Michael Caw on Data Centers, Education and Healthcare | Candidate Conversations – Episode 106
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A data center moves into the conversation. A school needs resources. A family needs medical care, but help is a long drive away. State policy can feel distant until the consequences land close to home.
For Michael Caw, those concerns are connected by a question he says he hears from residents: Are the people making decisions actually listening?
In Episode 106, our Candidate Conversation series continues with the Newborn councilman and candidate for Georgia House of Representatives District 114. Caw joins Trey Bailey and Gabriel Stovall to discuss growth, education, healthcare access, local businesses, and how he would approach representing his neighbors at the Gold Dome.
From testing building materials to serving neighbors
Caw introduces himself with stories from Wichita, Kansas, his move to the South, and a career at Georgia-Pacific testing building materials. The work involved walls, roofs, ceilings, and doors, with safety as a practical concern: Would the materials and hardware do their job when people depended on them?
He returns to that idea of standards throughout the conversation. Working with different people requires flexibility, he says, along with a foundation everyone can build on. He connects that experience to service on the Newborn council and volunteer work with the Newborn Heritage Trust.
Asked why he wants to run for the state House, Caw says residents need representatives who hear their concerns and bring them into the policy process. He describes himself as a fellow constituent seeking to become their advocate.
Data centers and the responsibilities of a neighbor
Data centers are among the concerns Caw says he hears while talking with voters. He questions the scale of their resource use and raises concerns about water, noise, lighting, and the surrounding environment.
“People should be first for those resources,” he says.
Caw recognizes artificial intelligence as a tool, while questioning how much infrastructure is needed and what communities should expect from the companies building it. His test is whether a business will be a good corporate neighbor and participate in the life of the community.
He points to the local merchants and gathering places that help sustain Newborn and nearby Mansfield. For him, economic development should be evaluated with the people already living there in mind.
School funding gets a closer look
When Caw names education as a priority, Trey pauses the conversation to dig into the school funding formula. Caw says Georgia needs to revisit its Quality Basic Education, or QBE, formula and better support schools.
The conversation looks at how the demands on schools have changed, including technology, safety, and the cost of educating students. Caw also calls for residents to take an active role by helping children read, explore their interests, and understand their responsibility to the community.
His view of preparation goes beyond learning to operate the latest device. He emphasizes thinking, communication, and adaptable skills, along with the lessons students learn through art and athletics. The hosts join him in discussing why young people need an education that can serve them through changing jobs and stages of life.
Healthcare that people can reach
Healthcare access is Caw’s third major priority. He describes concerns about ambulance response times and the distance residents in rural areas may need to travel for care. He asks whether more places to stabilize patients before transfer could help families who live far from a hospital.
He also raises access to care for women and children and argues for a stronger regional healthcare presence. Mental health belongs in that discussion, he says, alongside physical health.
The conversation presents his priorities and reasoning rather than a detailed plan for financing or implementing those services. His central argument is that healthy residents and accessible care are investments in the community’s future.
Keeping local businesses and farms in the picture
Asked about supporting businesses, farmers, and working families, Caw starts with buying locally. He describes purchases from a neighborhood merchant as part of a network that supports mortgages, children, jobs, and other businesses nearby.
He wants farmers to have markets for their products and encourages people to develop and share practical skills. That leads to a lighter exchange about artisan businesses, handmade goods, and his own interest in sewing and learning to repair shoes.
There is also a question about how government spends. Caw says public resources have limits and argues that policy should look beyond the next election cycle. He wants leaders to consider who benefits from a decision and whether the investment serves residents over time.
Working together starts with seeing the person
When Gabriel asks about working with Republicans and Democrats, Caw starts with recognizing the other person’s humanity and the people they represent. Listening, patience, and empathy are part of his answer.
“Compromise is not a dirty word,” he says.
Trey recalls meeting Caw at a gathering of local leaders from different political backgrounds. Sharing a meal and talking helped build relationships that could matter later, when those same leaders needed to solve a difficult problem together.
That is a fitting place for this Candidate Conversation to land. Voters deserve time to hear how a candidate thinks, what he prioritizes, and how he responds to questions. Watch the full conversation, consider Caw’s answers, and keep asking questions of the people who want to represent you.
Learn more about Michael Caw’s campaign:
Links Mentioned
Watch Episode 106 on YouTube - https://youtu.be/dxvfHeb9H7o
Michael Caw campaign website - https://cawforgeorgia.com
Angel Pitts with United Bank Wealth Management - https://www.accessunited.com/wealth-management
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Sponsors and Advertisers
Angel Pitts with United Bank Wealth Management
This episode is sponsored by Angel Pitts with United Bank Wealth Management. United Bank offers financial and retirement planning services built around clients’ goals. Reach out to Angel to start a conversation about your financial future, and thank her for supporting local conversations on The Town Square Podcast.
