Allen campaigns in Roanoke

On Thursday, George Allen brought the Virginia Voices initiative to Roanoke where he listened to hardworking men and women about their concerns and shared ideas for fixing Washington.

Allen began his Roanoke visit with a tour of Lloyd Electric Company, a family-owned business established in 1920.  In addition to servicing and repairing electrical motors, Lloyd Electric is one of the larger electrical motor distributors and repair centers in Western Virginia and operates in a 200 mile radius. Allen was joined by Delegates Greg Habeeb and Charles Poindexter in touring the facility.

“Lloyd Electric Company was built with a lot of hard work and innovation, adapting to changing economies and new business climates,” said Rick Lloyd, owner of Lloyd Electric Company. “But these days, Washington just wants to take more of what we’ve worked for and regulate what we can and can’t have.  The last thing we need is higher taxes from Washington that fund their regulations that drive up the cost of doing business. I’m glad to know George Allen supports Virginia energy and has a record of providing real solutions for lowering our tax burdens so we can invest, grow and hire more.”

Allen also met with employees at the Roanoke headquarters of Norfolk Southern, hearing their views firsthand on how Washington affects their work. Norfolk Southern is a major transporter of coal and industrial products essential to the economy of Virginia. In the past two years, Norfolk Southern ordered 3,000 new coal railcars made in Roanoke by a company that hired hundreds of new workers to fulfill the order. This year, Norfolk Southern contracted to re-body 2,200 coal railcars, which keeps those hardworking employees in their jobs.  In the future, Norfolk Southern’s orders for new coal rail cars will be determined by the demand for coal. If coal demand continues to decline due to the assault of EPA regulations, not only will there be enormous job losses for small businesses in the coalfields, but there will be fewer jobs in the Roanoke coal railcar factory.  Moreover, Virginians will feel the same pain paying our monthly electric bill that we feel at the gasoline pump.”

“Businesses large and small want the freedom and opportunity to grow, hire more people and compete in a healthy economy, but Washington is standing in their way by taxing and regulating too much and not listening enough,” said Allen. “Virginians have been given too many promises for hope and change which have led to few results and lost jobs.  I will be a strong voice for Virginians who share our vision for more simple, fair and competitive tax laws, unleashing Virginia’s energy resources, and for reasonable regulations that empower people rather than Washington bureaucracy.  It’s time to make Washington more efficient, effective and accountable to the men and women who pay the bills.”

Following the business tours and discussions, Allen joined State Sen. Ralph Smith and State Del. Greg Habeeb in visiting with families, working people, retired teachers and visitors in Roanoke’s friendly Market in the Square.