Wednesday, July 17, 2002
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Wednesday, July 17, 2002 |
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Schrenko, Cox speak to local GOP By JANET McGREGOR
Gubernatorial candidate Linda Schrenko and state Rep. Kathy Cox of Peachtree City spoke to a smaller-than-usual group of Fayette County Republicans Saturday. The light turnout was attributed to the funeral of local leader Tom Farr and the shift of dates due to the July 4 holiday. The monthly breakfast will return to its normal first Saturday slot in August. Schrenko covered a lot of ground in a short timespan, focusing on her qualifications, the reasons she chose to run, her campaign issues and the things she intends to do if elected. She stated that she had a proven track record, successfully running a $7 billion department with a surplus in each year of her tenure as state school superintendent. She shared that she had cut 60 percent of the waste in her department without decreasing effectiveness. She noted that she was proud to have her name associated with a bill enacted as a result of the downsizing she did during her first year as school superintendent. A law was passed, called "Linda's Law," which requires that anytime a cut is made of more than three people in a department, permission must be gained from the Speaker of the House. Schrenko talked about the "good ol' boy" system, saying she was not referring to men but the system of kickbacks and paybacks. She noted that while Fayette County couldn't get money for a technical school, another small town of 40 in Georgia was able to get $250,000 for a study to see if it needed a cultural arts center. She rolled off statistics, catching the attention of the crowd with her statement that Georgia ranks as the 9th most corrupt state in the country. When questioned regarding that statistic, she explained that it was not based on legal cases, but on a study of ethics laws and rules governing legal and elected officials. She quipped at one point that if the voters "hire me to clean the House, I'll clean the Senate for free." In closing, she said that if she was successful in winning the primary, voters should "get ready to read [that] I will have done everything." Clearly expected negatives from Gov. Roy Barnes, she stated that she expects "so many investigations, I'll probably find out I've murdered my mother and just don't know it yet." Cox, a regular at the Fayette Republican breakfasts, was asked to speak regarding her race for state school superintendent when Steve Stancil, a candidate for lieutenant governor, was unable to attend. She was clear in her belief that "real change doesn't start at the top, it starts at the local level." She reviewed the changes that have occurred in Fayette County which have led to the county's high-ranking educational system. Referring to Barnes' 191-page education bill, she said that while "there must be help from the top," one size doesn't fit all, and it takes a local commitment. Cox keyed in on her experience as a facilitator, saying she intended to bring those who had found solutions together with those experiencing similar problems. Asked about vouchers, she said it would be her job to "make the school system better so [parents] don't want to use vouchers." The Fayette County Republican Breakfast meets the first Saturday of each month at 8:30 a.m. at the International House of Pancakes in Fayetteville. Meetings are open to the public and reservations are not required.
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