Griffith and McWaters respond to Kaine’s last address
By JR Hoeft | Wednesday, January 13th, 2010 | PolicyYou can read the full text of the governor’s last state of the commonwealth address here…but there are a couple of key points that you have to take away from the GOP response to see how the next General Assembly session is going to play out.
First, here’s the most significant point of the entire evening from House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith:
“Gov. Kaine has highlighted the spending cuts to government programs he has proposed in his budget. But regrettably, he has downplayed the linchpin of his budget: dramatic increases in fees and taxes, including a substantial increase in the income tax.
“Since the General Assembly has not agreed to the latest tax increases advocated by Gov. Kaine, the budget he has proposed is effectively unbalanced. As a result, this governor has ceded the task of fulfilling the constitutional responsibility of producing a balanced budget to legislators and our new governor, Bob McDonnell.”
Griffith concludes by saying:
“Out of necessity, this General Assembly session will be focused on putting Virginia’s fiscal house in order by producing a balanced budget without increasing taxes. Additionally, a great emphasis will be placed on promoting economic growth and adding private-sector jobs to our economy.”
Senator Jeff McWaters, newly elected from Virginia Beach, continues laying down the gauntlet as follows:
“We need to cut billions from the state budget and meet enormous transportation and education challenges. We must control spiraling Medicaid costs. And above all, we need to free the private sector to do what only the private sector can do: create jobs and stimulate the economy.
“Last year, the outgoing administration relied on the stimulus package to bail-out and paper over our problems and delaying the inevitable by one more year.
“This year, we must truly stimulate the economy by returning to our founding economic principles: capitalism, less government, lower taxes and plain old hard work.”
Then, McWaters effectively lays out what the GOP plan will be this session:
“One, implement tax credits for companies that create at least 50 jobs in Virginia. This is one tax credit that will pay for itself many times over.
“Two, streamline government regulations and protect the Right to Work laws that help create a favorable business climate in the Commonwealth. These policies are already a strong draw for businesses looking to locate in the Commonwealth. With the assault on business from Washington in the form of Obamacare, card check and cap and trade, Virginia’s business-friendly policies will be even more important as a last line of defense.
“Three, invest more in the Governor’s Opportunity Fund and aggressively pursue global opportunities. When it comes to attracting new businesses, Virginia is facing stronger competition from other states and countries. The Governor’s Opportunity Fund allows us to provide greater incentives for companies to locate and create jobs in Virginia.
“Four, prepare Virginia’s future workforce to take on the jobs of the 21st century by recruiting the best teachers and rewarding them based on their success. Our schools must focus more on science, technology, engineering, health care and mathematics, subjects that will be the base of the jobs of the future.”
Game on.
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About the author
Conservative to the core; liberal with his opinion! J.R. has been involved in politics for over a decade and has worked on several campaigns in Hampton Roads. He has served on the Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Chesapeake and the Central Committee of the Republican Party of Virginia. He is also the director of “Blogs United” in Virginia. E-mail J.R.. Follow J.R. on Twitter.
Comments
3 Responses to "Griffith and McWaters respond to Kaine’s last address"
In all due respect, companies will create jobs without benefit of a tax credit. We are coming out of a recession; just get out of the way. Sure, increase the Governor’s Opportunity Fund (which the republicans attacked and cut under Kaine), and by all means, create an incentive for HQ to locate in Virginia. However, the fact is, economic development and job creation happens in the trenches in our regions, so expect a lot of hype of things that would have happened anyway. And Jeff, stop attacking Kaine for using stimulus to save the jobs of Virginians; you won, move on, and stop promising and start acting.
While I support the tax incentives to those small businesses that hire more employees, I would require the small businesses that receive the tax incentives have to repay the tax breaks if those employees are not retained for a period of four years.
My stipulation/requirement protects the taxpayers from unaccountable corporate handouts and freebees while bringing stability to employees and localities. Businesses that take tax breaks and then leave nothing to show for the state’s generosity are nothing more than free loaders and corporate welfare queens.
If you want the tax breaks and incentives, you have to be a long term investment for the taxpayers or don’t take the tax breaks and incentives. That is the free enterprise system at its best with a free choice for business owners.
There is nothing wrong with handouts to businesses as long as they know the rules and that they’ll have to pay it all back if they violate the rules. Free enterprise system works but the state taxpayers need protection too!
No details from the GOP on whata they are going to cut to balance the budget. Just calls for more things that COST money. At some point they’ll have to get serious about this process. Evidently, not yet.
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