Lee Hunt is

running for Fayetteville City Council over $50.

Less than one

hour before the qualifying deadline last Wednesday, Hunt made the upcoming

elections a bit more interesting by throwing his hat into the ring in

Post 3, where he will face incumbent Walt White, the current mayor pro

tempore. The incumbents in Posts 4 and 5, Larry Dell and Al Hovey-King,

are unopposed.

Hunt, a member

of the local Libertarian Party, says that his decision to run came after

he purchased a new water heater to replace his old one, which was damaged.

When he made arrangements to have it installed, he said, he was told that

he would have to pay the city a $50 "permit fee" for that privilege.

"I was

incensed, to say the least," he said. "It is none of the city's

business, and was just another creative way for government to get into

my wallet for $50. When I am elected to this post, I will actively work

to repeal these and other unnecessary and intrusive 'fees.'"

Candidates

are not restricted to specific districts and run citywide for whatever

post they choose. Hunt has given no indication that he preferred to run

against White over the other two.

"I have

no personal agenda against the incumbent, Walt White, and I will not engage

in any type of negative personal campaign," he said in a prepared

written statement released last week.

Hunt says that

he is "tired of being overregulated by government" at the state

and local level.

"Several

years ago I came to the realization that neither the Republicans nor the

Democrats were interested in pursuing an agenda which would return power

and authority to you and me, the taxpaying citizens," he said. "The

Republicans and the Democrats continue to vote for and actively support

policies which make government bigger and less accountable and responsive.

These laws and policies take away your rights as guaranteed by both the

U.S. and Georgia constitutions."

Hunt's general

political philosophy is one that emphasizes less government and more support

of local business, according to his press statement. As for specific Fayetteville

issues, he says that he wants to see "quality business and residential

growth" and work closely with the state to improve traffic flow through

the city. He is opposed to additional multifamily residential construction

in areas not already zoned for it.

A father of

two grown daughters, Hunt has worked 22 years for Northwest Airlines,

where he is an avionics mechanic. He also has experience as a police officer.

A Clayton County

native, Hunt was graduated from Forest Park High School and received an

associate's degree in criminal justice from Clayton College & State

University.