansion as well as express dedicated bus.
What is your position on reducing or eliminating the state income tax and why?
When we elect leaders who know how to balance a budget and who have made the hard decisions that follow it, our taxes will be allocated effectively. What I see too often in politics is that voters are given an ultimatum between growth or prosperity. I know from my nearly 20 years of experience in running my law firm that when we do both, we create a sustainable environment for years to come.