As the appointed incumbent, Tax Commissioner T. Chris Johnson has drawn on what he knows to fund his first election.
Johnson, who was named tax Richmond County Tax Commissioner when Steven Kendrick resigned earlier this year to run for mayor, is one of three contenders to replace Kendrick on the Nov. 8 ballot.
His campaign report, filed Monday, shows his staff and the department’s contractors donating heavily to Johnson’s campaign.
Johnson has a slight fundraising lead over his challengers, raising $39,923.15 for the election, but had slightly less on hand, $13,413.85, than challenger Sanford Loyd, an accountant.
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Loyd reported raising $38,258.26 in his campaign report but had $15,223.94 on hand. Candidate Veronica Freeman Brown, finance director for the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, raised $27,380.49 plus reported $4,229.84 in in-kind donations. She had $8,396 on hand in her campaign report.
While Loyd drew on the medical and university community and Brown had support from members of the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, Johnson’s campaign contributions came largely from within the department he oversees.
In all, Johnson had seven campaign contributions from employees of the tax commissioner’s office. The most were donations of $1,000, $708 and $795 from Sharon Kendrick, Kendrick is the deputy tax commissioner for business services and is not related to the former tax commissioner.
Kendrick was one of 15 Johnson donations of $1,000 or more. His supporters also include Delinquent Tax Services, the firm that helps the tax office collect unpaid taxes. DTS, as well as its president, Jon Watson, each gave Johnson $3,000.
Johnson also received $245.15 from Shawn Edwards, director of the Augusta Georgia Land Bank Authority. Johnson is chairman of the land bank, which works closely with the tax office to help manage properties acquired for tax sales due to delinquent taxes.
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In addition, Johnson received $2,500 from attorney John Manton, who does real estate work for the tax office and land bank, and $1,000 from James Kendrick, the former tax commissioner’s father.
Johnson also had donations of $2,000 from the Klosinski Overstreet law firm and businessman J.R. Riles. He received $1,000 each from businessman Wayne Millar, Elmer Pickett, Bobbie Collins, Forde Construction, Bobbie Collins, Gordon Hardy, D. Shepherd Construction and Gold Cross CEO Vince Brogdon.
Susan McCord is a staff writer with The Augusta Press. Reach her at susan@theagugustapress.com
