Del. Charles Poindexter recently laid out his plan for governinig and how to address the challenges of Southern Virginia.

"The Executive Director of the Patrick County of Chamber of Commerce recently asked me to lay out my plan for governing and how I might address challenges in Southern Virginia. Our region and the entire Commonwealth, for that matter, have faced unprecedented challenges over the last two decades or more. Rising unemployment, closing of manufacturing businesses, a decline in tobacco, increased reliance on foreign goods, huge increases in gas and diesel prices, higher utility rates, less federal and state funding for localities and many other challenges have made governing more difficult and the lives of our citizens tougher. However, because of the work of state leaders like Bob McDonnell, Morgan Griffith, Robert Hurt and Ken Cuccinelli, Virginia is working through many of these challenges and continues to become stronger. Virginia is quickly becoming a model for other state governments because we have balanced our budget without raising taxes while still maintaining support for core government services. Most of all, our state is stronger because we are focused on what matters – jobs and small businesses. Attracting new industries and jobs is my number one priority as Delegate. Jobs are the key to creating a better life for Virginians and our children. Jobs mean income for food, gas, diesel, and utility bills. Jobs mean tax revenue so we can fund quality education and build roads. Jobs mean satisfied, self-reliant people. Each and every month, Virginia is adding jobs. Virginia’s Chief Jobs Creation Officer, Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, has become one of my closest partners in bringing jobs back to Southern Virginia. Along with him, and Governor Bob McDonnell, we are reaching out to businesses across the world and saying, “Come, see why Virginia is where you should build.� I have worked hard to appropriate $100 million in economic development funding in the last two years alone. Businesses are listening, too. They are listening because of our pro-business policies and our focus on keeping taxes low, reducing unnecessary and burdensome regulations and promoting higher education. Businesses are also attracted to Virginia because of our workforce. We have families who believe in traditional values – hard work, community service, self-responsibility, the rule of law, faith, sacrifice and honesty. These are the kind of workers that businesses want to hire. This doesn’t mean that life is perfect. Our laser-like focus on jobs does not mean we can ignore the short-term challenges faced by Virginia families. As your Delegate, I have fought and will continue to fight against higher utility rates. I sponsored legislation to drill offshore in Virginia, which will help us complete important road projects like Route 58 and lower the cost of energy. I have fought and will continue to fight for better infrastructure funding and better schools. I will be pursuing biomass opportunities to rejuvenate our forestry industry and provide energy. I will also continue to stand for small-town, rural values. That means I believe in the sanctity of life, the rights’ of gun owners and private property. This is my plan. These are the ideas and principles that I stand for. In Richmond I will continue to turn these into practical, common sense policy solutions that will help Southern Virginia families."