Defining Success for the New City of Peachtree Corners

     In just about eight weeks the new City of Peachtree Corners will officially be open for business. Regardless of your stance for or against becoming a city last year, its here, and it’s in our collective interest that it be a success.  So what will constitute success for the City of Peachtree Corners?

     A good baseline would be that the new city meet its financial obligations and fulfill the requirements of the charter to assume control of zoning, code enforcement and trash service from the county in the specified time (by Dec 31, 2013). During the campaign for cityhood we were promised a city like no other, a ‘city-lite’, restricted via charter to providing only three services with a tax rate capped at 1 mil. A minimally intrusive and financially responsible city that is responsive to its citizens would be a true measure of success.

     To accomplish this, we need a city council that is dedicated to fulfilling this promise. During the campaigns for council posts many promises were made by the candidates. For instance, all the current council members promised at various times to keep their constituents informed and seek public input before making decisions and to run an open and transparent city government.  A couple of them agreed that issues before the council should be open to public comment for 30 days before a council vote. Several declared that any change to city services or increases in taxes should be put before the voters only during a presidential or congressional mid-term election to ensure maximum voter turnout and input. Others went on record against the idea of the city acquiring land and building a big city hall at taxpayer expense, something quite popular lately in nearby cities.  

     It is the goal of the Peachtree Corners Ballot Committee to provide reliable and factual information on the new city government of Peachtree Corners. By being ever watchful we seek to contain the natural tendency of government to grow and spend, and ensure the new city lives up to its limited service and minimal expense promises. As president of the PCBC, I’ll be blogging here on the Patch to give you updates and observations of how well the city council is doing in their quest to set up and run a successful city. I look forward to hearing your observations as well. Working together we can all help to keep the new city on a track to a successful future.