Alisa Boykin, Accidental Citizen

The chatter in Snellville is all about local politics.  The division in our City Council is of epic proportion.  In this corner, you have Mayor Kautz, her supporter Sabbagh and those she endorses in the upcoming election.  On the opposite side of the ring and most issues, we have Mayor Pro-Tem Tom Witts, Dave Emanuel, and Bobby Howard.  Diane Krause manages to stay above the fray while typically voting with Witt, Emanuel and Howard. 

Mayor Pro-Tem Witts, Bobby Howard and Mike Sabbagh are up for re-election.  Kautz has endorsed two new players, Alisa Boykin and Dexter Harrison.  In this blog, let’s review some of what we know about Ms. Boykin.

It is important to realize that Alisa Boykin is an accidental citizen of Snellville.  She lives in Snellville for no other reason than because her sister lives in Snellville.  When Boykin stopped paying the mortgage on her house in Loganville it was foreclosed on then she moved in with her sister.  If Boykin’s sister had lived in Kalamazoo she would ‘love’ Kalamazoo. 

Boykin is not about sustainability.  She has a pattern of making financial commitments she cannot keep.   She may have grandiose business ideas.  She may be willing to sign for mortgages and leases.  But when her ideas do not pan out she simply stops paying.  Then she is sued.  Again.

Boykin states:  I will use innovative business ideas that will compliment the face of our City and make it a monumental landmark for the State of Georgia. I will do this while presenting ethical values with integrity to the office and community that I serve.  The ‘ethical values with integrity’ that she has demonstrated includes withholding rent to landlords on Snellville properties not once but twice, leaving them on the hook for thousands of dollars.  Thankfully, at some point she moved her business to DeKalb County.   

Ms. Boykin repeatedly promises to give the City Council a ‘Fresh Perspective’.  Yeah, she will make Snellville look just like Washington.

Ms. Boykin cannot be given our City’s checkbook.

When one person stops making mortgage payments, who suffers?  The Alliance for a Just Society findings also show increased property tax rates in areas with foreclosures, as well as a significant decline in the value of the surrounding properties. Neighboring home values are proven to drop an average of one percent for every seven percent the foreclosed home value drops, according to 2012 RealtyTrac data. 

When one person stops making payments for business commitments, who suffers?  For starters, the families of those who are stiffed.  How can the developer feed, clothe and support his family when he is not paid monies owed? 

Does Boykin care about her financial failures?  Does it matter to her when she leaves unpaid bills time and again?  We cannot ask her this or any other question because she does not answer her phone, answer emails and she is unavailable to attend election forums.  We can, however, look at her behavior for answers.