With the May primary election just days away, Cobb County Chairwoman Lisa Cupid kept her state of the county address positive and light Thursday as she recounted the county’s successes under her leadership.
Cupid pointedly sidestepped the controversies the first majority-Democratic commission has faced during her term — a noticeable change from last year’s address, where she defended herself against the conservative backlash hurled at the commission in the prior year.
“We don’t do enough to talk about the good things, or see the good things,” Cupid said after the speech. “If I wanted to be political, I could have.”
She will face Democratic primary challenger Shelia Edwards in Tuesday’s election, who also attended the event.
Credit: Elijah Nouvelage
Credit: Elijah Nouvelage
Prior county chairs had typically given the state of the county address to the Cobb Chamber, but Cupid broke from that tradition in her first year in office by opening up the event to the general public. This year’s speech was given at the Cobb Galleria Center, with nearly 200 guests, county employees and community stakeholders in attendance.
Cupid advocated for the proposed transit expansion plan that she hopes voters will approve in the November election with the 30-year mobility Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, a long-term policy goal she has pushed for since becoming chair.
“When we talk about transit investment, we’re talking about economic development and workforce investment,” Cupid said. “Should we pass that transit tax, Cobb County would still be a leader when it comes to having the lowest sales tax in the metro area.”
Cupid spotlighted the county’s infrastructure investments with water and sewer repairs and new trails, along with economic wins, such as the Atlanta Braves stadium hosting the 2025 MLB All-Star game and the expansion of workforce development programs.
She also touted the opening of the new family advocacy center for domestic violence victims to access resources, and grants the county and the Cobb Chamber of Commerce provided to support daycare centers.
Credit: Elijah Nouvelage
Credit: Elijah Nouvelage
While she did not lay out any specific proposals, Cupid pledged to bring forth affordable housing policies this year. The average home sale price in Cobb County is now $470,000, according to data from the Atlanta Regional Commission.
“When we ever have apartments that come to Cobb County, people turn their nose down at those that are trying to make a living and have a life here,” she said. “When a lot of us moved to Cobb County, we were not paying anywhere near those prices.
“How are our children going to live in Cobb County? How can we continue to live here?”
When asked after the speech to expound upon her policy plans, she did not provide specifics and said the commission would look at “some low hanging fruit that could be supported by our whole board. I don’t want to get too ahead because I want to have those conversations with the full board.”
Credit: Elijah Nouvelage
Credit: Elijah Nouvelage
