With the rules changes and "housekeeping" in order, the new regime set about implementing their agenda. Right off in 2005, the GOP majority commenced introducing all manner of bills to enable developers to cut through “red tape” such as citizen oversight, sunshine laws, individual property rights and eminent domain constraints. There were the infamous SB5, HB218, SB190, HB340, et al, which would allow local governments and quasi-governmental agencies (such as development boards) to work in secret without public access to hammer out deals and make public/private arrangements and to seize land for “economic development.” These bills were dubbed "the land grab bills" and the "secrecy bills." One opinion writer suggested that "secrecy" was the dominant theme of the 2005 session.
Sonny's Non-sunny Secrecy Forecast - parody
We can trust Republicans on HB218...NOT! - parody

Recently, The Villages, ( thevillages.com), a retirement community in Florida, began running TV ads in central Georgia. Are they really trying to sell to this market? I think not. It seems too coincidental that developers want to put a similar development on the Oaky Woods land using the development bills mentioned above, SB414 and HB1323. The ads here are just PR to get the locals warm and fuzzy with the idea. The Florida development is for retirees from the northeast and California and other markets where they’re accustomed to paying $750,000 to a million and more for small condos.

My point in mentioning this above is that, although the Florida land, the $100K tax break and the Oaky Woods land deal scandals have just surfaced in the last few months, the ground work for these events started in 2003 and went into high gear in 2005 when the GOP assumed the majority in the Georgia House---when the environment and climate changed.

As the AJC and AP pointed out, when the Florida land deal story broke during the summer, Perdue’s first response was---you guess it----a bold faced lie. True to form. His response was that he purchased Florida land to avoid the appearance of conflict. That purchase was in December 2004. Then it soon came out that he had purchased the Oaky Woods land much earlier in July 2003.

The AJC wrote:

Perdue defended the Florida purchase, saying in August that he went out of state to avoid any charges of conflict of interest that could arise if he bought in the state he governs.

"If I bought land within 100 miles of a new road construction I'd be accused by the other side of influencing that," Perdue said last month. "So I chose to go out of state."

Perdue must have believed that the Houston County land purchase near Oaky Woods would not be discovered. Otherwise, why would he make the boneheaded remark (obviously false) above?

It appears at first glance that the creation of the Maryson, LLC was for the purpose of concealing Perdue’s interest in the property. Is it a coincidence that Maryson, LLC sold the land to Perdue in his own name just nine days after DNR chief Barrett declined to bid on Oaky Woods? As the AJC points out, Perdue did not properly disclose the ownership interest as required by Georgia law. As Steven Harrell points out, federal law prohibits state officials from benefiting financially from their decisions in official capacities.

The Value of Perdue's Land

The AJC also reported that Perdue reported the Florida land at a value of $185,700 because that’s the amount it is appraised at by Osceola County, Fla. But Perdue paid $2 million for it. Clearly, purchase price is a better indicator of market value than an old appraisal for ad valorem tax purposes.

If Perdue had reported the property at its sale price, his net worth would have nearly doubled, from $4.48 million to $8 million, during his first three years in office. Seems that Mark Taylor’s point may have merit. Either Perdue is using his office to make himself rich, or he’s just been extremely lucky in the last three years. Yeah. Right. [ Ethics Complaint filed against Perdue ]

Mark Taylor’s political ads value the Florida property at $40 million. Perdue’s smarmy rebuttal ads say, in an effort to discredit Taylor, that Taylor’s ads are “$38 million off.” In his ad, Perdue offers to sell the land to Taylor for $20 million “or even ten million.” That constitutes a legal offer and Taylor should have jumped at it for $10 million. Instead, at the debate in Perry October 13th, he offered to buy it for $5 million if Perdue would donate the profits to a special needs charity. Come on, Mark! You could have bought it for $10 million, sold it for more and donated the profits yourself to charity.

Who’s right on the value? Well… lots of a half-acre or less at the nearby Reunion Resort & Club are selling for $350,000 to $650,000. Much of Perdue's land (19.51 acres) may not be developable because it is on wetlands. But if only half of it were sold for residential lots at current prices, it would be worth several times its purchase price. Even if Perdue only develops 9 acres and splits them into half-acre lots, he'll make in between $4.26 million and $9.66 million of pure profit. And those are conservative numbers. 3500 square foot lots (a half acre is 21,780 feet) are selling at the nearby Reunion Resort for a smashing $450,000.

The Miraculous $100,000 Tax Break