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Former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner talks at the Fredericksburg campus of Germanna Community College on Thursday afternoon. Warner, a U.S. Senate candidate, addressed business leaders and Germanna students in one of three campaign stops he made in the area that day. photos by ROBERT A. MARTIN/THE FREE LANCE-STAR View More Images from this story Visit the Photo Place

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CALL FOR INNOVATION

Mark Warner addresses group in Spotsylvania County

BY BILL FREEHLING

Date published: 8/23/2008

BY BILL FREEHLING

U.S. Senate candidate Mark Warner called for a "national competitiveness plan" during a campaign stop Thursday in Spotsylvania County.

Warner was addressing a group of area business leaders and students at Germanna Community College's Fredericksburg-area campus. It was one of three public appearances Warner made in the area Thursday.

Warner, a Democrat and former Virginia governor, focused his remarks at Germanna on his plan for making sure the U.S. stays on top in an increasingly competitive global economy. His plan includes five elements:

Ensuring that the country's education system is "innovative and entrepreneurial." He said community college is a great way to keep down higher education costs, and he called for a system that values technical and vocational training.

Making sure that politics don't get in the way of innovation. He specifically discussed scientific innovation and called for more government investment in research and development.

Getting control of spiraling health care costs. Warner noted that otherwise doing business in the U.S. was going to get prohibitively expensive.

Re-investing in a declining infrastructure, including roads, rail lines and broadband coverage. He said the latter could allow rural parts of Virginia to compete in a global economy.

Revamping energy policies so the U.S. can stop "borrowing money from China" and using the proceeds to buy oil from "nations that don't like us." He advocated a "whole portfolio approach" to include oil, nuclear, coal, solar, wind and biofuels, in addition to conservation measures. He said government should provide financial incentives to-ward these energy solutions.

Calling himself a "radical centrist," Warner said he wants to work with Republicans and Democrats to effect change in Washington.

Bill Freehling: 540/374-5405
Email: bfreehling@freelancestar.com

STAFFORD COUNTY OFFICE PARK PICKS UP MOMENTUM One of the questions directed at U.S. Senate candidate Mark Warner at Germanna Community College on Thursday concerned what effect high gas prices would have on the Fredericksburg area. The questioner was worried that the trend could cripple the Fredericksburg economy because such a high percentage of its work force commutes to Washington, and $4-a-gallon gas makes the drive too expensive. Warner agreed it was cause for concern. But Phillip Baxter, who was among the area business leaders in attendance Thursday, thinks the reverse is happening. He’s starting to see many more jobs that have traditionally been in Northern Virginia starting to come to the Fredericksburg area. Baxter is director of commercial office sales and leasing for the Silver Cos. One of his primary projects is the Quantico Corporate Center, which is near the south gate to the Quantico Marine Corps Base. Baxter and colleague David Newman recently signed on BAE Systems to a five-year lease at the North Stafford office park. The global defense contractor, which recently won a $94 million contract from the U.S. Marine Corps, will be leasing 33,000 square feet there. BAE’s arrival means the first 140,000-square-foot building at Quantico Corporate Center is now full. Other tenants include American Rheinmetall, Mitre and MTC Services Corp. Construction has begun on the second 140,000-square-foot building at the Quantico center. It’s expected to be completed by March 1. Baxter said he has been talking with an international defense contractor that might take the entire top floor of the four-story building. Other companies have also expressed interest. Baxter said the impetus is the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission decisions to add about 4,000 government jobs at the Quantico Marine Corps Base by 2011. Baxter said each government job leads to about two private-sector positions, which means 8,000 additional jobs. The companies providing those jobs are looking to move closer to Quantico, hence the interest in the corporate center and other area commercial developments. Baxter said the project has been aggressively marketed in the Washington area. Baxter thinks many businesses that are moving in now may eventually take more office space—“They’re getting their feet wet,” he said. He noted that defense contractors tend to cluster around each other. The Quantico Corporate Center is expected to provide 1.1 million square feet of office space when completed. Baxter said some of the businesses are moving out of smaller offices clustered along Garrisonville Road in Stafford. But he said smaller defense contractors are likely to fill that space. Overall, Baxter sees “unlimited opportunities as Quantico grows.”

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Date published: 8/23/2008