A CONVERSATION WITH GOVERNOR KEMP

Focus on workforce development, infrastructure funding, regulatory reform and economic development

AGC Georgia: Our association believes good workforce development is good economic development. We worked in concert with Governor Deal’s team and other construction industry stakeholders to obtain the High Demand Career Initiative (HDCI) designation for the construction industry. What additional efforts do you believe can bring more attention to skilled trade education and growing this career path?

Governor Kemp: In today’s economy, there are more jobs than there are people to fill them – and it is often difficult to find trained labor to meet the needs of the workforce. Governor Deal did a tremendous job in identifying strategic industries for rapid training and deployment – through the High Demand Career Initiative, and construction was able to benefit greatly from it. I know firsthand what it’s like to not be able to find qualified labor on a site and know the delays and costs that it causes the industry. I am committed to continuing the High Demand Career Initiative – and through our Putting Georgians First Commission, we are going to work with small businesses, our education community, and trade associations like AGC Georgia to ensure workforce needs are prioritized for industries that need assistance.

AGC Georgia: We’ve made great strides in deepening our port and working on HOV and toll lanes for the future. What non-transportation infrastructure investment do you believe is needed for Georgia?

Governor Kemp: I believe the next investment we need to make in Georgia’s infrastructure needs to be in rural Georgia. Metro-Atlanta and other major metro-regions across the state have benefitted tremendously from investments in transit funding, harbor deepening, and road and bridge repair – and it’s time to continue strategic investments like these in rural parts of our state. The most needed infrastructure issue that rural Georgia faces is access to High Speed Internet – and as Governor, I have committed to ensuring that there is a private sector solution. Without connectivity, companies either choose not to relocate, start or invest in rural Georgia – and many are often leaving as a result of the lack of access. High Speed Internet will help rural Georgia connect with hospital systems and healthcare through telemedicine, career education through online learning, and greater economic opportunities through e-commerce and other platforms.

AGC Georgia: During your campaign, one of your key issues was regulatory reform. As you know, from your time working in the construction industry and as Secretary of State, construction is one of the most regulated industries. What proposals do you hope to place before the General Assembly to help the business community?

Governor Kemp: By streamlining government and cutting burdensome red tape, we can work to ensure that Georgia becomes the number one state for small business. Throughout the campaign, we ran on a platform of putting Georgians first, and part of the four-point plan that carried us throughout was “taking a chainsaw to Government Regulations.” During my service as Secretary of State, I was able to see first-hand the burdensome regulations that countless industries face because of antiquated state code – and I am committed to working with the General Assembly, Secretary Raffensberger and stakeholders like AGC Georgia to ensure that our rules and regulations on the book are fair, serve a purpose, and protect the safety of all Georgians –while not hindering growth or creating new burdens for those involved.

AGC Georgia: Georgia has been recognized as one of the best places to do business for a number of consecutive years. What do you believe are essential elements needed to maintain this prestigious designation?

Governor Kemp: We are blessed that Georgia has been named the number one state in which to do business for six years in a row. I credit that to the hard work of former Governors Sonny Perdue and Nathan Deal in adopting commonsense approaches to economic development, fiscal policy and state legislation that spurred tremendous job growth over the last 16 years. We must continue these efforts – and prioritize adopting approaches to economic development that will make Georgia not only the number one state in which to do business, but the number one state for small business as well. I know first-hand that small businesses are the backbone of any economy. I started my first business right out of college at the University of Georgia with a pickup truck and a few tools in my toolbox, and since that day, Marty and I have been blessed to be owners of many small businesses, employ hundreds of hardworking Georgians, and play a small part in growing our state’s economy. That’s why on my first day in office, I signed an Executive Order creating the Georgians First Commission. This experienced group of private-sector leaders will work around the clock to cut government red tape, streamline regulations, and make it easier for entrepreneurs to hire, invest, and expand their operations. ■