Mar. 31--Most of the people U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello, D-5th, met with Sunday at the Community Market probably didn't want what he was offering. Better unemployment benefits, tuition tax credits and foreclosure prevention programs are all part of a strong social safety net, but they're no substitute for a good job.

Until the recession hit, that's what workers at Danville's Corning and Goodyear plants had -- good paying jobs with good benefits.

Last week, though, Corning announced it would lay off its 200 local workers and close the plant it had operated here since 1962. Goodyear's previously announced layoffs -- which includes 200 buyouts -- will cut 400 jobs from the payroll of Danville's largest private employer.

Economic development is a local government function, but a congressman can help close deals with federal dollars. That's something Perriello hasn't had the opportunity to do for this community yet, so Sunday's town hall meeting was the next best thing.

"It's not a statistic to be proud of, but it seems as if Danville and Martinsville are continuously leapfrogging one another for the highest level of unemployment in the commonwealth," Perriello said. "... It is time for the powers that be who have neglected the region through policy letdowns over the past 20 years to rectify the past."

In the short term, laid off Goodyear and Corning workers are in a tough spot. The federal benefits Perriello spoke of will certainly help, but the Dan River Region already has the state's highest metropolitan area unemployment rate.

That's today's bad news.

Before the recession, though, the Dan River Region had four straight years of new job announcements. Those new companies promised to quickly help Danville and Pittsylvania County recover from the loss of tobacco and textiles jobs.

What will this community be like when the recession finally ends?

Corning is the second manufacturer -- EDS was the first -- to announce that it is closing. Most of the other closings have been retail stores, and most of those were the result of company bankruptcies, followed by sluggish local sales and owner retirements.

It's anyone's guess when the local economy will turn around or when we'll feel that recovery in our community. Perriello's community meeting had some value in the short run. But better government unemployment benefits are not what the people of this community really want. Local people want the promise of those earlier job announcements finally realized. They deserve nothing less.

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