STATESBORO — Georgia State Senator Blake Tillery came to speak to the Georgia Southern College Republicans about the Georgia statewide budget on Tuesday night in the Russell Union.

Tillery represents Georgia’s 19th district in the State Senate, which encompasses the cities of Vidalia, Baxley, Jesup, Soperton and Mount Vernon. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia School of law.

Tillery had attendees look at the different aspects of the statewide 2020 budget. Tillery said that in the budget directives for next year, education and healthcare were taken off the agenda by Governor Kemp.

“Right now I don’t think that Georgia Southern will see an affect,” Tillery said. “If the tax revenues don’t grow at 2% then I don’t know where that leaves us we’ll evaluate that next year.”

Tillery also said that right now was the best time to get involved in politics.

“Every four years we elect a President, during presidential elections, everybody’s looking for volunteers.”

Tillery added that Presidential campaigns were not the only type of campaign that students can get involved in.

“There are folks that are running for Congress every two years, folks running for the State House in the State Senate every two years,” Tillery said. “And then on the local level, right now you’ve got elections going on at a local level.

Familiarizing yourself with the people running for office is also a good way to voice your opinion, according to Tillery.

“It’s easy to get to know these folks who are running for office who are going to, one of them will win,” Tillery said. “And they’re probably going to be more likely to return your call or text if they got to know you.”

Tillery was first elected in 2016, and then again in 2018, and he will serve a two-year term, with his reelection coming up in 2020.

On the issue of being bipartisan and cooperation, while holding true to one’s values, Tillery said that disagreement does not equal dislike, and that it is the job of a legislator to vote based on the 177,000 constituents he or she may represent.

“I think people can disagree and they don’t have to dislike each other,” Tillery said. “There’s obviously 56 members, less than 180 members of the House, and we each represent people back home. So when you’re approaching that issue, whether it be transportation, or it be economic development, you’re approaching it through for me, the 177,000 pairs of eyes that I represent.”

Blaine Salter, junior political science major and chairman of the Georgia Southern College Republicans said that all elections were important.

“Not only are federal elections important, state elections important, but municipal elections are important,” Salter said. “Because the essence of their job is to pick up trash make sure the roads are paved, and they make sure that you get from your house to your work in a safe manner.”

Nathan Woodruff, The George-Anne Managing News Editor, gaeditor@georgiasouthern.edu