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Saturday, January 27, 2007
Oaky Woods update: Perdue in a darned if he does, darned if he doesn’t position
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Macon Telegraph on Friday had this article on Oaky Woods, the tract of land near Sonny Perdue’s farm that became such an issue in the governor’s re-election campaign. Here’s the relevant snippet:
The new owners of Oaky Woods say they are still willing to sell, if the state is willing to pay their asking price.
Charles Ayer is one of four men who bought the property for about $1,600 an acre. In an interview with The Associated Press at his sporting goods store in nearby Perry, Ayer said he would put the asking price now at $14,000 an acre. That translates into a whopping $280 million for the full 20,000 acres.
Ayer said he and his partners have already poured millions of dollars into the land for road and sewer plans.
“People say they want to save Oaky Woods. Well, that’s not a problem,” Ayer said. “But they should be raising money.”
Perdue’s amended budget for the current fiscal year calls for $50 million in grants for land conservation, which has given residents here some hope that the state may still have a hand to play.
But Perdue’s own connection to the property - and the property owners - could complicate things.
In many ways, the governor is in a no-win situation. Criticized for not pursuing Oaky Woods, Perdue is likely to be under attack again if he moves to buy the land. It stands to affect his own property value and line the pockets of local businessmen, with whom he has ties.
Perdue spokesman Dan McLagan said the governor was trying to do what’s best for Georgia regardless of what the critics say.
“He was attacked when we were unable to purchase it, he will be attacked if we eventually can,” McLagan said.
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