DATE: Wednesday, October 8, 1997            TAG: 9710080733

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: PUBLIC LIFE

DECISION '97

                                            LENGTH:  313 lines

UNEMPLOYMENT

The issue

Unemployment is low in Virginia, running around 4 percent statewide and half that in populous Northern Virginia. Each candidate for governor has pledged to create 250,000 new jobs over the next four years. But what kind of jobs will they be?

For many Virginians the problem isn't finding work, it's finding a job that can sustain a family - and being qualified to get it.

The competition will become greater as thousands are forced from welfare to the work force.

About half of the 60,000 jobs being added in the state each year are high-tech jobs. The pay in those industries averages $46,403 a year. For all other jobs, the average annual wage in Virginia is $25,624.

Hampton Roads has the 15th-fastest-growing high-tech job market in the nation. But there are an estimated 2,000 such jobs unfilled because there aren't enough trained candidates.

The General Assembly determines how state money is spent. With that power, it can greatly influence how workers are trained in schools, colleges and universities.

It has final say over road-building budgets and tax incentives for new and existing employers.

And it would have to approve both gubernatorial candidates' plans to give tax breaks for training workers in state institutions.

We asked the contested House hopefuls how they would tackle these issues.

The question

The per-capita income in Hampton Roads is 87 percent of the national average, and that's before thousands are required to make the transition from welfare to what are likely to be low-paying jobs in the private sector. What responsibility does the General Assembly have to try to increase salaries, and how would you address the problem?

Next week

The candidates address crime and the state's efforts to make Virginia a safer place. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic

Photos

76TH DISTRICT

Southern Chesapeake and most of Suffolk

MICHELE DEGNAN (D)

Good government must create an economic climate that enables all

citizens to achieve financial security. Since only well-trained,

well-educated workers are well paid, we must provide opportunities

for such workers, and we must have the workers to fill the jobs.

Adult education, particularly at the community college level,

provides a chance for workers to develop technological and

interpersonal skills needed for professional advancement. The

ability to perform professionally is as important as computer

literacy; therefore, the General Assembly must fully fund higher

education and insist on a curriculum that is relevant to today's job

market.

Since more people are preparing to enter the job market, the

General Assembly must work to ensure that the jobs are there. We can

do this by actively recruiting new business to Virginia. . . .

Therefore, we must re-evaluate how business is taxed in Virginia. .

. . We cannot impose a tax structure that unfairly burdens those

working to support themselves and their family.

. . . When a job provides a living wage, good benefits, and a

chance for personal satisfaction and advancement, people are

inspired to enter the work force. While the people who leave welfare

behind may lower our per-capita income, they will be increasing the

number of people in Hampton Roads whose earnings are used to support

local businesses, generate revenue, and pay for basic infrastructure

needs in our cities. All must become part of our proud work force.

S. CHRIS JONES (R)

There is no question that we must attract good, high-paying jobs

to Virginia and allow our current industries and small businesses to

expand. As a member of the Board of Directors of Forward Hampton

Roads, (former) mayor of Suffolk and as a member of the Hampton

Roads Chamber of Commerce, I understand firsthand what it takes to

create good jobs.

Companies that are looking to expand or relocate search for an

environment that offers low tax rates, an educated work force, an

adequate transportation system and a quality living environment for

its employees.

Gov. George F. Allen has done more to improve these four areas

than anyone in recent history. As a result, more than 211,000 new

job opportunities have been created and over 600 new companies have

been attracted to Virginia in just four years. We must ensure that

the progress we have made is continued for the next four years and

beyond.

Programs like the Governor's Opportunity Fund, Major Business

Facilities Tax Credit, State Enterprise Zones, reforming the unfair

Gross Receipts Tax and cutting Unemployment Insurance Taxes by $1.54

million over six years have all played a major role in Virginia's

job growth.

Now that Virginia is moving in the right direction, we must

ensure that we provide these companies the best trained work force

in the country. That means improving our public schools with smaller

class sizes, higher academic standards, report cards on school

quality, and a safer environment for learning.

