Gov. Deal: We’re going out ‘with our boots on’

I’ve often been asked what I want my legacy to be when I leave office. I believe that is something for history to decide, as I’ve worked alongside so many people in the past eight years who were willing to go to work to help build a stronger economy, establish better opportunities through education and make Georgia a state that truly values justice.

When I was elected governor in 2010, Georgia was reeling from the ravages of the Great Recession. We were at a pivotal moment where the longterm future and economic security of this state were in great danger.

In response, I set the goal of making Georgia the nation’s best place for business. Through sound fiscal policy, conservative principles and investing in Georgia’s greatest asset — its people — we turned that vision into reality. For six years in a row, Georgia has been named the No. 1 state for business, and we’ve seen the creation of over 818,000 net new private-sector jobs since I took office. These are more than numbers, as each new job represents a family made more secure by industry and a Georgian given hope for a brighter future and a better life. Today, Georgia’s unemployment rate stands at just 3.6 percent, down from its height of 10.4 percent during the recession.

We have achieved historic accomplishments because of remarkably congenial cooperation among many stakeholders. Although the legislators who serve under the Gold Dome have different political party labels and certain differences in priorities, we focused on our commonalities of interest — the issues that directly improve the lives of Georgia’s citizens. While much of what state government does is debated in the abstract, I am proud of our focus on the issues that have the potential for lasting, generational improvements.

I believe we have made significant progress on most of the major issues our state needed to address on my first day in office. Together with the General Assembly, we saved the HOPE Scholarship from the brink of bankruptcy so that our nationally recognized pre-K program would continue to put children on the right path early and to provide affordable access to higher education. We worked to maintain Georgia’s AAA bond rating for the 21st consecutive year. We built the state’s Rainy Day Fund up from $116 million to well over $2.5 billion, the highest in the Southeast. At the same time, we joined the federal government in cutting taxes for hardworking citizens, which will amount to $5 billion of tax savings for Georgia families over the next five years.

As the husband of a teacher and the son of educators, I’ve learned that there is nothing more worthy of investment than young minds. In cooperation with the General Assembly, we fully funded the QBE formula for the first time in years, invested in the HOPE Career Grant to prepare students for the jobs available today and those of tomorrow, established the needs-based REACH Georgia Scholarship and devoted more funding to K-12 education than any time in the history of our state with over $9.8 billion for this fiscal year.

Since 2012, Republicans and Democrats came together to implement meaningful and far-reaching criminal justice reforms, making Georgia the leading state on this issue. Every year, those reforms were passed by overwhelming margins, and we have seen the federal government follow our lead by enacting sweeping reforms this past December. The results: a 20 percent decrease in the overall crime rate, a significant reduction in our prison population and hundreds of millions of dollars in savings from diverted costs of incarceration. Citizens from all walks of life who found themselves on the wrong end of the law are finding the transformational power of redemption.

Gov.-elect Brian Kemp’s administration is prepared to refine and build upon our efforts and continue our work to make Georgia an even better place to call home. I am indeed proud of what we have achieved, together, during my time in office, and I believe Georgia’s best days are ahead. Although we are honored by the successes of the past eight years, many of our initiatives and investments will truly show their value in the months, years and decades to come.

As my chief of staff, Chris Riley, often reminds me while referencing the Western mini-series “Lonesome Dove,” my administration has sought to “go out with our boots on.” Through my last days in office, we have endeavored to work hard, do good and make the most of every opportunity presented to our great state. The greatest achievements we could hope to see are prospering communities, safer environments for our neighbors, and our fellow Georgians taking job opportunities that didn’t exist before.

In the upcoming week, Sandra and I will leave this public life that we have known for the past eight years and decades before, when I had the privilege of representing my own community in Congress and the State Senate. As I look back, I’m reminded of all that can be achieved when we work together, plan purposefully, treat one another with kindness, and keep our work boots on while adhering to the principle enshrined in the credo of Georgia’s founders: Non sibi sed aliis, “Not for self, but for others.”

Deal