This is an open letter to the Governor.   

Dear Governor,

Build Rail now.  We agree. Virginia needs jobs! Jobs! Jobs! You wrote in a Washington Post editoral on March 25, 2010 " Every dollar invested in building rail creates 25 dollars in new jobs, goods, and services."

Rail is great for Virginia, America and our economy.   Rail is the economic engine Virginia, and America needs.

You wrote in an editorial with five other Governors, quote, “A  new crescent (freight) rail corridor would get traffic and the economy moving again."

This new 2,500 mile rail line would benefit Virginia, America, the environment, the economy. Rail would create tens of thousands of jobs.  Move trucks off crowded highways like I-81.”

New rail saves lives. 33,000 Americans are killed, 330,000 injured yearly on American highways.  Rail is safer.

Governor, you and I both served in the U.S. military, and at about the same time in Germany.  We learned the economic intelligence of a great rail system for a nation.

Rail is a national security issue.  New American rail like Germany’s expands abilities to move people, goods, necessary equipment every day, and especially in a crisis.

Thanks to a great green rail system, energy intelligence, and the growing green energy economy.   Germany is booming.  Unemployment is a third less than America’s.   They get nearly 20 per cent of their energy from renewables.

I was in Germany two weeks ago in Freiburg for the Green Party convention.  Studied at Freiburg University 30 years ago.  

Now the German newsmagazine der Spiegel calls the new economic and political wonder, “The Green Party wonder”.  Greens are the party of rail and renewable energy.

Even Freiburg, a conservative southern capital of Schwabenland, is known as a Green City, with a Green Party mayor. 

Press reports you’ll ask the state legislature to spend an additional $400 million immediately and $2.9 billion over the next three years on transportation.  

So every dollar invested in rail it creates $25 dollars in new jobs and intelligent economic benefit.

Investing $3 billion in building rail creates $75 billion in jobs and economic benefit for Virginia over the next three years.  It’s better than winning the lottery.

Virginia’s entire state budget for two years is only $77 billion. 

Building rail is brilliant. Build rail now.

Finally, you and your family might enjoy visiting Germany again.  Our family loved it.

And, I’m sure the German family I lived with 30 years ago, and our family stayed with again two weeks ago would love to host you. Take the trains. Ride the rails.

 

Carey Campbell

State Chairman

Independent Greens of Virginia

www.VoteJoinRun.US

For Independent Greens new Youtube channel link: click here.

703-351-1235