RICHMOND, VA – In a hastily thrown-together policy plan to address the serious challenges facing rural Virginia, Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam forgot to share with Virginians his complete lack of attendance at meetings of the Center for Rural Virginia Board, the very group that is designed to put forward solutions to the pressing challenges facing rural communities across the Commonwealth.
In his tenure as Lieutenant Governor, Northam has missed every single meeting of the Center for Rural Virginia Board, making clear his disinterest for the issues and lack of seriousness for the office he seeks.
“For the last four years, Lieutenant Governor Northam failed to show up for a single meeting of the Center for Rural Virginia Board on which he serves,” said communications director David Abrams. “His track record makes clear that in his time in statewide office he has not put in the work to help our rural areas. In fact, ‘No Show Northam’ hasn’t even shown up. Virginians won’t be fooled again. Our policies will improve things in rural Virginia, which has suffered under the policies and inattention of the McAuliffe-Northam Administration.”
Ed Gillespie has put forward policies that would positively impact rural communities in Virginia, including his ‘Cutting Taxes for ALL Virginians’ plan to sunset the BPOL, M&T, and Merchant’s Capital taxes across the Commonwealth within a three year period; and his pledge to double the number of Certified Virginia Values Veterans (V3) Companies.
Gillespie also has accepted invitations to 10 gubernatorial debates, including one at UVa-Wise to discuss these very issues. Northam has yet to accept the invitation to debate in Southwest Virginia.