Five Myths About Peachtree City’s Budget

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3 days ago
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By: Kenneth Hamner

This article originally appeared in The Citizen on June 24, 2025.

Peachtree City’s $60 million 2026 budget represents more than numbers on a spreadsheet. It’s the financial foundation that keeps our city services running, maintains our multi-use paths, and gives us a great bond rating that saves taxpayers money on every infrastructure project.

With municipal elections approaching, policy and politics are converging in ways that can either inform or mislead. That makes it more important than ever for voters to understand how budget decisions play out beyond City Hall.

Let’s take a closer look at five myths and clarify what’s really working in Peachtree City’s financial strategy.

Myth #1: “Peachtree City’s Large Reserves Are Hurting The City”

The city holds reserves equal to roughly 60% of its annual operating expenses. Critics like mayoral candidate Eric Imker argue that this is excessive. In a recent interview he claimed, “What we’re doing is we’re putting [a] burden on our citizens by continually taxing them so much to keep that reserve high when we don’t need to.”

But that overlooks why those reserves exist. The Government Finance Officers Association recommends maintaining at least two months’ worth of operating expenses in reserves. Communities with extensive infrastructure and aging facilities—like Peachtree City—are encouraged to hold even more.

Those reserves don’t just sit idle waiting to be spent. They play a critical role in keeping the city financially strong with creditors. In 2023, Peachtree City earned a AAA bond rating from Moody’s Investors Service. It cited the city’s healthy reserves as key reasons for the upgrade. This top-tier rating benefits taxpayers by allowing the city to secure lower interest rates on bonds. That means more public dollars go toward actual infrastructure improvements instead of interest payments.

Our CFO Kelly Bush highlighted additional benefits in City Council’s June 5th working session. The city is well-positioned to absorb shocks from the recently passed House Bill 581, which freezes the taxable value of homesteads unless a property is sold, significantly improved, or otherwise loses eligibility. That means future growth in property tax revenue will be limited, making it even more important to plan conservatively.

Peachtree City is also protected from disruptions like the one in 2024, when a Fayette County processing error delayed property tax payments by two months. Bush pointed to Newnan’s recovery from a devastating tornado as a reminder of the kinds of unplanned emergencies that strong reserves help cities navigate without chaos or long-term disruption. The buffer is especially critical now with consumer spending declining and tariffs potentially fanning inflation. A healthy reserve allows us to manage these broader uncertainties without cutting services or resorting to emergency debt.

We’ve also seen firsthand what happens when that cushion disappears. In the early 2010s, Peachtree City’s reserves fell below 20% and triggered tight budgets and difficult trade-offs. According to the April 5th, 2012 City Council minutes, the city delayed facility upgrades, reallocated bond funds to cover urgent needs, and considered deferring projects like the Battery Way dock replacement.

Myth #2: “City Council ‘Slips In’ Projects In The Budget”

A common complaint during budget season is that certain projects seem to “suddenly appear.” That perception feeds the myth that City Council quietly adds items to the budget without public discussion or transparency.

Imker reinforced this view in a recent interview, saying, “We saw projects appear in the budget that weren’t previously discussed in public meetings. There’s no mention, no advance notice. And then suddenly, they’re approved.”

But that’s not how the budgeting process actually works in Peachtree City.

Project development starts with departmental proposals. From there, ideas are reviewed by staff, presented during public workshops, and debated in open hearings before any vote is taken. Every step is advertised, livestreamed, and archived.

That’s not to say the process is flawless. Municipal projects are complicated, and reasonable people can disagree about whether certain proposals get enough review time. Councilmember Suzanne Brown, for example, raised concerns about the timing of a proposed splash pad, suggesting it came too late in the cycle. But she raised that concern in a public meeting, and the project was discussed openly before moving forward.

That’s how transparent government is supposed to work. It doesn’t guarantee that everyone will agree, but it does ensure the public has access, input, and a record.

Myth #3: “Taxes Are Out Of Control”

Property tax bills have gone up, but that is because home values have increased, not because the city raised rates. In fact, as part of the FY25 budget, City Council voted to lower the millage rate from 6.043 to 5.983. That decision was possible because of strong reserves and steady growth in the city’s tax base. The rollback was modest, but to their credit, Council made it happen even as inflation pushed up costs across the board.

The city has also taken steps to help those who need relief most. Just last month, a new tax exemption was approved for low-income seniors, making it easier for longtime residents to remain in their homes and stay part of the community.

Given all this, taxes are not spiraling. We have maintained great control.

