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As a child, I often heard the phrase “actions speak louder than words.” Only as an adult did I come to realize just how much truth this statement holds. After watching the Peachtree City council meeting on August 21, 2025, focused on the city budget, I felt compelled to look beyond “words” and examine the actual spending habits of our elected council members.
Using a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, I uncovered surprising details about how council members exercise their discretion over travel and incidental expenses. Since joining the council, Laura Johnson spent $6,831.48 in memberships and travel. Suzanne Brown and Clint Holland both publicly claim to be careful stewards of taxpayer dollars. The data tells a different story: Suzanne’s discretionary expenses total $1,311.37, a commendable figure. In stark contrast, Clint spent $15,242.10 over the same period and a staggering $21,988.95 since first being elected!
This begs the question: How can one council member justify spending such a large sum of taxpayer money in comparison to peers? In the Citizen’s Peachtree City Candidate Comparison – City Council, Post 3 Edition, published on October 9, 2025, Clint described himself as having “many decades managing business at an executive level” and emphasized his “far more extensive municipal experience” through attending every possible training on government management.
So, which is it? Is Mr. Holland’s extensive experience not enough, or does he truly require more training than any other member of the council?
As a conservative and property owner in Peachtree City, it matters deeply to me that my representatives are responsible with public funds. Words alone are not enough, our leaders must back up their promises with prudent actions. When our family budgets are tight and every dollar counts, we deserve council members who demonstrate fiscal responsibility, not just claim it.
Brian Bartal, Peachtree City
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