The residents of District 3 in Dothan have two candidates for their City Commission seat.

The incumbent Paul Lee is running for re-election, and former Mayor Kenneth Everett is opposing him. Everett was Mayor of Dothan from 1981-1985.

In recent interviews with News 4, both candidates answered what is most important to them over the next four years if elected commissioner.

"I think we need to lay our personal agendas aside," says current District 3 Commissioner Paul Lee. "Because it is really not a good thing for those people that are using Dothan or are potentially going to use Dothan to set up their new businesses. We don't want them to see the turmoil and all the chaos that happens at the commission, and sometimes even at commission meetings. My goal is for the city of Dothan to have those jobs. We certainly don't want to throw up a road block seeing some of the actions that has taken place over the past two years. We want to be positive, move the city forward and provide those jobs."

Kenneth Everett responded this way, who says he would not run for re-election, responded this way to the same question:

"The only reason I am in this race is to stop the tax and spend with the city of Dothan," Everett said. "I will not vote for a tax or fee during the four years that I am there. I have come back again one more time to manage the city of Dothan the way I did from '81-'85 when I was Mayor. This city was broke when I went in office. I told them we are not passing taxes, and we didn't."

Between the years of 1981-1983, while Everett was Mayor, commission minutes show a number of fees and taxes were imposed, which are contrary to his statement above.

Everett has gone public in recent years trying to eliminate the city manager form of government, and in his opposition of a one-cent sales tax that was imposed by the commission.

Paul Lee defends every decision he has made in the past 4 years including the one-cent sales tax. He says the current commissioners have had to make up for a lack of public improvements to Dothan in past years.

So why vote for Paul Lee?

"We have resurfaced more roads the past 4 years in District 3 than we have in many, many years," says Lee. "You can't go to church, school, or work and not ride on them. We have paid $9.5 million off of our debt over the last four years. And we have to make sure we are financially sound. We need to be proactive rather than reacting because when we react as a city, it is just like a business, it costs us all money."

Everett says a vote for him is a vote to cut city spending, a vote against tax breaks from incoming businesses, and not to impose taxes without a vote of the people.

So why vote for Kenneth Everett?

"I am working for them to reduce the amount of taxes they pay. and not let anyone put anymore taxes or fees on them while I am there for four years," says Everett. "I am going to be a very vocal proponent for the tax payers when somebody comes up with an idea to tax them and spend some more money.">

Paul Lee recently voted in favor of giving the District 3 project, Cottonwood Corners, a tax break using the Brownfield Redevelopment Act. Everett called the act "legal embezzlement."

Both candidates agree that they would vote against a garbage fee.

The city election is Tuesday, July 14th.