Melvin E. Thompson - Thompson As Governor

Thompson As Governor

Seldom had a governor begun an administration under such trying conditions as Melvin Thompson did in 1947. Melvin Thompson He addressed the legislature for the first time as governor two days prior to its adjournment. The lawmakers were bitter over the judicial removal of Talmadge, whom they had elevated to the governorship, and they refused to pass an appropriations bill or to provide additional revenue to fund Eugene Talmadge's platform of expanded state services. Despite lingering bitterness over the three governors controversy, Thompson could claim some accomplishments in his brief tenure as governor. He managed to increase state spending without new taxes, thanks to an unanticipated increase in state revenue. His achievements included raising teachers' salaries, increasing spending for education, expanding the roads and bridges building program, and improving the state's park system.

However, he considered his greatest accomplishment to have been the state's purchase of Jekyll Island. During his term as Acting Governor, one of his contributions to the state was the acquiring of Jekyll Island for $675,00. The state acquired Jekyll Island by a court condemnation decree, a bargain which has been compared to the original purchase of Manhattan Island. Jekyll Island has proved to be one of Georgia's greatest assets as a year round resort area.