Joe Frank Harris

Joe Frank Harris

Joe Frank Harris (born February 16, 1936 in Atco , Bartow County , Georgia ) is an American politician and former governor of Georgia.

Youth and political advancement

Harris graduated from the University of Georgia in 1958 . He then took a stake in his family's concrete company before he could be won over by local politicians to run for the Georgia House of Representatives in 1964 . After the victorious election, he remained a member of the House for nine terms in a row. He soon gained a good reputation, particularly in the household arts. Accordingly, he became a member of the Budget Committee and in 1974 even its chairman. In 1982, Harris ran for his Democratic Party's top candidate for the upcoming gubernatorial election. In the face of strong competition within the party, he was initially only considered an outsider. But with the help of the Speaker of Parliament Tom Murphy , he managed to assert himself in the party. After the nomination, he also managed to win the election against his Republican opponent.

Georgia Governor

As governor, he continued some of the points made by his predecessor George Busbee . He promoted the further industrial expansion of the state by luring national and international companies to Georgia. In the field of education, he launched the so-called Quality Basic Education (QBE) program. This program included: increasing the budget for public schools, better training programs for the disabled and increasing the salaries of teachers. Although the funding of QBE was only partially approved by Parliament, this program was a big step forward. It was the most successful educational reform program in Georgia in decades. Harris also campaigned for the 1996 Summer Olympics to be awarded to Atlanta and supported the construction of the Georgia Dome . Harris also pushed ahead with the four-lane expansion of the highways within Georgia in order to cope with the increased volume of traffic. In accordance with the constitution as amended in 1976 and 1983, Harris was elected to a second term in 1986.

Retirement

After his second term in office, he left office in 1991. At first he withdrew into private life for a few years. In 1999 he became a member of the Georgia University Board of Directors for seven years.

literature

• James F. Cook: The Governors of Georgia, 1754-2004. 3d ed. Mercer University Press, Macon (Georgia) 2005.

Web links

• The New Georgia Encyclopedia (English)
• Harris at the National Governors Association (English)