Bob Gray, the MDJ, and the PTA
Bob Gray, who claims to be the swamp drainiest candidate among all the Republicans running for CD 6, was first elected to the Johns Creek City Council in July, 2014. Johns Creek was incorporated in 2006, and Gray came on board as the city was reducing its reliance on CH2M, which (if you’re a municipal government type of person) is an exciting, active time to serve on a city council.
Apparently, this wasn’t the case for Gray during his two-and-a-half years on the Johns Creek City Council. Gray met with the Marietta Daily Journal yesterday, and during his conversation with MDJ Senior Editor Jon Gillooly, Gray emphasized that his day-to-day campaigning for Congress really wasn’t anything like serving on a city council.
“This is a totally different thing, right? I mean, I consider city council to be one step up from PTA, not to disrespect it at all, but this is a very different thing,” he said.
Sad!
Congress is certainly a different animal than a city council, and it behooves every city councilmember to maintain their perspective and self-awareness as they serve in public office – but it’s a stretch to compare a government like Johns Creek, which includes services that range from public safety and public works, to planning and zoning, parks and recreation, and finance, to the PTA. The City of Johns Creek has oversight for business and privilege licenses, and an annual budget of $56 million.
The PTA does important, and arguably necessary, work at schools across Georgia. The PTA is not the same thing as a government entity that has taxation authority and the power of eminent domain in a city with a population of 80,000. Gray didn’t complete his term on the Johns Creek City Council, but after more than two years, he should have at least learned to appreciate that municipal government serves a function beyond just a first step towards higher office.
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from zoning to property taxes to police and fire to, like, at least a dozen other things…i think it’s safe to say local gov’ts have way more impact in ones daily life than the work of the average congress critter on an average day…stay classy bob gray…
Gray is a joke, he’s lied about his support for Trump, and will say or do (or steal) anything to climb one step higher. Gray is a snake in the grass and luckily people see that. He won’t win, he’s in over his head.
Perhaps he wants Congress to be more like the PTA- all volunteer and very local.
Gray is one of those politicians/elected officials who sees everything in the lens of the next election. I wouldn’t be surprised if he believes a city council is beneath him. One could tell from Day 1 he was looking up the ladder. I didn’t think it would be Congress but it didn’t surprise me when his name was first floated months ago. He’s from central casting, has $$ and is openly ambitious.
I’m sure Gray is grateful to all the little people who have helped him in his journey.
Saying “not to disrespect it at all” right after doing so is beyond tacky and hardly believable. I am sure the citizens of Johns Creek are better off with people who actually want to serve their community.
And if necessary he’ll give the non-apology he’s sorry if anything he said was mistakenly taken by anyone to denigrate City Councils or PTAs.