79TH DISTRICT

Northern Portsmouth and adjacent precincts in Chesapeake and Suffolk

JOHHNY S. JOANNOU (D)

The General Assembly and all elected officials have a

responsibility to seek good quality jobs for our state and

communities. While many talk about unemployment being low, I have

talked with too many Virginians who have to hold more than one job

to make ends meet. We must support an aggressive economic

development effort to bring top-quality jobs to our state. As part

of that plan, we must look to the future to determine growing

industries and their work force needs. Service-related jobs have and

will continue to grow. Yet the high-tech industry must be heavily

courted.

As business looks to Virginia, it will also want to know if we

have a trained work force. A strong public education system is going

to be at the top of the list. Our commitment to keeping our public

schools strong now and in the future will be a big selling point.

Labor and management should work together to be prepared for

these future needs. Working together, everyone wins and it will be

clear to the outside world that Virginia is open for business!

Business equals jobs, and, combined, it means prosperity for all.

D.R. ``DAN'' EVANS (R)

What the good people of Portsmouth, Chesapeake and Suffolk want

is to keep more of their money. That's why I want to abolish the car

tax and cut taxes.

The best thing about cutting taxes is it will give the

hard-working men and women of Virginia a chance to spend their

hard-earned dollars the way they want to. They can buy the little

extras that they may have been putting off. This, in itself, will

help create more jobs and create more taxes.

The best way state government can help create jobs with good

wages and benefits is by creating an atmosphere that businesses will

flock to. It can do this by reducing burdensome regulation and

cutting taxes. By doing this, businesses from around the world will

look to Virginia as a ``New Home.''

I hate to keep sounding like a broken record, but the way to

increase jobs AND increase prosperity is by cutting taxes and waste

in government.

Further questions? Please call 397-7979, fax me at 397-4811, or

e-mail me at DAN4VA(AT)aol.com or dan(AT)evans-inc.com.

86TH DISTRICT

Northwest corner of Norfolk

DON WILLIAMS (D)

The welfare reform legislation, which recently took effect, was

the right first step. It is important that we move people from

welfare to work so they can become self-sufficient and productive

members of society. The second step, which should dovetail with the

first, is a commitment to develop a work force that is educated and

skilled. An educated and skilled worker will bring home a good wage,

provide for dependents, develop self-esteem, and see that the

benefits of a day's pay for a day's work far outweigh a handout with

a time limit.

I had the privilege of serving on Norfolk Public Schools'

Vocational Education Advisory Council and the Private Industry

Council. These experiences are the foundation of my commitment to

vocational education. I'm pleased that the Standards of

Accreditation have placed a strong emphasis on academic preparation

because students need to master the basics of reading, writing and

math. However, not every student is college-bound. Therefore, we

must not forget about vocational preparation, because a strong work

force is built on the backs of highly skilled, educated manual

labor.

I will work to expand our vocational programs and to develop

public-private partnerships between government and industry that

emphasize apprenticeships, internships and vocational preparation. I

will also support youth mentor programs that provide role models for

children with an absent parent. I believe these initiatives will go

a long way in ensuring that Hampton Road's work force is educated,

skilled and well paid, thus increasing salaries in the region.

BEVERLY ``BEV'' GRAEBER (R)

It's the General Assembly's obligation to set policies that

encourage real economic growth and opportunity for every member of

our commonwealth. In recent years, private-public partnerships and

pro-business tax and regulatory policies have resulted in record job

creation across Virginia. While these pro-growth policies must be

continued and expanded to attract new businesses and create

higher-paying jobs, there is more that can be done.

As a former school board member, I know firsthand how important

quality education is to economic development. A highly educated work

force is very attractive to a business or industry looking for a

place to locate.

. . . While private industry and hard-working families must

streamline their finances to cut costs, state government should set

the example by tightening its own belt. Waste and duplication must

be identified and eliminated. Taxes must be kept low so that

Virginia's families can keep more of their own hard-earned money and

be more able to afford needed goods and services.

We must improve our transportation infrastructure to ensure the

free flow of jobs and products throughout all of Hampton Roads. This

is vital to the economic well-being of our entire region.

The promotion of tourism will bring in much-needed additional

dollars, and the protection of our environment will give tourists an

added incentive to visit our area's scenic shorelines and beautiful

parks.

87TH DISTRICT

Northeast corner of Norfolk

TODD M. FIORELLA (D)

It is the responsibility of effective legislators to identify and

support state policies and investments that foster job creation and

income growth. This requires an emphasis on K-12 education, higher

education, transportation, technology and work force development,

together with a tax and regulatory environment that stimulates

economic growth.

