RICHMOND
Jobs.
In a word, it is the central issue of the 2009 governor's race.
Amid the persistent recession, Virginia is struggling with its highest unemployment rate in decades.
So each of the three Democrats vying for the party's gubernatorial nomination on June 9 has tried to convince voters that he is the most capable of restoring prosperity to the state.
While some distinctions exist in the economic plans presented by Creigh Deeds, Terry McAuliffe and Brian Moran, there aren't vast differences among them.
Each candidate talks about improving Virginia's road and rail network, making the state a leader in alternative energy production, providing greater access to health care, and boosting education spending.
All of those things will foster an economic climate that spawns jobs, they say.
Another similarity: None has offered specifics about how to pay for it all.
"The candidates will tell you, 'I have a plan.' But the fact is it all costs money," said Clayton Roberts, president of Virginia Free, a nonpartisan business coalition that sponsored a recent candidate forum in Northern Virginia.
"I've yet to hear a clear statement of, 'This is how much money we need to raise, and this is how we're going to get it.' "
While the candidates have given cost estimates for pieces of their plans, each says he will provide details later about how he intends to pay for them. Late last week, McAuliffe unveiled the latest component of his policy plan that provides some insight about costs but is still short on funding specifics.
Deeds, a state senator, and Moran, a former state delegate, argue that their experience in state government gives them an innate understanding of how Virginia functions and how to win legislative approval for their proposals.
McAuliffe, who has served on corporate boards and run several companies, portrays himself as a deal-maker with an array of connections he can call on to benefit Virginia. He wants to lure big companies with economic incentives.
Moran believes increasing the minimum wage and helping small businesses is one way to create jobs.
Deeds has focused on education as a path to prosperity - one of his proposals is to provide grants to train displaced workers with skills sought by emerging industries.
But there's not always much a governor can do to affect a state's economy, said Terry Rephann, an economist at the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service in Charlottesville.
"A lot of this rhetoric comes during a very severe recession, and the public needs to be aware that the state does not control the business cycle," Rephann said. "It doesn't have fiscal and monetary policy at its disposal. "
So the challenge for the next governor will be to get legislative consent to somehow generate money in an uncertain economy.
One potential funding source for new programs is taxes. While the candidates have said they'd be reluctant to raise taxes in a poor economy, none has ruled out an increase.
Last summer, legislators balked when asked to approve $1.1 billion in tax increases for statewide transportation projects. Likewise, efforts to establish mandatory renewable energy production standards have been a tough sell.
Boosting education funding is another challenge, though the level of education in a state's work force is often a crucial factor businesses consider when deciding where to locate.
Elevating teacher pay to the national average would cost the state $415 million this year - with still more required from local governments - according to a Virginia Education Association estimate.
Meanwhile, the state already spends $1.5 billion to subsidize college tuition for in-state students. Expanding college enrollment, as the candidates have discussed, likely means an even greater expense.
Studies have shown "strong evidence" of long-term fiscal benefits tied to increased education spending, said Michael Cassidy, executive director of the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis. "The challenge is how do we pay for them given the current fiscal crisis we have in the state?" he said. "And none of the candidates have spoken about that."
Expect more specifics, and caveats, about plans for economic policy to emerge when the field narrows after the primary and more voters tune into the race, said Quentin Kidd, a political science professor at Christopher Newport University.
For the moment, he said, candidates know " 'it's crazy for me to get bogged down in details because very few people are paying attention and I don't want to lose the people who are listening.' "
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JOBS???
Each of the Dumbocrats, er, I mean Democrats running for Governor are saying they are going to create Jobs? I suppose these are coming out of thin air. In case they haven't noticed, we are losing jobs every day.
Nothing is hardly made in America anymore. They come from China, India, Vietnam, Taiwan, Singapore, every place on earth but here in our country.
When places like the Ford Plant closed, I didn't see any of these "candidates" busting their butts to try and stop it. Every thing is moving
overseas because of the cheap labor and no unions. No one person is going to fix all the things that it took years to mess up! As long as they leave
Social Security alone, and the 2nd Amendment intact, I am a happy camper.
wow
Do you feel better after all that ranting?
