Jan. 17, 2013 – Yesterday morning the state’s top policymakers gave their views on its toughest issues at the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s annual Eggs & Issues breakfast in Atlanta.

One day before his State of the State address, Gov. Nathan Deal laid out his view on health care, as well as economic development, education, transportation and ethics.

But the cost of health care and health insurance was the overriding theme of Deal’s speech, saying Georgia expects to pay almost $150 million more to fund its current obligations regarding its active and retired state employees and teachers by 2015.

Deal went on to say, “That means that we must make necessary cuts in other agencies and core functions of government since raising taxes is not an option I will accept.”

According to the Gainesville Times, About 2,000 people attended the breakfast at the Georgia World Congress Center, hosted by the chamber and sponsored by many prominent businesses. Other speakers included Chris Clark, Georgia Chamber of Commerce president/CEO; Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed; and Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga.

The event also had a panel, with Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, answering questions about education, health care, transportation and ethics. The panel was moderated by Roy Robinson, chairman of the chamber’s Government Affairs Council. On the issue of ethics, Ralston made the audience laugh when he described the ethics rule the Senate passed Monday that limits gifts from registered lobbyists as “more of a sun visor than a cap.”