In Their Own Words: Michael Cross, Candidate for Alpharetta City Council

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is one of five articles being posted today, Oct. 10, about Alpharetta City Council candidates, with quotes and video about individual candidates.

Michael Cross said he has studied hard on what attracts people to Alpharetta, using the time spent on the Alpharetta Development Authority to figure out what makes them want to move here, and what makes them stay.

"I have an understanding of what that takes," he said. "I came here for a reason and I'm staying here for a reason."

Cross told the audience at the Kimball Bridge Coalition Candidates' Forum on Oct. 9 that he has spent the past decade working at a successful law firm, helping businesses get through regulatory hurdles and employment challenges. He said he helped "work to put together an economic development plan to help the cit move foward the next five or 10 years."

And he's worked with the Alpharetta Public Safety Foundation. Those experiences have helped him get to know what the city needs, Cross said.

Cross said the changes in his trek to Waleska over a three-year period showed him the important of increasing road capacity to match development. What Cross said he doesn't know yet is what will eventually develop on the Prospect Park and Peridot properties on Old Milton Parkway and Haynes Bridge Road, respectively, so he's not certain what needs will be created. But he is prepared to take a look at what is finally proposed and make the best decision on how the city needs to address its infrastructure.

He likes the current city center plan a lot better, especially with the idea of moving Hwy. 9 from downtown to follow Westside Parkway, something other candidates also said they liked. It would give the city more control over the road, but it is contingent on getting Westside Parkway open, he said.

Cross said he likes the idea of pushing foward with downtown development, and want sto see if a technical college can be brought, using the old Milton High site.

The attorney said he'd like to investigate cooperating with adjacent cities that have good parks and recreation systems to work out preferred rates and programs. More varied programs could be offered.

"Some of the newer cities don't have quite what we can offer," Cross said, but they could be included as their programs grow to provide as much for Alpharetta citizens as possible.

He's changed his mind on the regional transportation tax.

"For a brief moment, I thought T-SPLOST might work," Cross said. He's frustrated that a viable alternative doesn't exist. But with Fulton County's handling of its jail security system, he's not willing to put them in charge of other tax dollars.

With so many "neighbors" using Alpharetta roads, Cross said the question of whether the city spends money on a road such as Rucker for traffic relief, only to see all the people using Houze switch over to it, is a challenge.

"I hope we can find a good transportation funding method," Cross said. "The gas tax certainly isn't working."