Gubernatorial hopeful touts renewable energy sources

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe emphasized his business sense, fiscal responsibility and history of creating jobs as he stumped through Danville on Friday morning during the official tour to announce his candidacy.

The two most important issues to be focusing on today, he said, are moving the economy forward and creating jobs.

“You can’t keep cutting, and I don’t believe you raise taxes in a down economy…,” McAuliffe said during a town hall meeting at Libby Hill seafood restaurant on Riverside Drive. “You’ve got to create a new economic engine here in Virginia.”

The best opportunities for that, he said, are through alternative energy sources.

McAuliffe said he’s the only candidate who’s advocating a mandatory renewable energy standard. This standard would require power companies to produce 12 percent of their power from alternative energy sources by 2022.

Virginia’s vast agricultural resources also can play a big part in developing new alternative energy technologies, McAuliffe said.

Twenty-six other states have mandatory standards, he said, which makes them more appealing for alternative energy investors because it shows a commitment.

“There are going to be a lot of energy jobs created and we’ve got to make sure Virginia is number one at that,” McAuliffe said.

The former chairman of the Democratic National Committee also spent a significant amount of time talking about new transportation and infrastructure. He said completing the work on widening U.S. 58 to four lanes throughout the entire state is crucial not only for creating jobs, but for keeping Virginia competitive in regards to port transports coming from Hampton Roads.

Other states, he said, are already paving the way for 2014, when the final lock of the Panama Canal will open, channeling more imports to the East Coast.

The McLean Democrat advocated prioritizing early childhood education as studies show that 90 percent of development occurs before the age of 5. Investing in education saves money in the long run, McAuliffe said, citing that 50 percent of Virginia inmates are high school dropouts.

“Put money in early, it saves you money on the backend …,” he said. “It’s not only good for society, it’s smart business sense.”

As far as uranium mining goes, between bites of flounder, McAuliffe said safety was a top priority and he is interested in seeing a full report from the National Academy of Science before making any decisions.

Unlike his two Democratic opponents, Brian Moran and Creigh Deeds, McAuliffe has no experience in the Virginia House of Delegates.

Praising his opponents, McAuliffe said that he would keep his criticism for the presumptive Republican nominee.

“Bob McDonnell,” McAuliffe said, has “held the commonwealth back for the past seven years. … He has said yes to an ideological agenda that has divided Virginia.”

McAuliffe pointed out that Virginia’s last two governors, under whom it was named the best state to do business in more than once, both came from outside the Legislature. He said he’s also avoided the partisan politics that have rattled the House.

More importantly, McAuliffe said, in such uncertain economic times, Virginia needs someone with a strong business background.

“If you’re looking for a governor to go down and do the same old thing, I am not your guy,” he said, “do not even consider voting for me.

“If you’re looking for someone to go down and shake it up, who has a history his entire life of creating jobs, balancing budgets, thinking out of the box putting things on the table to get done, then you should consider me.”

• Contact Sarah Arkin at or (434) 791-7983.