Governor hopefuls debate

Web posted September 26, 1998

By Loyall Solomon
Morris News Service

SAVANNAH -- Georgia's two gubernatorial candidates spent most of their first formal debate of the campaign season Friday trying to outdo each other on promises to enhance economic development outside Atlanta.

The event, before about 500 members of the Georgia Economic Developers meeting in Savannah, marked the first clash of Democrat Roy Barnes and Republican Guy Millner at an official debate. The two have waged bitter, dirty and expensive campaigns since the primary, but had yet to square off in debate format except at an impromptu yelling match when the two showed up at the same event last week in Gwinnett County.

Mr. Barnes said he advocates the creation of regional water and transportation authorities to help promote business and industrial growth outside Atlanta. Mr. Millner countered with plans to offer more incentives and tax breaks for existing businesses and new start-ups.

Taking special note of where he was speaking, Mr. Barnes said his administration would make a top priority construction of the long-discussed Savannah-Augusta Parkway to link the two cities.

``We need statewide growth, not just growth in one area,'' Mr. Barnes said. ``The infrastructure throughout the state needs to be improved.''

Mr. Barnes added: ``The ports of Savannah and Brunswick are diamonds in the rough, and we must continue to improve those ports to keep them competitive and our development growing.''

Mr. Millner said he agreed with Mr. Barnes about the importance of the Savannah-Augusta Parkway but thinks the ``business leadership will accomplish more than legislative experience in the coming years'' in promoting economic development.

Mr. Millner then went into a litany of other issues he intends to emphasize such as the need to deal with problems in the juvenile justice system and court reforms and improvements in the elementary and secondary school systems.

``I strongly favor teacher testing and regular evaluations,'' Mr. Millner said, ``and I would reduce class sizes by 20 percent; this is a very serious problem.''

He again pledged to end early parole for prisoners and said he wants to increase spending on prisons, which he said is now at 7 percent of state revenues.

``Don't tell me we can't spend another 1 percent to keep our streets safe,'' Mr. Millner said.

The two combatants then took aim at each other in closing statements.

Mr. Barnes accused Mr. Millner of calling Gov. Zell Miller a ``political hack and a broken-down politician'' in campaign advertising.

Mr. Millner challenged Mr. Barnes to prove it.

``Show me once where I ever said that,'' Mr. Millner said.

Mr. Barnes' reply was to challenge Mr. Millner to publicly release his income tax records.

``Character does matter, and that's why I have made my tax returns public,'' Mr. Barnes said. ``How about you doing that and quit trashing people.''