Letter to the Editor: James Clifton Announces Campaign for Peachtree City Council

Peachtree City, GA – I am excited to announce my candidacy for Peachtree City Council Post 4, a position previously held by Frank Destadio. I sincerely thank Frank for his service to our country and Peachtree City. My campaign is focused on returning Peachtree City to the core principles of its founding, ensuring the quality of life that has attracted families to this wonderful city remains uncompromised.

I am disappointed with the city’s direction over the past decade, exemplified by bloated budgets and lower-quality service, as well suffering through four different city managers in four years —a sentiment shared by many residents.

Five primary goals drive my campaign:

1. Restrict High-Density Housing: I oppose high-density housing and aim to reinstate the city’s pre-2022 comprehensive land use plan, which restricted further development of property for multifamily use. This initiative seeks to preserve neighborhood character, enhance safety, prevent schools from being overburdened, and city services from being exhausted by unchecked population growth.
2. Alleviate Traffic and Transportation Issues: Past city councils allowed overdevelopment along the western corridor of Highway 54 without proper consideration, which has led to gridlock. Millions of dollars are being wasted on a redesign of the 54/74 intersection that will not improve the east-west traffic flow. I advocate for a more thoughtful and deliberate planning process to address these issues.
3. Encourage Free Speech and Transparent Government: I am concerned about the heavy restrictions on citizens who want to speak at council meetings, where citizens are sometimes restricted to less than one minute to speak. Elected officials should encourage open dialogue and ensure every voice is heard.
4. Reduce Budget and Taxes: One of my top priorities is better budgeting and lower taxes to maximize the value of residents’ hard-earned dollars while maintaining essential services. Our local government continues to find new ways to spend tax windfalls on pet projects, while also proposing an additional $150 million for new recreation projects, when the city cannot afford to maintain its current venues and parks. I pledge to utilize my business expertise to reduce the record spending and record tax increases, and return tax dollars directly to the people of Peachtree City.
5. Stop the Annexation and Rezoning Crisis: Land intended for revenue-positive corporate headquarters and light industry was rezoned to revenue-negative, dense residential zoning.  Annexing for residential zoning has forced an extremely expensive expansion of all city services and increased taxes on all of us to cover the costs. It’s simple, go back to the former land plan and follow the zoning ordinances.

I humbly ask for your vote on November 4, so that together, we can ensure Peachtree City continues to offer the quality of life we all highly value and appreciate.

For more information about the campaign, visit PTCBackOnTrack.com.