RD342 - Annual Report on the Economic Crisis Strike Force


Executive Summary:
This report is submitted pursuant to § 2.2-205.1 of the Code of Virginia. I serve as chairman of the strike force, and several cabinet members and agency directors are members. The statute requires the Economic Crisis Strike Force to report its activities each year.

Chapters 79 and 80 of the 2006 Acts of Assembly codified the Economic Crisis Strike Force to "respond as needed to economic disasters in Virginia communities by (i) immediately providing a single point of contact for citizens in affected communities to assist with accessing available government and private sector services and resources, (ii) assisting localities in developing short-term and long-term strategies for addressing the economic crisis, and (iii) identifying opportunities for workforce retraining, job creation, and new investment."

Subsection E of the Act defines "economic disaster" as an employment loss of at least 5% during the immediately preceding six-month period, the closure or downsizing of a major regional employer in an economically distressed area, a natural disaster or act of terrorism for which the Governor has declared a state of emergency, or other economic crisis situation, which in the opinion of the Governor adversely affect the welfare of the citizens of the Commonwealth.