When it comes to the “Big Picture” I have two overriding concerns with regard to my world outlook – the Economy and the Ecology. Both words derive from the same root: Eco. This is a Greek word that means home or household. The Ancient Greeks understood that that the home or household or more to the point – the family – is the basic unit of civilization. In order to have a strong community, we need an environment that provides for the opportunity for each and every family to have the means to live decently and to pursue their happiness. In order to achieve this we need policies that allow for a strong economy and a safe and clean environment so that we can preserve and maintain the unique character of our community as we continue to prosper.

One of the most pressing issues confronting our community is the economy. The national economy is in recession. West Virginia is also in recession. However the policies that govern and create the economic climate locally and are formulated and legislated in our state capital in Charleston are exacerbating the problem. Our tax and regulatory structure present enormous obstacles for entrepreneurs to start businesses and to run their existing businesses. This is especially true with regard to small businesses. Small business is the life blood of the economy of any community. As a result, most of the people who live in Jefferson County commute to businesses that they own elsewhere, or to jobs that exist beyond our borders. In many cases, we even have to shop elsewhere. We need to examine the reasons for this and to make the appropriate changes in policy to address the problem. For those brave entrepreneurs that currently own businesses in the county, we need to remove the barriers they face that impair their ability to thrive and serve our community. We need to create an atmosphere that fosters the creation of private sector jobs. We in Jefferson County deserve to have a vibrant local economy that serves its citizens. Many of those changes need to be made at the state level – in Charleston.

There are other crucial issues we face as well. We need to provide opportunity for our children. Since 1950 the population of West Virginia has trended downward. One of the few places in the state that has bucked this trend is Jefferson County. Over the last ten years our county has increased in population. However, we must ensure that all of our citizens have the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate all that our great community has to offer. Education is the surest way to improve the chances of individual success. We need to ensure that the quality of our schools remains competitive with neighboring communities. We need to attract the best teachers and to reward those teachers that achieve results. Once again, the policies that affect our local schools emanate from the state capitol.

A statistic that may not be well known to West Virginians is that 52% of the Gross State Product (GSP) is made up of government spending either at the national, state or local level. I’m sure that everyone realizes that there is a limit to the extent that government can grow. In fact, the current level of government participation in our economy is not sustainable. Unless we reverse this trend, our standard of living cannot be maintained. With budget deficits ballooning because of the current economic downturn, our state economy runs the risk of falling victim to potential budget cuts. The solution is to rely more on the private sector and less on the public sector. We will then be more self sufficient and most certainly better off in the long run.

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