Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle says that while affordable higher education is critical to the success of the state, Georgia cannot fund the education of every deserving college student.

Speaking to the Atlanta Press Club on Thursday, Cagle said the HOPE scholarship "was never created to become or be an entitlement program." The scholarship was cut dramatically last year as the lottery funds that pay for the program were no longer able to sustain it.

Cagle says that ideally, HOPE would've been kept fully intact, but the Legislature's actions ultimately saved the program.

Tags: Atlanta Press Club, Georgia higher education, Lt. Gov Casey Cagle, HOPE