. . . Our schools need to teach the skills necessary for living

as good citizens, as well as those required for pursuing higher

education. We need to develop quality community and affordable

four-year colleges and universities, with an emphasis on preparing

our students to join and remain members of a skilled and flexible

work force.

. . . We also need to develop a transportation infrastructure

which moves people and goods in ways that enhance economic

prosperity and land development without jeopardizing the region's

clean air, water, and land-use objectives. We need to focus on

long-term transportation needs and avoid piecemeal projects which

drain our resources without promoting those needs.

. . . For decades we have relied upon the Navy and the ports for

the creation of thousands of higher-paying jobs. Although the Navy

is downsizing, the port may double by the year 2015, creating the

need for additional skilled labor and technical support. We also

need to promote the job and income growth potential of Norfolk's two

outstanding universities.

THELMA DRAKE (R)

Economic opportunity for Hampton Roads and all of Virginia has

been the No. 1 priority of (Gov. George F.) Allen's administration,

creating more than 200,000 new jobs. Hired by companies one person

at a time, these numbers represent thousands of families who can now

look forward to seeking the American dream as productive citizens.

Let's not be pessimistic or too quick to discount the level of

pay in these new jobs. . . . These people are setting out in new

careers, gaining financial independence and confidence along the

way. We all strive to make better lives for our families. Let's

encourage them to work hard, taking advantage of the training these

companies offer. Promotions and raises will follow.

As your delegate, I've worked to create an economic climate that

attracts and retains business, and, in turn, jobs. Prospective

companies consider the educational opportunities available to their

employees. It's essential that our commitment to education is

unwavering. Education must remain our top priority.

. . . I supported the increased funding necessary for education

and demanded rigorous academic standards to ensure that our children

really learn. Armed with exceptional academic skills, more of our

children will actually be prepared for college. To keep higher

education affordable to all Virginians, I support the freeze on

college tuition. A person's skill and education will always

determine their ability to command higher salaries. Let's keep

Virginia open for business.

86TH DISTRICT

West-central Norfolk, including downtown, Colonial Place and parts

of Ghent

THOMAS WARREN MOSS JR. (D)

We make it possible to have reasonable tuition to train for some

of the high-paying technical jobs that we have, both in the

community college system and at Old Dominion University. That way,

they would be better able to get a better-paying job. I don't know

what else we can do.

We have been doing that for years because we are a low-tax-paying

state. Our corporate income tax is one of the lowest in the nation -

6 percent - and has been increased only once in the last 46 years.

Our worker's compensation rate is very low. Virginia is a very good

place to do business. It had been rated as one of the best-managed

states in the United States for two years in a row - in 1992-93 -

and fell to second-best in 1995. We do have the lowest worker's

compensation rates in the United States.

The unemployment rate is low. Our unemployment insurance tax rate

is 38 percent less than the national average, which shows you that a

lot of people aren't getting unemployment.

G.R. ``BUD'' WEST (R)

When I was very young, my step-father was involved in an

automobile accident that, by the government's standards, left him

100 percent disabled. Because of his disability and other events, I

grew up in a family that was usually on some forms of public

assistance. By having watched my half-brothers grow up in that

environment and by reviewing my own personal experiences, I can say

with some certainty that true motivation for people coming off

welfare to rise above low-paying jobs must come first, from within.

. . . That being said, I believe that the General Assembly must

play a significant role in providing opportunities. However,

leadership, not increased revenue, is what we need to produce these

opportunities. Leadership in determining what the real needs are.

Leadership in providing processes to ensure that training and

education are based on potential employers' needs, as well as the

desires of the individuals. Leadership in continuing to encourage

employers from outside of the region to locate here. Leadership in

advertising and circulating, to the widest extent possible, what

opportunities are available. Most importantly, leadership in

building public-private partnerships that encourage volunteerism,

community action, and a reduction of the red tape that so often

frustrates, humiliates and discourages recipients of public

services, thereby virtually locking them in the positions they are

currently in. KEYWORDS: ELECTION VIRGINIA HOUSE OF DELEGATES RACE

VIRGINIA PLATFORMS UNEMPLOYMENT

CANDIDATES

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu