Jekyll Island GA: The state of Georgia politics

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Sunday April 05, 2009 · 12:54 PM PDT

2009/04/05 · 12:54

It's not like you can be too obvious in Georgia politics anymore, can you? Perdue and the Republican leadership, bless their little black hearts, barely even try to deny that lobbyists run the place. Pretty soon I expect the state to be claimed for naming rights, like college football games.

The Georgia Power $tate of Georgia!
Or... Georgia, Inc.
Or... Linger Longer Georgia, bought to you by The Reynolds family!

Ah, the Reynolds family and Republican leadership. When a Macon Democrat introduced an amendment that would take $2.14 million from the $25 million in state funds directed towards Jekyll Island State Park (to build a convention center/park in concert with and adjacent to Reynolds big development project for the publicly owned island), using it instead to for a veterans home in Milledgeville, well... they didn't take too kindly to that idea. Vets? Thanks but no thanks. Politically connected developers? Here's $25 million. Oh, and here's 25 more.

seaturtles

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Friday January 30, 2009 · 3:13 PM PST

2009/01/30 · 15:13

If you live in Georgia, how about calling up your state Senator and Representative. Ask them why the state, which is in pretty dire financial straits, should take out $50 million in bonds for Jekyll Island State Park when the private developer who just signed a contract to develop the island stands to make a 300% profit on a project built on land you own.

Ask them why you, as a citizen, should be responsible for two bonds that will eventually cost around $100 million to repay, when Linger Longer Communities will get a projected $163 million gross ($120 profit) for building timeshares on your beachfront property... and the Jekyll Island Authority will get a measly $1.63 million. 99% for developers, 1% for the state.

And while you're at it, ask them who the hell appointed people that would negotiate such a crappy deal. And then ask them who would take out not one but two bonds to "entice" that developer to (gleefully, I'm sure) agree to such a crappy deal.

You won't be surprised to hear that guy is Sonny Perdue.

seaturtles

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Thursday January 08, 2009 · 4:34 PM PST

2009/01/08 · 16:34

Nobody does it as well- or as brazenly- as the Jekyll Island Authority and the guy who appointed its members, Governor Sonny Perdue. It almost makes my head explode.

The authority voted on this giveaway via conference call, conveniently out of public view- then trotted out apologists who used disputed statistics to defend the private management of a public asset as "good for the park and the state."

Then came this little nugget- JIA spokesman Eric Garvey said “We are held to certain guidelines and restrictions that a private company does not have. A private business has the flexibility to be more progressive and move forward faster than we do.”

Wait, the JIA think that private companies are exempt from the guidelines and restrictions (some of them annoyingly called laws) that govern the operation of public property- an island owned by the citizens of Georgia? Oh. That explains some things.

seaturtles

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Monday December 29, 2008 · 7:26 AM PST

2008/12/29 · 07:26

What happens if your guy McCain, who you raise a boatload of cash for, is going to lose the big one? How 'bout you go after an island? Maybe one that's actually a state park, owned by the public, so technically it's not for sale? And while you're at it, get a sweetheart 25-year "public/private partnership" deal that's negotiated without that nosey "John Q. Public" screwing everything up.

If you're Mercer Reynolds, congratulations! Scratch GA Gov. Sonny Perdue's back, wait until everyone's distracted by your guy's big loss (bummer, dude) and get your consolation prize- Jekyll Island, GA. And hope no one pays attention.

Especially a pesky Senator.
And a few newspaper reporters who ask for, of all damn things, email and correspondance records.
And the citizens who actually own Jekyll Island.

seaturtles

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Thursday April 03, 2008 · 8:44 AM PDT

2008/04/03 · 08:44

The main public beach on Jekyll Island State Park suddenly has a reprieve. And I have to say, I'm shocked. Thrilled. Cautiously ecstatic.

After a lengthy fight in the Capitol and with residents on the coast, a public-private partnership to remake state-owned Jekyll Island has backed away from plans to place hotels and condos on a massive parking lot that for decades has given Georgia vacationers access to a popular beach.

Instead, the acreage will be changed to include a park and an environmental conservation center, the latter originally planned for elsewhere on the island. The condos and hotels will be relocated.

Holy cow. For some time now I've been writing about the attempt by Linger Longer Communities and the Jekyll Island Authority to put a large and unwanted development of hotels and condos on a stretch of publicly owned beach that currently contains four public parking lots. And Wednesday? A small taste of vindication for the little guy.

seaturtles

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Sunday March 30, 2008 · 3:32 PM PDT

2008/03/30 · 15:32

Quick, answer this question: What do you think is more important to Georgia State Senator Russ Tolleson? Protecting the Coastal Zone Management Act which "works with the Federal Coastal Management Act to generate funds for conservation, rehabilitation and education efforts along Georgia's coastline?"
Or protecting a huge 63-acre private development on the main public beach of Jekyll Island State Park?
If you said "private devlopment"- and I'm guessing you did- you are correct!

