Issue Position: Economic Development and Growth

Issue Position

Economic Development and Growth

Virginia has many assets that make it attractive to businesses and families. We have excellent schools, a great quality of life and a low corporate tax rate. It is important that we utilize our assets to help Virginia sustain its position as a preeminent place to live, work and do business.

In order to grow our economy we must support our schools, our transportation systems and ensure access to affordable health care We also must make sure that Virginia is a welcoming community for all workers and their families.

Sequestration has been bad for business in Virginia where we depend heavily on the Federal Government and especially on the defense industry. Virginia is the number one recipient of federal contracts and with more cuts on the horizon, our economic health depends on our ability to expand and diversify.

As your Delegate, I am working with Governor McAuliffe on his initiatives to diversify our private sector economy by focusing on biotech and health care innovation. Inova Fairfax is a great asset and will be a valuable partner in this effort.

I will work with cyber security companies and local businesses to utilize the existing federal presence to grow jobs in those areas. Additionally, by leveraging our academic and industrial research and scientific assets we can better support a diversified economy in biotechnology, biomedical industries and in green energy to promote a diverse and reliable energy supply.

Recently Virginia was the object of ridicule due to the attempts by some members of the House of Delegates to pass legislation demeaning to women and promoting a radical right-wing social agenda. These legislative efforts were detrimental to Virginia's ability to recruit and retain businesses and grow our economy. I am staunchly against these legislative efforts because they hurt our women, our families and our reputation as a great place to do business.

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