Davis stands up for “luxury”
February 15, 2007 at 3:03 pm by Web Editor in NewsTaking a sustained beating from bloggers over his comments about Family Day at the Capitol, Rep. Steve Davis, R-McDonough, went on the offensive Wednesday, throwing a couple of testy verbal punches himself … at the dignified, older and retired Sen. Ed Boshears, R-McDonough.
Speaking at a House State Institutions Committee hearing as a member of the Jekyll Island Authority, Boshears bemoaned two development proposals for the southern portion of Jekyll Island State Park. He said he was disappointed to see developers presenting their designs for "luxury" beachfront development on the island, a refuge for turtles and rare birds. As public land, the island was originally envisioned as a place for average Georgians, not as a resort for the affluent, Boshears said.
Davis, who sits on the committee, objected to Boshears’ pejorative tone in referring to the word "luxury," and chastised the retired lawmaker.
"I would caution you," a youthful-looking Davis told the white-haired, sage-like veteran Boshears.
"I don’t think it’s the evil rich developers trying to rape and pillage the land," said Davis, a realtor by profession.
"If there’s nowhere to go," he said, referring to the pristine, southern side of the island, "there’s no way to enjoy it."
Boshears backed down.
"As a practical matter," he agreed, "nobody’s going to build a Motel 6 on Jekyll Island."
Then Neill Herring of the Sierra Club was up at the podium moments later, describing an overly developed Eastern seaboard, where birds migrate to Jekyll because there’s nowhere else to go, and where people go to see these birds because it’s hard or impossible to see them elsewhere.
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