What do you win? Depends on who you are. If you're Russ Tolleson, you win the gratitude of Linger Longer Communities, big Republicans contributors. If you're Ben Porter, Chairman of the Jekyll Island Authority, you win the gratitude of Governor Perdue, a man mentioned as a possible VPOTUS. If you're Gov. Perdue, you win the gratitude of Mercer Reynolds, owner of Linger Longer and currently John McCain's national finance co-chairman. If you're Mercer Reynolds, you win one of the most coveted pieces of public coastal land left in the state.

And if you're a Georgia resident and owner of the Jekyll Island State Park? You win a development thousands of you said you don't want.

seaturtles

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Friday March 28, 2008 · 2:04 PM PDT

2008/03/28 · 14:04

Because they lie to get what they want. It's that simple. It's an epidemic these days- instead of honestly debating disagreements, just characterize those you don't agree with as "misguided" and lie about them (and while you're at it, fudge a few statistics here and there).

The Jekyll Island State Park Authority is a body appointed by the Governor to protect and manage Jekyll Island State Park. The guy who heads it up, Ben Porter, is a developer by trade. He is also the person Governor Sonny Perdue tried to illegally install on the GA DNR board. That stunt ended up as an ethical embarrassment. Porter landed on a nice little cushion at the JIA.

An earlier diary this week addressed an amendment currently under consideration to protect the island from irresponsible development. Today Porter threw a hissy fit in response to the amendment.

seaturtles

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Wednesday March 26, 2008 · 12:34 PM PDT

2008/03/26 · 12:34

Jay Bookman is a newspaper guy. That must be why he can use such few words to say what it takes me a paragraphs to express.

Sometimes, important government decisions do more than determine the outcome of a particular controversy. They take on a larger symbolic value and make a statement about public priorities and values.

An amendment to Bill 367 by state Rep. Debbie Buckner was approved last week that would protect the main public beach on Jekyll Island State Park from certain types of development. A vote on that amendment by the House Rules Committee was supposed to take place Thursday. But whisperings abound that pro-development Representatives are willing to let the bill die rather than protect the publicly owned beach. Despite the fact that politicians in the Georgia State capital are actually taking notice of what the public has been, to put it politely, screaming.

seaturtles

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Tuesday March 18, 2008 · 11:25 AM PDT

2008/03/18 · 11:25

Jekyll Island State Park is pretty special to Georgians. Bought by the state in 1947 as a park for the "ordinary citizen," many have vacationed there over the years. And they've been shocked by the actions of the Governor-appointed Jekyll Island Authority over the last couple of years.

Those actions- specifically awarding private developer Linger Longer a large new development along the popular main public beach- prompted a grassroots opposition movement (of which I am a member). It's been an uphill battle- LLC has money, a pricey PR firm and friends throughout the legislature and Governor's mansion. But as public awareness rises the issue is getting more and more press, especially in the AJC. Two recent pieces spotlight the controversy; one profiling the Initiative to Protect Jekyll Island and the other addressing the whole issue in general.

seaturtles

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Friday March 14, 2008 · 7:35 AM PDT

2008/03/14 · 07:35

The controversy over Jekyll Island State Park continues, developers and their enablers versus the public and their elected Senator.

I can't decide what's worse: the developer who defends putting a massive private development on a publicly owned beach by repeatedly citing how "green" hundreds of condos and three hotels on that small beachfront will be; the politicians who derailed bills meant to protect that beach despite large and vocal public support of those bills; or the Governor-appointed Authority, charged with managing Jekyll Island State Park, who at the very least publicly "misrepresented" statistics and numbers to justify a "partnership" with a developer who happens to give a lot of money to politicians.

It's a damn tough call.

seaturtles

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Tuesday March 04, 2008 · 3:05 PM PST

2008/03/04 · 15:05

Last Thursday a vote was held in the Ga. State Senate Economic Development Committee on 3 bills aiming at protecting Jekyll Island State Park from inappropriate development. Despite thousands of calls placed to members of the committee, all but two voted down the bills.

A group that supported the bills took out an ad in the Atlanta Journal and Constitution that says "Bills to protect Jekyll Island killed in committee" then proceeds to list who voted "no" and who voted "yes."

Rumor has it that politicians at the capital are a little upset over the ad. Seems that hearing from thousands of angry constituents tends to make people who vote against popular legislation uncomfortable. And asking the public to remember it when they vote in November is downright crazy! Taking responsibility for your vote? Nuts!

seaturtles

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Saturday March 01, 2008 · 2:50 PM PST

2008/03/01 · 14:50

I wrote yesterday about the committee vote that killed bills introduced by Senator Jeff Chapman meant to protect Jekyll Island State Park from inappropriate development. Two representatives of the Jekyll Island Authority spent much of their time essentially branding the Senator a liar because he accused the JIA of using misleading figures to justify a development that has garnered much public protest.

But apparently, not all of the JIA board members feel that way. One member has publicly denounced the shameful display that took place in a tiny room at the capital on Thursday.

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