5th District race: Challenger believes education is key

By DAN KEGLEY/Staff

Susie Dixon Garner believes her skills as an accountant suit her to represent the 5th District in Virginia’s House of Delegates.
“I’m an accountant, a CPA, and I understand budgeting, allocating resources,” she said Monday.
“I’m a persistent person,” she said. “I keep working, I’m methodical, logical. I understand tax issues from the government side and the taxpayers’ side. That’s a unique perspective I would have. I keep at something until it’s completed. I see them through. I’m not a quitter.”
Garner said managing the state’s budget shortfall is “just like doing your own family budget. If there’s not enough money, you cut expenses. You reallocate what you have. The rainy day fund has requirements for its use, but if we met those it would be OK to use it. I’m conservative, and I would try not to use much of the rainy day fund.”
First among funding priorities for the state in Garner’s view is education. “Education is very important and in the general fund it should be protected,” she said.
For Smyth County and the region, the most important issue is the economy, Garner said. “It’s the reason that I ran,” she said. “We need to be sure we’re using the resources we have, like the Governor’s Opportunity Fund and the Tobacco Commission.”
Garner said she would work with Congressman Rick Boucher “on improving our economy and infrastructure. To attract businesses, we have to have water, sewer, power and last-mile Internet… a boon to telecommuting.” The Virginia Department of Taxation, she said, links its Danville office to Richmond via telecommuting.
Increased telecommuting could help with traffic, an issue in several parts of the state, Garner said.
Garner said voters should elect her over Carrico because “I think we’ve been under-represented. It seems he’s more interested in catering to his colleagues in the legislature. Anything I can do for the region – I have a strong background in economics and education.”
In the legislature, she said, “I would be good.”
According to her online biography, Garner started her own accounting firm where she and her husband worked 25 years ago. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants, and Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants. She has held office as treasurer, secretary, vice president and president of the Highlands Chapter of Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants.
Garner has served as First Baptist Church of Galax’s treasurer since 1988, Crossroads Rural Entrepreneurial Institute treasurer since 2004, Galax Foundation for Excellence in Education Board since 1994, Wytheville Community College Board since 2005, and Oak Hill Academy Board since 2001. She was on the Galax City School Board from 1993 to 2005 and vice chair from 2003 to 2005, and New River Trail Master Plan Advisory Committee.
Other community service includes Southwest Virginia Governor’s School, Galax Centennial Committee, Galax Library Fund Raising Committee, Officer of Arts and Cultural Council, Officer of Galax Theatre Guild, Twin County Regional Hospital Foundation, Wytheville Community College Education Foundation, Chamber of Commerce Leadership Training Program, Children’s Sunday School Teacher, youth basketball coach, her Web site said.
Garner graduated from Galax High School and earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Emory University, graduating magna cum laude. She received the Campbell Accounting Award and was inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma and Mortar Board (women’s leadership honor). She subsequently earned a Masters in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She worked at a Charlotte, N.C., accounting firm for three years before returning to Galax where she and her husband of over 30 years raised their two children, Mac and Amy, her Web site said.
The Fifth District includes only part of Smyth County. Voters at polling places in Seven Mile Ford, Rich Valley, East Park, West Park, Atkins, Wassona, Royal Oak East, Royal Oak West, Adwolfe, Sugar Grove, will help decide the Carrico/Dixon race Nov. 6.