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Tag Archive for 'governor-perdue'

Jekyll Island: Jewel in the Loop!

Published on January 8, 2009 in Podcast. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

You may not care about Jekyll Island, and you may wonder why I do so many interviews about this Jewel of Georgia. If you don’t live on Jekyll or visit it regularly or vacation there, you may not even be aware of the sorry saga of greed and power being played out on the beaches of this barrier island.

I own Jekyll Island! Yep, that’s right. As a citizen of Georgia, I own the right to go play on the beaches of Jekyll anytime I want. The State bought Jekyll back in the late 1940s. That was good. They established the Jekyll Island Authority to manage it. That was good, until recently. Now, it is bad.

The legislation authorizing the purchase of Jekyll issued a mandate that all the income and revenue generated by Jekyll Island would be used “…for the sole purpose of beautifying, improving, developing, enlarging, maintaining, administering, managing, and promoting Jekyll Island State Park at the lowest rates reasonable and possible for the benefit of the people of the State of Georgia.”

In a year or two, you can buy a condo at Jekyll for the lowest rates possible, but you won’t find many cheap motel rooms.

So what is the beef? It is a lot of things, but mainly it is about bad government as evidenced by the arrogant shenanigans of the Jekyll Island Authority that doesn’t even make an effort to appear concerned about what the people (People: Everyone other than land developers and others who would personally profit from Jekyll.) want.

A few weeks ago the JIA voted to approve the contract between the JIA and Linger Longer, the revitalization partner owned by Mercer Reynolds (Reynolds Plantation). In case you are not aware of it, Mercer is a big contributor to Republican candidates. Supposedly, approval of the contract was to take place in a public meeting, but to avoid any possibility that someone from the public might show up, the JIA held this public meeting by phone conference. If a phone conference is a public meeting, I am the Republican candidate for governor in 2010.

A phone conference is one thing, but what if you were Senator Jeff Chapman who represents the people in the Brunswick area, including Jekyll? In this interview Senator Chapman details his struggle to simply get information from these scions of perfidy. Senator Chapman is a good, honest, Christian who refrains from saying bad things about people. That’s all right, that’s what i am here for. If I had been trying for weeks to get a copy of this contract to review and provide comments to the JIA before they voted on it, if I had been told I would have an opportunity to be at the public meeting and then not been told about it, if I had found out that there were emails advising members of the JIA not to tell anyone about the public meeting, if all this had happened to me, I would be in jail right now. (Terroristic threats are not that hard to come up with!)

But, if you were Senator Chapman, you would be even more determined to stop the JIA from giving away Jekyll.

If you were me, you would just be pissed. But I am not pissed at the JIA, a petty little authority packed with political appointees who are enjoying their moment of power. Those guys on the JIA are pawns is a game of money and power and are doing nothing other than obeying their masters, Governor Perdue (Mr. Development) and the Republican leadership (Mrs. Development).

And what are the instructions? Give Linger Longer and Mercer Reynolds a sweetheart deal. Let them make hundreds of millions of dollars and pay the state a pittance. Develop Jekyll to the fullest extent possible and give the money to pirates of development, at the expense of the people of Georgia.

Example: Linger Longer sells the condominiums and pockets $100,000,000. The State of Georgia gets 1%: $1,000,000.

Example: Refuse to pay Linger Longer more than $300,000 in fees to manage the project and then cave in at the last moment and agree to pay almost double.

Example: Negotiate a contract with Linger Longer that relieves them from paying 3.5% of revenues on food and rooms for 2 or 3 times longer than other motels that are spending millions on their own revitalization efforts.

And these are just a few examples. Listen to the interview for more.

Okay, so what do you care? Do you care that the JIA isn’t even attempting to operate Jekyll responsibly? Do you care that a few individuals and companies will make an obscene amount of money out of the revitalization project, while the state gets a hell of a lot less than it should. If you or I or the members of the JIA owned a jewel, we would not give it away, but would insist on getting its fair value.

So if you think everything is fine with all this, you must either be stupid or a developer. If you think this crap stinks, I suggest you get off your butt and call you senator or representative because there is only one way to stop this rape, and that is in the 2009 legislative session, which begins next week. The legislature can undo what the JIA is attempting to do. The legislature can act responsibly since the JIA is a foolish child. Casey Cagle can prove that when he runs for governor in 2010 he wants to be elected by the people and not developers. Call them!!! Cuss them!!! Watch them!!!!!

Oh, by the way. I can prove this is a rape. How? Just listen to the next interview with Senator Tommie Williams.

