Denise Giardina and Bob Myers' economic agendas for the state don't

Both Giardina and Myers oppose a regional airport in Lincoln County,

however. Gov. Cecil Underwood and Rep. Bob Wise, the Republican and

Democratic contenders, support the concept of a regional airport.

Giardina wants to tax any individual or company who owns more than

10,000 acres of land in the state. She also wants a coal royalty

tax.

Last year, mountaintop removal mining and valley fills prompted the

award-winning novelist to start the Mountain Party and run for governor.

"People can't diversify the economy if they don't have access to the

land to build houses and build businesses on," Giardina said.

"We need to diversify and stop depending on the coal

industry, and that means first of all stopping giving them tax credits.

... Use those resources in other directions," she said.

Giardina also wants more state money spent on tourism, alternative

agriculture, and water and sewer development in Southern West Virginia.

She agrees with Rep. Bob Wise that state businesses should be given more

emphasis than out-of-state recruitment.

In typical third-party fashion, she's more forceful than Wise, who has

Denise Giardina and Bob Myers' economic agendas for the state don't

Both Giardina and Myers oppose a regional airport in Lincoln County,

however. Gov. Cecil Underwood and Rep. Bob Wise, the Republican and

Democratic contenders, support the concept of a regional airport.

Giardina wants to tax any individual or company who owns more than

10,000 acres of land in the state. She also wants a coal royalty

tax.

Last year, mountaintop removal mining and valley fills prompted the

award-winning novelist to start the Mountain Party and run for governor.

"People can't diversify the economy if they don't have access to the

land to build houses and build businesses on," Giardina said.

"We need to diversify and stop depending on the coal

industry, and that means first of all stopping giving them tax credits.

... Use those resources in other directions," she said.

Giardina also wants more state money spent on tourism, alternative

agriculture, and water and sewer development in Southern West Virginia.

She agrees with Rep. Bob Wise that state businesses should be given more

emphasis than out-of-state recruitment.

In typical third-party fashion, she's more forceful than Wise, who has

encourage retention and development from within, as well as industrial

recruitment from the outside." (See accompanying story.)

On her Web page, Giardina says it this way: "Tax credits should go to

businesses owned by you and your neighbors, not outside companies like

Rite-Aid that pull up stakes and leave. We should encourage the start-up

of more home-grown businesses and build a reputation as a haven for small

businesses."

Myers opposes all tax incentives. Economics in West Virginia are bad

"in spite of an effort by state government to throw taxpayer dollars at

economic development," Myers said.

"As a Libertarian, we do not believe that the government should be

involved in economic development. We believe that the government's role is

to create a simple environment that will allow people's natural

entrepreneurial abilities to flourish," he said.

"That means lower taxes, less regulation, less mandates, less

restrictions, leading toward a free- market atmosphere where people can

buy and sell products and make products and services without government

interference."

To contact staff writer Kelly Regan, use e-mail or call 348-5163.