Alicia Miller Blakely running for re-election to Savannah Council At-Large Post 2

Savannah City Council's At-Large Post 2 Alderwoman Alicia Miller Blakely will run to keep her seat in this November's municipal election.

Blakely was first elected in 2019, defeating Tony Center in a race for an open post. Blakely received the most votes out of any citywide post in that election, with 13,642 total votes cast. Blakely is the first Black woman to hold Savannah's At-Large Post 2 seat.

She currently has one challenger for the 2023 election in longtime educator Pat Rossiter.

Background

Blakely was born in Philadelphia but moved to Savannah at age 1. She graduated from Savannah High School, and went on to get her undergraduate degree from Savannah State University. She served in the U.S. Army for 25 years and is a member of the International Longshoremen's Association Local 1414.

She was one of the original members of The Bullhorn Crew, an activist group that held vigils at the scenes of shootings and encouraged conflict resolution over violence.

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Platform

Blakely is a vocal supporter of Black businesses and entrepreneurship and the responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. Last year, Blakely spearheaded an anti-TSPLOST campaign, a sales tax which failed a countywide public vote.

Blakely said she would fight against any attempt by the University System of Georgia to consolidate Savannah State University and preserve Black history and Black historical sites in Savannah. The University System Board of Regents hasn't discussed consolidating SSU with another school, at least not publicly.

She also advocates for improving infrastructure in impoverished communities and said community centers, recreation departments and parks deserve more financial support from the city. Blakely said she will make sure "equity is spread across the board."

"My goal is to make sure that the wealth is spread across the whole city, not just in certain areas. We want it to be equitable for everybody," Blakely said. "If you put one penny in taxation, you want to get a return on your investment. And we have not gotten returns on our investments in the city of Savannah."

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Alicia MIller Blakely seeking re-election for Savannah At-Large Post 2