Ralston Delivers Keynote Speech

“Our best days, here, in Georgia are still ahead.”

On Tuesday, November 8th, State House Speaker David Ralston delivered the keynote speech at Pickens County’s Chamber of Commerce Breakfast at The Chattahoochee Technical College. Ralston said he was glad to be at the college and supported all technical colleges. He began his talk by tackling the one issue on everyone’s mind these days: the economy.

“We try be good stewards,” he said, “and try to get through by exercising some fiscal responsibility, by cutting spending—we’re going to have to continue to cut spending, and we’ve done it without raising taxes.”

Ralston said that balancing the state’s budget without raising taxes gave him a sense of pride, comparing Georgia to other states that had to raise taxes on its citizens in order to balance the budget.

“These have been difficult times, “ he admitted, “we’ve cut 22 percent out of your state budget over the past three years and every time you cut a dollar out of the budget, you’re cutting somebody,” and every time the state spends a tax dollar, it’s “touching somebody’s nerve ending.”

Ralston, though, transcended vagaries. The Speaker gave specific ideas that could launch Georgia into a new wave of economic growth, an economic development plan involving Savannah.

“We are on the verge of creating, I believe, the busiest, most vibrant, active, productive port on the east coast of the United States in Savannah and Brunswick,”

Ralston told the audience. He explained that no economic development plan is more important than

“deepening the Savannah River to accommodate the super containers that will be coming though the Panama Canal when it’s expanded by 2014.”

The Speaker is convinced that the project will not only spark

“a prairie fire of economic growth across the entire state,”

but across the Southeast Region as well. He said that the economic impact of the plan is beyond measure and the state is currently looking for funding for the project. He also alluded to regional partnerships with states like South Carolina and Tennessee. The pervading message of Speaker Ralston’s speech seemed to be one of optimism, quipping,

“Our best days, here, in Georgia are still ahead.”

But, how does the Speaker’s optimism translate to the critical 2012 election for the 9th District Congressional seat?

So far, candidates for the seat include State Representative Doug Collins (R-Gainesville), Radio Talk Show Host Martha Zoller, and Jackson County Commission Chairman Hunter Bicknell. At a Fannin County GOP Meeting on September 19th, Rep. Collins told FYN that he has been endorsed by Speaker Ralston. At November’s Chamber Luncheon, however, Ralston contradicted Collins’ assertion.

“I haven’t formally endorsed anyone in that race yet, “Ralston said, “but, Doug and I have been friends for a long time.”

The Speaker said that he will formally endorse a candidate later on in the race. At the mention of Zoller’s name, Ralston said that he is friends with Zoller as well. Former State Representative Chip Pearson’s name has also been mentioned as a possible candidate. Pearson recently said, though, that he is not currently a candidate, but will make a decision in January.