Virginia Governor's Race: Tech Forum Features Social Issue Jabs

By Karen Goff

At a technology town hall at Reston's Microsoft headquarters on Thursday, Democratic candidate for Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe repeatedly criticized Republican opponent Ken Cuccinelli for letting social issues get in the way of business.

Meanwhile, Cuccinelli, a longtime Virginian and the current attorney general, called McAuliffe "his PLA-loving, non-right-to-work opponent" who is attacking him "because he has no positive economic agenda."
Popular Stories

• Today on Patch: New Boards and a New Look
• Boy Injured in Accident on Fox Mill Elementary Roof

Both candidates are seeking to be elected to a four-year term in November's general election. The two will hold their first formal debate  Sept. 25 in McLean.

While McAuliffe and Cuccinelli briefly appeared on stage together for opening statements at the event, sponsored by the Northern Virginia Technology Council, they were asked the same questions by panelists separately.

Here where they stand on some of the basic issues:

How will the transportation bill affect Virginia's longterm economic health?

McAuliffe- We need to implement the bill, work with all the transportation experts. I am for passenger rail, Metro anything we can do to get cars off the road and make things easier. We have got to have a system where you are not stuck in traffic every single day.

Cuccinelli - No one would really say [the transportation bill]  was great strategic transportation policy. We have more to do. One of problems with the bill is it did not get to fundamental challenges we face. We are overcentralized. We need localities and regions to have more autonomy from Richmond.
 
The other is the connection between land use and transportation. Given this bill that passed this year, there is going to be more money coming. Do you want Union Terry or Frugal Ken spending the money? I am going start to solve the problem on a more longterm basis that does not rely on Richmond."

Preparing Virginia's workforce for STEM careers

McAuliffe says bringing education and research together has got to be a top priority and that attention must be paid at the K-12 level and in higher education. He plans on investing time and money at the community college level to better train the workforce.

"It goes back to education reform," he said. "Under Cuccinelli, tax reform policy takes money away from education. We have got to get into the schools earlier. "

Cuccinelli highlighted workforce development programs that have been developed under current Governor Bob McDonnell (R) and said different programs are needed for different parts of the state.

On attracting new businesses, particularly tech companies, to Virginia 

McAuliffe is in favor of incentives. 

"We need to lure those businesses here," he said. "In order to bring cyber warriors from silicon valley, it has to make economic sense."

But McAuliffe said Virginia needs to be socially welcoming in order to do that.

"We are not going to lure people when we are putting walls up around Virginia," he said. "We have got to stop this attack on women, get off this social idealogical agenda and stop attack on gay Americans. We have to be welcoming to everyone."

Cuccinelli said incentives have a role to play, "but we have got to be careful."

"We don't want to be giving an unfair advantage to some to compete with people who have already put down roots in Virginia."
 
On tax reform

Said McAuliffe: "I do not agree with tax cuts. We cannot afford to take money away from education." However, he did say the commonwealth should re-evaluate three taxes that affect businesses - the professional license tax, the tool tax and the inventory tax.

Cuccinelli said he is in favor of tax reform.

"I want to reduce the personal income tax top rate down to 5 percent," he said. "If we want entrepreneurs, to have money to invest we have to do that."
He said he would make business tax 4 percent and would put exemptions and loopholes on the table.

"I dont want to take anything off the table other than education and healthcare," he said. "The point is to make that policy work for Virginia and get rid of ones that do not work. The cuts proposed are job-driving cuts. One analysis suggests almost 60,000 private-sector jobs will be created by those cuts."

What would you do to ensure Virginia's economy weathers further defense cuts and sequestration?

McAuliffe said diversifying economy into other areas such as healthcare will help. Cuccineli said he wants to rely on the private sector to offset a shrinking federal presence, as well as lower taxation and rein in the regulatory environment.
 
When it was the audience's turn to ask questions, both men talked again about social issues.

McAuliffe said he will "stand as a brick wall for women." He also said that Virginia cannot afford to be the butt of late-night comedians' jokes, as it was in 2012, when the Republican-backed mandatory ultrasound bill was in the state legislature.

"I am running on jobs and economic development," he said. "You want someone in government office who has been in business. We can't grow when you bring social issues to economic policy. I am going to focus on things that matter to families, like a job."

Cuccinelli also said his focus is on the economy. However, he pointed out he stands firm to his social record, even though many in the audience laughed when he said he does not overdo his commitment to social issues.

"My focus in this race is and has been the economic side - job creation," he said. "My track record is one of defending life and families. My opponent has no track record."