Lt. Gov. Mark

Taylor brought his message of prosperity to the Fulton Industrial Business

Association Wednesday morning and asked the business leaders to continue

making the state better.

An audience

of nearly 100 listened intently as Taylor preached a gospel of growth,

tempered with improving several programs in the state.

Taylor said

he was quite proud of several job initiatives that have been completed

during his tenure. He pointed to the state Legislature's approval of nearly

$250 million in property tax cuts this year, giving credit for the cuts

to Gov. Roy Barnes. He predicted that during next year's election, the

opposition will be calling for even more tax cuts.

But Taylor

said the state walks a very fine line in trying to provide services, while

still being fiscally responsible.

He said the

just-completed General Assembly session found the money to give teachers

a 4.5-percent pay raise, while other Southern states have not been as

successful.

Florida has

not approved any teachers' raises this year, he said, adding that Alabama

is actually planning to cut educators' salaries.

Georgia has

made an all-out effort to combat the perception that it does not focus

on education, Taylor said, adding he wants to make sure those efforts

continue.

He also explained

the state's per capita income had just surpassed the national average

for the first time in the state's history. He wants to make sure the income

keeps rising.

"I don't

ever want us to be considered a backward Southern state again," he

said.

Taylor said

the state has assumed a very pro-business attitude in the last few years

and is offering more incentives for businesses to locate here.

Incentives

are now offered for national or international headquarters, along with

companies that plan to put $1 million worth of computer hardware into

a new business.

"We want

a computer chip manufacturer to locate here," he said.

Through proceeds

from the state lottery, the state now has 4-year-old kindergarten available

to all students, along with HOPE Scholarship money for higher education.

For students

who want to pursue higher education at a technical school, there is a

technical school within 35 miles of everybody in the state, he said.

Education represents

the key to the state's future prosperity and level of safety, Taylor said.

He believes more funds need to be allocated to prevention programs to

keep students away from drugs and gangs, he said.

He supports

new theories for education, including charter schools, and urged the business

leaders to get more involved with innovative education programs.

As he closed

his comments, Taylor told the business leaders to call him with their

concerns, so the state could make it easier for everyone to prosper in

the economy.