Additionally, Peachtree City’s combined 2026 municipal and county millage rate remains favorable compared to nearby cities. Tyrone has the highest at 10.682, followed by Fayetteville at 10.619. Peachtree City stands at 9.956, slightly above Brooks at 9.000.

Even with that lower overall rate, Peachtree City offers a broader range of services than most. We maintain more than 100 miles of multiuse paths, run our own stormwater utility, and operate full-service police and fire departments, along with many other responsibilities.

These services cost real money, but we are not spending for the sake of spending. We are investing in our community and delivering a high quality of life.

Myth #4: “We Could Cut Taxes If We Just Cut Waste”

“Cutting waste” is the safest political promise out there. It sounds bold but is ultimately a vague commitment that means everything and nothing at the same time.

Peachtree City’s general fund budget overwhelmingly supports essential services. Here is how we spent our money according to the FY2025 Adopted Budget. Note that 47% of the general fund is allocated to public safety with police receiving $12.8 million this year and fire and EMS receiving $13.9 million.

Let’s say you have a property worth $523,000. At the current rate, you would pay $1,268.40 in city taxes. To make a meaningful dent in that number, you would need to make painful cuts because there is not much to trim before you hit core services.

Would you be comfortable with fewer police officers on patrol? What about longer fire department response times? Fewer resurfaced paths? Reduced hours at the library?

Deep cuts would also create bigger problems down the road.

Take the recent public safety pay increases. Before approving them, the council reviewed actuarial reports, regional salary benchmarks, and staffing projections. The numbers were clear: without competitive pay, police and fire turnover would rise. Not investing in public safety would produce lower service levels and, eventually, higher long-term costs for recruitment, training, and retention.

Myth #5: “SPLOST Funds Are Mismanaged”

There’s a lot of confusion in the community about what our Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) is and how it works. That confusion isn’t helped when local candidates mischaracterize it.

In his recent interview, Imker painted SPLOST-funded projects as frivolous. He described the city as “going after a lot of want-to-haves at the expense of the got-to-haves,” implying that SPLOST is a discretionary pot of money being spent on pet projects instead of essentials. But this comment reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of how the tax operates in Peachtree City.

SPLOST is one of Georgia’s most tightly controlled local funding mechanisms. Created by state law in 1985, it adds a $0.01 county-level sales tax that can only be used for specific capital outlay projects. It cannot fund salaries, daily operations, or ongoing maintenance.

Projects must fall into legally defined categories: roads, cart paths, stormwater systems, public safety vehicles, public buildings, parks, and other major infrastructure. Every proposed item must be listed in a voter-approved referendum. Every dollar must be accounted for. Local governments only receive their share through a binding agreement, and all spending is subject to audit.

We can absolutely debate whether some projects are higher priorities than others. But that’s a fair conversation about voter preferences, not mismanagement. These projects weren’t pulled from a backroom wish list. They were proposed by city staff and members of the public, reviewed by council, and—most importantly—approved by voters in a countywide referendum.

Peachtree City has managed its SPLOST program responsibly. Project progress is reported on a website, giving us transparency and confidence. And as Mayor Kim Learnard posted on Facebook last February, “The 2017 SPLOST list included 39 projects. There are eight projects left. We have $11,849,281 in the 2017 SPLOST, and the estimated cost for the eight remaining projects is $10,355,705. We are moving forward with these projects.”

Ultimately, we’re delivering on the public’s mandate—and doing it under budget.

What Should You Do About Myths?

There’s an old saying: “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.”

In local politics, this reality hits especially hard. Misinformation spreads like wildfire in cities like ours where complex issues like our budget can get distorted.

So what can you do?

When someone makes claims about our government, ask yourself some key questions:

Are they trying to educate you, or are they trying to stir you up?
Are they giving you objective facts, or are they spinning a story that benefits their ambitions or influence?
Have they done the work to understand how the city functions in 2025?
Do they have a record of solving problems or just pointing fingers?

When answers raise red flags, you’re likely hearing bad information—whether from someone who’s genuinely confused or someone deliberately trying to mislead you. When that happens, hold the person appropriately accountable because, when an untruth goes unchallenged, it sows confusion and undermines the foundation of our local democracy.

So stay vigilant. Ask questions. Demand evidence. And when you hear claims that seem designed more to provoke than to inform, call them out.

Peachtree City’s future depends on citizens who believe in facts over fiction.

Kenneth Hamner serves as Vice Chair of the Peachtree City Planning Commission and leads the Unified Development Ordinance Steering Committee. Reach him at kenneth@thecitizen.com with story ideas or tips.