Job creation remains the focal point for solving Georgia's problems, Gov. Nathan Deal told business executives Wednesday.
"It doesn't matter where you are in the state, both at the state level and local government level, job creation will truly meet the needs we have in our state," he said during a keynote address at the 2011 Economic Development Summit being held at North Georgia College & State University.
Innovators from Microsoft, Intel and several technology companies presented sessions at the full-day conference to explore how technology and economic development come together. Speakers focused on the North Georgia Network, a multimillion dollar project that will bring broadband connectivity to 42,000 homes and 9,200 businesses by laying a 260-mile fiber optic ring in the region.
"This is one of those additional tools that is important for us to be able to attract new industry and expand additional ones that are already here," Deal said. "This will help the community to compete in the global economy that we're all engaged in, and infrastructure of this sort is certainly one of the most critical tools to make it work."
On Tuesday, Deal signed legislation to overhaul the HOPE scholarship, which includes an emphasis on science, technology, economics and mathematics programs, which are referred to as STEM. Under the bill, students who use the state's new low-interest loan program can reduce their debt by teaching these subjects in public schools. Deal's 2012 budget proposal would also dedicate $15 million to create STEM charter schools across the state.
"We have a serious lack of qualified and trained teachers in the STEM majors, which we absolutely need for economic development," he said. "We spend a lot of money educating students in this state, but if we don't have the jobs that we have trained them all these years to be qualified for, they're going to leave the state and go to states that offer those job opportunities."
Water is another link to economic development in Northeast Georgia, Deal noted.
"Most of us never would have thought 20 years ago that water would be a critical problem for this state," he said. "That has been key for me at the federal level since I was a congressman, and hopefully in the not too distant future, we will have good news to report in that regard as well."
Last week, judges from the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals heard testimony about the tri-state water wars. Georgia is asking the court to overturn a July 2009 ruling by U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson that gave the state three years to work out an agreement with neighbors Alabama and Florida or face not being able to withdraw water from Lake Lanier.
Deal's water negotiation team is also inching closer to an agreement with Alabama officials about the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa water basin, he said Wednesday. Deal has included $300 million in his budget proposals to develop alternative water supply sources.
"We've also created a Georgia Water Supply Evaluation program to make sure various state agencies are working together to help local communities as they attempt to deal with water supply needs," he said. "I think local communities will take the lead, but they need help from the state to get started."
Transportation is the final piece of the puzzle for development, Deal added.
"When people look at Georgia as a whole, we're at the top with a consolidated transportation network with the international airport, a port in Savannah and connected railroad network," he said. "But we all know that here in the mountains, across the northern part of the state and in metro Atlanta, there are problems."
The solution could stem from regional roundtable discussions leading to the August 2012 statewide vote on a 1-cent sales tax for roads.
"I encourage you all to participate in these roundtables going on and stay informed," he said.
"This process is in place to allow the regions to come together and place priority on the projects most important to them, and it's up to the voters to make these projects become a reality."