| Who was behind the idea of "Infrastructure | | | | issue a letter declaring its intention to buy the land |
| Development Districts" (IDDs) in the first place? | | | | at some unspecified future date. This letter would |
| This is a pivotal question, and the answer sheds | | | | not be a specific commitment by the state to |
| important light on the truth behind the arguments | | | | buy the land by any particular deadline or at any |
| for and against the passage of this far-reaching | | | | particular price, just a general expression of |
| amendment. | | | | interest. |
| If the idea for the IDD came out of the | | | | - Citing budget constraints, and in spite of the |
| anguished county commissioners who simply | | | | Department of Natural Resources having identified |
| couldn't find a way to build the roads, water | | | | Oaky Woods as a prime acquisition target, and |
| facilities, sewage handling systems, and other | | | | despite the fact that the Nature Conservancy |
| necessary infrastructure for their constituents, | | | | was not even requesting a specific or near-term |
| then the arguments of the proponents would ring | | | | commitment to buy Oaky Woods, Governor |
| true. This would indeed be a creative way to | | | | Perdue declined to issue the requested letter. The |
| expand and improve infrastructure by | | | | Nature Conservancy then withdrew its offer to |
| empowering private funds to do what is normally | | | | buy Oaky Woods. |
| done by taxpayer money. Brilliant! | | | | - September, 2004: A consortium of Houston |
| On the other hand, if the earliest days of IDD are | | | | County businessmen (which would later become |
| tied up with landowners who stand to profit from | | | | known as "Winding River Development") |
| it, or with bankers who stand to lend money to | | | | purchased Oaky Woods from Weyerhaeuser. The |
| developers with government-guaranteed | | | | purchase was financed by Columbus Bank and |
| construction projects, the whole idea begins to | | | | Trust. (Remember them? Rep. Larry O'Neal is a |
| smell foul. Further, if those who stand to profit | | | | member of the board?) |
| from IDDs were tightly connected to the state | | | | - September, 2006: One of the owners of Oaky |
| government, and especially if they have an | | | | Woods is cited for allegedly hunting doves illegally |
| undisputed history of contempt for the law and | | | | in nearby Peach County. One of the other owners |
| the rights of other citizens, the smell could drive | | | | of Oaky Woods was also present, along with a |
| the skunks away! | | | | number of prominent businessmen and the |
| Hold your nose, folks. Here is a brief history of | | | | sherriff of Houston County, but only one, the |
| how the proponents of the Infrastructure | | | | owner of the property where the hunt occurred, |
| Development Districts Amendment plan to cash in | | | | was cited. During the arrest, the alleged |
| on Georgia's precious natural resources and sell | | | | perpetrator stated that there would be |
| out the rights of Georgia's citizens. | | | | implications for the state's lease of Oaky Woods |
| In describing the sequence of events leading up to | | | | if charges were pursued. The alleged perpetrator |
| the IDD amendment on this year's ballot, I will | | | | went so far as to telephone Noel Holcomb, the |
| concentrate on Oaky Woods Wildlife Management | | | | Commissioner of the Department of Natural |
| Area. This is only one of Georgia's precious wild | | | | Resources to request that he order the game |
| areas threatened by the greed and corruption of | | | | wardens to leave the property. To his credit, |
| the proponents of the IDD amendment. The | | | | Holcomb refused to do this and the citation was |
| same kind of story is repeated throughout | | | | issued. |
| Georgia, and most of them have some | | | | - February, 2007: After years of failure of the |
| connection to Governor Sonny Perdue. | | | | "Winding River Development" to get past zoning |
| Oaky Woods Wildlife Management Area | | | | restrictions, and after several bills to permit the |
| Once there was a beautiful place called Oaky | | | | development of "private cities" failed to get past |
| Woods in Houston County, not far south of | | | | the legislature on constitutional grounds, SR 309 |
| Macon and Warner Robins. For most of the 20th | | | | was introduced into the legislature. This bill was a |
| century, it was owned by a succession of paper | | | | proposal to amend the state constitution to |
| companies. They harvested large tracts of it for | | | | permit these "private cities" or "infrastructure |
| pulpwood and replanted new crops of trees, but | | | | development districts." Such an amendment |
| much of Oaky Woods remained pristine | | | | requires approval by the state's voters, and it is |
| wilderness. The last paper company to own Oaky | | | | this amendment that will appear on this |
| Woods was Weyerhaeuser. For most of the past | | | | November's ballot as Amendment #3, |
| few decades, Weyerhaeuser leased the land to | | | | Infrastructure Development Districts. |
| the state for a nominal fee, and the state made it | | | | - March 27, 2007: In a display of old-fashioned |
| available to the citizens for hunting and other | | | | "midnight legislation," SR 309 is adopted by the |
| outdoor recreation as Oaky Woods Wildlife | | | | state legislature. The state senate adjourned after |
| Management Area. | | | | the bill was defeated, then was called back into |
| Besides its recreational value, Oaky Woods was | | | | session after many of the bill's opponents had |
| essential habitat for many plants and animals, | | | | gone home for the evening. The "repacked" |
| many of which are being pushed toward | | | | senate approved the bill at 5:50 PM. |
| extinction, and it is considered the core habitat for | | | | - April, 2007: The state's lease on Oaky Woods |
| black bears in central Georgia. For this reason, the | | | | was increased by 24%, making it the most |
| Georgia Department of Natural Resources had | | | | expensive leased Wildlife Mangement Area in |
| documented Oaky Woods as a prime target for | | | | Georgia. See the incident of September, 2006, for |
| the state to acquire if ever the opportunity should | | | | the reasons why. |
| present itself. | | | | - November, 2008: The voters choose! |
| Brief Timeline of Recent Events | | | | Now, in November of 2008, the future of |
| Suddenly, a few years ago, things began to | | | | Georgia's precious natural heritage is in the hands |
| happen. | | | | of the voters. The rights of the residents who |
| - July, 2003: Larry O'Neal, Governor Perdue's | | | | may be duped into buying a plot on a 21st |
| personal attorney, forms Maryson, LLC, on behalf | | | | century fiefdom are in the hands of the voters. |
| of Governor Sonny Perdue and his wife, Mary. | | | | Will you say "yes" to modern-day land barons? |
| Note that this same Larry O'Neal is also a state | | | | Will you say "yes" to people who think they are |
| representative, chairman of the Ways and Means | | | | above the law? Will you say "yes" to the |
| Committee, and a member of the board of the | | | | destruction of Oaky Woods and other precious |
| Columbus Bank and Trust (about which, more will | | | | natural areas in Georgia? Will you say "yes" to the |
| be revealed). | | | | financial ruin of county governments throughout |
| - Maryson, LLC, buys 100 acres of land adjacent | | | | the state in order to enrich the banks and the |
| to Oaky Woods. | | | | developers? |
| - February, 2004: Weyerhaeuser announced its | | | | I urge all Georgia voters to vote NO! on |
| intention to sell Oaky Woods, with a preference | | | | Amendment 3. If you know someone who lives in |
| for selling it to a buyer who would use it for | | | | Georgia, urge them to find out the truth about |
| nature conservation. | | | | Governor Perdue's scheme to create fiefdoms of |
| - The Nature Conservancy announced plans to | | | | indentured serfs paying taxes without |
| lend $25,000,000 to the Georgia Chapter of the | | | | representation to line his own pockets and those |
| Nature Conservancy to buy the land. Their only | | | | of his good old boys. |
| condition was that the state of Georgia must | | | | |
