Fall 2020 - 1736 Magazine

he currently represents at the county level as chairman.
During his campaign he received donations and
endorsements from traditionally left-of-center organizations,
including labor unions and former Georgia
gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams’ group, Fair
Fight.
The 10-member Augusta Commission’s voting patterns
have historically reflected the city’s racial politics,
with white commissioners usually taking conservative
public-policy positions and black commissioners adopting
a more liberal stance. The results often manifest in
geopolitical schisms — a tug-of-war for city resources
that largely pits majority-black and majority-white
regions against each other.
Johnson maintains much of the divide stems from
Augusta commissioners too often eschewing their
policy-making priorities to micromanage day-to-day
government operations.
“We've been focused so much on the hiring, firing and
making sure the potholes are filled and the grass is cut.
That’s government 101 — that's entry-level,” Johnson
said. “We are the legislative branch of government, but
we act as the legislative and executive branch. We hire
department heads, so why not let them do their jobs?
Otherwise, you’re going to spend four years worrying
about cutting grass.”
That’s not to say Johnson isn’t concerned by the
city’s appearance, especially his urban-core district.
He is particularly distressed by persistent flooding in
east Augusta, the lackluster appearance of gateway
entrances from the airport, long-vacant buildings in the
central business district and dilapidated properties in
residential areas bordering the city center.
He believes the district’s disparate neighborhoods
have more in common than most people think.
“Harrisburg still has a lot of blight, but so does Sand
Hills,” he said. “So, you know, it doesn't matter what
part of the district you're talking about. A lot of the
The Augusta Commission District 1 encompasses
all of the central business district, seen here on
the right side of the Savannah River, as well as
its nearby historic residential neighborhoods
and the east Augusta industrial zone.
[FILE/THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE]
16 | 1736magazine.com