January 12, 2006
Albany -- Governor Sonny Perdue made appearances in Albany and Valdosta Thursday, talking about a bright future for Georgians. He predicted strong economic growth in Georgia in the coming year, that will mean more tax money the state will have.
The Governor said he wants to use that money to improve the state's education system, and attract better jobs.
The Magnolia Elementary School Cheerleaders inspired Sonny Perdue for his re-election bid. Perdue said, "I think I'm going to get those boys to teach me the back flip. I think I can use that on the campaign trail this year."
The governor said he wants to bank the state's future on these students, and predicted that Georgia's economy will pump one and a quarter billion dollars in new tax revenues in 2006, and he wants to spend the majority on them. "I want to give you my top three priorities this year. Number one is education. Number two education, and number three is education. Is that investing in Georgia's future?" Perdue said.
Perdue said forty percent of today's Georgia students will become dropouts, and most will be ill equipped to prosper in tomorrow's Global economy. "It's going to take knowledge to get a job. And if you don't have the knowledge, you are not going to get a job. And that's what we have to communicate to our young people, starting at this age."
Governor Perdue has proposed spending $23 million to put counselors in middle and high schools to keep dropouts in school.
Perdue says the state's economic development hinges on improving the state's woeful education ranking and drop out rates.
The Governor also is proposing a Constitutional Amendment vote next year, guaranteeing that all lottery earnings go to HOPE scholarship and Pre-K programs and not to pork projects.
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