The ‘No-Conspiracy Theory’ Theory about Derenne Avenue

  Here’s the thing: Property values in this area seldom go down. Like, pretty much never.

So when a series of properties along a proposed road-widening — which will need an eminent domain acquisition of said properties in order to proceed — experiences a sudden and in some cases dramatic reduction in value, by definition something fishy’s going on.

Whether or not the Savannah Morning News assures us, as it did in yesterday’s edition, that there’s “no conspiracy.”

The Kensington Park properties along Derenne Avenue which lost value in the latest assessment are not exactly in the ‘hood. Hell, even if they were it wouldn’t matter; in this area the ‘hood is generally appreciating in value as well, along with everything else.

These are established, comfortable, safe upper middle-class homes. For them to experience any reduction in assessed value in this white-hot real estate market simply defies belief.

I think it’s telling that the Savannah Morning News bent over so far backwards to assure everyone there’s “no conspiracy” to reduce the values to as to guarantee the government a low purchase price.

It’s telling because the only information they used to corroborate the “no conspiracy theory” theory came from the county assessor’s office itself.

No, there’s never been any collusion between elected officials and the assessor’s office to fix property values in this area, now has there? No, sir, never happened. Just move along, folks — nothing to see here.

Anytime someone accuses you of not having a “smoking gun” to prove your “conspiracy theory,” just remember: There’s almost never a “smoking gun.”

It’s a dangerous myth — promulgated mostly by TV cop and lawyer shows — that circumstantial evidence is tainted evidence that is not fully valid in a court of law.

Such is not the case.

Every day in this country hundreds of people are put in prison on the basis of circumstantial evidence alone. It is far, far more common to be convicted on circumstantial evidence than on the convenient literary device of the “smoking gun.”

The thing is, no elected official or county assessor will ever walk around with a sign around their necks saying “We colluded to lower values along Derenne so that we wouldn’t have to pay the homeowners what their property is really worth.”

No memo will ever go out on Chatham County letterhead saying, “I think in the upcoming round of assessments we need to go ahead and let the bottom fall out of those homes that we’ll need to buy for the widening.”

Those things are never going to happen. A Nixonian situation whereby the wrongdoer deliberately records every incriminating conversation on tape for all posterity only comes along once in a lifetime, if that often.

Sometimes all you have is the circumstantial evidence. Most of the time all you have is the circumstantial evidence.

So to paraphrase the late Johnnie Cochran: If the values drop, you must look to the top.

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