Do you feel better with these happenings is the question.
Or is it more like a "hide your head in the sand" type of thing and hopefully all of this will blow over while you try to ignore what is happening around you? You tell me. I'm sorry I have to spell everything out for you and expound the facts to you. I'm sorry I have to ruin your misplaced adoration of Uhbama. So "WOW" I hope that "after all that ranting" you learned something!
oh gee i'm sorry
But you do know your views of Obama are in the minority. Don't you?
I'm sorry I have to spell everything out for you and expound the facts to you. I'm sorry I have to ruin your misplaced hatred of UObama. So "WOW" I hope that "after all that ranting" YOU learned something!
gertz gertz gertz...
The true oxymoron is "create or save millions of jobs". Maybe you haven't noticed lately but GM and Chrysler had to file bankruptcy because Uhbama didn't want to give them more LOANS to help them operate. Uhbama never placed these kinds of EXPECTATIONS on the credit, banking or mortgage industries did he? LOL! Why weren't they forced to jump through the same hoops the auto industry has? Because the auto industry is the epitome of CAPITALISM and marxist's don't like capitalism and the free market. Come on you know...supply and demand. He wants to force the auto industry to SUPPLY what we the AMERICAN people are not DEMANDING! His requirements are forcing 2000 dealerships to close and I estimate at 50 employees avg each that is 100,000 jobs lost. There is your oxymoron ("create or save...") and I won't mention the assembly plants but you already know that story...don't you?
what to do if your reps don't answer you email
Pick up the phone and CALL THEM.
liars and cheats
I'm 50 years old and I've lost faith in our "democratic" Republic. I've written my "representatives" time and time and time again and have never received a response, other than the typical, "I am so great that you should send me a check right away" email. How rude.
They've all forgotten that they're public servants and that it's their job to be a voice for their constituency.
I'd like to hear - from the candidates' mouths - an explanation as to how they're different from the rest of the power-hungry, give-me-more-money, typical in-political-office-for-life politicians.
Yawn.
Wow...
It seems the Republicans had MUCH higher expectations of Obama than his own supporters. He's been in office all of 4 months and had the biggest economic collapse since the great depression occur just before he took the oath, and yet you're already condemning him as the worst president ever because we haven't miraculously turned into some utopian society in the blink of an eye?
And I highly doubt any politician from any party has ever been able to fulfill all of their campaign promises. This isn't a partisan issue, it's just the way the system works.
It's not the system
Our unemployed "could" already be in 5-6 Million jobs at no additional cost if the Democrats didn't sit on the already approved system called E-Verify and make it mandatory for all employees hired after the I-9 law was implemented. They either support our unemployed or they support illegals and illegal employers-they can't have it both ways! Oh yeah they can if they wait till they get amnesty passed and give our unemployed even more competition!! They know E-Verify works and are trying everything to stop it.
E-Verify:
1-Costs the government no additional dollars
2-Offers two layers of protection from identity theft via the SSA and IRS
3-Protects our sovereignty by stimulating jobs and growth which prevents our nation from having to borrow more money
4-Reduces the cost that states incur having to deal with illegals and their dependents
5-Protects our unemployed by giving back at least 5-6 Million job opportunities that are in the hands of illegals
6-Reduces document fraud
7-It's free, easy and fast to use, workers cannot be fired while they correct errors, if they choose to challenge a rejection
8-Reduces the cost to states paying unemployment benefits
9-Brings in more
"It's time to solve our problems in transportation, education...
...and affordable housing." Democrat "problem solving": 1. Transportation--tax gas to reach $4/gallon (or more). Tiny "clown cars" for all but the elite. Ride the bus if you can--otherwise ride a bicycle--even if it's 20 miles to work. 2.Education--no vouchers like in DC--they were defunded by the Democrat Congress, forcing all those inner-city families back into the disastrous, failed, crime-ridden DC public schools while the elites send their children to top-notch private schools. Forcefully end home-schooling through Federal Government intervention. 3. Affordable housing--best case--confiscate more hard-earned income from hard-working taxpayers and give it to people who won't pay their mortgage on a house they never even made a down payment on. The old 3 message method of political brainwashing from Democrats is getting old--especially when NONE of their promises were delivered. That includes Pelosi, Reid and now Obama. These 3--more of the same. Promises...promises...promises....
