Jody in Wonderland: Her Position on the Governor's Opportunity Fund

Jody Wagner expects us to elect her to the Lieutenant Governor’s Mansion, yet during her three years as Secretary of Finance, she has missed revenue projections by 20% and incurred $5 billion dollars in budget shortfalls with more expected. Now, she is having a problems understanding the Governor’s Opportunity Fund, which is the incentive fund used for bringing new businesses to the Commonwealth.

Both Bob McDonnell and Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling have proposed with their Jobs for Virginia program, doubling the Governor’s Opportunity Fund, as one way to boost the economy and create more jobs. During a campaign stop, Wagner said that Bolling’s support for this is new and that he even supported cuts for the fund.

“It’s interesting that last week Bill Bolling was traveling around the state, and he was talking about the fact that the Governor’s Opportunity Fund has to be greater. Well, he’s been part of the crowd that’s been cutting the Governor’s Opportunity Fund, and cutting the Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s funding.”

Wagner has this wrong, and maybe, she forgot some key facts. In 2007, Bolling, along with Governor Tim Kaine called for an increase to the fund, as well as, proposing legislation to expand the access of the funds to small businesses, who locate in areas, where businesses seem to be declining. Bolling has been fighting to create jobs and boost Virginia’s economy. Meanwhile, Wagner still seems out of reality by distorting the facts, and this is one quality that Virginia does not need in a Lieutenant Governor.