Who should you vote for in Peachtree City’s next election? In this feature, you’ll find the differences between our candidates in their own words as they answer questions from The Citizen. Candidates were given exactly one week to reply to our questions. 

Both candidates for City Council Post 4, James Clifton and Michael Polacek were invited to respond to an identical set of 13 questions about governance, development, traffic, finance, and community priorities.

Each answer appears exactly as submitted, up to a 250-word limit, and has been lightly formatted for readability.

Personal contact details and website links have been removed from both candidates’ submissions. Answers were truncated to ensure the 250-word limit. In an effort of fairness, we switched the order of response for each question. 

Early voting in Peachtree City starts next Tuesday, October 14 at the Library/City Hall complex.

Governance & Transparency

Q1. What sets you apart from your opponent? How would you be a better choice? 

James Clifton

Former Mayor Steve Brown endorsed my legal expertise as a vital asset to the City Council. As an attorney licensed to practice before the United States Supreme Court, I bring unmatched legal insight and a deep understanding of how government works. I’ve utilized my legal skills to assist hundreds of local families and businesses in fighting back against soaring property taxes, as I understand the challenges faced by taxpayers and know how to resolve these issues.

 My opponent is a registered paid lobbyist for big corporations and special interests. He’s paid to represent their agendas, not yours. When corporate money drives decision-making, the voices of everyday citizens get drowned out. Peachtree City deserves leadership that answers only to the people. I stand for transparency, fairness, and real representation. Let’s keep special interests out of City Hall.

Claiming to be “conservative,” by following their money, voters can see precisely where Mayor Learnard and my opponent, Michael Polacek, stand. Their campaign contributions to Biden, Harris, Stacey Abrams’ PAC, and Jon Ossoff expose a clear allegiance to big-government ideology, prioritizing higher taxes over fiscal responsibility. While families and businesses in Peachtree City struggle, they’re aligning themselves with the forces pushing for more government overreach and deeper into your wallet. Their campaign contributions speak louder than their campaign slogans.  Our local industries, such as Rinnai and Alta, have almost had to shutter their facilities due to the overbearing regulations that Learnard and Polacek have supported with their campaign contributions; that’s hardly conservative.

Michael Polacek

Peachtree City has been my home for over 20 years. I love this community, I grew up here, and my wife and I are raising our kids here. As a second-generation resident, I have deep community ties and a thorough understanding of what it means to preserve our unique quality of life. 

I also have real policy experience from my time in state government. I worked for the Georgia House of Representatives handling state budgets and later held senior leadership positions under the Kemp administration. I understand how government works and how we can do things better. Locally, I volunteer on the city’s Recreation Advisory Board. My current position is Director of Health and Health Education Policy for Piedmont Healthcare. My experience in the public and private sectors has taught me how to listen, build consensus, and turn citizen input into effective policy.

My opponent is a real estate agent and lawyer, with no public budgeting experience. He has not served on any city volunteer boards. He has not cultivated the strong relationships with our neighborhoods and businesses that I have. He is running “in tandem” with another candidate, which just means he is a rubber stamp for someone else. 

I will be a voice for the residents of my hometown. I have the skills and background to start on Day 1. 

Q2. Outside of public comments, how will you ensure residents have a stronger voice in city government?

Michael Polacek

My priority is to ensure that every resident has a meaningful voice in the decisions shaping our community. I will approach each issue with independence and thoughtful consideration, guided by public input rather than predetermined outcomes established by political alliances.

I believe in strengthening our advisory boards and creating more opportunities for residents to engage directly with city leadership. This includes expanding citizen surveys, hosting topic-specific town halls, and ensuring that feedback is incorporated into every major project before final decisions are made.

Public service is about listening. My goal is to ensure our city government reflects the voices, values, and vision of the people who call Peachtree City home.

Speaking of transparency, my opponent has attacked me for my professional role at Piedmont Healthcare, so I like to take every opportunity to set the record straight: I have been transparent about my job all along. I collaborate closely with elected officials to find practical solutions to complex issues, specifically the medical workforce challenges in Georgia. My work with state leaders requires me, by law, to register as a lobbyist. If Piedmont were to have any business before the city council, I would of course recuse myself. 