 
 Senator Jeff Chapman [31:21m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (374)

When It Comes to Jekyll Island, The Only Good Republican is a Co-Conspirator!

Published on October 4, 2008 in Podcast. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , .

When you think of Jekyll Island, you don’t think about fancy or expensive. You don’t think of money. You think of quaint, laid back and of the ocean. Jekyll has one of the longest stretches of undeveloped beachfront views of the oceans on the east coast. But, if those ramrods of riches, those guardians of power and practitioners of secrecy, the Jekyll Island Authority, have their way, all of this is going to change. And, at least one Republican business will put hundreds of millions of dollars in its pocket, Linger Longer, a Mercer Reynolds development company.

For a year now, Jekyll has been the battleground between the politically powerfulI and those who think Jekyll is first and foremost a state park which should be preserved for the families and children of Georgia, without the exclusivity of Amelia Island. During this last year, I have interviewed all the primary participants in this struggle over development on Jekyll: (1) the JIA that is charged with a public trust which they seem not to understand, (2) Linger Longer, the private company that seeks the inside tract in controlling all that is Jekyll’s future, (3) Wade Shealy, whose company was the first victim of the JIA’s skullduggery, (4) David Egan, the citizen activist who seeks to Save Jekyll, and (5) Senator Jeff Chapman (R-3), who may be risking his political future inside the Republican party by seeking to steer Jekyll on a different course than that proposed by the developers.

Earlier this year, Jekyll Island got a reprieve from beachfront development as a result of law, The Georgia Shore Protective Act. While those opposing development of the beachfront may have found solace in April, the JIA and Linger Longer were still actively plotting their next strategies to pour concrete where it had never gone before.

One of those strategies is to keep everything secret, tell no one anything, even members of the JIA. Enter Ed Boshears, a loyal Republican lawyer from Brunswick, who supported Governor Perdue, twice. But, Ed has a fatal flaw when it comes to Republican politics in Georgia. He isn’t afraid to ask questions and he doesn’t just go along to get along. Ed takes seriously his responsibility as a trustee of state property, set aside for enjoyment by the people of Georgia.

In this interview, Ed describes his efforts to do his job as a member of the JIA, and the results: kicked off the JIA board. But Ed isn’t taking it lying down. He is talking to anyone who will listen and has even requested a grand jury investigation.

Regardless of the merits of any proposal the JIA or Linger Longer put forward, their strongarm conduct to control information and deny the public any meaningful participation is shameful. And that is putting it mildly, for me, at least. This is no way to run a State Park. Jekyll is a State Park bought for the people of this state, not big-shot political contributors and appointees as some sort of personal fiefdom to do with as they please.

But what really gets me is that even when a state authority is caught playing politics, even when it treats the citizens as unworthy of sincere consideration, no one, elected officials, that is, does anything about it. No one, not the Governor, not the legislature, not the Republican leadership comes to the aid of the people. None of them are outraged at the sheer display of arrogance. None of them are offended by the JIA tactics.

Where is the leadership of the Republican Party in the State of Georgia?

Where is the Governor, the lame duck, Sonny Perdue? ANSWER: In Spain!

Where is Casey Cagle who says he wants to change the politically charged atmosphere in Georgia, and who intends to run for Governor in 2010?

Where are Sen. Eric Johnson, President Pro Tempore of the Georgia Senate, and Rep. Jerry Keen, House Majority Leader, who are both “advisory” members of the JIA?

Where is Sen. Tommie Williams, a member of the Senate Oversight Committee, who used to be a country boy who grew up poorer than dirt before he started selling pine straw gathered by Mexican laborers, some legal and some not?

Where are these Republicans? Moving up the ladder. They do what Republicans do best: support money and turn a deaf ear to people.

Take Ed, a long-time Republican. He gets no respect. He gets no consideration. His questions, not even worthy of a response.

Take Senator Chapman, in my opinion one of the rare Republicans who wants to listen, understand and do the right thing. Why can’t he get the JIA’s attention with one phone call?

Why? Because the Republican leadership in this State, from Sonny on down, do not tolerate anyone, much less a Republican, asking questions. That is why the little dictator in the House, Glenn Richardson, removes recalcitrant Republicans from their committees and banishes them from the capital if they dare question his decisions or authority.

In this Republican administration, the only good Republican is a co-conspirator, someone who will go along to get along, who will put party loyalty over the welfare of the people of this state.

It is truly disgusting!

