CENTRE – Republican Bradley Byrne made his first visit to Cherokee County as a candidate for governor on Friday, dining and chatting with around 40 supporters at the Happy China restaurant. After lunch, Byrne talked exclusively with The Post.

“I enjoy the question-and-answer sessions because that's where you find out what's on the minds of the people,” Byrne, clad in a collared shirt and blue blazer, said after the meet-and-greet in Centre. “It's the most fun part of the political process, where I learn what I need to know.”

During a 30-minute interview, Byrne, 55, expounded on several topics he considers among the most important he would have to deal with should he emerge as the Republican candidate in June and defeat his Democratic opponent in the November general election.

“The budget next year is going to be the worst we've faced in state government since the Great Depression, and I am not exaggerating,” Byrne said. “That's going to be extraordinarily difficult, but the reason I think I am uniquely qualified to deal with it is because I've already dealt with it as chancellor of the Postsecondary System.”

Byrne's campaign website explains in detail how the former head of Alabama's two-year college system and his staff were able to see coming budget shortfalls in 2007 and trim over $70 million from the college system's $1 billion annual budget.

Bryne also promised to call a special session the day after he is sworn in as governor to pass an ethics reform package aimed at the 140-member Alabama Legislature.

“I know they are going to play some hard games against me, and frankly there will be a lot of that during the campaign, because they don't want reform in Montgomery,” Byrne said. “But I'll take my share of slings and arrows, and at the end of the day if we get these reforms enacted they can call me anything they want.”

Regarding education reform, Byrne said AEA chief Paul Hubbert's grip on the Legislature via his powerful position as executive secretary of the state's largest union for teachers is bad for progress, and must end.

“We have allowed one person to control education in this state, and whether you agree or disagree with him, that's wrong,” Byrne said.

Byrne said the only way to change education in Alabama is to butt heads with Hubbert.

“And I've done that over and over again, successfully,” Byrne said. “He's going to spend a ton of money in these political campaigns against me. But if we're going to change education for the better we've got to do this.”

Before leaving for his next stop on the campaign trail, Byrne also touted his plan for economic development and spoke about another issue on the minds of many in Cherokee County – the water war.

Focusing on jobs, Byrne said he wants to develop a program that better utilizes the state's higher education resources to bring business to Alabama.

“We need to use universities like Jacksonville State more as economic development centers,” Byrne said. “It's a huge asset, and it has got a regional application. Two-year colleges, too. We've got 90-some-odd campuses all around the state – you've got one right here in Centre. Let's use it as an economic asset.”

Byrne said another part of the future of economic growth in Alabama is understanding that the state is undergoing a permanent transition from a low-skill, low-wage, manufacturing base.

“I hate that people are going through the transition they are going through,” he said in reference to the state's 11 percent unemployment rate. “It's painful for them and painful for all of us. But textile mills aren't coming back.”

Bryne said if he becomes Alabama's next governor he will lead the way toward converting everyone's attitude to make 21st century economic success possible, from Mobile to Muscle Shoals.

“The jobs that we need to be thinking about and preparing people for in the future are very different from what we've had in the past,” Byrne said. “We need more knowledge-based, highly-skilled jobs. With our work ethic and our pro-business environment, as long as we have a workforce that has that education and training, we're imminently sellable to people all over the world.”

Regarding the battle with Georgia over water, Byrne said he has already met with members of Gov. Bob Riley's legal team to familiarize himself with the issue.

“I think the court decision is pretty clear, and I think Alabama and Florida won the court case,” Byrne said. “Congress has been thinking about intervening and I guess they could pass a federal law that would change the law that the Supreme Court ruled on.”

Byrne said as governor he will strive for a broad approach to water management.

“We need a statewide water policy, which we don't have. Water is a precious resource that Alabama is blessed with an abundance of,” he said. “But we're not managing it right; we've got to manage it better or we'll lose that as an asset. The state is going to have to develop a plan, and as governor I am looking forward to leading the charge.”

Writer's note: The final question, asked tongue-in-cheek, may have helped explain Bryne's blue blazer: Alabama or Auburn? "I graduated from Duke," Byrne said with a grin.