This past Tuesday, an incumbent Senator faced off with a new challenger at Johns Creek High School. State Senator John Albers (R-District 56) and Democratic hopeful Akhtar Sadiq were both seated in a debate, moderated by a civil servant in the Johns Creek area.
Sadiq made appeals towards the students and parents in Georgia. He advocated for revitalizing the HOPE Scholarship, a popular state, loterry-sponsered grant towards college. He accused the incumbent for cutting millions of dollars from the budget of HOPE while he was in office. These cuts, he suggested, lowered the amount of students this grant extended too, thus lowering opportunities. With a perception of lower opportunities, more students with financial difficulties will be less motivated to go to college, and possibly drop out in high school. When Alders was asked why he made cuts to the program, he responded that the current situation of our economy forces them to take these cuts. But, Alders could've easily take away some tax breaks and keep HOPE adequately funded. This is not the only area of the debate on education.
During the Q&A session, one audience member asked how each candidate was going to decrease the high school drop out rate in Georgia. Albers insisted using more online-based programs and the use of cooperatives. However, the cost of running more online programs would put further strain on the already costly budget. Sadiq insisted that he would encourage more parental involvement, but offered no specifics on how he would do so. Sadiq then offered the use of more after-school programs to increase scores. Both did not offer much details on how they were going to carry out their respective plans.
The economy and jobs are also on most people's minds. Albers courted the average businessmen by declaring his main priority to increase jobs. To accomplish this, Albers turned to tax cuts to businesses and de-regulate them, hoping to spur more profits and more jobs. However, tax cuts to a strained budget would only offer more problems in the future. By cutting education for tax cuts, this creates an unsustainable situation, where short terms benefits apparently outweighs long term benefits. Sadiq, on the other hand, offered little on his economic plan, saying he would assist small businesses in their endeavors. To do this, he will encourage small businesses to take advantage of currents grants and reliefs offered by the state. This is somewhat similar in a way with Alders's plan.
Albers and Sadiq are similar their goals on reform and the economy. Sadiq obviously places a larger effort on education reform, while Albers views jobs and the economy as the main goals of his administration. We will see if the citizens living in District 56 are swayed more on education or on jobs. And the verdict on this will give Georgians a glimpse for the Presidential Elections. Similarly, these two presidents and parties differ on education importance and job growth. How this plays out at the state level will certainly show when the presidential election begins.
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