CSRA LEADERSHIP EXPANDS TO STATE ISSUES

After working together for more than a decade to lobby the federal government on issues of importance to the area, the CSRA Leadership Group has expanded its efforts to include state governments as well with a trip to Atlanta in August. The CSRA Leadership Group is a unique cooperative effort consisting of business, civic and elected leaders from Georgia and South Carolina including the five chambers of commerce that work for them, representing Augusta-Richmond, Columbia, Burke and Aiken Counties. Their biannual trips to Washington D.C. have had a direct impact on key decisions that have benefited the entire community. By expanding their efforts, the group hopes to generate even stronger support for issues that affect the CSRA.

Almost fifty local leaders traveled to the Georgia Statehouse in August with a full agenda. The group met with Governor Roy Barnes, discussing a wide variety of issues including the Medical College of Georgia, Fall-Line Freeway and Savannah River Parkway, Interstate 520, Augusta Regional Airport, Air and Water Quality, and creating a Toll-Free Dialing Area between Augusta and Aiken. The Governor expressed his willingness to work with our area to address these issues in a way that will benefit the CSRA.

The group met with Chancellor Stephen Portch of the Board of Regents in a show of support for Augusta's institutions of higher learning. Both MCG and Augusta State University need an increased level of support for continued growth. The Chancellor expressed support for the area's plan to create a new economic base in biotechnology and pledged to support this effort with the regents.

The CSRA Leadership Group sponsored a luncheon at Capitol City Club where Departmental Commissioners and staff joined the group for informal discussion of the issues that they oversee that impact our region.

David Word of Georgias Environmental Protection Division met with the group to discuss various environmental issues that are becoming increasingly important to the future growth of the Augusta-Aiken area. Our area's air and water quality have the potential to hold our community back and prevent expansion, but Mr. Word expressed a willingness to work with our region to minimize the impact of increased levels of regulation.

The final meeting of the day was with the Georgia Public Service Commission. The group sought the commission's support in creating a local calling area for the Augusta-Aiken community, which will remove a significant barrier from the area's continued growth and also expressed its concern over efforts to cripple the nation's ability to safely move nuclear materials through Georgia without undue interference.

The goal of this trip is to establish strong lines of communication between the Augusta-Aiken area and state leadership that makes decisions affecting the area's continued growth and development. The CSRA Leadership Group has a trip to Columbia scheduled for later this year.

"What better way to ensure that the Augusta-Aiken area moves forward together as a region?" asks Augusta Metro Chamber President Jim West.

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