Gov says plan will grow jobs, revenue

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Gov. Bob McDonnell says a package of economic development bills he proposes will create 29,300 new jobs and boost state revenue by about $311 million in five years.

Unemployed Virginia Beach resident Diane Dallara told WAVY.com, "I hope the Governor will do something that brings more jobs to Virginia....this is the first time I've been unemployed in my life so it's been a challenge for me."

McDonnell outlined the proposals Monday evening, including millions more to recruit business, boost tourism and entice Hollywood to shoot more movies in Virginia.

In a Tuesday news conference, McDonnell said he felt the estimate of new jobs and the tax collections they would yield were accurate and conservative.

Commerce and Trade Secretary Jim Cheng said the $50 million in incentives would yield about six times its investment. Left unclear were the criteria for estimating the number of new jobs by 2015.

Ed Greene is President of Don Richard Associates, a Norfolk Staffing Agency.

"Anything that creates jobs eventually affects us," he said. "Anytime you have a shrinkage in jobs in an industry like this the people we are able to place is going to decrease."