Jobs
Our economic struggles remain the major concern for families in District 42 and across Georgia. We need solutions that will have an immediate impact on our ability to attract new business and generate jobs while also investing in the future health of our economy. The economy of the future will be built on investments in transportation, research and development, and all levels of education, from Pre-K to universities and technical colleges.
Jason has been endorsed by the National Federation for Independent Business, and he received an “A” grade from the Georgia Chamber of Commerce in 2012. He will continue to fight for smart policies on job creation, entrepreneurship, small business, and innovation.
Promoting Business
Smart tax policies and other incentives help ensure that our community is a good place to do business. Those policies will also help attract businesses that are searching for a new home and will reassure workers and employers that we are committed to expanding and creating new jobs.
Unfortunately, our state’s current leadership has failed to recognize the contribution of small businesses to job creation in our state. During the 2012 session, Jason offered an amendment to Governor Deal’s jobs tax credit bill that would have expanded benefits for small businesses because everyone knows that these businesses are our best engine of growth and job creation. But rather than allowing bipartisan debate, the Republican leadership forced passage of a watered-down, insufficient bill.
Preparing the Workforce of Tomorrow
We must do better at educating and training Georgians for jobs. And not just any jobs, but jobs that pay well and allow people to get ahead. As one of Georgia’s best-educated and strategically located business centers, District 42 will play a vital role in our recovery and in the future of Georgia’s economy. Our research, education, and innovation resources ensure that we are well-positioned to lead the way in Georgia.
In addition, it is critical that we fix the failed reform to the HOPE Scholarship. We need more students with advanced degrees not only so that those students can be successful on their own but so that they can strengthen our state’s economy for everyone. For the first time in decades, enrollment is down at Georgia’s two-year, four-year, and technical colleges. And under the reforms passed in 2011, HOPE will continue to vanish over time. Every year there will be more and more high-achieving students who cannot afford to go to college. A HOPE plan that reduces the number of students who get degrees can only be called a failure – both for our students and for our economy.
For the last two years, Jason has sponsored legislation that would preserve HOPE for future generations, and he will continue to fight for Georgia’s students and families this election cycle and into next year’s legislative session.
Innovation
Our community is ripe for expansion in two of the nation’s most promising industries: bioresearch and green energy. We have the potential to become a “Silicon Valley of the South” – but only if we demonstrate a commitment to reaching that goal. This area is now home to a number of green energy and bioresearch companies which create jobs in research, manufacturing, sales, engineering, and human resources. Our policymakers must support an environment that supplies capable workers, coordinates with our educational institutions, and provides incentives to attract foreign businesses and encourage the expansion of existing businesses.
In the Senate, Jason has co-sponsored bipartisan legislation to expand availability of solar energy in Georgia which he will fight to pass next session. Jason will continue to push for legislation to encourage innovation in our district and state.