Brookhaven resident Marco Palma has announced a bid for the District 4 seat on Brookhaven’s City Council.
Palma, who co-founded Los Vecinos de Buford Highway and was previously the president of the tenants’ rights organization, announced his bid in a July 21 press release.
“I’ve decided to give back to the community that has given me so much – a community that I have seen grow stronger and closer together this past year,” Palma said in the press release. “We are one of the most diverse districts in the city and the issues we face are unique and require special attention.”
If elected, Palma would be the first Latino council member to represent District 4, which contains parts of Buford Highway and is 44% Hispanic or Latino, according to Brookhaven’s new City Council district maps.
Palma is expected to run against John Funny and Dale Boone, both of whom have already announced their bids. Qualifying dates for elections are Aug. 18-20, and elections will be held this November.
According to Palma’s campaign website, his three major priorities for the city are creating better access for Brookhaven residents, such as offering bilingual neighborhood meetings or making community resources easier to find; better community safety, focused on helping residents create healthy and safe relationships with police officers; and furthering economic development, with a focus on creating a good environment for small-business owners and immigrant businesses.
Palma will hold his first campaign event on July 31 from 2-4 p.m. at El Potro Mexican Restaurant, according to the press release. The restaurant is located at 3396 Buford Highway.