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I am writing to express concern over the treatment I received in a July 29 article in The Citizen, which I believe reflects a troubling departure from journalistic fairness and objectivity. As a candidate for Peachtree City Council, I welcome scrutiny and public dialogue. However, I must call attention to what appears to be a politically motivated targeting by Mr. Kenneth Hamner.
Mr. Hamner’s request for a campaign interview—directed solely at me—was unusual, especially considering that multiple individuals have publicly announced their candidacy. Mayor Kim Learnard, for instance, has been a declared candidate since early this year, yet she has not had a candidate interview. This selective outreach raises legitimate questions about editorial intent and fairness.
When Mr. Hamner contacted me, I suggested that it would be more appropriate to wait until all candidates had officially qualified for the city election. I also proposed responding to The Citizen’s standard candidate questionnaire, which has historically allowed voters to compare candidates on equal footing. Mr. Hamner informed me that under the paper’s new ownership, no such questionnaire would be offered—a surprising and disappointing shift in policy.
Despite this, I agreed to provide written responses to any questions Mr. Hamner wished to send via email, in the interest of transparency and accuracy. He declined, insisting instead on a personal interview. I found this insistence troubling, as it would leave readers subject to his interpretation of my verbal responses, rather than my own words.
My commitment remains to the voters of Peachtree City: to run a campaign grounded in integrity, openness, and respect for democratic norms. I believe all candidates deserve equal treatment in the press, and that voters deserve clear, unbiased information to make informed decisions.
Being abundantly suspicious at this point, I declined Mr. Hamner’s request for an interview until after the official candidate qualifying period had concluded. Nevertheless, he proceeded with his column, using subjective commentary to sway public opinion—without affording me the fairness of a written Q&A or equal treatment among candidates.
This pattern is not new. Mr. Hamner has developed a reputation for injecting personal bias into his columns. In fact, columnist Neil Sullivan recently challenged Hamner’s portrayal of Peachtree City’s budget process. Hamner had blasted former Councilman Eric Imker for raising concerns about the city’s excessive reserve funds and their impact on property taxes as a “myth.” Sullivan responded pointedly: “I do not see many myths as much as differences of opinion,” adding, “over three times the recommended reserves. That is not a myth, that’s math”.
Mr. Hamner also authored a disparaging piece targeting Councilwoman Suzanne Brown during her candidacy, while simultaneously defending Mayor Kim Learnard’s approval of zoning variances in secret—actions that violated the Georgia Open Meetings Act. Former Mayor and columnist Steve Brown responded, “We know that Hamner is an ardent campaign supporter of Mayor Kim Learnard. He made that known publicly in this digital newspaper.” Brown continued, “There is nothing wrong with Hamner cheering for his ‘team,’ but he should not complain if he is scrutinized here publicly for producing a half-baked critique with little research and less thought”.
Many in our community miss the forthright honesty and accountability that Steve Brown’s columns once brought to local discourse.
In his recent column, Mr. Hamner chose to criticize the content of my campaign website—yet refused to provide readers with the actual web address so they could evaluate it for themselves. That omission speaks volumes. For those who wish to see my platform directly, I invite you to visit www.PTCbackOnTrack.com.
Since The Citizen has chosen not to offer standard candidate questions to help voters make informed decisions, I will take this opportunity to share my positions on key issues directly with the public.
Restrict High-Density Housing:
I oppose building more high-density multi-family housing complexes and support reinstating Peachtree City’s pre-2022 comprehensive land use plan, which limited dense multifamily development. This approach preserves neighborhood character, enhances public safety, prevents overcrowding in our schools, and protects city services from being overwhelmed by unchecked population growth.
Alleviate Traffic and Transportation Issues:
Overdevelopment along the western corridor of Highway 54—approved by past city councils—has led to severe traffic congestion. I believe the current redesign of the 54/74 intersection is a multimillion-dollar misstep that will fail to improve east-west traffic flow. I advocate for a more thoughtful, data-driven planning process to address our transportation challenges.
Encourage Free Speech and Transparent Government:
I support eliminating all restrictions on public comment at council meetings. Citizens should never be limited when voicing concerns to their elected officials. I also oppose Mayor Learnard’s policy restricting council members from placing items on the agenda. Open dialogue and government transparency must be restored.
Reduce Budget and Taxes:
I support responsible budgeting and lower taxes to ensure residents get the most value from their hard-earned dollars. I oppose allocating additional tax revenue to secret pet projects, and the proposed $140–$150 million in new recreation spending would drastically increase our taxes. Excess tax revenue should be returned to the people through a millage rollback, not spent on non-essential, non-budgeted items. Rolling back the millage rate .06 mills does not offset the thousands of dollars in increased property taxes since the last millage rate rollback in 2021.
Stop the Annexation and Rezoning Crisis:
Land originally designated for revenue-positive corporate headquarters and light industry has been rezoned for revenue-negative, dense residential development. This shift has triggered an extremely costly expansion of city services—millions of dollars in new perpetual expenses—resulting in higher taxes for all of us. The solution is simple: return to the former land use plan and enforce existing zoning ordinances. We must preserve Peachtree City’s identity as a family-oriented community and resist efforts to densify and urbanize our city.
I want to thank Editor Ellie White-Stevens for allowing me the opportunity to respond to Mr. Hamner’s dubious journalistic effort in The Citizen.
For those interested in the critiques I referenced above, Neil Sullivan’s column is “Are the reserves reasonable?” Steve Brown’s column is “Is planning commissioner slinging mud on behalf of Mayor Learnard?”
Thank you to everyone who has offered support, and let’s get Peachtree City back on track.
James Clifton
Peachtree City, GA
www.PTCbackOnTrack
Editor’s Note: Neither columnist Kenneth Hamner, nor candidate James Clifton were aware that The Citizen does intend to send a list of questions out to candidates as part of our election coverage.
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