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!
There's also been some vilification of Senator Chapman going on, and not just by the members of the Jekyll Island Authority appointed by the Governor (ahem). Let's set a few things straight:
Senator Chapman, by responding to the concerns of a majority of his constituents, is doing his job. By not looking the other way and just enabling a private company to develop public land, he is doing his job.
I saw an interesting critique of Chapman that stated these four things:
1.) The Senator who represents the island didn’t even get selected to be on the committee because as the Governor stated, “it would be a wasted seat”
2.) Chapman proposed 3 bills and he barely managed to get them heard by his colleagues in committee.
3.) Chapman has distorted the record on revenue on the island.
4.) Chapman is obstructing progress for his district.
- The Governor didn't want Chapman on the committee because he had already blocked development on the South End of the island (the Authority wanted to give developers the space which the VERY popular 4-H center and soccer fields occupy). Plus he questioned the need to give another developer a $10 million rent abatement on prime oceanfront property.
- He barely managed to get them heard because the Lt. Gov. and Pearson had no intention of having them heard. The Reynolds family, who own Linger Longer, are nice friends to have if you need money to run for Governor (or in Sonny's case, possibly run as the Republican VP).
- The Authority hasn't proven Chapman distorted anything. They just said he did. I can say I look just like Giselle but it doesn't make it true.
- Nothing in Chapman's bills obstructs progress for his district. The bills don't even obstruct redevelopment on the island- except where Linger Longer wants it to be.
As I see it, Senator Chapman is doing his job. Too bad the others on the committee weren't.