State Sen. Fran Millar of Dunwoody, who represents Dunwoody and other parts of DeKalb County and a portion of Sandy Springs, faces a challenge from DeKalb County financial advisor Paul Maner in the Republican Primary contest for the District 40 Senate seat.

Fran Millar

State Sen. Fran Millar
State Sen. Fran Millar

Marking Consultant/state Senator

Community: Dunwoody

Past political experience: State Representative for 12 years; state Senator for six years; Chairman Senate Higher Education Committee; Chairman Senate Education and Youth Committee; Chairman Senate Retirement Committee for two years; Senate Health & Human Services Committee for six years; House Education Committee for 12 years; appointed to  Governor’s Education Reform Commission and Governor’s Welfare Reform Commission; chairman for the Lieutenant Governor’s Foster Care Reform Working Group

Other experience in the community: Member of Dunwoody United Methodist Church; board member, Dunwoody Homeowners Association , board member, Spruill Center for the Arts.

 Q: Why are you running for this office?

A: To continue serving the people of the 40th Senate district

Q: Why should the voters choose you?

A: Experience and I get results.  I focused on property tax relief, career readiness options and increased opportunities for the disabled

Q: If elected, what’s the first thing you want to accomplish in office?

A: Continue to control costs of higher education

Q: What do you see as the biggest problem facing the district you seek to represent?

A: DeKalb County’s image.

Q: What do you see as the biggest problem facing the state?

A: Educational achievement and regional transportation

 Q: If a “religious freedom” bill similar to the one passed this session and vetoed by Gov. Deal is offered again next year, how would you vote on it?

A: It will not be similar.  I would rather focus on education, healthcare and transportation issues.

 Q: If it comes up again in the legislature next year, would you support some form of new tax to expand MARTA?

A: I voted against just Fulton and DeKalb bearing the burden.  Other counties and the state need to contribute

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Joe Earle is Editor-at-Large. He has more than 30-years of experience with daily newspapers, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and was Managing Editor of Reporter Newspapers.