Bham Now council candidate interview: Jeremy Schatz, District 5
ByJHDaniel
Reading time: 4 minutes
Jeremy Schatz is a Birmingham attorney and Crestwood resident. He’s also a candidate for Birmingham’s city council in District 5.
Campaign Details
For more information about Schatz, here are links to his Facebook campaign page and his website. He’s running on a platform of diversity and tolerance, along with government accountability.
Other District 5 Candidates
Your current councilor is Council President Johnathan Austin. Dorothea Crosby, Chris Davis, Darrell O’Quinn, Jeremy Schatz and Robert Walker have declared intents to run. Bham Now has also interviewed Crosby and O’Quinn.
Election Details
The city municipal elections are scheduled for August 22, but candidates are already making their rounds. Qualifying for the race begins on June 23rd and ends July 7th.
Please check out all of our weekly interviews featuring the city council and mayoral candidates here at Bham Now. We post them every week! It’s a great way to get involved with the upcoming city elections, and we hope you find them informative and helpful. Any questions or comments about these posts can be directed to me via a FB message @bhamnow.
Candidate Interview
When did you officially announce your candidacy and where/how did you do it?
“February 15th at Melt in Avondale.”
What is the name of your principal campaign committee?
“The Committee to Elect Jeremy Schatz.”
Why do you want to run for Birmingham City Council?
“I’m running because our city is at a crossroads, and it’s time for a change in our council. For too long we’ve had representation that no longer looks out for our best interest.”
More Questions And Answers
What is your background, education and experience?
“As the adage goes, I never prepared my life around running for office, but my life has prepared me well. I grew up in and around Birmingham and either myself or family members have experienced almost every economic situation. I’ve had times where I didn’t know how I was going to pay rent, to making an income that allows a comfortable life. This gives me a unique understanding of what many people in the fifth district deal with daily.
“After graduating from the University of Alabama, where I was the starting punter (and brief stints in professional football and coaching), I decided to go to law school at the Birmingham School of Law. I worked full time while going to school and graduated salutatorian of my class.
“Currently, I’m a practicing attorney at The Patton Firm in Avondale, concentrating in employment law and personal injury. Further, I have been a volunteer attorney for One Roof through the Birmingham Bar Association and have been active in the law school’s alumni association, which raises scholarship money for deserving students.”
How will you foster a healthy, working relationship between the mayor’s office and the Birmingham City Council/city hall?
“We need a working government for Birmingham to reach its highest potential. To foster a healthy working relationship, egos need to be left to the side and decisions need to be made that are truly in the best interest of the people.
“I plan to keep an open dialogue with not only the mayor’s office and other councilors, but with everyone working within city hall. I believe communication is of the utmost importance in having a healthy working relationship.”
How will you accomplish transparency with the residents of Birmingham, if elected?
“Transparency is extremely important. Without it, a government can’t truly work for the people. To foster transparency, I plan to improve online access to information and develop an action plan that has articulable goals. If those goals are met, we tell the people. If not, we explain why and what we plan to do to reach them and be accessible within the community to keep the citizens informed.”
