Does Virginia Have More to Offer?

(Per Gregg: "This news report says a lot [I'll let you decide how relevant it is]. One thing I know. NC needs to take a careful look at the attached map of uranium deposits [red areas]. They need to be careful of what they wish for. On the other hand, this article speaks volumes about why we don't need u-mining, toxic waste dumps (SJ133), or anything that can harm us or our environment here!)

EDEN DAILY NEWS

By Heather J. Smith

Staff writer

Thursday, February 28, 2008

New businesses are choosing Virginia's favorable tax rate and incentive plans over Rockingham County for new locations, creating jobs to the north but further depressing the local economy.

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership Web site boasts a list of companies to open in the state, many a few miles from Rockingham County. The Polish-owned bedding and upholstery company Com.40 Ltd. announced it would open a factory in Danville, Va., creating 813 jobs.

Advanced Vehicle Research Center of North Carolina, based in Wake County, chose Virginia's Cyber Park for its new research facility. RTI International Metals will open a multi-million dollar mill component factory in Martinsville, Va. Residents of southern Virginia are still at odds over uranium mining in Pittsylvania, which could generate millions of dollars in revenue.

Wade Taylor, vice president of the Rockingham County Partnership for Economic Development, said Virginia can simply offer some companies more than North Carolina. Virginia's corporate taxes are lower, unemployment insurance is cheaper, economic development is more aggressive and more money can be spent as start-up incentives.

"There are so many factors involved in choosing a location," Taylor said. "When you can throw an extra $2 million at a company up front, that can be a great help."

Taylor talked about an important difference between the states. In 1998, 46 states won a class-action lawsuit against four tobacco companies to compensate for high health-care costs due to smoking. Each state has used the settlement money differently. North Carolina established the Golden LEAF Foundation to fund programs in economically depressed areas. The Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation grants money for economic development. Taylor said Virginia can use settlement funds where North Carolina communities cannot, making the business game harder.

"They have an incredible war chest of funds to entice companies," Taylor said.

Read the rest of this article at http://www.mediafire.com/?ydmtnydbjej


Response by Katherine K. Mull, Executive Director, Dan River Basin Association

To: Gregg Vickrey <sccchatham@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Fwd: Interesting News

Gregg,

When I read the Eden news article it reminded me of how misguided are
some of our rural counties in their desperation for jobs.

To be honest, I would have thought long and hard about giving up so much
to move to this area from Northern Virginia if I had known of the
interest in attracting LULUs - Locally Undesirable Land Uses --
proposals that would dead on arrival in other areas of the Commonwealth.

Rockingham, NC, for example, is considering offering incentives to get a
medium/high-security state prison to locate here. (State prisons in
western Maryland wound up attracting friends and relatives of the
inmates to relocate to the area to be near their loved ones. This,
according to local contacts, evolved into a drug problem in the schools
and higher crime in the community.)

We need to attract uses that will make our area a better place in which
to live, work or visit. There is no reason why the rural counties of
southern Virginia and northern N.C. have to be a dumping ground. There
is beauty and history here - and tremendous potential to grow in a
positive, sustainable manner.

Our rivers are the heart and lifeblood of our area. There needs to be a
regional conversation about water quality and quantity, as localities
gear up to attract industry with consumptive use of surface water supplies.

The Dan River Basin Association is as much about fostering positive,
sustainable economic development as we are about conserving and
protecting our natural resources, and so I appreciate your comments.
Citizens need to be vocal about the kinds of development we want; this
region cannot afford mediocrity.

Regards,
Katherine

Katherine K. Mull
Executive Director
Dan River Basin Association
413 Church Street, Suite 401
Eden, NC 27288-3243

Tel. 336.627.6270
Fax 336.627.6206
kmull@danriver.org
www.danriver.org

DRBA Virginia Office:
3300 Kings Mountain Road
P.O. Box 7
Collinsville, VA 24078
276.634.2545