Bulloch County County Commissioner Jan Tankersley came on Wednesday's “Mornings unPHILtered” show to talk about her decision to step down from the commission to run for the state representative seat being vacated by Bob Lane.
    Lane announced Monday he would not seek reelection to the District 158 seat he first won in 1980. Tankersley said Lane, his wife and her are all Statesboro High School graduates. In fact, the two ladies were both juniors the year Lane graduated from Statesboro High. As a life-long friend, Tankersley said she could not run against Bob, but when she heard he was retiring, she told host Phil Boyum that she called him and got his blessing to run for the empty seat.
    Tankersley said that she would remain a Bulloch County Commissioner until the moment she qualifies for her new seat. Qualifying begins Monday. The Board of Elections in the Georgia's Secretary of State office told Tankersley that she must step down as county commissioner once she qualifies to run for Lane's seat next week.
    A little more than a year ago Tankersley was selected by her fellow county commissioners to serve as the president of the Association County Commissioners of Georgia. Tankersley said she was already planning to pass the gavel as president, and will now surrender those duties as well next week.
    Tankersley said that when she told Lane of her plan to run for the soon-to-be-open seat she said he told her that he was glad someone with her qualifications was going to run for his seat.
    Tankersley said Lane shared with her how her years of county government experience would be of great use in helping her understand what was going on at the state level.
    Tankersley said she believes residents of Bulloch County are well-served by their legislators. She mentioned that she would pattern her service after State Sen. Jack Hill, who, she believes, has served all of his constituents so well.
    Tankersley said she believes the biggest challenge as a state legislator is how to best balance the state budget. She said all budget cuts would need to be evaluated on a yearly basis as to whether or not they hurt or help the state more in the big picture.
    
    “Mornings unPHILtered” airs live Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on statesboroherald.com and also simulcast on WWNS-AM 1240 on the radio. You also can listen anytime at BoroLive.com on statesboroherald.com