Peggy Frank, the Democratic candidate for the 7th District in the Virginia House of Delegates, has served the New River Valley as a prosecutor for almost 20 years. Her experience working here, deep understanding of what the area needs, and proven resilience make her the most qualified and best prepared candidate to represent the 7th district in Richmond.
What the New River Valley needs most right now is job creation for those who are unemployed, the resources to equip its citizens with better job training, and leaders in Richmond who realize how imperative Virginia Tech and the other area institutions are for the local economy. When I interviewed Frank and hercampaign manager Brandon Bull for this column, it was clear that addressing these economic challenges is the top priority. Frank emphasized the Governors Opportunity Fund, which she says “helps Southwest Virginia compete against Northern Virginia for creating attractive jobs in the area.” Her opponent in this race, the Republican incumbent Dave Nutter, has voted against extending the fund. This is a mistake according to Frank, who said, “This puts us at a disadvantage when we don’t invest as much in these development programs as other states do.”
The 7th District includes part of Montgomery county, part of Pulaski County, and all of Radford city. On the Tech campus it includes the residential side of the Drillfield (Pritchard, Ambler-Johnston, et al.). This district is dominated by higher education as it features Tech, Radford and the multi-campus New River Valley Community College. Therefore, policies made in Richmond pertaining to higher education have vital impacts on the area. Frank understands this and is determined to maintain and improve upon the close connection between education and the economy in the New River Valley. Frank says that she will work to create incentives for “schools to purchase their goods and services as locally as possible, and for colleges and universities to train people for the jobs that the area needs.” Additionally, Frank would like to “put together a database for colleges to be able to see all the businesses in the area,” which would both help the Tech community and the local economy.
Unfortunately, Nutter and the Republican-controlled House of Delegates have denied this area — and its great institutions — the financial help needed to deal with such a weakened economy. Nutter, and the House of Delegates as a whole, voted to turn down the $125 million of federal stimulus that the state was due to receive, which means that people in this area are suffering from a greater unemployment rate and, subsequently, less health coverage. The impacts on Tech are immense as well, for when the state misses out on key funding, Tech’s already rising tuition costs continue to climb, as well as fee costs, housing, etc. And when these problems persist without any logical decision-makers to lead the way in the state legislature, the eventual outcome for Tech could very well mean major losses of staff personnel. Yet somehow, Bull said, “Dave Nutter has voted to cut funding to colleges, including Virginia Tech.” Such a decision would be a highly questionable one in any area, but in an area where higher education is the driving economic force, it is just unacceptable.
Frank understands the present difficulties because she has struggled through the very same challenges. She went to work at the Pentagon at 17 years old to help her family, and then she paid her own way through college and law school as a single mother. “I didn’t have health insurance in college and had to choose food over other important things.” Nearly two decades of service to the New River Valley as a prosecutor, a real-life understanding of what people are struggling with as a result of the economy, and genuine ideas about fostering this area’s most precious resources, our universities and colleges, are ample evidence of why Peggy Frank should be the 7th District representative to the Virginia House of Delegates.