On the other hand, my opponent has not been transparent about his real estate profession and donation history. When James Clifton unsuccessfully ran for office his first two attempts, he collected thousands of dollars from high-density developers, real estate groups, and political action committees affiliated with builders, big development, and motels.

James Clifton

Peachtree City belongs to its citizens, and not to a mayor who silences them. Public meetings should be public. Yet Mayor Learnard has censored speech, shut down dissent, and tried to block council members from even placing items on the agenda. That’s not leadership. Thankfully, three courageous council members recently overturned the mayor’s power grab, restoring a shred of representation. But make no mistake: Michael Polacek is aligned with Learnard, and if elected, they’ll bring back those same repressive tactics. We need open government, not closed-door politics. I will fight to ensure that every citizen has a voice and that every council member can represent the people who elected them.

I believe in open dialogue, not filtered, not censored. That’s why I’m one of the few candidates with a public Facebook page, where I welcome every comment, good or bad. Transparency starts with listening. My first act on City Council will be to abolish Mayor Learnard’s outrageous ordinance that limits citizen voices to just 10 speakers per meeting. Do away with the suppression. Every resident deserves the right to speak, be heard, and hold their government accountable. No restrictions. No gatekeeping. Get rid of the mayor’s biased surveys. Let’s bring the citizens and business owners back into the conversation and have some back-and-forth meetings of the minds.

Growth, Development & Annexation

Q3. How would you protect Peachtree City’s village concept while also planning for future growth?

James Clifton

The solution is simple: stick to Peachtree City’s original village land plans. Every time the City Council strays, disaster follows.  Just look at the chaos unfolding at 74/54 toward Coweta County. Mayor Learnard even altered our comprehensive land plans to accommodate more huge multi-family housing complexes throughout the city.  She has already greenlit condo complexes that clash with our community’s character and choke our infrastructure. That’s not progress.

Candidate Steve Brown and I have agreed to restore the pre-2022 land use plan, before Mayor Learnard’s changes, and stop the reckless annexation of subdivisions. That move was a blunder, stretching our already overburdened city services to the breaking point. Peachtree City was built on smart planning and balanced growth. It’s time to get back to that foundation before we are completely buried under concrete and traffic congestion.

Since my opponent is teaming up with Mayor Learnard, you can expect him to go along with her irresponsible land planning. We need to get off their road to ruin.

Michael Polacek

I am opposed to high density developments and any rezoning of commercial/industrial land to residential land. As a product of this community, my goal is to preserve Peachtree City like our founders envisioned it. That means keeping the character of the village concept and protecting our green spaces. 

Peachtree City is pretty maxed out on development, but there will be opportunities for redevelopment. As we start to see these properties revitalize, we must apply the original vision of Peachtree City to ensure they align with the village concept and continue to preserve our green spaces. Many citizens moved here for what Peachtree City is and we owe it to them to keep it that way. I will protect this at all costs.

Voters should be concerned about my opponent’s ties to developers. His running mate once said, “That kind of financial support comes with heavy strings attached like following the real estate whims of the PAC and people they are fronting” (Steve Brown, July 28, 2021). We need to elect leaders who put Peachtree City first.

Traffic & Infrastructure

Q4. What additional solutions would you propose for Highway 54/74, and how should Peachtree City work with Fayette County and GDOT to implement them?

Michael Polacek

54/74 are state highways that require state funding. The unfortunate reality is that 54/74 is a regional problem that manifests itself at that intersection. Any long-term solution will not be at 54/74; it will either be some type of regional bypass or more access to I-85 for Coweta County.

I am not your typical politician, meaning, I will give you a straight answer. The current project is moving forward as designed. It is not realistic to think we can go back to the drawing board, or that the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) will splash millions more into an existing project, while they balance out a laundry list of other infrastructure needs across the state. Fortunately for the 54/74 intersection, there will be an opportunity to conduct a follow up study in partnership with GDOT to enhance the limited improvements of the current project.

