Letter to Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue
Southwest Georgia Economic Development

by Robert Earl Woodham

Dear Governor Perdue,

Our last governor stated several times during his first term that he was going to promote economic development of Southwest Georgia and give this region a chance to catch up with the rest of Georgia, especially the economic boom of north Georgia. He did so especially during his gubernatorial campaign. Well, his reign is over now and we are STILL waiting for that promised state help to join the mainstream. Now we have had another governor -- and Southwest Georgia is still waiting to get a piece of the pie after he has been in office for a whole term..

Governor Perdue, if you REALLY want to help our State, then get serious and give us a REAL chance. If the state government had shared its favors equally over the years, Southwest Georgia would not be one of the poorest regions in America. Give us the same kind of facilities as in other regions and Southwest Georgia can truly share this prosperity.

Times have changed. Georgia no longer has the manufacturing jobs in little towns and cities anymore. We have lost thousands of industrial jobs over the last few years...textile plants stand idle or are already torn down. Small businesses are closing faster than the textile mills. Most of the towns with closed manufacturing plants will never recover from this tragic loss. If we continue down this road, all of South Georgia will become a giant farm -- most likely owned by foreigners. Our state government must do something before it is too late.

"Build it and they will come."

• Give Southwest Georgia a MAJOR state tourist facility -- equal to Jekyll Island, Stone Mountain or Lanier Islands. Spend as much money for a tourist facility in Southwest Georgia as our state has spent on the Georgia World Congress Center, Stone Mountain or Jekyll Island. Theaw state facilities attract millions of tourists every year and pour millions of dollars into the Georgia economy. They have brought thousands of new jobs and millions of new tax dollars into our state treasury. If the state government had created a major tourist attraction in Southwest Georgia years ago, our state could have reaped millions in tourist revenue from the millions of visitors on their way to Florida. We have the ideal spot for just such a major park--"Ochlochnee State Park" -- where you will find some of the most wonderful waterfalls in the South and some of the most spectacular caverns in the nation. (check out our other pages on this proposed state park by clicking on "Back to HOME" at the bottom of the page). "Build it and they will come." (and they will bring money and new jobs!)
• Give Southwest Georgia a MAJOR state university -- equal to one of the seven (7) state universities now serving metro Atlanta. Create a MAJOR state university in Albany by first combining Albany State and Darton College, then establish a 2,000 acre campus (minimum) and build facilities for a "South Georgia State University" equal at least to that of Georgia Tech or Georgia Southern University. We have been deprived of major educational facilities for far too long. No region can survive in the space age without a significant university. Give us the facilities to school our under-educated population and WE will have a chance too! Build us a state university and the industry will come!
• Give Southwest Georgia a MAJOR highway -- equal to all the expressways in metro Atlanta. Billions of tax dollars have been spent on expressways in the Atlanta region while Southwest Georgia has been totally ignored. They haven't stopped working on expressways in Atlanta since the 1950's. From Interstate 75 to the Alabama border and from the Florida border to Columbus, there is not a single major limited access expressway. This covers an area of dozens of counties and the metropolitan area of Albany. With the vast majority of industrial goods and tourists now using the Interstate Highway system, no industry is going to consider a region that does not have a major highway link. "Build it and they will come."

Give us an EQUAL chance to share in the all the economic prosperity the thousands of foreigners are now enjoying in the Atlanta area. We are native Georgians, Governor -- but South Georgians aren't benefiting from the economic and educational prosperity these recent immigrants are now enjoying in the Atlanta area. We too, paid our state taxes to build those wonderful facilities in Atlanta and Jekyll Island. We too, paid taxes to build all those universities in Atlanta. We too, paid taxes to build all those miles of expressways in north Georgia.

-- but where are OUR state facilities?

It's time for Southwest Georgia to get a piece of the pie, Governor. And not just more crumbs but a real hunk of the new prosperity.

If you think these Southwest Georgia natural wonders are worthy of development as a Georgia State Park, then contact Georgia Governor Perdue and let him know of your support. Take time to send him and the Georgia Parks Division and Tourist Division a note.

The link to the Georgia Governor has an email form that you can fill out.

You can NOT send him an email directly.

These are links to their contact pages:

Georgia Governor

Department of Natural Resources, Parks Division

Department of Industry Trade & Tourism

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