 
 Ed Boshears, Former Member, Jekyll Island Authority [29:53m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (433)

The Georgia Budget!

Published on March 30, 2008 in Podcast. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Alan Essig gives us his thoughts on the Georgia budget. The Georgia Budget and Policy Institute seeks to improve the fiscal responsibility of our state government. That’s quite a job these days!

I must admit I was surprised to find out that the 2008 Supplemental Budget, which the legislature passed and the Governor signed, doesn’t balance. According to Alan, it exceeds the Governor’s revenue estimates by some $65 million. When the legislature passed the supplemental budget they used parliarmentary procedure to force the Governor to either sign or veto the budget within 6 days. That meant the Governor would have to make a decision before the legislature adjourned. Apparently, the Governor did not want a nasty fight like they had last year and signed the supplemental budget even though it did not balance.

Alan was highly complimentary of Gov. Perdue and the fact that he had managed to accummulate more than $1 billion in reserve funds for the State. For those of you that don’t know, these reserve funds are like a savings account that the State can utilize when there is a budget shortfall. Each year the governor is required to make an estimate of anticipated revenue. The legislature is required to limit State spending to the revenue estimated by the Governor which results in the balanced budget required by the State Constitution. However, by being conservative in estimating revenue, the budget is kept low and if revenues exceed the governor’s estimate, the excess revenue is placed in the reserve fund, money the State collected, but did not spend.

Both the House and the Senate are considering tax cuts. In the House it is the remnant of the Speaker’s Great Tax Plan, which now targets eliminating the propety tax on automobiles. This would result in a budget shortfall of about $700 million in revenues. Alan suggests that it be made up with an increas in the cigarette tax of $1 per pack. Currently, Georgia collects a cigarette tax of about $.35 per pack, one of the lowest in the country.

In the Senate it is Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle’s proposal to cut the income tax by 10%. According to Alan, the Senate’s tax cut would result in a $220 - $230 million budget shortfall. I might add that in a recent interview with Casey Cagle, he indicated that a 10% cut in income taxes would stimulate the economy enough to generate the additional revenues. Alan says state income tax cuts do not stimulate the economy. That only happens, if it happens, with federal tax cuts because the federal government doesn’t have to live with a balanced budget.

Alan also agrees with Governor Perdue that both the Senate and House tax cuts are irresponsible, particularly when we may be heading toward a recession. Alan points out that Georgia ranks 49th and 50th among the states in low taxation and expenditure. That sounds great, but it also means we are lowest among the states in spending for education and health care.

Alan points out that 75% of the state budget is spent on education, Peachcare and Medicaid and prisions. With our high moral standards, Georgia loves to put people in jail for non-violent crimes and keep them there a long time. In fact, Georgia is second only to that Republican bastion of Texas when it comes to the percentage of the population behind bars.

And those prsioners get free health care. The older the prison population becomes, the sicker they get and the more our budget is going to be devoted to prisons, all to the detriment of education and health care for our children and elderly and poor.

What does the future hold? Alan says the housing crisis has not affected Georgia as much as other states, even though we are still one of the highest states in foreclosure rates. Tax cuts at this time jeopardize our economic future. According to Alan, the problem for Georgia’s future is to figure out how we are going to pay for the level of education, the infrastructure and transportation we need to support a population growth to 14 million people. Thus far, our annual budget does not take into consideration what we need to provide for and plan for the future, but is limited to looking at what government cost last year and what can we do to not increast the budget this year.

Sounds like a recipe cooked up by politicians seeking re-election, rather than leaders seeking to safeguard our future and that of our children. So, what else is new?

 
 Alan Essig, Georgia Budget and Policy Institute [31:35m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (777)

Perdue, Mercer Reynolds, Jekyll Island & Money: Hanky Panky in Georgia Politics

Published on October 12, 2007 in Podcast. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

If this interview with Wade Shealy of The Jekyll Island Company doesn’t piss you off, nothing will.

On September 24, 2007, the Jekyll Island Authority, in a display of arrogant stupidity (where you do something arrogant in front of the world for everyone to see), if not downright corruption, awarded a redevelopment project, worth billions, to Mercer Reynolds’ company, Linger Longer. You know Reynolds as in Reynolds Plantation on Lake Oconee, as in Bush’s former Ambassador to Switzerland, as in Advsior to the Scooter Libby Defense Fund, and as in one of the biggest fundraisers and contributors to Bush and the Republicans. An ambassadorship is an appropriate reward, bilking the State of Georgia isn’t.

