Gov. Kaine: brain power equals economic power

Virginia recently was ranked
among the top five states to get an
education, but Gov. Timothy M.
Kaine says that’s not good enough.

In a telephone conference
call with reporters
Wednesday afternoon,
Kaine addressed central
issues put before the
General Assembly this
session. At the top of
his agenda was higher
education.

In his State of the Commonwealth
Address this
past week, Kaine proposed
a $1.6 billion bond
package for Virginia’s
higher education system.
In his speech, he said
the bond projects – such
as facilities for teaching
engineering and science
– would “continue the
acceleration of our topnotch
higher education system.”

During the conference call, the
Democratic governor highlighted the
bond package among other key issues,
such as mental health, gun control
and economic concerns.

“I think (the proposed bond
program) is a great investment and
the best economic strategy for higher
ed,” Kaine said.

What would the bond package
mean for Virginia’s education
system?

Kaine has proposed that Virginia
issue bonds – in other words, borrow
money – to finance about 75 projects
at universities and community colleges
across the state.

If the General Assembly approves
his plan, Virginians would vote on it
in November. If the package acquires
voters’ approval, the funds would
start being distributed in January
2009.

The governor said the package
would mean at least five
to seven years of construction
and economic and
educational growth for
all of the commonwealth’s
campuses.

“The proposed bond
package supports innovative
research, providing
facilities across Virginia
for researchers to develop
new, cutting-edge
technologies and turn
them into commercial
assets,” Kaine said in his
address.

According to a fact
sheet prepared by the
governor’s office, the
proposed bond program
includes three projects
totaling about $106 million for
VCU:

$59 million for the first phase of
a new School of Medicine

$41 million for general classroom
facilities

$6 million to renovation laboratories
at the Massey Cancer Center

The last higher education bond
package was in 2002 and totaled
about $900 million. This time
around, Kaine said, it’s not just
about educating individuals – it’s
about the economic expansion of
Virginia, as well.

“The best way to grow the economy,”
Kaine said, “is to grow brain
power.”