A republican candidate will challenge House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley in November. Reggie Liparoto qualified to run against Hugley in House District 141. Neither candidate has a challenger in the May primary. Liparoto told Now Georgia she is running because she doesn’t think Hugley’s voting record represents constituents in that district. “District 141 has been my district for 8 1/2 years. And of all the years she has been in office; I don’t see a voting record by Mrs. Hugley that represents this district well or the state of Georgia; especially concerning property taxes.”
“Her latest vote has only continued to hurt the district she serves and the taxpayers who are folding under high taxes for their property. She voted no to eliminate property taxes and then voted no to cap them at 3%. She is out of touch as to what serves the people who have voted for her: only to see their property taxes continuing to rise. They have had no other choice. Now they do. This is the reason and the motivation that moved me to run.”
Hugley was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1992, and she is the longest serving female in the House. Liparoto suggests it’s time for a change. “I want to serve the people and make changes that affect the people in a positive way to serve them and their reality and their needs first. I don’t see that from Mrs. Hugley’s 30 plus years’ time in service. It’s time for a change. I’m the right choice for that change. In a time when we say no “kings” and I might add, no queens to keep raising taxes on people who struggle to stay afloat and, in their home, she is practicing elitist practices. I’m highly motivated to change that. I will work for the people and programs that serve them in the most transparent light.”
“I’m not wealthy, I’m a single mom and counting my dollar bills. I’m one of the people; I am ground zero. Serving too long and with a wealthy status: without opposition can lead to out of touch decisions. Like the property tax vote, she flat out said no to and flat out said no to capping it too. Why? We should be asking that question. Better use of our tax monies instead taxing us to death. Carolyn the tax queen has imposed her decision on us the average person trying to make a living and having the American dream of owning a home without bankrupting us with taxes,” Liparoto said.
This is not Liparoto’s first foray into politics, and she is not afraid to challenge the establishment. She made an unsuccessful bid for city council in 2018. In 2024 her name was on the ballot to challenge Sanford Bishop in the 2nd congressional district. Liparoto was defeated in the republican primary, but she says she learned a lot from the experience. “I learned how very large an area the 2nd district is, and how many awesome farmers there are in that district.”
“I met incredible Georgians and their contributions and dedication to feed the world! Dedicated men and women generational farmers. I also learned a lot of those farms and ranches have been handed to the daughters and granddaughters to keep it in the family. That was an incredible experience to meet and get to know them. In contrast the 2nd district as a whole did not see a woman in that role when facing an entrenched 40 plus year public servant like Sanford Bishop.”
When asked what issues she would be focusing on during this campaign in a traditionally democratic district Liparoto responded, “property taxes, property taxes, property taxes! Blue or red we are all human beings that need smart choices for our quality of life, and we all need property taxes gone or capped. That would benefit all voters,” Liparoto said.
