Ralston says jobs key to recovery

CRANDALL — New state House Speaker David Ralston presented a grim image Tuesday night of legislators paring the state budget.

“We have had to not only take the scalpel, but we’ve got the butcher knife, now we’re down to the chain saw trimming that budget,” he said at the annual banquet of the Chatsworth-Murray County Chamber of Commerce at Cohutta Springs Conference Center.

Ralston grew up in Ellijay and has a law practice in Blue Ridge. He is a former state senator who was elected to the House in 2002. He was chosen by his peers to become the new speaker in January after former speaker Glenn Richardson’s relationship with a female lobbyist became public. A Republican, Ralston ran against Richardson in 2008 and was later stripped of a committee chairmanship by Richardson for doing so. At the banquet, he said he was honored to be the new speaker and believes it was a long time coming for the region.

“I went back to look at a little history and I saw that, you know, I was going to be going to work and standing in a spot where true giants — like Tom Murphy, George L. Smith (and) Richard B. Russell — stood, but one thing that was missing from that list was somebody from North Georgia. I was honored to be the first speaker in Georgia who came from north of Atlanta, and I want you to know when I drove up here tonight I drove up (Highway) 411, ‘cause they wouldn’t let me fly and I realize I’m the only one down there who knows how bad that road needs to be four-laned.”

Widening 411 has been a frequently mentioned goal of Murray County’s recent economic development plan promoted by community leaders.

As for goals accomplished, Ralston said what he is “most proud of” in the county are the strides that have been made in education.

“I believe that education is a real tool and powerful force for advancing our progress as a community,” he said. “It’s very important, and when I see the wonderful work of Dr. (Vicki) Reed and the school system here I’m very proud of that. We were talking earlier about the pilot program of shortening the school year here, and what a success that has been here. I mentioned that if you like 160 days (for the school calendar), you might want to come down to the Capitol this year and we might take you down a few notches further because of some of the budget problems we’re having.”

Ralston noted the school system has increased the graduation rate (from 61.5 percent in 2008 to 72 percent in 2009), and attendance has improved by 15 percent, putting the Murray County district in the top 12 percentile of the state.

“How important attendance is,” he said, “because if you can’t get a student to school they’re not going to learn. I think Murray County should give itself a pat on the back.”

Ralston spoke briefly on possible solutions to the state’s budget crisis, beginning with taxes.

“Somebody said, ‘Why don’t you raise taxes?’” Ralston said. “I told them I don’t think that it’s right in a time of over 10 percent unemployment, when businesses are closing their doors in Georgia, and families that do have jobs are worried about the future in those jobs. I mean, that’s just my philosophy ... I believe the answer to this situation we’re in is to do what this chamber’s doing, and what you do, and that is to grow out of this economic downturn by providing jobs to our people. I think the best stimulus is a job.”

Approximately 240 people attended the banquet. Several said they were encouraged by Ralston’s message.

“It was very positive and very energetic,” said Matt Sanford, director of transportation for the county. “I liked what he said about widening 411, and improving infrastructure in the state.”

Sonia Ridley said she “felt very good” after the speech.

“I had an overall feeling that he shares the vision we have in Murray County,” she said, “and it thrills me that we have someone who is essentially from here. I think it will make a big difference for our area.”

Award winners for 2009 were Village Cafeteria, business of the year; Solomon Douhne, business man of the year; Shirley Russell, business woman of the year; Chuck Butler, humanitarian of the year; Sue Stanley, chamber delegate of the year; and Dinah Rowe, chairman’s award.

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New House speaker addresses Chatsworth-Murray chamber banquet

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