From community organizations to gubernatorial candidate

Brian Moran has worked hard in community organizations, the House of Delegates and, now, running for governor, fighting for the issues he considers important to the community.

By Samantha Downing

Education. Economy. Environment.

Brian Moran, one of the men in the race to be the Democrat candidate for Virginia governor, believes these three issues are of great importance.

“I grew up with parents who really instilled in us a belief that you have an obligation to leave the world a better place than you found it for your children,” Moran said. “It’s always been engrained in me.”

Because of what his parents taught him, Moran has been involved in the community for many years. He volunteered for a multitude of community organizations – many of them dealing with children.

“One thing led to another,” he said. “One evening 15 years ago [Governor] Mark Warner suggested I should run for the House of Delegates.”

His involvement increased in the legislature. Moran was Chairman of the Virginia House Democratic Caucus for several years. He worked closely with Warner and Governor Tim Kaine, and wants to continue their legacy of progressivism in Virginia.

Kaine’s changes to the budget and the effect on schools have some students at Virginia Commonwealth University concerned about what the future will bring.

“I hope that we get more funding to VCU,” said Stormy Holt, a mass communications student. “There’s a lot of budget cuts going on right now.”

Holt said she doesn’t want any more classes to be cut or majors to be discontinued.

Britt Smith works with VCU Students for Brian Moran, and he has confidence in Moran when it comes to education.

“Brian has put an extreme amount of importance on educating youth – just in the most general terms – because that’s where it all begins,” Smith said.

“If you give people that firm foundation and throw the money at the schools and do what you need to do…then you will, in a sense, produce the most viable next generation.”

Moran said he understands what college students go through, and he wants to set their minds at ease.

“We have to make sure our colleges are affordable for all incomes in Virginia,” he said. “I worked at a lot of jobs – gas station attendant, construction, work-study programs – all to afford college. So I get that.”

Moran said he knows the apprehension families face when considering the present economy. He has plans to create green jobs to boost the economy and improve the environment at the same time.

“There’s some wonderful research being conducted at colleges and universities,” Moran said. “We need to coordinate that.”

As a result of this research, Moran said, technology would improve and jobs would be created. In addition, the new technology could be exported from Virginia, which would also help improve the economy in this state, Moran said.

Moran said he wants to make it easier for homes and businesses to implement cleaner forms of energy – such as solar power.

“I want to make it more affordable for folks to put panels in the homes and give them tax credits to do that,” he said. “I also want to use the $160 million we’re receiving from the government to weatherize homes of low-income families and schools.”

In addition, Moran is the only candidate who opposes offshore drilling, emphasizing that he believes we should not continue to rely on nineteenth century fossil fuel.

“It poses an environmental hazard to Virginia Beach,” he said. “The U.S. Navy opposes it as well.”

His energy plan says he “understands that offshore drilling would continue our dangerous dependence on foreign oil.”

How exactly would offshore drilling continue this dependence?

“I don’t know,” Moran said.

Moran has strong opinions about some other issues that have been prominent in recent weeks, such as gun control.

“I would oppose legislation that would allow guns to be in bars,” he said. “I support closing the gun show loophole.”

His campaign is using a social networking site the campaign created, Organize Virginia, to inform people about Moran and what he stands for.

Moran said that now is the time for college students to start getting involved in the community and support the causes they believe in.

“It’s imperative that you commit yourself to the community to try to improve it,” he said. “One person can make a difference.”