As any student traveling from Athens to Atlanta already knows, traffic along Highway 316 can be horrendous.

That is one of the many reasons why Georgia has to ensure that alternative transportation is incorporated into long term transportation plans.

For the last 20 years, a commuter rail line has been considered from Athens to Atlanta.

This line would relieve traffic and reduce pollution.

If elected to the legislature, I will always support legislation that will encourage the use of alternative transportation and the protection of our environment, especially the Athens to Atlanta commuter rail line.

One of my opponents has said “the Brain Train (Athens-Atlanta commuter rail) initiative is, in my view, the biggest single step we can take to promote prosperity throughout the region.”

I believe that the single biggest step we can take to promote prosperity throughout the region is by improving education.

I think it is important to remember that if Georgia is going to be able to mirror the success of North Carolina’s research triangle, then education has to be our number one priority.

Athens was reminded of this recently when we were passed over by a $1 billion vaccine plant.

This new plant would have created 1,800 jobs and would have had a huge impact on our local economy.

Have we already forgotten the number one reason for the Novartis plant deciding against Athens?

It was not a lack of transportation and it was not a lack of infrastructure.

It was the lack of an educated workforce.

While improving education in general can be a daunting task, addressing Novartis’ specific concerns is much more manageable.

Novartis was concerned with the lack of a training facility to train biomedical students necessary to run their plant.

By investing $14 million in the Athens Tech facility, this can be accomplished.

Athens needs a representative who will remind the governor that education should be his number one priority.

In order to comprehensively address Athens’ education problems, we have to address K-12 education as well as higher education.

Under the current administration, the governor has cut $1.25 billion from K-12 classrooms and over $1 billion from higher education.

Certainly, Georgia cannot expect its schools to improve at the same time their budgets are being cut.

As a son of two University of Georgia educators and a “double Dawg” myself, I will not support further cuts to K-12 or higher education.

I believe the train will be convenient, great for the environment and beneficial for our community.

Since the majority of the cost will paid by the federal government, it is definitely a proposal we should all support.

Educating our children, though, is the key to regional and statewide prosperity.

- Doug McKillip is the Democratic candidate running for State House District 115.