Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Each week, from now through the election, we'll pose a question to the congressional candidates on the ballot in the 5th, 6th and 9th Congressional Districts.

This week's question from The Roanoke Times: Jobs

Online-only questions

Choose a district: 5th | 6th | 9th

* = denotes incumbent

5th District

Stretches from Charlottesville to Danville and includes Bedford, part of Bedford County, Franklin County, Martinsville, part of Henry County.

For years, government officials in Southside Virginia have talked about workforce training and education as the key to solving employment problems. A versatile, educated workforce has been described as the tool needed to attract jobs. Almost three years after Henry County's largest employer, VF Imagewear, shut down its county factories, unemployment there remains in the double digits. A state legislator has described how major bookstore chain Barnes & Noble chose not to open a store in Danville because there weren't enough college educated people in the area. Are the workforce training programs in place effective? How can they be made more effective? What can the federal government do to increase the number of college educated residents in Southside?

Rep. Virgil Goode (R) *

Virgil Goode

The decline of textiles, furniture and tobacco did not happen overnight, and re-building the economy of Southside Virginia cannot happen overnight either. The broadband initiative mentioned in #1 is vital to the region's economic prospects. Worker re-training programs and other support programs are important to give displaced workers the opportunity to gain skills for competing for the jobs that are here and those that are being recruited. I have worked with the Institute and area Community Colleges to get funds for higher education and worker re-training, including nursing programs in Charlottesville and across Southside.

Al Weed (D)

Al Weed

For generations the Southside economy was based on a low wage, non-union workforce. Until these jobs migrated overseas, our competitive edge was ensured. We can no longer depend on industries who hire low skill workers, but we cannot turn on a dime. Serious investment in education at all levels must begin. A federally financed Urban Land Grant university in Danville, with 10,000 students in an upper level college and graduate degree programs, will revitalize the Southside economy. Such an institution will create new jobs and be complemented by a four year state college and crafts program in Martinsville.

6th District

Stretches from the Roanoke Valley to Shenandoah County.

In 2000, reacting to the highly publicized economic development report by economist Christine Chmura, you said: "I don't think it's likely that we will see a Microsoft fall out of the sky here."

Please explain that comment in the context of what you've done during the subsequent recession and recovery to create stable and high paying jobs in the region.

Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R) *

Bob Goodlatte

Our corporate leaders, entrepreneurs and small business owners create jobs. Microsoft, like most successful businesses, was "home grown," which is how profitable companies and most jobs must be created in our region.

There are two things that I constantly focus on in an effort to bring more jobs to our region. The first is listening to and working with economic development officials who develop prospects for new and expanded businesses to bring jobs to our area. The other is working with our existing businesses to set government policies that enable them to effectively compete and grow, which creates more jobs.

I focus on pro-business and employment legislation reducing burdensome regulations and promoting worker training, which makes is easier for American companies to compete in the worldwide market. In addition, I am fighting to hold down taxes that could overwhelm small businesses and stunt job growth in our region. Public and private sectors will continue to work to help the region prosper for many years to come.

Will the Roanoke River flood control project happen? Can you deliver the funding?

Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R)
Roanoke has worked over 30 years to address the real dangers of flooding on the Roanoke River. The flood control project has undergone some hurdles and many good revisions so that the plan is not only an effective flood control project but also an environmentally sound one that has the prospect of turning the river from its history of industrial drainage to a future as a centerpiece of our community. I have worked hard to push the planning in this direction including a 10-mile long greenway the entire length of the project. I am pleased with the start of construction on the Wasena Parking area and trail project and more funds should soon follow now that we are ready for the construction of the flood control project.

Granted it's a local issue, but as someone who lives here, what's your opinion on what Roanoke should do about Victory Stadium?

Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R)
Victory Stadium is clearly a beloved facility in Roanoke. The debate over its fate will continue for a little while longer now that a new citizens committee is looking at whether it is feasible to renovate Victory Stadium to modern standards. The citizens on the committee will provide appropriate recommendations to the City Council and other city officials. I believe those recommendations will focus on how the city can provide the best possible facility or facilities at an appropriate location or locations while being good stewards of the funds that will be used to pay for this public facility.

9th District

Stretches from the Roanoke Valley to the Cumberland Gap.

What do you think should be done to modernize the Radford Army Ammunition Plant to make sure it continues playing a role in the nation's defense and employs people in the region?

Rep. Rick Boucher (D) *

Rick Boucher

I am very optimistic about the future of the Radford Arsenal. A joint effort between my office and the office Senator John Warner recently persuaded the Department of Defense to confer two major new contracts on the Radford Arsenal. The Arsenal now has the first contract for the domestic manufacture of TNT in 20 years, and under a second contract RAAP is now designing a new 25 caliber ammunition. I will be working with Alliant Tech System officials, the operator of RAAP, as we seek the award of the manufacturing contract for the new ammunition. Hundreds of new jobs are being created through these two new contracts alone.

However, a major modernization of facilities will be necessary for the Radford Arsenal to achieve its potential, and I look forward to working with the administration and Senators Warner and Allen as we seek the substantial amounts of federal funding necessary to reconstruct the decades old infrastructure at the Arsenal in coming years.

Kevin Triplett (R)

Kevin Triplett

After 22 years of uncertainty, the Radford Ammunition Plant has never played a more important role than it does today as our country continues to relentlessly pursue terrorists and nations that support terrorism. Fighting for funds to modernize the plant and military contracts to increase the production remain imperative to the continuance of the ammunition plant.

Seth Davis (I)

Seth Davis

The continual advancement in military technology must be supported by improving and modernizing the Radford Army Ammunition Plant. Because of our present war on terrorism and any other war that may come up in the future, military spending must be a high priority. The RAAF has operated since 1940, and it has produced TNT and many other materials that are needed by advanced weapons systems. With a combination of public and private funds, the RAAF can be modernized.

How can the higher education institutions in the region be used to help create a work force trained for 21st century jobs? And how does the district keep those graduates?

Rep. Rick Boucher (D)
We are now launching an innovative program in Wise County through which the University of Virginia's College at Wise will provide college level courses in science, mathematics and computer software design to high school juniors and seniors who compete successfully for the college level instruction. Simultaneously, we are working to create a School of Engineering with a focus on information technology programs at the University of Virginia's College at Wise. Radford University is presently expanding its curriculum to accommodate the growing demand for college graduates who possess information technology technical skills, and an expanded range of programs in those fields is being made available at our community colleges. These efforts should both be encouraged and expanded.

The attraction of technology based jobs to the Ninth District is essential in order to keep highly trained individuals in our region. Our regional economic development organizations in partnership with my congressional office have worked successfully to attract these jobs to our communities, and our efforts will continue in future years.

Kevin Triplett (R)
I believe that our universities and other education centers can be used to teach Southwest Virginians trades necessary to entice industry and can teach the skills necessary for modern industries to locate in Southwest Virginia with industries feeding off of other industries -- not to mention that education itself can become an industry.

I believe that for 22 years Southwest Virginians have not chosen to leave behind their friends and families as much as they have been forced to leave because of a lack of jobs here.

Seth Davis (I)
Colleges and universities in our district are already working hard to prepare its students for 21st century jobs. They don't need congressional candidates, including myself, to tell them how to teach or change their preparation. I would support low taxes so existing businesses could grow, thereby employing more of our graduates. It also would draw other businesses to move to the area. If elected, I could attempt to make contacts with business leaders to encourage them to relocate here. Again, I don't guarantee the world will be a better place if I represent the 9th district. But I will work hard to make improvements.

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