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PTC candidates and their websites: Some unanswered questions Let’s get specific regarding the upcoming election, starting with community participation on issues of importance. Historically, Cyndi Plunkett has been involved in the community and was on the Peachtree City Recreation Commission prior to her council service. Likewise, Don Haddix has a history of attending government meetings, speaking out and had a leadership role with his homeowners association. On the other hand, the third mayoral candidate, Scott Rowland, had no leadership or advocacy role on issues of concern in Peachtree City. Post 1: Beth Pullias has been a leader in her homeowner association, and a founding member of the Peachtree City Civic Association (a group of homeowners associations speaking out on local issues). Pullias has a history of attending meetings of numerous local governments and writing letters on various issues. David Craig is an unknown with no website available, and no previous history of involvement cited in his letters to the editor. Similarly, the young Shelby Barker participated in the Peachtree City Youth Council just a handful of years ago, but has had no voice on local issues since. Eric Imker has no history of advocacy on the issues prior to earlier this year when he announced his run. However, Imker has been quite frank on the issues throughout the year as opposed to Craig and Barker, who surfaced only at election qualifying time. Finally, Dar Thompson quit the race after certain concerns came to light. Post 3: Steve Boone is the incumbent, stuck with the persona of an aloof bureaucrat. Totally the opposite, Kim Learnard communicates well and has been a strong advocate of quality education in Fayette County. Bob Walsh has had no local leadership role or advocated any positions prior to election qualifying. Post 4: Vanessa Fleisch cites no previous history of involvement on the issues. The other candidate, Les Dyer, served as president of Peachtree City Volunteer Firefighters Association from 2005 to 2008, but no public stands on local issues. The Callula Hills development (building a subdivision at the end of the Falcon Field runway) and big box development: Haddix opposes Callula Hills and big box retail. Rowland opposes Callula Hills and the Ga. Highway 54 West big box retail. Plunkett is mysteriously silent on Callula Hills; in fact, she has no specifics on any issue on her campaign website. Plunkett has voted in favor of exemptions to city ordinances to allow several big box stores. Pullias, Barker and Imker oppose Callula Hills. While Craig did not mention the project specifically, he did say, “I do not agree with all of the annexes, zoning changes, and proposed developments that past councils have approved or are considering,” also calling for “limited retail development (big box stores).” Pullias and Imker oppose big boxes, while Barker is silent on the issue. Learnard and Walsh oppose Callula Hills, but incumbent Boone is also mysteriously silent on the issue. Learnard and Walsh also oppose big box retail, while Boone has voted in favor of exemptions to city ordinances to allow several big box stores. Dyer and Fleisch both oppose the Callula Hills project. Fleisch announced opposition to the CCD big box project on Hwy. 54 West. Dyer believes big box retail is fine. All of the candidates have expressed the importance of adhering to the “village concept,” but almost none of them expressed any knowledge of the concept and what makes it important. In addition, a significant conflict exists with Dyer’s pro-big box stance and wanting to maintain the village concept. In fact, Learnard hit the nail on the head saying, “Now, we are seeing larger and larger retail centers being proposed. The larger centers are not intended to serve a Peachtree City village population, but, rather, to draw from outside the community.” Yes, the regional draw big box centers crush the village concept and lower the sales potential in the other village center shopping areas. For Boone and Plunkett to be telling everyone “after four years of ordinance exemptions and rampant big box development” that they even care about the village concept is lunacy. Indeed, it was Councilwoman Plunkett who said, “ ... it’s probably time to look at the vision and see where we want to be, and how do we keep the things that we have” (Fayette Neighbor, 07-09-09). The woman has been in office for four years, dismantling the village concept, and now says we need to look at how to protect things. Ouch! Taxes and budgets: Haddix voted in favor of an FY10 tax increase of .238 mill in order to restore balanced budgeting in Peachtree City. Incumbent Plunkett voted in favor of pilfering from the reserve funds, leading to a fourth year of expenses exceeding revenue. On the other hand, Rowland is nebulous on the subject saying, “There have been many streamlining activities and we have cut into the meat of the budget. I believe we need to sharpen our knives and get