I bring strong relationships with leaders at every level of government and the ability to work with anyone that city council needs. Whether it is contacts at GDOT, regional leaders, or state budget writers, it will be essential for Peachtree City to have a seat at the table with these stakeholders. Quite simply – my emails will not go unread and there will not be time wasted building relationships – they already exist.

James Clifton

I am 100% behind getting Steve Brown elected.  He has done transportation better than anyone else in Fayette County.  He showed me how he got an $81 million project in Fulton County to remake the Highway 74 and I-85 interchange.  He got the project, and it’s not even in our county.  The GDOT plans for the interchange are on our campaign website.

Steve Brown knows how to get results. No one else comes close to his track record of delivering for Peachtree City. Meanwhile, the current 54/74 intersection project is a mess. It’s a band-aid, not a solution. It doesn’t fix the gridlock and only tries to prevent people from “blocking the box.” We need someone who understands the system and knows how to fight for real infrastructure improvements rather than wasting our time and taxpayer money.  He has spoken to engineers about separating the grades, and the project was previously included in the countywide transportation plan.

Q5. Which city roads beyond 54/74 do you see as priorities for improvement, and how would you address them?

James Clifton

Everyone wants the 54/74 intersection and Highway 54 west towards Coweta County to be solved first.  I am in lockstep with them. We need to listen to the citizens and put our energy into those areas.  Use our resources on the projects the people want most.

Michael Polacek

I support the current allocation of SPLOST funding for additional roundabouts and would like to see more detailed studies for other intersections. If supported by data, I would prioritize adding roundabouts as part of future capital improvement projects, potentially funded through a partial reduction of the city’s cash reserve.

I also back the construction of a golf cart bridge connecting JC Booth Middle School and McIntosh High School to ease congestion and improve student safety at that intersection. Expanding golf cart connectivity benefits the entire community.

Finally, the city must remain vigilant not to worsen existing traffic challenges. As a member of the Recreation Advisory Board, I voted against placing pickleball courts near Planterra for that very reason and I will continue applying that same level of scrutiny to future projects.

Parks & Recreation 

Q6. Do you support the recently adopted Parks & Recreation Master Plan? Why or why not?

Michael Polacek

Recreation is one of Peachtree City’s greatest assets and a cornerstone of what makes our community so special. Our parks, paths, and facilities are not just amenities, they are investments in quality of life that attract new families and strengthen our hometown values.

As a proud member of the Recreation Advisory Board, I fully support the recently adopted Recreation Master Plan — the first major update since 2011. Unanimously approved by city council earlier this year, it lays out a clear and responsible roadmap for improving recreation, including our cart path system, over the next decade.

While my opponent has attacked and dismissed this plan, I believe it represents the thoughtful, forward-looking approach our city deserves. It balances fiscal responsibility with community needs and ensures that Peachtree City remains a model for active and healthy lifestyles.

Peachtree City’s future depends on protecting what makes us unique. This means continuing to invest wisely in recreation and not making plans to cut it.

James Clifton

No, the master plan isn’t visionary, and it’s out of touch. With over 50 proposed projects totaling a jaw-dropping minimum $104.1 million, it’s a spending spree disguised as progress. Nonsense things like a second amphitheater? That’s not what Peachtree City needs. It’s what bureaucrats dream up when they forget who’s footing the bill. Our hard-earned tax dollars shouldn’t be wasted on vanity projects while basic infrastructure, such as cart paths and our existing facilities, crumble. Let’s get real. Before chasing grandiose ideas, let’s take care of what we already have. We don’t have restrooms in some of our parks, and those are practical, needed upgrades. It’s time to prioritize the essentials and stop treating taxpayers like an endless ATM.

Mayor Learnard keeps raising taxes and fees year after year, ignoring the ticking time bomb of future costs. She wants shiny new recreation projects without a single mention of the long-term maintenance and operational expenses. Not once has this been addressed in council meetings. Not once. She cannot maintain the current infrastructure.

We are getting into negligence territory. We’re being asked to foot the bill for projects whose true costs haven’t even been calculated, let alone disclosed.

We need leaders who understand that every new facility comes with a price tag that doesn’t end at the ribbon-cutting. If Mayor Learnard doesn’t grasp the reality that the extended costs are far greater than the construction costs over time, she has no business managing our budget.

