Letters To The Editor

McDonnell Promotes Virginia Jobs
Editor, Times-Dispatch: Bob McDonnell, the future governor of Virginia, will execute plans to create new jobs in the commonwealth.

In the past four years, the Virginia unemployment rate has increased by more than 120 percent -- from 3 percent to about 7.1 percent (the highest rate of unemployment in 20 years). Also, there are 165,000 more Virginians unemployed in 2009 than in 2005. McDonnell plans to provide a $1,000 tax credit per job to businesses that create 50 new jobs, or even 25 new jobs in the economically depressed areas of the state.

Creigh Deeds has no specific plan to decrease unemployment, but he says he "hopes" to fix unemployment by instituting a statewide transportation reform policy. Deeds hopes to "ease congestion in the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel" and "promote smarter land-use planning." As a student at Cosby High School and a registered Virginia voter, I am disgusted with the vagueness of Deeds' plan.

Of course congestion needs to be relieved in the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, and absolutely we need smarter land-use. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. But I need more specifics in order to cast my vote for Deeds. Also, I don't think I want a governor who openly admits to raising taxes in his election campaign. Deeds stated, "I am willing to sign a bill that raises new money for transportation, and I intend to sign that bill next year."

Bob McDonnell stated, "The worst thing you can do during a recession is try to tax yourself to prosperity."

McDonnell voted more than 50 times to cut taxes during his 14 years in the House of Delegates, which resulted in more than $2 billion in tax cuts.

Citizens of Virginia, don't vote for the uncertainty, vagueness, and higher taxes that go along with Creigh Deeds.

Will Vacca.
Midlothian.

As a student at Cosby High School, I agree there's no doubt that it is hard to inspire younger people who did not grow up on a farm to be a farmer; however, Virginia has almost 50,000 farms across the state and at least 1,000 of those have been up and running for more than 100 years. The farming industry is the largest in the state and makes $80 billion a year in gross domestic product (GDP). The greenhouse industry is growing every year and sells worldwide, contributing $247.9 million to that GDP.

Many Virginians make a living by farming and produce -- my father being one of them, and possibly me when I get older. Not only is it farming, it could be buying and selling produce and owning a supermarket and needing fresh produce on the shelves. Farming in Virginia is extremely important.

If Deeds wants to win this election he needs to change his views on farming and help to keep farming the largest profit industry in the state.

Bret Ramkey.
Chesterfield.

The election provides the option of continuing "low" taxes with Bob McDonnell or raising taxes with Creigh Deeds. Although raising taxes proves unfavorable, Deeds has a plan to use tax money in a more efficient manner.

Deeds admitted the possibility of raising tax dollars if it provides the means to fix the transportation system. In contrast, McDonnell's plan involves taking money from other necessary funds like education, health, and human resources. Taking money from those programs will not prove beneficial to other problems in Virginia.

Deeds' plan allows for a definite supply of money solely for transportation purposes. With transportation in progress, Deeds believes the rest of the economy will follow. The plan will put thousands of people back to work and make work more efficient. Reducing congestion in Northern Virginia would allow far faster movement of goods.

In addition, it would benefit the average American, shortening the commute. Deeds has not vowed to maintain current taxes, but he has vowed to do something about the problem.

In the current economic crisis, a more active approach is necessary for change. Perhaps the problem is not taxes, but the inefficient spending of them.

Kelly Henderson.
Midlothian.