The following candidate announcement was submitted by Ben Harrison, a Republican running for Limestone County Commission District 4. The News Courier will publish candidate announcements as we receive them and as space allows ahead of the March 3 primary election. They should be no longer than 700 words and emailed to adam@athensnews-courier.com. Announcements will be edited for length, grammar, style and content.

It has been an honor to serve the people of District 4 over the last seven years, and it is with great excitement that I announce my campaign for reelection. As a lifelong resident of Limestone County, I am committed to making county government truly serve the people. I am passionate about good government; government that protects the God-given rights of every individual, lives within its means and is transparent before its citizens. I love this community and want to see it flourish in years to come.

I take my responsibilities as County Commissioner very seriously. As a steward of your tax dollars, I believe the county must cut wasteful spending and learn how to balance our budgets. I am excited to report two potentially high-cost infrastructure projects were finished $218,000 and $485,000 below estimated cost and ahead of schedule. We have also made strategic equipment purchases that will enable us to do more construction work in-house with improved quality and at a much lower cost. Cost reduction in a government body can be very difficult, but government at every level must stop leaving debt for future generations. I am proud District 4 was out of debt before the end of my first term. If reelected, I will continue to look for new and innovative ways to save taxpayer money.

I have enjoyed working to support, defend and serve the people of District 4 since taking office. My top priority has been working to bring much-needed road funding to District 4, which includes paving or resurfacing projects on 16 roads, equaling more than $3 million. Road funding is, without a doubt, the biggest issue facing Limestone County. No other county department is underfunded as much as our roads. I firmly believe the County Commission as a whole needs to address this issue, and I will not stop working toward that goal. The people of Limestone County deserve better roads without higher taxes, and if reelected, I will continue leading the charge to increase our road funding.

As a husband and father, I am invested in the future and the safety of our community. As a state board member for the Alabama Association of Resource Conservation and Development, I have helped secure grants for our volunteer fire departments, Athens City, Athens Bible School, West Limestone High School, Sugar Creek Elementary School, Elkmont Elementary School, Elkmont High School and the Limestone County Special Education Department. I’ve also worked to improve storm safety, helped renovate senior centers and partnered alongside the Tennessee Valley Authority to provide District 4 the Marbut Bend walking trail at no cost to Limestone County tax revenue. Though I am proud of our accomplishments, I want to stay focused on what still needs to be done, and on our community’s future needs.

I believe government’s first priorities should be serving the people they represent. Whether it’s standing against higher taxes or fighting for better road funding, I am committed to being a voice for the people of District 4. That may not always be popular with the political establishment, but it will always remain at the top of my list.

Another area that is very important to me is keeping taxes as low as possible. People are already burdened with so many taxes, and I cannot support adding to that burden. I opposed the recent gas tax increase because I believe we should be cutting wasteful spending instead of raising taxes. The truth is that the answer to our road problem is not higher taxes but rather a willingness to cut unnecessary spending in other areas.

I am committed to being a dependable, conservative voice on the County Commission. I am proud to be a Republican and proud to have qualified as a delegate for President Donald Trump. I will stand for the values that Limestone County believes in. I am pro-life, pro-family, and pro-Second Amendment. I will stand for honesty, integrity, responsible spending, government transparency and protecting your property rights.

I will always be a voice for you, “the taxpayer,” on the County Commission. If you ever have any questions or concerns, I want to hear from you. My direct cell phone number is 256-614-9087.