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Hoeffel lays out jobs plan

Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel on Wednesday rolled out an jobs plan that focused on increased investments in education, green technology, infrastructure and small business, in what amounted to the most comprehensive economic policy statement made by a gubernatorial candidate to date.

Coupled with his recent policy positions on drilling for natrual gas in the Marcellus Shale, the plan signaled that Hoeffel will have more to discuss than the social issues on which he has sought to position himself to the left of his Democratic rivals.

His latest economic plan contained a laundry list of initiatives to which few if any of his primary rivals would object, and many of which have been floated in the past. Everything from early childhood education and increased access to community college to more green-energy jobs and transit projects made the cut. More specifically, Hoeffel called for $100 million in tax cuts for manufacturers who keep jobs in state and promotion of loans to small businesses.

“The number one issue facing the commonwealth today is jobs,” Hoeffel said in a statement. “We need a comprehensive strategy to create jobs, build a strong workforce, help small businesses, and bring together our farms, suburbs, and cities as we move Pennsylvania’s economy forward.

“The economy has changed, and so must we,” he added. “Many see our situation as a problem to solve, but we also have an opportunity.”

See Hoeffel’s full economic plan here.

December 16, 2009 at 11:35 pm

--Dan Hirschhorn

Tags: Joe Hoeffel

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