Five Questions With Ben Podgor, District 3 Candidate

Editor's Note: will take place on Nov. 6, 2012, with runoffs set for for Dec. 4, 2012.

Patch has contacted every candidate for mayor and city council, asking them to participate in our popular 'Five Questions With ...' series. We will publish their answers, unedited, in the order their responses are received, from those who choose to participate.

And now, Five Questions With , candidate for city council district 3.

1. In this day and age of intense scrutiny, and especially considering the recent, hotly contested debate and vote over Brookhaven municipalization, why are you running for city council?

Podgor: My background education and experience compels me to make myself available as a candidate.

2. What do you think separates your candidacy from the other contenders?

Podgor: I am both an New York attorney and certified public accountant, "Knighted by the French Government", see: http://ben.benjaminpodgor.com  

You can find out everything in my background by putting my name into Google.  Do this as "ben podgor" and "benjaminpodgor" make sure it is in quotes, otherwise you will get about 25,000 things about my daughter, a professor of law at Stetson University. You will only get about 2,000 things about me. There will be no mistake about who you search. I am the only Ben Podgor in the United States.

3. With a newly incorporated municipality, is one responsibility (i.e., police, zoning, etc.) more pressing than some of the others?

Podgor: Safety would appear to stand out.  That is why police, fire and municipal court should immediately go into service.

4. Moving forward, what do you envision Brookhaven's relationship with DeKalb County to be?

Podgor: It must remain a good working relationship with both representatives of DeKalb and Brookhaven fully recognizing the duties that each has to perform.  It is obvious that Brookhaven will gain and that in a sense DeKalb will lose.  Brookhaven has been paying many expenses that should have been paid by the people that are not within Brookhaven. 

5. Candidates make promises when running for public office all the time. Can you make just one promise that, with absolute certainty, you will keep?

Podgor: Yes. I will not engage in any transaction that would create a conflict of interest. Let me add, that I will aim to make our effort a success.