Finances & Budget

Q7. What is your opinion of the current city budget? Would you have voted to pass it, and why or why not?

James Clifton

The budget process in Peachtree City is a circus. The city manager refuses to provide budget information to some council members. And in just one hour, $550,000 in wasteful spending was uncovered, proof that the savings are there if the mayor doesn’t block council members. Imagine the savings if the mayor actually looked for budget wins. I will never rubber-stamp a bloated budget. It should be thoroughly debated and trimmed before it’s passed.

Thankfully, Council Members Clint Holland and Suzanne Brown stood their ground and forced a full millage rate rollback for FY2026, despite resistance from the mayor. That’s real leadership.

Meanwhile, my opponent Michael Polacek is marching in lockstep with Mayor Learnard—the same mayor who’s made annual tax and fee hikes her trademark. If both are elected, expect more of the same: higher costs, less accountability. I’ll fight for fiscal discipline and protect your wallet from City Hall’s runaway spending.

Michael Polacek

I am glad our city council finally passed a budget, but the citizens deserve better. Yes, I would have voted to pass it, but I am frustrated to see that the local fire department will not have a fire training tower in return for an average savings of less than $1 per month per household. 

The budget process starts long before the final vote. At the state level it is about 11 months and here in Peachtree City the process is about six months. This time needs to be spent meeting with staff, discussing funding priorities with other council members, and coming to a consensus on how to effectively allocate funds for each program.

A similarity between Peachtree City and the state is a zero-based budgeting process. This approach means each department starts at $0 and builds up their budget, prioritizing “must have” line items versus “nice to have” line items. This is an essential tool when managing balanced budgets.

It is during this process that you can identify waste (such as carryover items from previous year that are no longer needed or could be trimmed down) and reassess contracted services (1. Is this service still needed? 2. Is this contract still meeting key performance indicators?). And it is through the zero-based budgeting process that you can identify cost-savings to fund tax cuts, while continuing to fund priority new projects (such as a new fire training tower). 

This is what experienced, fiscally conservative budgeting could look like for our city.

Q8. Do you believe Peachtree City’s reserves are appropriate? If so, why? If not, why?

Michael Polacek

During COVID, I experienced firsthand the importance of a strong cash reserve. As a budget writer during this time, we were initially tasked with decreasing state agency cuts by 14%, but due to a strong cash reserve, we decreased those cuts to 10%. For the $3 billion state agency portfolio I managed, this meant tens of millions of dollars were sustained so more hard-working Georgians kept their jobs and critical services continued to be funded. 

The Government Finance Officers Association recommends at least two months of operating reserves; however, it must be balanced with the size, portfolio, and needs of the community it is serving. The Peachtree City reserve minimum is 31% of the city’s budget; however, the reserve currently sits at 59%, equating to about $35 million. I believe this is too high for a city our size. I support partially reducing our cash reserve to a more appropriate level that maintains our strong AAA bond rating and responsibly prepares us for an emergency. These excess reserve funds can then be allocated for capital improvement projects. 

James Clifton

No, the city’s reserves blow past the 31% threshold needed for a AAA bond rating. Anything beyond that is excess tax revenue, and it belongs to the taxpayers, not City Hall. Instead of returning it, the government keeps it, earning interest while residents shoulder rising costs.

Mayor Learnard calls it a “rainy day fund.” Well, it’s been pouring in Peachtree City, and she’s been busy funneling those dollars into pet projects that do nothing for the average citizen. It’s fiscal exploitation. It’s time to stop treating homeowners and businesses like a bottomless piggy bank and start giving them their money back.

Q9. Increases in pay rates for Peachtree City Staff including first responders and police have not kept up with inflation in the last several years’ budgets. What would you do about this? Why do you think it matters . . . or doesn’t?

James Clifton

First responders are a top priority. We need to attract the best talent and pay them appropriately. Violent crime, such as rape, murder, burglary, and robbery, was up 50% in the first two years of Mayor Learnard’s term. Hundreds of victims and their families no longer feel safe because the mayor failed to uphold the law. Many people have noticed. We need to make Peachtree City safe again.  Michael Polacek is following the mayor’s lead.

