Wednesday, June 27, 2001

Anyone who moves into a new job or starts with a new organization or gets married or becomes a parent for the first time will need a period of on the job training. We all know this. A candidate who wins an office for the first time is no exception. If a candidate ever tells you different, don't let them kid you.

In a normal campaign, a candidate would be thinking and preparing for six months or a year. In this campaign, the candidates had six weeks, and now three more. In a normal election, a candidate who is elected would have a maximum of six months to a minimum of eight weeks to prepare for office. In this election, the winner will be lucky to get six or eight days before having the first meeting and voting.

This shortened process compels a candidate to consider carefully some specific concepts that will help them prepare to take office and to get ready to vote on issues that will impact the lives of the people of Fayette County.

The following are a list of some of the principles I would use to guide my actions if I were to be elected.

Many issues that come before an elected official require caution. It's too easy to use the power of government to fix things that aren't broken or to make decisions that, once made, lead to unanticipated consequences and are difficult or impossible to reverse. I call myself a conservative. To me, being a conservative demands this caution.

The number one priority for any elected official at any level of government should be public safety: law enforcement, courts, fire and emergency medical services.

Do no harm, or do the least harm. Common sense is the best guide for many decisions. Respectful listening to other points of view is required behavior by any elected official. Elected officials owe it to you to conduct themselves with courtesy. Local control of local issues is critical to the effective function of self-government.

For most of you, these are obvious rules of life and they are all easy things for a candidate to say. For me, they have been guides I have used during my years of leadership in this community. You can check this. I have come into contact with many people in Fayette County. Ask one of them about me. Ask them if I've proven that this is how I will approach issues with the public, with other elected officials, with county employees and with all those who come before the County Commission.

Peter Pfeifer

Peachtree City

[Pfeifer is a candidate in the July 10 Special Election Runoff.]

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