Header2 “Here’s the simple truth: it is getting harder and harder for middle-class people in Georgia to make it.” Right now, there are 363,000 Georgians still looking for work. Our state ranks 40th in the nation in unemployment. One out of every four children in Georgia lives in poverty, the sixth worst poverty rate in the country. Adjusted for inflation, the average Georgia family takes home $6,000 less than they did a decade ago. Georgia’s median income has slipped from 18th in 2002 to 33rd today. Middle-class incomes have dropped twice as fast in Georgia as it has in the rest of the country. That’s a real pay cut. We need a strong climate for business. And you can’t have a strong economy if the middle class and small business owners are being left behind. Promoting Small Business We all have a stake in ensuring that communities statewide are good places to do business. Smarter tax policies and other incentives will attract businesses searching for a new home and will reassure workers and employers that we are committed to creating new jobs. Unfortunately, under Governor Deal’s leadership, Georgia is failing to recognize the contribution of small businesses to job creation in our state. Jason has proposed initiatives to expand benefits for small businesses, and for his work in the Senate has earned the endorsement of the National Federation for Independent Business as well as an “A” grade from the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Preparing the Workforce of Tomorrow We must do better at educating and training Georgians for jobs that pay well and help families get ahead. Governor Deal’s policies have resulted in 45,000 fewer Georgians attending technical colleges, with enrollment slipping from 195,000 to 150,000 in just two years. Not only is that a crisis for those students and their families, it’s an economic disaster for Georgia. Jason has proposed measures to fix these failed reforms – for the sake of both our students and for our economy.
Posted on: Fri, 15 Aug 2014 01:40:25 +0000
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