
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, November 9, 1995                   TAG: 9511090054
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DAVE MAYFIELD LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

BUSINESS: VOTE ISN'T REVOLUTION

The Republicans' failure to take control of the General Assembly in Tuesday's election might easily be seen as sidetracking Gov. George Allen's agenda on business issues.

But business, labor and consumer leaders said Wednesday that Allen's Government Lite push for decreased taxes, less spending and fewer regulations isn't dead.

In spite of Allen's rhetoric to the contrary, the Democratic legislative chiefs who kept their seats are a largely business-friendly lot, the leaders said. That will put them in agreement with Allen on business issues more often than not, they added. The differences are in how fast and how far to go.

``If there was any message from the voters, and I'm not sure there was, it was, `Let's go a little slower,''' said William H. Coiner, president of the Virginia Retail Merchants Association. ```Let's continue to do it, but let's not go wholesale.'''

``Obviously, holding the line on taxes, holding the line on government spending and reducing regulation is music to the ears of the business community,'' added Sandra Bowen, senior vice president of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce. ``But it's something that, for the most part, Democrats and Republicans in the General Assembly agree on already.''

On the day after the election, business and labor leaders instead were largely preoccupied with figuring out the implications of the new 20-20 split between Democrats and Republicans in the state Senate and the unexpected ouster of powerful Senate Majority Leader Hunter Andrews, D-Hampton. Democrats retained outright control of the House of Delegates.

A key issue raised by the split in the Senate is representation on Senate committees, including the influential Finance panel, which Andrews has long chaired. Although the Democrats held only a 22-18 Senate edge over Republicans in the last General Assembly session, Andrews restricted Republicans to just three of the 15 Finance Committee seats.

The chamber's Bowen said she thinks Republicans will have a strong argument for more equal representation on key Senate committees. Bowen said increased Republican representation on committees would likely be viewed by most business leaders as a positive development.

Jean Ann Fox, president of the Virginia Citizens Consumer Council in Richmond, said the tie in the Senate could affect the election next year of two of the three members of the State Corporation Commission.

That commission regulates insurers, financial institutions, telephone companies and a number of other business interests. It is considered the most powerful public commission of its type in the nation.

by CNB