Roy Barnes 2010

This campaign is certainly about some serious issues facing our state, but most importantly, it is about making Georgia work.

We must restore the Georgia values and strong leadership that brought our state growth, opportunity and far-reaching prosperity in the past.  Together, we can rebuild a solid foundation in Georgia – one that will support a better life, stronger communities, and a brighter future for our families.

To make Georgia work, we must focus on water, education and transportation.  Above all else, we must create jobs and economic opportunity all across Georgia. We simply cannot take full advantage of the opportunities of the future without strengthening our economy and getting back on course in these key areas.  I have some ideas that I believe will make our state work for every Georgian.  Take a look – and let us know what you think.

Let's put Georgia back to work. Georgia desperately needs more jobs.  Our state’s ability to encourage job growth has a direct impact on the level of economic opportunity afforded to Georgia families.  Given our current concerns about water, education and transportation, it comes as no real surprise that businesses are reluctant to locate and grow here.  Frankly, we are fighting a losing battle with neighboring states for preference with companies that are establishing a presence in the South.  As governor, I will make creating jobs my first priority.  Together, we will get Georgia working again.

IMMEDIATE SOLUTIONS.  Georgia families are struggling, and we need immediate solutions that will address our state’s record levels of unemployment. One of my first orders of business will be to retrofit every state building and public school in Georgia for clean, efficient energy consumption – this includes the use of low-flow toilets and the expansion of our sewer systems where necessary.  These projects will reduce the state’s energy and water costs in the long run, while putting Georgians back to work right now.

TRAINING.  Reading, writing and arithmetic are no longer enough. We must make high-tech skills training an educational priority. Businesses need capable workers, and they are more likely to move to Georgia if we can provide a qualified workforce.  Over the past several years, budget cuts in our technical and community college systems have crippled Georgia’s economic development and significantly reduced the field of highly skilled workers.  It is crucial that we reinvest in our higher education and vocational training system.  Education is closely linked to job creation, so we must do all we can to equip Georgians to take advantage of the job opportunities  of the future.

FOCUS. Biomedical research and development could be a stepping-stone to the future. Initiatives such as the Georgia Cancer Coalition could lead to revolutionary advances in medical research, attract new business to our state, and create scores of jobs that will put Georgians back to work.  How do we get there?  Policy makers should act now to create incentives for medical research initiatives based in Georgia.  The United States still has a comparative advantage in scientific technology – we can seize the opportunity now to be at the forefront of medical breakthroughs. Additionally, we can take advantage of our state’s existing educational infrastructure – our public and private research universities – and create a technology hub right here in Georgia, similar to the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina.

INCENTIVE.  Let’s make Georgia work by helping people live in their own homes. The property tax relief that was instituted during my term as governor made it affordable for Georgians to purchase homes, raise families, start businesses and invest in a life here.  It served as a basic building block of strong communities and a stable job market.  We can start making Georgia work by bringing back the homestead exemption.

RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.  Georgia’s legacy of agriculture is also our future. While we attract business under Atlanta’s city lights, a significant share of our state’s economic opportunity still grows under the stars in rural Georgia.  We can stimulate economic development and put Georgia back to work south of the Gnat Line without turning our backs on important rural traditions and values.

VALUE-ADDED AGRICULTURE.  Just selling raw materials is not enough. Georgia produces a wide variety of agricultural products, but we lose revenue when we export only raw goods.  Instead, we must develop the capacity to take Georgia’s raw agricultural products and process them in-state, so that the chain of production puts more Georgians to work.   Additionally, this type of value-added agriculture will create products that are ready for consumption, and are therefore more valuable by the time they cross the state line.

We should also expand our “Georgia Grown” program, which promotes our diverse agricultural products to our own citizens.  Families and schoolchildren can enjoy the freshest fruits and vegetables available, grown right here in Georgia, while supporting our family farms and putting Georgians to work.  We should all be encouraged to “Put Your State on Your Plate.”

GREEN JOBS.  Pine trees are to Georgia as oil is to Saudi Arabia. Georgia has the ideal climate and rural space needed for the growth of renewable resources such as pine, corn and switchgrass.  By maximizing the use of our own homegrown natural resources, we can usher in the age of biofuels.  If we act now to get ahead of the curve, Georgia has the potential to be a leader in the field of green energy – this would stimulate trade, reduce pollution and, most importantly, create jobs and put more Georgians back to work in the growth field of the 21st century.

TOURISM.  Georgia can be an engine for industrial growth, but we must not neglect our state’s pretty face. Georgia is one of the nation’s most beautiful and diverse states, with landscapes ranging from mountains to swamps to miles of untouched shoreline and barrier islands.  Preserving these unique places and making them accessible to visitors would bring much-needed business to remote areas of the state, encourage local enterprise, and protect the natural beauty that is increasingly threatened by modern development.  The tourism industry offers new economic opportunities for all of Georgia, from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Golden Isles.