Fairhope City Council candidate Joshua Gammon is proposing eliminating the City's grocery tax if he is elected.
Gammon, a Point Clear hotelier, is challenging Place 2 incumbent Corey Martin.
Gammon has lived in Fairhope for over eight years. After visiting the area, he and his wife, Elizabeth, decided to call Fairhope home.
"I've lived in quite a few places around the country and so I can identify very readily how special Fairhope is, and you know, the different qualities that make it special, and that's why I'm running," said Gammon. "I see that this is a special place and I want it to stay special."
After being encouraged by friends and colleagues, Gammon said he decided to step up to the plate.
"I think we need to just rethink our priorities and just tweak some things around the edges to make sure that the Fairhope that everyone's fallen in love with as it continues to grow, grows in the right way, keeps the charm."
Priorities for Gammon include updating infrastructure, managing growth, paying attention to recreational facilities and parks and making much-needed improvements, all while adhering to the comprehensive plan. Additionally, the City aims to increase downtown parking and eliminate the grocery tax.
"After we find everything in the City, after we put money in our reserve and after our rainy day fund, which is completely full, we still have an excess of $10 million in revenue every single year for something like the last five years," Gammon said. "So, we can afford to eliminate the grocery tax in Fairhope."
Gammon said he thinks it is immoral to tax something that is a necessity.
"It's going to have a very large impact on our residents here that are living on a fixed income, whether they be old, disabled, or just young folks trying to start out," Gammon added. "It's a burden that we don't need to put onto them, and as a conservative, I believe that if you can lower taxes in a fiscally responsible manner, which we can, then you have an obligation to lower that tax."
The Gammons have three children and are members of St. Lawrence Church.
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