A Message From Creigh: Protect Our Schools

Statement

Governor Kaine's announcement of another painful round of budget cuts today highlights a crucial difference between me and my opponent: Governor Kaine found a way to protect K-12 education, and I will protect education in my budgets. Bob McDonnell, on the other hand, has pledged to take $5.4 billion from our schools to pay for roads.

That's why today we announced we're going up on TV in the expensive Northern Virginia media market with a new spot about how rebuilding our economy starts with education. Even in tough times, we cannot shortchange our schools -- and today, they didn't lose a penny.

But I need your help to make sure our schools don't see the axe in the future. Bob McDonnell has voted to cut funding for our schools his entire career. So you can take him at his word now that he's promising to take $5.4 billion from education. That's why I'm counting on you to pressure him to do the right thing right now.

Tell Bob McDonnell we can't afford his plan to take $5.4 billion from our schools. Sign the petition.

My thoughts go out to the many hard-working state employees who have received furloughs or were laid off today. But sadly, if my opponent is elected governor, education will come next.

In his blueprint for governing, Bob McDonnell said that government should only educate students enough to provide "a minimum level of self-sufficiency." And right now, he's spending millions of dollars on TV ads that attack me for trying to raise teacher pay to the national average. So his plan to take billions from our schools isn't much of a surprise.

But Virginia can't afford that. Our schools can't afford that. And our children's futures can't afford that.

Tell Bob McDonnell taking $5.4 billion from our children's future is unacceptable. Sign our petition today.

Today's cuts provide another powerful reminder of the economic effects brought on by the national recession, and the need for state government -- just like families all across Virginia -- to tighten its belt.

That's why I've proposed a government efficiency plan that will audit every state agency and save taxpayer money by streamlining government functions. Under my zero-based budgeting plan, every agency's budget will start at $0 per year and they will have to justify every penny they spend.

Virginia's next Governor will have the responsibility of maintaining Virginia's hard-earned reputation for effective management, fiscal discipline and bipartisan cooperation with the legislature. I've put forward detailed plans in order to build on the progress we've made under Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.

By contrast, my opponent has promised a return to the disastrous fiscal policies of George W. Bush and Jim Gilmore. And he's going to start by raiding our schools to pay for his plans to build roads.

Tell Bob McDonnell that education is too important to take away $5.4 billion from our schools.

Thank you so much,

Creigh

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