Candidates for Georgia House District 128 address key questions on voters' minds based on Listening Lab Results
In sit-down interviews with each candidate for HR 128, 13WMAZ asked about issues important to you: housing cost, mental health, and gun rights
13WMAZ is bringing you answers to questions you have for candidates based on the information viewers gave us during the 2024 Listening Labs.
This election cycle, we're incorporating the results we gathered from the Listening Lab surveys Central Georgians filled out earlier in the year.
In Hancock and Washington County, the top 5 issues participants pointed out were: gun rights, housing costs, inflation, mental healthcare/access, and violent crime.
We sat down with the two candidates in the race for Georgia's House District 128: Democrat Incumbent Mack Jackson and Republican Tracy Wheeler.
In separate sit-down interviews, we discussed the three issues you said were most important to you when it comes to the race: gun rights, housing costs, and mental health care access.
Here is what the candidates had to say:
Gun Rights Learning Lab Issue 1
Q: What policy change would you make with gun rights?
Mack Jackson (D): "We got violence in our communities and I passed in the 2022 session House Resolution 881. And what House Resolution 881 does is encourage the teachings of, Dr. Martin Luther King. This is part of the curriculum by McGuire Woods. I teamed up with a law professor in DC whose name is Matthew Daniels and Chris Broussard. This curriculum teaches nonviolence and we encouraged every school system to teach nonviolence. The principles of Dr. Martin Luther King are being taught in the state of South Carolina, and other states have adopted this curriculum. We've also developed scholarships when a student comes through school, to take this curriculum. They're eligible for a $5,000 scholarship. McGuire Woods and other companies have teamed up to help us to provide these scholarships. Well, this year, in 2024, we gave out 10 scholarships to students who have taken this course and this course because you gotta have something to replace it. When you talk about violence, you talk about gun violence, you talk about violence in our school, violence in our streets. We've got to have something to replace it. And the principles that are taught by Doctor Martin Luther King are shining a light in a divided world through six principles of Martin Luther King Junior. We also have a church curriculum that's been developed by McGuire Woods to teach in Sunday School about nonviolence because it's gotta be taught. We've gotta teach these principles in order for us to have something because we have too much violence. People not knowing how to get along. And for communities to strive, we need unity."
Tracy Wheeler (R): "As far as policy change with gun rights, I am a very big advocate for the Second Amendment but, we have laws that are effective right now. I just think they need to be enforced. We have a problem with the gun situation, but I think it is more of a mental health crisis. The gun rights, there are laws in place, but we have to do something to ensure the safety of our children."
Housing Costs Listening Lab Issue 2
Q: How will you address the housing costs in the counties you plan to represent?
Mack Jackson (D): "To address housing costs, we've got to do something about property taxes. We've got to do something and that's what we're trying to do. There are some amendments on the ballot that will address that. House Bill 581 is a bill that will allow a county, a community to collect an extra one-centx sales tax. That one-cent sale tax can only be used to offset property taxes. The law says that's the only thing that, that one-cent sales tax can be used for, to help property owners with their property taxes and I encourage people to vote. Yes, on those amendments to offset property taxes."
Tracy Wheeler (R): "As far as the housing cost, that is definitely one of the problems in our district. There are six counties and there is a severe housing problem and to fix the housing problem, we have to get some jobs in our district. The problem is to have affordable housing, you gotta have some jobs. So my plan is to try to get some industries and get some businesses to come to our district and with good jobs, you can get housing. We need some private businesses to invest in our local communities to build some affordable housing.
Mental Health Listening Lab Issue 3
Q: How do you make mental health care access available in rural areas?
Mack Jackson (D): "It's not easy, but it's something I've been working on too. I'm glad you asked that question. We partner with Mercer University through the School of Medicine. Dr. Jean Sumner and Mercer University. I partner with them to provide mental health care for our schools. We've got mental health care services in Jefferson County even though I don't represent that county anymore. When I did represent that county, we provided mental health care for Jefferson County, Washington County, and surrounding counties. Mental health is an important issue. And I think that it starts with our young people. Mercer University has been a great partner with our school system and they continue to be a great partner with our school system to provide testing for our young people and to provide, provide wraparound services for families. Counseling is much needed in our schools and in our communities because mental health is something that we have addressed in the General Assembly. And hopefully, we'll continue to address mental health because it's vital to our citizens."
Tracy Wheeler (R): "That is a very big passion of mine, mental health because we are all struggling right now with the things that are going on in the world, our younger children. That is one of the main issues. They need some counseling in the schools and our law enforcement needs assistance as far as when they get a call. That is not necessarily criminal, but they need assistance with the mental health issue. I think we do have a 988 emergency call number if you're struggling. But I think we need to go into counseling and there are signs that are leading up to people that are struggling with mental health. And if we can be proactive and the family, friends and the community can come together with professionals that understand mental health. I think that we can help eradicate the problems with mental health."
Meet the Candidates Background
Mack Jackson
Career: Jackson is retired from the Department of Corrections and was the office manager in Washington County. Has been a house representative since 2008.
Education: Has a bachelor's degree in political science from Georgia College & State University. He also went to Albany State.
Family: Married to Valerie and has two sons.
Tracy Wheeler
Career: Worked at a freight line at the beginning of her career. Then worked for a tile and marble installation company, then ran a restaurant for 16 years until COVID.
Education: Holds an associate's degree from Clayton Junior College.
Family: Married to Troy; they have two children