Nathan Deal in 2014 Governor's State of the State speeches

On Budget & Economy: We survived Great Recession, and reformed state government

Although the sunny January days in Georgia melted the effects of our surprise storm, no such relief was forthcoming for the economy. Businesses closed; buildings became vacant; families lost their homes. Congress applied historical amounts of financial salt and sand, known as the stimulus, on the ice laden roads of commerce, but traffic still could not move. Georgia reduced spending and consumed cash reserves.

I will not recount further the disastrous effects of the Great Recession on our citizens, some of which have left permanent scars. Instead, I want to tell you how our state government not only survived, but have reformed our operations in order to better serve our citizens.