Over 2,300 years ago, Plato looked over the city of Athens, the city he dearly loved, and wept at its ruin. His beloved city, once the envy of the entire world, had been defeated by Sparta in a long, bitter war. After the war, the city fell into near chaos at the hands of its leaders.

After witnessing such needless destruction, Plato concluded that democracy would never work. His reasoning was that in a democracy, the leaders would be not those who were best qualified to lead, but rather, the leaders would be those whose only attribute was the ability to get elected.

In other words, Plato concluded, Athens suffered due to having been led by politicians who cared only for the power of office and not the good of the city.

Fortunately, in 1776, men met who challenged the thinking of Plato. These men pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to form a republic of the people, for the people, and by the people.

These men and their spiritual descendants were not politicians in the platonic sense; these elected officials were statesmen who served the people for the good of their country. They were not simply politicians hungry for power and eager for personal gain; they were statesmen.

Unfortunately, we may no longer have leaders such as these in Peachtree City. The promotion of the TDK road was done without the public’s knowledge of the massive city now called New Community that is to be built just across the county line.

Though the citizens have been told that their taxes will pay for this road, its benefit will go almost entirely to the private developers and governments in Coweta County.

It is ironic that Peachtree City and Fayette County will both pay for the road and get the traffic, but Coweta County and the developers will get both the profit and tax revenue.

It seems apparent that our politicians have been misled by empty promises over fancy lunches. Why did it come as such a surprise to the public that the week after the TDK Road was apparently a done deal, we first learned of a $1.5 BILLION city that is to be built on the other side of this new, public-funded road?

Did not our new mayor take the time to ask the developer what was on the drawing board for the land on the Coweta side of TDK?

There are simply too many planners, engineers, and local officials involved in a venture such as this to keep it a total secret. Why were the plans for this so-called New Community not shown to the public months, even years ago when we were so openly debating on the merits of this road?

We had no secrets; why did they? Why did the developer wait until now to unveil their plans? The answer is obvious.

Unfortunately for Peachtree City and Fayette County, the building of TDK will do nothing to ease traffic or increase tax revenues. The easing of traffic due to the new four lanes will be only temporary due to the estimated 30,000 more cars per day the New Community will generate.

Furthermore, the millions of tax revenues generated by the sales tax of the retail in New Community will all go to Coweta, not Fayette, County. Coweta will get the millions in additional property taxes, permit fees, and other revenue generated by New Community. Peachtree City and Fayette County will only get the traffic.

What is needed now is not more political hot air or posturing. What is needed now is for some of our elected officials to stop and think of their oath of office. We elect them to do what is best for the good of the public. That is their scared trust.

We do not need more politicians like those who caused Plato to lose faith in democracy. People today are cynical enough of politicians. What we need are men and women of the same fiber and spirit as those who stepped forward in 1776 and did what was right.

Statesmen are who history remembers. Statesmen are needed at this difficult time. People are cynical of politicians due to matters just as this. But it is not too late. The public respects those who admit to a mistake and then go on to correct their previous wrong.

Mr. Mayor, be a statesman. Make us proud. Admit you were wrong and stop that road!

Name withheld by request

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