Cooperative Living October 2017 - 14

VirginiaElection
Virginia Gubernatorial Candidates
Virginians will go to the polls Nov. 7 to elect their state representatives, including a new
governor. We invited the two major-party gubernatorial candidates, Democrat Ralph Northam
and Republican Ed Gillespie, each to write an essay for Virginia's electric-cooperative
members. We suggested they both address the topics of technology, economic development
and energy. Here are your candidates' essays. We hope you enjoy reading these words
prepared especially for you, and we strongly urge you to vote your choice on Nov. 7.
Ed Gillespie
A
s I travel the commonwealth
talking with my fellow Virginians
about the challenges we face, one
issue continues to stand at the forefront:
our economy. Virginia is blessed with
fertile lands, vast natural resources, a
world-class port, phenomenal people,
and a prime location; and yet, our
economy is stuck - and has been for
six straight years.
In fact, we have had only one year over
the past six where we got to 2 percent
economic growth and every other one of
those years, we were at 1 percent or less.
That's just infuriating.
Virginia should be first in the nation in
economic growth.
For too long, we have struggled to
build a strong foundation for organic,
long-term economic growth and job
creation across Virginia. Governors from
both parties have been almost singularly
focused on what I call 'whale hunting'
- working to attract Fortune 100
companies to move to Virginia. While
I would be a relentless marketer of our
commonwealth, we need to enact
economic policies that foster greater
opportunities for start-ups and scale-ups
right here in Virginia.
That's why I've put forward a 10
percent, across-the-board cut to our
individual income tax rates that will
spark natural economic growth and
boost job creation. An independent
econometric analysis showed that this
plan will create about 53,000 new, goodpaying
jobs. The sweet spot of economic
growth is when a small business is
becoming a bigger business, and my
tax plan, coupled with my proposal to
slash burdensome regulations, will
encourage small-business growth.
12 | Cooperative Living | October 2017
Our initiatives to foster a better smallbusiness
climate in Virginia must also
come with a renewed commitment to our
state's first industry - agriculture. One of
the biggest challenges for Virginia's next
governor will be to grow and expand our
agricultural industry, while balancing the
responsible stewardship of our
environment with our economic needs.
Our agricultural exports should be
reaching consumers all across the world,
but they have fallen from their record
highs in 2014. As governor, I will
champion our agriculture sector and
redouble efforts to expand exports
and open new markets for Virginia
products. I will fight back against onerous
federal actions, rules and regulations that
limit our ability to safely utilize our
bountiful natural resources and compete
on a level playing field with other states.
And I will expand the production of safe,
reliable and affordable energy in the
commonwealth.
We also must expand access to reliable
high-speed internet, a critical tool for
businesses and individuals to grow
and prosper. As governor, I will remove
regulatory barriers and finance broadband
deployment in order to provide all
Virginians with access to high-speed
internet.
I believe my policies will make life better
for all Virginians, and I will be a governor
for all Virginians and so I take my campaign
to every corner of the commonwealth. I
enjoy sharing my positive vision, and I am
grateful to have met with the Virginia,
Maryland & Delaware Association of
Electric Cooperatives to discuss their vital
role to get our economy growing again.
One thing is clear: Virginia is at a
crossroads, and the choice in this election
is clear: We can continue with the same
policies that have done little to address the
economic needs of those hurting the most
or we can chart a different course.
At the end of this next governorship,
Virginia is either going to be the
Northernmost Southeastern state, or we're
going to be the Southernmost Northeastern
state. The Sun Belt or the Rust Belt. That's
the choice we're going to make.
I believe we must be more like the
states to our south, more dynamic
economies, more freedom, and more
entrepreneurship. I am putting forward
plans to make that a reality.
If our next governor doesn't respond to
the challenges we face with a sense of
urgency and with the right policies to solve
them, we will fail our fellow Virginians.
I have that sense of urgency, I have those
policies, and I will not fail us. 
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Cooperative Living October 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Cooperative Living October 2017