Today’s competition for a prosperous economic future is global. It’s no longer enough for a state to compete with its neighbors or even with the rest of the United States.
No one can do it all alone. A lot has to be in place so the conditions are right so that anyone with talent and desire can see their hard work rewarded.
With this in mind, it’s encouraging to see that Gov. Nathan Deal has created the Georgia Competitiveness Initiative to bring business leaders and state government together for a conversation on how to boost Georgia’s economy.
The Competitiveness Initiative will hold a meeting in Atlanta as part of a series of listening sessions across the state.
The committee members of the Competitiveness Initiative will examine such areas as education, infrastructure and government efficiency, in addition to other factors that may contribute to the quality of our state’s “business climate.”
Each of those areas — a well-qualified workforce, state-of-the-art transportation network, adequate water resources, and a responsive, engaged public sector — are vital to businesses and to a thriving economy.
But we make a mistake if we think that competitiveness is only a business concern. These aren’t matters just for the business community.
Businesses and citizens both share an interest in having an economic environment that includes quality education, responsible and accessible government, and adequate infrastructure.
Building a strong economy is a job for everyone, and we can’t let it turn into a contest pitting one interest against another.
For example, businesses understandably want to keep their costs down, and even though taxes make up a tiny fraction of what it costs to do business in Georgia, there will certainly be calls to lower taxes in order to compete.
But there’s a flip side to this argument. Additional tax cuts for businesses would mean that Georgia might not have the resources to invest in education, transportation, public safety and all the other building blocks of a strong economy; building blocks that are just as important as a tax environment.
This discussion needs to be about Georgia’s ability to provide a range of essential services that affect all of our lives — not just people who own businesses. It is crucial that we’re all part of the conversation. Hearing from parents, retirees, workers, nonprofit leaders, college students and others in our communities is essential to making the Competitiveness Initiative a meaningful effort.
For your family, competitiveness might mean college tuition that’s affordable, access to health care, or public schools that are able to stay open five days a week.
Competitiveness might mean getting services for a child with developmental disabilities who remains on the waiting list. Those services mean you can go to work with the peace of mind that comes from knowing your child is well cared for and that it won’t bankrupt you.
In other words, competitiveness can involve any number of issues relating to the services that will be discussed by this initiative — or won’t be discussed if you aren’t involved.
Your voice matters. Participate in the meeting, submit your ideas on the Competitiveness Initiative’s website, www.georgiacompetitiveness.org/contact, or contact state leaders directly to let them know what’s important to your family and community.
The council needs to hear from all of us about what it takes to make sure Georgia is a great place to run a business and raise a family.
Otha Thornton is the legislative chair for Georgia PTA and a partner with 2020 Georgia.
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