Michael Polacek

Peachtree City remains one of the safest communities in Georgia because we invest in it. Low crime does not happen by chance, it takes funding. I am grateful to the first responders and police that keep our families safe and will support necessary improvements to keep it that way. 

Pay rates should be consistently reviewed to ensure Peachtree City stays competitive with other cities of our size. I support reviewing the pay rate structure for the potential of additional pay increases to keep up with inflation. To accomplish this, we must continue to diversify our revenue streams and strengthen our tax base in a responsible manner.

State leaders successfully funded much needed pay increases for state staff and teachers, while cutting taxes at the same time. Although a different entity, there are similar strategies to successfully accomplish both tax cuts and smart workforce investments. 

I am optimistic that with the correct budgeting experience on city council, we can effectively balance the budget, cut taxes, and continue to meet the needs of our city and staff to ensure our residents are getting a fair return on their tax dollars.

Environment & Greenspaces

Q10. What specific improvements or protections would you prioritize for our greenspaces during your term?

Michael Polacek

I will always protect our greenspaces. It is part of the charm that defines Peachtree City. Although many of the greenspaces look the same as when I was a kid, a concern raised by some residents while door knocking has been that many of the paths are becoming overgrown. 

Unfortunately, our maintenance staff is stretched thin and simply don’t have capacity to take on more work without sacrificing other maintenance priorities. They currently maintain over 1,200 acres of parks across over 40 different sites, in addition to hundreds more acres of open greenspace. 

As a next step, I would support assessing the needs of our maintenance department to determine a plan for better maintenance of the greenspace along our golf cart paths. Another solution could be some type of “adopt a path” program where local businesses adopt a stretch of cart path and maintain growth around it twice a year. Either way, this is a specific issue I would like to see addressed while on city council.

James Clifton

Stop creating plans to build on our city’s greenspaces. It’s what makes Peachtree City special.  The LCI plan the city came up with was absolutely absurd.  They wanted to tear down the tennis center and build apartments there, and do the same on Drake Field next to Lake Peachtree.

We must stop these individuals who believe we need to transform the city into something entirely different. Let them move to the City of Atlanta if that’s what they want. 

Keep the greenspaces and the village land plans. That’s what makes us exceptional.

Public Safety

Q11. How should Peachtree City address recruitment and retention challenges in police and fire?

James Clifton

Our first responders put their lives on the line every day—and they deserve more than just words. They deserve competitive pay and unwavering support from both the City Council and the community. I stand firmly with our police, fire, and EMS teams. Like the mayor, Michael Polacek has repeatedly donated to Act Blue and political candidates who push dangerous policies like defunding the police, not prosecuting non-violent crimes, and releasing violent offenders without bail.

Peachtree City cannot afford to play politics with public safety. We don’t need another tragedy like the horrific murder of Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte, who was brutally stabbed in the neck by someone who should have been behind bars. That wasn’t just a failure of justice. It was a failure of city leadership. I will fight to ensure our city backs the blue, protects its citizens, and never lets reckless ideology put innocent lives at risk.

Michael Polacek

As stated previously, we must continue supporting and funding our police, fire, and EMS services to keep Peachtree City one of the safest communities in the country. I was glad to see a substantial pay increase for our first responders a few years ago, which has helped tremendously with filling vacancies.

The city should continue regular benchmarking against comparable cities to ensure our pay and benefits package remain competitive, including education or training incentives to help with retention. We cannot afford to train good officers and firefighters just to see them leave for better pay a few miles away. 

In addition to pay, I will review how the city can better support our first responder families. I also support continued investments in upgrading our fleet of vehicles. Not only will this help with shrinking maintenance costs for aging vehicles, but it will also provide our first responders with safe and updated equipment. When our first responders have the tools they need, it shows the city values their safety as much as they value ours.

Community & Identity

Q12. What do you see as its biggest threat that must be addressed?

