Posted: Thursday, December 31, 2015
As business leaders in northwest Georgia we compete (often with one another) in the vigorous and challenging market on a daily basis. We know the demands of customers, the interests of associates and the performance of suppliers can leave little time to engage in serious evaluation of organizational successes and failures.We expect a similar reality exists in the political world. Too often, the urgent, the negative and the naysayers consume such attention that the clouds are so thick a ray of sunshine that is “good news” cannot get through. As capitalists, we focus on investment. Specifically, we focus on return on investment. To that end, we wish to thank you for some of the good news we see from our home state of Georgia in regards to investments you have made and directed of our common assets.
First and foremost, the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project is among the biggest and most meaningful public infrastructure projects in the history of the state of Georgia. Your dogged work to see this project through, your willingness to work with others to make it happen and your leadership in seeing the state’s portion of the project fully funded have set the stage for Georgia to continue its dynamic growth as a port of call for the cargo ships of the world. This provides a decided advantage for Georgia business as well as a significant attraction for new investment in our state.
Your support for the removal of the sales tax on energy used in manufacturing is a major step in keeping Georgia competitive in the world economy. As you rightly recognized, energy used in manufacturing is an “input” into the final product. This change in tax policy helps keep Georgia products competitive and most certainly makes Georgia a more attractive state for future job creation in the manufacturing sector.
Georgia needs a skilled workforce. Your “Go Build Georgia” initiative demonstrates that you know this and are willing to do something about it. With an aging workforce and a dynamically changing workplace, we find ourselves in real need. Your program is designed to reach out to the business community to help shape the education delivered to our future workforce. We cannot thank you enough for your focus on this serious need.
Part of our commitment to workforce development is found in our Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). We have watched as you have made strategic investments in this system. We appreciate the professional leadership you have placed in this system. Our relationships with TCSG institutions are strong and improving every day.
Locally, we are appreciative of your investment in the planning money for the expansion of the Whitfield/Murray Campus of Georgia Northwestern Technical College. Now that the planning process is nearing completion, we strongly endorse that the necessary funding be approved to construct these needed facilities. This campus serves the greater community and the flooring industry quite well and we look forward to its continued growth.
Because business does not operate in a vacuum, we recognize that many of your initiatives which are not directly focused on business will result in a meaningful benefit to the business community. Among others, we note for special mention your criminal justice reform and your focus on accountability courts. As mentioned above, our need for skilled, trained and productive workers is high. A society fixated on an outdated and unsuccessful criminal justice model cannot produce such a workforce nor can business support the gigantic costs of such a system. Additionally, individuals and families trapped in the cycle of addiction and dependency do not result in productive citizens. Out of all your initiatives to date, we believe the return on this investment will likely be the greatest for our government, our businesses and the economy, and for society as a whole.We are proud to call Georgia home. Thank you for providing leadership that ensures we remain among the best places to do business. Now, let’s get back to work.
Joe W. Yarbrough, president, the Carpet and Rug Institute
David Jolly, president/CEO, J&J Industries Inc.
Jeffrey S. Lorberbaum, chairman/CEO, Mohawk Industries Inc.
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