Blaine and Diane Smith cherish their 600-acre property in Hancock County, Georgia, not only for its timber crops but also for its rich familial history. "My father farmed this land; my grandfather farmed it during most of his life," Blaine Smith shared, emphasizing the property's significance, which dates back to his enslaved ancestors.
Despite their deep connection, the Smiths now face losing part of their land due to a controversial eminent domain decision. In September, the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) approved Sandersville Railroad Company's Hanson Spur Project, allowing the company to seize portions of nine properties, including the Smiths'. "It's my property," Blaine Smith stated. "You don't have the right to take."
The Hanson Spur Project, a 4.5-mile rail line connecting resources to broader markets, is touted as a vital economic boost for the area. According to Sandersville Railroad Company president Ben Tarbutton, the project will generate $1.5 million annually and improve infrastructure. "We're trying to make a difference for citizens that are here," Tarbutton explained, insisting the project will not significantly disrupt landowners.
However, Blaine Smith disagrees, citing how the project diminishes the land's value and creates hazards. "If you listen to the railroad folks, they say 'you're keeping your land, we're just taking a little piece of it,' but they're devaluing it; they're defacing it," he said.
The Smiths and two other families, represented by the Institute for Justice, are appealing the PSC's decision in Fulton County Superior Court. Attorney Betsy Sanz criticized the railroad's justification, arguing, "What the railroad has shown is that this track — if it even comes about — is going to promote the profits and cost reductions for a couple of private companies and that's all."
The battle the Smith family is facing in Georgia is a stark reminder of how the abuse of eminent domain disproportionately harms Black communities and threatens generational legacies. The land they fight to keep is more than just property—it's a testament to their family's history and resilience. Yet, the power of private interests, cloaked under the guise of economic development, disregards the damage it causes to people who have built lives on their land. While the Smiths vow to fight for their legacy, Blaine remains resolute: "I go back to what my father said: 'Keep the land.' The land gives you respectability."
Link: Atlanta News First
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