It's all a scam, lower
It's all a scam, lower taxes, better pay for teachers, fight crime, more jobs.... I'm tired of hearing the same crap... Once they are in, and you write them a letter, do they ever answer ????/ Noooooo, They have never have responded back to be.........
The Democrats "could" reemploy 5-6 Million "at NO cost"!!
Does it make sense for our unemployed to be paid to sit at home while they "Let" illegals work those jobs? Our unemployed will have even more competition if amnesty is passed, and wages will go down even further!!
Mandating E-Verify for all employees hired after the I-9 was implemented:
1-Costs the government no additional dollars compared to what they save
2-Offers two layers of protection from identity theft via the SSA and IRS
3-Protects our sovereignty by stimulating jobs and growth which prevents our nation from having to borrow more money
4-Reduces the cost that states incur having to deal with illegals and their dependents
5-Protects our unemployed by giving back at least 5-6 Million jobs that are in the hands of illegals
6-Reduces document fraud
7-It's free, easy and fast to use, workers cannot be fired while they correct errors, if they choose to challenge a rejection
8-Reduces the cost to states paying unemployment benefits
9-Brings in more payroll and tax revenue because of the increase in salaries
10-Prevents home foreclosures for many who will be back to work
11-Creates fair competition for legal businesses so they can grow and hire more legal employe
oxymoron
Clean Coal Plant
Don't talk about Bush, are you an idiot or what
I guess that's why OBAMA got elected, and why weren't your comments out then. You are so jealious and such an idiot, and it has not been a year. How bout 8 years of nothing from Bush but a lot of widows, and children without Mother's and Father's thanks to Bush's Lies.
Pilot Bias or Were My Instructors Wrong?
The Republicans held their convention this weekend.
Yet the Pilots cover story was on the three Democratic candidates.
The Republican convention was in part B.
Did the Pilot some how miss all of the advance information the Republicans must have put out?
This is so weird.
Just from a pure news view point....from my journalism courses....the lead story should have been selection of a candidate not comparison of the positions of the alternative candidates of the party that has yet to select a candidate?
Will the Pilot cover the Republicans on the cover page the day after the Democrats select their candidate? I think that will happen on June 13th.
Vote Democratic in November
It is time for those people who want progress to vote Democratic in November.
It's time to solve our problems in transportation, education, and affordable housing.
Get the party of no out of the way so we can work on solving problems.
IN CASE YOU HAVEN"T NOTICED
Virginia has had 8 years with two Democrat Governors...no transportation solutions, hundreds of millions more for schools with poor results and housing costs that are market based! Apparently, it's the Dems that are the party of NO solutions.
Time? Time for what?
"It is time for those people who want progress to vote Democratic in November.
What progress are you talking about? These three have no plans.
It's time to solve our problems in transportation, education, and affordable housing.
Solve problems = more taxes
Get the party of no out of the way so we can work on solving problems.
Again, increase taxes? Not the answer! Here's a solution... To make real progress, cut out existing programs and take those funds to fix "our problems in transportation, education, and affordable housing".
Liberal democrats have never been know...
...for being forthright with details. I'm waiting for one of them to begin using the mantra (Vote McAuliff, Moran or Creed for) "CHANGE"! LOL!
The voter will elect who they deserve.
The sad truth about the whole promises from politicians is that they have to promise the world to everyone to get elected and then once they are in office do something else entirely different to stay in office. What I am saying is that if they told the whole truth in what they would do when elected during the compaign in order to grant their promises, the voters would reject them This is because if they were completely honest they would state that in order to actually deliver on their promises they would have to raise taxes significantly. So, in essence, the voters have huge expectations of the governement to provide many services, but in all reality, they don't want to pay the taxes required to deliver those services.