Former First Lady of Virginia Tours Small Businesses in Occoquan

The former Virginia First Lady, Anne Holton, stopped by Occoquan on March 22 to tour the small businesses and ask business owners what her husband, Tim Kaine, could do for small business if he won Jim Webb's seat in the U.S. Senate this fall. 

Virginia senator Linda "Toddy" Puller (D-36th) took the tour as well, as Mayor Earnie Porta took the small group to , , , , , , , and the . 

After the tour, I asked Holton a couple of questions: 

If Tim Kaine is elected to the office of senator, how will he work to support small business in Occoquan?

Tim believes small businesses are the economic engine of this country, and he will work to ensure Virginia remains a business friendly place that encourages small businesses, like those I visited in Occoquan today, to start-up, expand and hire. With my support, Tim will go to Washington prepared to work across the aisle to enact policies that will encourage economic growth and job creation in Virginia, and across the country. He will take a balanced approach to deficit reduction that will make necessary cuts, while still protecting critical investments in education to ensure Virginia’s schools continue producing talent that attracts new businesses to Occoquan and throughout the Commonwealth. 

What helpful suggestions did you receive from small business owners in Occoquan today regarding how to grow and support small business?

Small businesses owners talked to me about the importance of investing in quality education –from pre-K through higher education– to produce the kind of bright, talented employees businesses want to hire. They also emphasized the need to level the playing field for small businesses so they can compete with larger ones. Overall, while business owners expressed optimism that the economy will continue to recover, they told me they want a representative in Washington that is focused on solutions that will make it easier for small businesses to expand and hire.