
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, August 10, 1993                   TAG: 9308100614
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: WARREN FISKE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Medium

TERRY: LET BUSINESS LEADERS CREATE JOBS

Demoratic gubernatorial nominee Mary Sue Terry laid out a plan Monday to create new jobs in Virginia by putting a panel of business executives in charge of the state's economic development efforts.

Terry said that if elected, she would create a 21-member Board of Trade and Commerce "to create jobs in Virginia and set economic development policy."

Terry said she would be chairwoman of the board. The panel would include the lieutenant governor, five General Assembly leaders, and 15 business leaders representing diverse fields such as mining, agriculture, technology and manufacturing.

The group would have "policy-making authority" to oversee the recruitment of new industries. Members would be appointed to six-year terms so that the state's economic development efforts would not be overhauled every four years when a new governor is elected, Terry said.

"Our goal [is to] harness the energy and creativity and resourcefulness of the business community," Terry said, "so that business leaders can do what business does best - manage the creation of jobs and job retention efforts."

Terry acknowledged that it would be unusual to place a branch of government under the leadership of private citizens. "To get Virginia's economy moving, we've got to change the way government works," she said. "Government can't create jobs. Business can. But only if government knows when and how to help, and when and how to get out of the way."

She said the assembly would act as a check on the commission because it would be required to approve any new spending.

Terry said that creating jobs would be the "No. 1 priority" of her administration.

During recent years, the state often has been criticized for making lackluster efforts at recruiting new businesses. Last Spring, the state Chamber of Commerce said Virginia was losing jobs to other states because it refuses to offer major incentives such as tax breaks and low-interest loans to prospective businesses.

Terry said the state should re-examine its incentive programs. "I don't think we should be giving away millions of dollars to bring a new business to the state," she said. "But I'm satisfied that there have been a lot of deals on the margin that we could have made but didn't make. We're talking about sums of about $500,000."

Keywords:
POLITICS

by CNB