10 for 10

Who will be driving government decisions in the coming decade? The Review identified 10 elected officials across the Gulf Coast — seven men and three women — who will play major roles in 2010 and beyond.

They told us the most important issues facing the region, what they hope to accomplish in 2010, and a few things most people don't know about them.

Economic concerns dominate the minds of these 10 state and local elected government officials, as illustrated in these excerpts of recent interviews. They touch on issues including budgets, bureaucracy, taxes, spending, education, Medicaid, high speed rail, commuter rail, growth management, impact fees, utilities, jobs, the economy, Tim Geithner and freedom.