down to the bone.” Where exactly is the “bone,” Mr. Rowland? Pullias and Imker favored a marginal tax increase to finally balance the budget. Meanwhile, Craig and Barker do not want to pilfer the reserve funds, but they do not want the tax increases either. Their Obama-like stance of “creating efficiency” to make up the difference is not very sturdy. To that end, I think Barker falls off the cliff of rational thinking by saying no new taxes, balance the budget and “we must be absolutely sure that the quality of the services Peachtree City has come to expect is not sacrificed.” Barker’s position on the important issue of budgeting and taxation closely resembles Mayor Harold Logsdon’s “tell them whatever they want to hear” campaign stump speeches — not realistic. Learnard supported a marginal tax increase to balance the budget. Incumbent Boone voted in favor of pilfering from the reserve funds, leading to a fourth year of expenses exceeding revenue under his watch. Walsh’s views on the budget are a bit frightening, a rose-colored glasses view. Sales tax revenue is down, the state homestead exemption is gone in 2010, the city has no funding for several Public Works line items and Walsh says the budget forecast is good, so pilfer from the reserves to balance the budget. Fleisch has no position on budgets or taxes. On the other hand, Dyer says, “My goal will always be a balanced budget, and I believe we can get there with a measured continuation/increase in taxes and modest cuts in our non-public safety services.” What specifically will you cut, Mr. Dyer? Those in favor of the SPLOST are Haddix, Plunkett, Pullias, Boone, Walsh and Dyer. Those opposed to the SPLOST are Craig and Barker, and those with no public opinion are Rowland, Imker, Learnard and Fleisch. Some of the candidates simply do not understand the SPLOST situation. They do not understand the mayor and council replaced annual line items in the general budget with funds from the current SPLOST, taking the funds from budget and spending them on new line item expenditures. Even with the SPLOST funds, the expenses overwhelmed the revenue collected. So when Dyer, Walsh, Plunkett, Boone say do not raise the millage rate, but go for a SPLOST, they are just kicking the can down the road, substituting a short-term tax increase via a SPLOST to run the city’s annual budget line items. It is contradictory and foolish because the line items will still need to be funded later on, and the proposed SPLOST includes tens of millions of dollars of wasted funding on frivolous projects (in a horrible economy, no less), throwing good money after bad. Plunkett states, “Somewhere between 40-50 percent of the money comes from people that don’t live in Peachtree City or Fayette County,” which is utterly ridiculous. Have the guts to raise taxes to meet your increased expenses, but, please, do not make a bunch of outlandish claims and expect us to believe it. So, candidates, tell us why the village concept is so important, avoiding the “it’s what makes the city great” fluff. What is it about the Comprehensive Land Use Plan that works so well? Demonstrate you have an understanding of planning principles so we can trust you will make the right decisions. Where do Boone and Plunkett stand on Callula Hills? Pullias and Dyer have taken stands against the TDK Extension, but what about the rest of you? Where does Barker stand on added big box retail development? Does Rowland have any fluff-less specifics on budget and taxes? Does Fleisch have any positions on budget and taxes? Does Haddix still want to sell city recreational venues? Exactly how will Barker and Craig create enough efficiency to balance the budget? What will Dyer cut to balance the budget? Candidates, we await your answers. Website reviews: For mayor: Cyndi Plunkett (www.cyndiplunkett.com/): Extremely vague for someone who has a four-year voting record, no specifics. Scott Rowland (www.scottrowland.org/main/): Site is of no value to the undecided voter. Don Haddix (www.donhaddix.com): Dated material with some insights on some issues. Post 1 Eric Imker (returntothevision.com/index.html): Nice section on letters to the editor containing real positions on the issues. Beth Pullias (www.pulliasforptc.com/): Helpful issues section and letters to the editor containing real positions on the issues. Shelby Barker (www.shelbybarker.com/): Gives you an understanding of where he stands on some issues. “Issues” section is short on answers. David Craig: No website. Post 3 Bob Walsh (electbobwalsh.com/): Very brief and not much in the way of solutions. Kim Learnard (www.kimlearnard.com/): Frames the issues, but not many solutions. Post 4 Vanessa Fleisch: Videos only hit two issues (Callula Hills and council meetings on the Internet). Les Dyer (http://votedyer.com/): Candid opinions on a few issues. [Steve Brown is the former mayor of Peachtree City. He can be reached at stevebrownptc@ureach.com.] login to post comments | Steve Brown's blog
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