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Mark Pettitt
Mark Pettitt was a Republican candidate for the Post 2 seat on the Hall County Board of Education in Georgia. He advanced from a primary election on May 20, 2014, but lost to incumbent Brian G. Sloan in a runoff election on July 22, 2014.
Biography
Pettitt is a partner with The Vantage Group, a political consulting firm based in Gainesville, Georgia. He serves as a state committee member for the Republican Party of Georgia. Pettitt is also a board member for the Hall County Library System.[1] He has spent time as a volunteer coach and a substitute teacher at district schools.[2]
Elections
2014
- See also: Hall County Schools elections (2014)
Mark Pettitt ran against Traci McBride and Brian G. Sloan in the Republican primary on May 20, 2014. Pettitt and Sloan advanced to the July 22, 2014, runoff election, where Sloan defeated Pettitt.
Results
Runoff primary
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican |  Brian G. Sloan Incumbent |
50.5% | 5,283 | |
| Republican | Mark Pettitt | 49.5% | 5,184 | |
| Total Votes | 10,467 | |||
| Source: Georgia Secretary of State, "General Primary Runoff and General Nonpartisan Election Runoff: Official County Results," September 9, 2014 | ||||
Primary
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Brian G. Sloan Incumbent |
50% | 5,475 | |
| Republican | Mark Pettitt |
25% | 2,742 | |
| Republican | Traci McBride | 25% | 2,735 | |
| Total Votes | 10,952 | |||
| Source: Tiffany Rouse, "Email communication with Hall County Chief Registrar Charlotte Sosabee," March 5, 2015 | ||||
Funding
Pettitt reported $8,390.00 in contributions and $4,000.00 in expenditures to the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, which left his campaign with $4,390.00 on hand prior to the primary election.[3]
Endorsements
Pettitt did not receive any official endorsements in this election.
Campaign themes
2014
Pettitt's campaign website listed his themes for the 2014 race:
| “ | ADDRESSING THE FINANCIAL CRISIS: The Hall County School Board has one of the highest tax rates in Georgia, only one point below the state constitutional limit. Over the past seven years the Hall County School Board has raised property taxes four separate times. We now have the second highest administrative budget of any public school system of comparable size in the state. Mark believes that our tax dollars need to be spent for children in classrooms instead of on Green Street. He advocates zero-based budgeting to reduce wasteful spending, duplicative programs and poorly planned facilities. By streamlining support services we will be able to maximize efficiency and solve our fiscal problems. RESTORING ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPERANCY: The Hall County School Board has an annual operating budget of $286 million and a SPLOST fund that exceeds $100 million – the largest public budgets in Hall County. The taxpayers of Hall County need a proven conservative watchdog to watch where our money is being spent. As an ardent believer in transparency, Mark will work to improve communication with the public through periodic newsletters. In addition he will advocate for School Board meetings to be streamed online and televised on TV18 so that all citizens can take part in their school system – no matter where they are or when they are available. CREATING A SKILLED WORKFORCE: To once again create a vibrant local economy, we must work to develop a quality trained workforce. The first thing companies look for when they come to Hall County is a skilled workforce. For every four skilled tradesmen that retire only one young adult is trained to take their place in the industry. Georgia suffers a major skills gap and it is the duty of our schools to provide career pathways for our high school students. Mark wants to work with Lanier Technical College and the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce to facilitate annual career expos at all high schools where students can meet with local industry leaders and learn what it takes to land a job after graduation. PROMOTING A POSITIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT: Our teachers are overworked, underpaid and underappreciated while students are used as pawns in the battle of control between the federal and state departments of education. Our children are not able to enjoy learning and maximize their educational experience if our teachers are not happy teaching. Mark will work to end teacher furloughs and promote classroom and parental control, so parents and teachers can focus on helping our children learn. In order to compete in a global marketplace, we must take leadership at a local level to teach our children to become productive and successful members of society. EXPANDING PROGRAMS OF CHOICE: There is no doubt that we have seen great successes from charter academies and programs of choice. It is a fact that children learn best when learning in an environment that enriches their individual interests. Hall County has many charter academies that enrich learning and Mark will work to make these academies available to all students who exhibit interest in attending. MAINTAINING SAFE SCHOOLS: The children of Hall County are without a doubt our greatest blessings. Hall County Schools has taken bold steps in working to provide a safe environment to learn and grow for the children of our communities. By working with the Sheriff’s office to create a visible law enforcement presence and enhancing security features in each building, we were able to win a national award for school safety. Mark will always put the well-being of our students and staff first so that everyone can enjoy a brighter future.[4] |
” |
| —Mark Pettitt's campaign website, (2014) | ||
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Mark + Pettitt + Hall + County + Schools + Georgia"
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Mark Pettitt," accessed May 20, 2014
- ↑ Mark Pettitt for School Board, "Bio," accessed May 20, 2014 (dead link)
- ↑ GA Easy File, "Search Results: Hall County," accessed May 20, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Mark Pettitt for School Board, "Issues," accessed May 20, 2014
| 2014 Hall County Schools Elections | |
| Hall County, Georgia | |
| Election date: | November 4, 2014 |
| Candidates: | Post 1: • Samuel R. Chapman Post 2: • Traci McBride • Mark Pettitt • Brian G. Sloan |
| Important information: | Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
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