Michael Polacek

As Peachtree City looks to the future, our greatest threat is losing the character and quality of life that make this community so special. We must guard against overdevelopment that compromises our village concept and greenspace, while remaining open to thoughtful revitalization that serves residents of all ages. Each project should be evaluated carefully to ensure it strengthens our community rather than changes its identity.

Equally important, we must remain loyal to the generations who built Peachtree City by supporting our aging residents through accessible amenities, safe pathways, and recreation opportunities that allow them to stay active and connected. By balancing the needs of long-time residents with those of new families, we can preserve the values that define Peachtree City while keeping it vibrant for decades to come.

James Clifton

Peachtree City suffers from poor leadership and reckless decision-making. Our land-use plans and ordinances have been successful, but the last two administrations disregarded this success and pushed for extreme changes that replicate the failed development patterns of metro Atlanta. Why copy cities plagued by crime, traffic gridlock, and failing schools?

The LCI plan would have dumped thousands of multi-family units into our community, fueling overcrowding and gridlock. Steve Brown led the effort to kill those plans, thankfully.

Mayor Learnard cast the deciding vote for a campaign donor’s condominium complex and refused to recuse herself. Traffic bottlenecks remain, and the only GDOT project the mayor accepted is a low-cost, ineffective band-aid that wastes taxpayer money.

They’ve annexed residential subdivisions that offer no benefit, stretching city services beyond capacity. These areas never paid a cent in Peachtree City taxes, yet we’re now on the hook for spending tens of millions on fire station construction and staffing costs for them.

Worst of all, they used a rare federal grant intended for a new westside fire station to instead pay for years of neglected facility maintenance that they had never budgeted for.

The mayor restricted two Council Members we elected to change things from being able to place anything on a meeting agenda.  When the citizens began complaining, the mayor shut them out as well.

Then the mayor brags about being endorsed by two former mayors who are responsible for the 54/74 heading to Coweta debacle, as though it’s a good thing.

Q13. What specific steps should Peachtree City take to attract the next generation of families and businesses?

James Clifton

Peachtree City is at a crossroads. First, we must change the leadership. For the past 12 years, local leaders have chased the same failed policies that wrecked metro Atlanta. They have rezoned corporate land into residential sprawl, ignored traffic, and allowed crime to creep in. We need to bring back common sense.

We should be attracting high-paying jobs and reusing old corporate sites for those jobs. We should be working with our Board of Education to restore excellence, rather than watching our rankings slip. And we must confront rising crime head-on, not with slogans, but with action.

The current mayor and my opponent in Post Four have funded federal candidates who want to defund the police, eliminate bail for repeat offenders, and let criminals walk free. That’s not justice, it’s chaos. We’ve seen the consequences of that ideology creep into Peachtree City, with constantly rising taxes and fees, and attempts to urbanize our community.

Our traffic problems have been ignored for years. Temporary fixes won’t cut it. We need long-term solutions that respect the people who live and work here.

Most of all, we need leadership that prioritizes families over fringe agendas. I’ll fight for a safer community, better lives for our children, and a city that respects your values. Let’s restore what makes Peachtree City special.

Let’s get to work.  Steve Brown and I are running as a team of positive change.  We invite you to visit our (campaign) website and compare.

Michael Polacek

Peachtree City’s success has always come from balancing innovation with the values that make our community special. To attract the next generation of families and businesses, we must build on that foundation with smart, forward-looking leadership.

First, we must keep Peachtree City affordable. I will continue fighting for a full rollback of the millage rate while maintaining the high quality of life our residents expect. Safety must also remain a top priority — by fully funding public safety, we can become the safest community in Georgia and one of the safest in the nation.

We should responsibly invest in infrastructure by using a portion of our cash reserve to fund critical capital improvement projects. At the same time, we need to make it easier for small businesses to open and thrive here, creating more dining, entertainment, and family-friendly options that strengthen our local economy.

Finally, we must continue enhancing our recreation amenities — maintaining our parks and cart paths, expanding community events for all ages, and embracing creative public–private partnerships that make Peachtree City a vibrant place to live and visit.

My goal is simple: to preserve the charm that defines Peachtree City while positioning it for a dynamic, prosperous future. 

I would be honored to earn the vote of my hometown.