Bacon's Rebellion

Democracy Thrives in Sunlight

We’re No. 4! We’re No. 4!

—

by

James A. Bacon
in , ,

Virginia is the 4th best positioned of all the states to “grow, create jobs and prosper” in the coming five to 10 years, according to a new report, “Enterprising States: Policies that Produce,” published by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The Old Dominion was surpassed by North Dakota, Utah and Texas.

Virginia strengths were the highest median family income, the greatest STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) concentration and the highest high-tech share of business. Believe it or not, the state ranked N0. 6 in the country for road quality. Areas of relative deficiency, though still above average, were per-capita income growth and higher-ed degree output.

The state profile credits Governor Bob McDonnell for “an aggressive highway and rail infrastructure investment plan,” most notably the proposed U.S. 460 Connector that will help the port at Hampton Roads fully exploit opportunities created by the Panama Canal expansion. Also noteworthy were state initiatives to promote STEM jobs, R&D and seed financing, as well as a plan to help 100,000 more Virginians get higher ed degrees over the next 15 years.

— JAB

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  1. larryg Avatar
    larryg

    what the ….. has DJ been lying to us about how miserable Va and it’s feckless clown show is?

    we are up north at the moment “enjoying” New York’s wonderful maintenance of I-81 – NOT!

    bang bang bump bump slam slam…. what a mess and if that was not bad enough they’ve one-laned it making for wonderful backups passing the time away listening to people coming on the CB and asking what the backup is about. Makes a grown man want to shout – YOU STUPID MORONS – DO YOU KNOW what “Construction Ahead – Expect Delays” means? Oh I forgot..you are so busy fiddling with your cell phone you never saw the half-dozen signs…

    sheesh! EZPASS worked like a charm in Pennsylvania though..just whizzed right through those toll plazas… simple as snot to cough up a buck!

    but Va ..number 4…. l???? That DJ guy has some “splaining” to do…

  2. James A. Bacon Avatar
    James A. Bacon

    Don’t have a stroke while you’re up there, Larry. If the hospitals are like the roads…

  3. DJRippert Avatar
    DJRippert

    Jim Bacon should stop reading “pro McDonnell” drivel.

    In actual numbers … “We’re number 40, we’re number 40.”.

    http://www.bluevirginia.us/diary/6871/tbob-fail-virginia-gdp-growth-in-2011-lower-than-md-nc-tn-wv-ky-etc

  4. James A. Bacon Avatar
    James A. Bacon

    Anybody can cherry pick their data. The McDonnell press release focused on the data from the report in which Virginia ranked No. 1. Blue Virginia focuses on the data that will make McDonnell look as bad as possible.

    I report data regardless of whom it makes look good or bad.

  5. Virginia finishes #40 in 2011 state GDP growth | Bacon's Rebellion

    […] The Best State for Business?  The Richmond spin machine never sleeps.  There is no end of surveys, polls and projections touting Virginia’s brilliant economic performance and, by proxy, the excellence of its state government.  Jim Bacon posted a blog entry entitled, “Virginia’s Major Metro Economies Looking Pretty Darn Good” just five days before the state GDP figures were published.  In the post, Jim notes that Virginia’s three biggest metropolitan areas were rated among the country’s top economic performers by the Brookings Institution.  Bacon went on to write, “Outside Virginia’s major metro areas (and Charlottesville), the economy was not so hot.”.  It seems that may be something of an understatement.  Just recently, Bacon found an even more far-fetched “analysis” of Virginia’s economic prospects which he detailed in his post, “We’re No. 4! We’re No.4!”. […]

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