GAINESVILLE - Georgia's Lt. Governor told an audience in Gainesville Thursday morning that education drives the economy.
Casey Cagle opened the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce Eggs and Issues Breakfast with a focus on education ahead of the 2016 Legislative session.
He said company CEOs ask him about it.
"They want to talk about incentives, and they want to talk about money, but the number one thing that they always pivot back to is, 'how are you going to assure me that we're going to have a workforce development to continue to be successful in your state?'" Cagle said.
Cagle, of Gainesville, said the state needs to abandon what he called a one size fits all model of education.
He said he's excited about college and career academies as well as the charter school systems already in the state.
Cagle joined Hall County's legislative delegation in fielding questions from the chamber and the audience during the annual program sponsored by Jackson EMC.
When asked what areas of the budget should be shored up, State Senator Butch Miller of Gainesville said pre-k and technical colleges.
"Last year was the first year in the state's history that the average technical school graduate made more money getting out of school, than the average graduate from a traditional university," Miller said.
Last year's budget included money for Lanier Technical College to move from its current location in Oakwood. It's moving to a new home on Georgia Highway 365 at Howard Road.
State Representative Lee Hawkins of Gainesville echoed the education funding sentiment and added a couple of areas he'd like to see budget money added.
"We always focus on education and we need to do so. Also, hopefully, we'll also have some funding for mental health and disability in the state. Those areas (we) are lacking in sorely."
State Representative Emory Dunahoo said his conservative answer for any excess money would be to send it back to the constituents, but he also stressed the importance of education.
"But then of course I believe we should be able to fund scholarships for our technical schools because that is going to bring manufacturing and different business to this town and to the state of Georgia, and the Governor has proved that in programs he's already directed."
With 2016 session just weeks away, Lt. Gov. Cagle turned his talk from education toward a mini state of the state. He said the state will begin the session with a reserve of over $1.2 billion.
"We're seeing a funding source now for transportation that affords us to look at a five and a ten year strategic plan of how we're going to build the infrastructure and improve the infrastructure of our state to bring economic prosperity to all parts of Georgia, but more importantly, to improve the congestion issues that exist in the metropolitan Atlanta area," Cagle said.
Cagle also said economic development is not only about recruiting new industry, but about taking care of Georgia's existing companies. He said it's about a pro-business state with the correct regulatory structure to keep businesses profitable.
Cagle also called for a committment to entrepreneurship, innovation and companies starting from within Georgia.
"I believe that Georgia can be the Silicon Valley of the South. The ecosystem that we have is second to none, but we are missing the presence of venture capital," Cagle said.
Cagle and members of the Hall County Legislative Delegation will spend the next few weeks celebrating the holidays and gearing up for the January 11 start of the session.
The Greater Hall Chamber has always had 100 percent participation from the Hall delegation at the annual Eggs and Issues gathering, according to chamber President and CEO Kit Dunlap.
