Big Crowd Turns Out For McDonnell Town Hall Meeting

Press Release

By Catherine Amos Published In The Danville News

After a day of touring the Dan River Region's success stories in technology and economic development, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell spoke with area residents at a town hall meeting in Danville Monday night.

About 200 people gathered at the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research for an hour and a half question-and-answer session after McDonnell gave a few opening comments on his platform, focusing heavily on job creation and improving Virginia's economy, especially in Southside.

The former attorney general spoke about the staggering unemployment figures facing the Dan River Region -- more than 20 percent in Martinsville -- and the need for a state government that cultivates entrepreneurship and small business through low regulation and litigation.

"The most important thing facing Virginia is to grow jobs, grow opportunities," McDonnell said. "That really is what I believe this election is all about. To me it starts with keeping a strong basis for economic development."

McDonnell was greeted with a round of applause when he mentioned his plan to be "on the ground" in Southside Virginia at least once a month, meaning either he or the lieutenant governor will meet with local leaders on a regular basis.

After praising the technology and innovation at the Piedmont BioProducts plant in Gretna and indoor fishery Blue Ridge Aquaculture in Martinsville, McDonnell thanked Delegate Danny Marshall and the Tobacco Commission for "having the foresight to support" those ventures.

"Unbelievable," McDonnell said of the biofuel plant. "You've got incredible biotechnology here. They're using crops like switchgrass and hearty sugar cane in a process that is revolutionary and only here in Southside Virginia and turning that into green oil."

In addition to promoting green and alternative energy, McDonnell supports Virginia being the first state to drill off the Atlantic coast in 2011, a position the crowd enthusiastically commended. If elected, he wants to use 80 percent of the state's tax revenue from off-shore drilling for transportation and 20 percent for green energy research.

During the question-and-answer portion, McDonnell fielded more than a few questions about whether he would support uranium mining. He told the crowd multiple times that he would not vote on anything without the proper research and studies done on the safety and viability of mining, although he acknowledged the economic value for Virginia.

"I've been following the situation here at Coles Farm and I think there's an estimated $10 billion in the market value in uranium," he said. "Obviously there are any number of issues that need to be considered before uranium mining is permitted."

Two people, including Danville Vice Mayor T. Wayne Oakes, asked about how McDonnell plans to attract more local students to local colleges and keep them working here after graduation. McDonnell supported local colleges opening more spots for Virginia students and improving economic development incentives to provide better jobs.

President Barack Obama's cap and trade legislation was only mentioned once by McDonnell, who opposes it, and no one mentioned the controversial health care reform proposal. A few residents asked about illegal immigration; McDonnell supports stronger civil immigration laws.

Toward the end of the event, a teenage boy asked about the future availability of the green gas made in Gretna, and McDonnell applauded his participation in the event.

"I really appreciate seeing several young people that are here," he said. "We cannot take democracy as a spectator sport … You have to care, you have to get involved."

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