Hall County Commissioner Craig Lutz and his wife have filed for bankruptcy, and the South Hall commissioner said Monday he is working on a plan to repay his debts.
Lutz left his job with AT&T shortly after his election in November and remains unemployed.
“My income has dropped substantially and we did file for some protection from that to see if we could go through some debt reorganization,” Lutz said.
On Jan. 20, Lutz and his wife filed for a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, which allows people with regular incomes to develop a plan to repay all or part of their debts over a period of time. Lutz’s wife is a teacher in Gwinnett County.
In an interview Monday, Lutz said his personal financial issues will not hinder his work on the commission.
“I’m not concerned,” Lutz said. “I don’t see it having any impact.”
According to bankruptcy filing documents, Lutz listed $633,322 in assets and $615,499 in liabilities, including two mortgages on his home and several thousand dollars of credit card debt.
He lists an average monthly income of $4,994.94 for himself and $4,123.71 for his wife in bankruptcy documents.
When Lutz parted ways with his longtime employer, AT&T, he said he resigned so his work as a commissioner would not become a liability to his employer.
“The people of District 1 elected me to represent them and to offer my best thinking on policies that will strengthen Hall County and improve the quality of life and opportunities for people living here,” Lutz said in a statement at the time. “I’m clear on my responsibilities and purpose but not everyone else is. Other people have presumed to advise me on my style and the policies I should pursue, who I should criticize, who I should not. The people did not elect me to be a mouthpiece for any company or official,”
Lutz is the second commissioner to face financial troubles in recent months.
In November, Commissioner Scott Gibbs confirmed that his business, J.D. Gibbs Grading had filed for bankruptcy. Gibbs cited the effects of the economy on the construction business for his company’s woes.