In June 2007 the Jekyll Island Authority solicited proposals (RFP) to develop 45 acres (the acreage specified in the RFP) on Jekyll Island. Bids were turned in by the middle of August. Four companies submitted proposals: The Jekyll Island Revitalization Group, Linger Longer Communities, Cousins Coastal Ventrues, and Trammell Crowe Company.

One company’s proposal, Cousins, was culled because only the top three could be considered for the award. The winner was announced on September 24th by Ken Bleakley, the consultant hired by the JIA to oversee the process. (NOTE: When the consultant was being selected, Ken was the only one interviewed. At least two JIA Board Members wouldn’t even vote because only one candidate was being considered for such an important position. Ken, of the Bleakley Advisory Group, was the focus of some controversy in Macon in 2006. And, I couldn’t find a website for BAG which seems odd.)

The selection committee was composed of two employees of the JIA, together with the Chairman, Benjamin (Ben) G. Porter of Macon and JIA Board Member, Robert W. (Bob) Krueger of Hawkinsville, GA, both of whom were appointed to the JIA by Perdue in August 2006. While the full JIA Board apparently voted, they apparently had no opportunity to do any evaluation of the various proposals and just had to accept the selection committee’s choice.

When Ken announced Linger Longer as the winner, he said the reason was their proposal provided more green space. He seems to have forgotten to mention that the reason their plan had more green space was that it included a 19 acre park that was not located on the 45 acres specified in the RFP.

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY: (1) Why is it that the other 3 companies were never told they could include an additional 19 acres if they wanted to? (2) If this were an innocent mistake (as opposed to intentional rigging of the process), why weren’t the other companies allowed to resubmit their proposals based on an amended RFP? (3) Why wasn’t Linger Longer’s bid thrown out (rather than Cousins’) for failiing to comply with the specifications of the RFP? Why didn’t Ken Bleakley get in trouble for screwing up the process.

Wade Shealy, the Managing Partner of Jekyll Island Company, thinks his company submitted a much better and more favorable proposal for the State of Georgia than did Linger Longer. Here’s why:

(1) His company was going to fund the project without borrowing any money from the State. Linger Longer’s proposal includes two loans from the state totalling $84.5 million. (Good grief, not only do they get to make millions, we have to finance it for them!)

(2) His proposal would have returned to the State almost $100 million more in income over the specified 15 years than Linger Longer. (Apparently, Linger Longer’s money doesn’t linger longer.

(3) His proposal included 277 condos that would sell for less than $400,000. LL’s proposal provided for 17 condos below $400,000. (For the concern about keeping Jekyll affordable for average Georgians, see my interview with David Egan.)

(4) His proposal gave the residents of Georgia a 30% discount. LL’s, none.

(5) His proposal also gave $500,000 a year to the Jekyll Island Foundation, which would certainly go a long way in helping to preserve Jekyll.

(6) His proposal included establishing a permanent conservation easement on teh 65% of Jekyll that is to remain undeveloped so that politicians can’t change their mind in the future and open more of it for development.

Being awarded the Master Developer contract means profits in the millions of dollars, maybe even hundreds of millions. While that may be a hell of a lot of money, the risk of failure, poor sales, etc. is always there. But if this project is to be so lucrative, if Jekyll is to be the “Jewel of Georgia,” it is a disgrace to have the award of the contract sullied by these types of shenaningans. And that is putting it lightly!

Now why, you may ask, would the State accept Linger Longer’s proposal over Jekyll’s? Why would the JIA allow deception in the proposal procedure. As it always is in politics, follow the money!

According to Wade, he was told before the proposals were submitted that the choice of who would get the project had already been determined.

After the winner was announced, Wade even called one of the Board Members, Sam Kellett, another big Republican contributor, to see if he was concerned about the integrity of the process. Kellett’s response: Don’t make trouble, don’t go to the press, and there will be something for you later on!

You should also know that Senator Eric Johnson and Representative Jerry Keen are “advisory” members of the JIA Board. I haven’t heard about any outrage from them. Wonder what their advice was?

And there you have it. Contribute money. Get appointed to influential boards. Boards that spend millions. Contribute money. Submit bids for million and billion dollar projects. Someone will find a way to get you a good return for your money.

I guess Linger Longer lingers longer at the trough because it has a lot of political contributions to make.

If you think this is a disgrace, call the Governor’s Office and let them know. The number is 404-656-1776. You call the Governor, I’m gonna call the Attorney General or the District Attorney!

 
 Wade Shealy, The Jekyll Island Company [30:07m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (687)