Cagle says his plan would focus the office of the Lt. Governor on securing jobs for the people of Georgia.
Some of the highlights of the 13-page plan include:
*Total tax cuts for a limited number of fields that are identified as "job multipliers."
Creation of a volunteer Georgia Council of Economic Advisors (GCEA) to track long-term trends and respond to them rapidly.
*Expanding low-interest facility construction loans through a self-replenishing revolving loan fund.
*Studying a sales tax exemption for materials used in facility construction.
Giving agriculture a permanent voice on economic development policy, and improving technology transfer from researchers to agribusiness.
*Designating two members of the Lt. Governor's staff to work on economic development issues in specific roles.
"The people of Georgia give the Lt. Governor significant authority and resources, and it is long past time we started seeing that investment pay off with real results on issues that matter to Georgians. For this reason, I am pledging today to focus the power of the office on creating new, high quality jobs for our citizens," said Cagle.
"Our goal is nothing less than building a seamless pro-job culture across the legislative and executive branches of government. By relentlessly pursuing this goal, we can ensure our citizens reap the benefits of top-quality jobs and increased prosperity. This plan is only a first step, and our long-term goal must be to never stop seeking innovative ways to pursue better jobs for Georgia workers and an even higher quality of life for our citizens."
According to the most recent statistics from the Georgia Department of Labor, the state's unemployment rate is near 5.6%, compared to the national rate of 5.2%.
Cagle calls for, among other things, total tax cuts for a limited number of fields that are identified as "job multipliers" and studying a sales tax exemption for materials used in facility construction.
Cagle is running for the Republican nomination for Lt. Governor against former Christian Coalition Director Ralph Reed.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2005/8/128424