By Ashley Speagle
Correspondent
ATLANTA — North Georgia officials say transportation and other state issues concern their counties, too.
“A lot of people think they are Atlanta issues, but if your huge neighbor to the south has problems we all have problems,” Martha Eaker, president of the Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce, said Tuesday.
Mrs. Eaker and other officials, legislators and business leaders from across the state attended the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s annual Eggs and Issues Breakfast.
Gov. Sonny Perdue’s proposal to reform teacher pay was the centerpiece, but local officials including Mrs. Eaker also heard Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and House Speaker Rep. David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, speak on issues, including a statewide transportation plan.
Last year, state lawmakers and Gov. Perdue restructured the governance of transportation projects, giving themselves more decision-making power.
“We are concerned about transportation, because we have transportation projects that are started, and we need the money to get them finished,” Mrs. Eaker said. She attended the breakfast with nine other Catoosa officials.
Whitfield County is concerned about trucks from the area reaching markets in Atlanta, said Brian Anderson, president of the Dalton-Whitfield Chamber of Commerce.
Rep. Tom Dickson, R-Cohutta, said the governor’s proposal was “an excellent beginning” for the transportation plan.
“I tend to favor regional transportation funding, but even when you have this approach, it needs to tie back into a state plan,” he said.
The governor also addressed the budget, water conservation efforts, new ethics and qualification requirements for school boards and expanded health insurance plan options.
“We are interested in hearing what this Legislature will do to bring jobs back to the community,” said Lecia Eubanks, chairwoman of the Governmental Affairs Committee for the Walker County Chamber of Commerce.
Mrs. Eubanks said her chamber wants assurance that support for small business development will continue in their community and that the regional library system has state budget money for a building project.
Mr. Anderson said his chamber wants legislators to protect past funding, including money for Dalton State College, and to make sure taxes are not increased.
“They talked about the budget, and it seems as if there’s nothing sacred,” Mrs. Eaker said.
Ashley Speagle covers the Georgia Legislature. E-mail her at speagle.ashley@gmail.com.