Senator Mark Obenshain: “This is about accountability. [Ed] gave you details, he gave you backup, he gave you detailed policy research and details of his plan…What Ralph has done is he’s completely circumvented that process. He owes people an explanation.”
On a Friday morning press conference call, Gillespie for Governor Campaign Chairman Pete Snyder, Senator Mark Obenshain, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Chris Jones, House Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Steve Landes, and House Finance Chairman Lee Ware highlighted the glaringly missing details behind Lt. Governor Ralph Northam’s pledge in a TV ad to pass bipartisan tax reform. Northam’s ad urges voters to visit his website to see the plan, which does not appear to exist. In contrast, six months ago, Gillespie released the “Cutting Taxes for ALL Virginians” Plan, a detailed proposal to cut the individual income tax rate by 10 percent across the board.
Gillespie for Governor campaign chairman Pete Snyder said, “Ralph Northam is a perfectly nice guy, but after ten years of being a politician and being in elected office, he is shockingly unprepared to be governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. He barely shows up for the job. He’s been No Show Northam on a number of commissions and critical issues when it comes to Virginia, yet he’s still hoping and asking people for a promotion. If he worked at my company, he’d be fired.”
“Let me be blunt, this is about accountability. When Ed rolled out his tax plan he did it to you, the people on this call. He gave you first crack at it. He gave you details, he gave you backup, he gave you detailed policy research and details of his plan, and you all accepted his invitation. You asked him the hard questions and he stood up like a man and answered those questions, and quite frankly, that’s what the people of Virginia deserve. They deserve that kind of accountability, that kind of thoughtful approach. What Ralph has done is he’s completely circumvented that process,” said Senator Mark Obenshain. “He owes people an explanation. I think that you ought to be asking him these questions: What does this mean? Where are the details of this plan? He should not be allowed to put a slick ad on television announcing that he’s got a better tax plan without having to answer questions about it.”
“I did go to Ralph’s website, and I could not find any mention of a bipartisan type reform plan,” added House Appropriations Committee Chairman Chris Jones. “Ed has put forth a plan, very specific in what he would like to do, but I think the public has a right to know what are Ralph’s plans and how he would pay for all the promises he has made along the campaign trail.”
House Appropriations Committee Vice Chairman Steve Landes said, “From our standpoint, we need to see a tax plan that’s going to get our economy moving again and that’s fiscally responsible. I think Ed has that plan. From my standpoint, having served with six governors now, every governor details what they are going to do and how they are going to do it. Unfortunately the Lieutenant Governor, as a candidate for governor has no plan.”
“I think the contrast here between candidate Ed Gillespie and the Lieutenant Governor is most clear on this. It has been said several times, the Lieutenant Governor’s specifics as to how he would address the circumstance that we are in right now economically is – it’s just lacking,” said House Finance Chairman Lee Ware. “Ed has gotten a clear description of what he wants to do. He’s given policy particulars, and that is not the same thing as putting a glib TV ad out that doesn’t give any specifics as to where we are.”
You can find all of Gillespie’s sixteen major policy proposals easily at EdForVirginia.com and ForALLVirginians.com.
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