Georgia Voice

WABE

Saporta Report

Mike was born in Oklahoma. He graduated for Campbell University in North Carolina and received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He lives in Grove Park with his husband, Jarno Oostingh.

Mike was a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army, and he did 28 years of army service as a military police officer. He was deployed overseas on eight missions, six of which were combat missions. After retiring from the army, he worked in marketing for a credit union.

Mike Russell's campaign for city council president is his first entry into politics.

30 June 2021

September 30 2021

Wants Buckhead to remain in Atlanta, but said, "the final decision will be up to the residents of Buckhead and the only way we can keep Buckhead as part of Atlanta is to demonstrate the city can provide effective public safety and the city services we all pay for and rightfully expect to receive."

Wants to direct more resources to underserved and underdeveloped areas such as Grove Park, Vine City and Mechanicsville.

- Wants Buckhead to remain in Atlanta, but said, "the final decision will be up to the residents of Buckhead and the only way we can keep Buckhead as part of Atlanta is to demonstrate the city can provide effective public safety and the city services we all pay for and rightfully expect to receive." 
- Wants to direct more resources to underserved and underdeveloped areas such as Grove Park, Vine City and Mechanicsville.

Public Services

Said, "we're going to work on informing the public and encouraging people to get the vaccine, particularly the African American community ... Any recovery that we have is predicated on getting people vaccinated ... I want these businesses open ... without a need for masks or social distancing, but that means we have to get everyone the protection they need from this virus first."

- Said, "we're going to work on informing the public and encouraging people to get the vaccine, particularly the African American community ... Any recovery that we have is predicated on getting people vaccinated ... I want these businesses open ... without a need for masks or social distancing, but that means we have to get everyone the protection they need from this virus first."

COVID

Would require each department to lay out specific standards of performance and service to justify their funding during the budgeting process, and he would make those standards public.

Plans to "require every voting member to publicly affirm they have read all funding bills before they can vote."

- Would require each department to lay out specific standards of performance and service to justify their funding during the budgeting process, and he would make those standards public.
- Plans to "require every voting member to publicly affirm they have read all funding bills before they can vote."

City Budget

Said, "\[l\]iving in a government complex or paying government supplemented rent to a landlord in my view should be a temporary solution. The ultimate goal should be to make it possible for people to own their home, have equity in the economy and build generational wealth ... This will take careful planning, zoning and detailed management of our available space."

- Said, "\[l\]iving in a government complex or paying government supplemented rent to a landlord in my view should be a temporary solution. The ultimate goal should be to make it possible for people to own their home, have equity in the economy and build generational wealth ... This will take careful planning, zoning and detailed management of our available space."

Housing & Urban Development

Supports community policing and would provide incentives for police to live in the communities they work in.

Plans to invest in the 911 system, more surveillance cameras, and body cameras.

Wants to shut down businesses "that have a history of violence, noise and other code violations."

Said, "\[t\]o effectively address out-of-control crime our solutions must be based on actual virtue and not virtue signaling."

Against defunding the police. He said, "\[t\]he adversarial approach that some city government officials have taken against the police is counterproductive; namely, the demonizing of police officers and the calls of defunding the police department.

Plans to revise juvenile justice laws to stop repeat offenders and supports more intervention programs focused on at-risk youth and families.

- Supports community policing and would provide incentives for police to live in the communities they work in. 
- Plans to invest in the 911 system, more surveillance cameras, and body cameras. 
- Wants to shut down businesses "that have a history of violence, noise and other code violations." 
- Said, "\[t\]o effectively address out-of-control crime our solutions must be based on actual virtue and not virtue signaling." 
- Against defunding the police. He said, "\[t\]he adversarial approach that some city government officials have taken against the police is counterproductive; namely, the demonizing of police officers and the calls of defunding the police department.
- Plans to revise juvenile justice laws to stop repeat offenders and supports more intervention programs focused on at-risk youth and families.

Public Safety

Promises to improve sidewalks, trash pick-up, potholes, and utility poles. He said "poor city services" are one of his top issues.

- Promises to improve sidewalks, trash pick-up, potholes, and utility poles. He said "poor city services" are one of his top issues.

Transportation & Infrastructure

Wants to prioritize single-family homes. He said, "\[a\] city is more than a collection of soulless towers and apartment building with a bike lane out front and an occasional coffee shop."

Said, "\[o\]ur current and proposed zoning laws do not provide adequate protection for our tree canopy or green spaces. This must change."

Believes that any changes to current zoning laws should be postponed until after the November election.

Wants to hold public hearings to allow residents to provide input into zoning laws.

Supports offering incentives to organizations and individuals aiding in the development of underserved communities.

- Wants to prioritize single-family homes. He said, "\[a\] city is more than a collection of soulless towers and apartment building with a bike lane out front and an occasional coffee shop." 
- Said, "\[o\]ur current and proposed zoning laws do not provide adequate protection for our tree canopy or green spaces. This must change." 
- Believes that any changes to current zoning laws should be postponed until after the November election. 
- Wants to hold public hearings to allow residents to provide input into zoning laws.
- Supports offering incentives to organizations and individuals aiding in the development of underserved communities.

Zoning

Mike Russell

- City Council president is a position specific to Atlanta, and they are responsible for leading city council by presiding over meetings and appointing city council members to committee positions. 
- City council president cannot introduce legislation and can only vote to break a 7-7 tie. 
- City council president is elected by all voters in Atlanta in odd years to four year terms and will receive a salary of $74,400 starting in 2022. 
