Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 31, 1991 TAG: 9104010185
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: D-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Not bad, eh?
Of course, Gov. Wilder did not "find" the $15 million in a desk drawer somewhere. It was already in the budget bill, approved by the General Assembly in February, and intended for other purposes.
Still, by insisting that legislators rewrite the budget this week to reappropriate the $15 million for public education, Wilder may accomplish a couple of political goals.
First, does anyone remember that this governor called for $150 million in cuts for aid to local schools to help close a $2.2 billion revenue shortfall? Fifteen million doesn't stack up very high next to the $150 million he proposed to take away. But if the last headline is what counts, Wilder can hope - by restoring some money - that he'll be seen as education's protector.
Legislators, who face re-election this fall, also sought that role when they refused to cut school aid as much as Wilder originally proposed. They're in no position to put up a fuss now over the governor's decision to scrap $15 million of their spending priorities in favor of education.
To go along, however, the legislators will effectively concede almost total authority over the budget to Wilder - which is the other of the governor's goals in this budget ploy.
Wilder's national ambitions are tightly hinged to his ability to deal with Virginia's multibillion-dollar budget crisis while maintaining a semblance of progress in areas such as public education. He's orchestrated it to be a one-man show.
True to his promise of last January, Wilder has not hesitated to use his line-item veto power to get his way. He's insisting on removing language in the budget, for example, that would dilute his power to make financial decisions without the advice and consent of the assembly's money committees. The language was inserted after legislators complained that Wilder's dictatorial decisions had usurped their responsibility for state spending.
Wilder contends the oversight language encroaches on his executive responsibilities. If the assembly does not remove it, he is virtually threatening a constitutional fight.
Wilder has also been true to his word in eliminating any new spending programs not matched by new revenue. To get the $15 million, he has scratched a dozen or so new items from the budget bill, has deleted several pet projects of legislators that he deems non-essential, and has restored spending reductions that were in the budget he originally submitted to the assembly.
Again, the money involved is small. The point is that the governor is declaring that the $26 billion budget is his to control. He dares legislators to argue with him.
Most of them, most likely, will not. Wilder has arranged the debate craftily, so that opposing the governor might be seen as opposing restoration of the $15 million for public schools.
Legislators have cause to complain of Wilder's high-handedness and deviousness. In this instance, though, it's to their benefit - as well as the schools' - that they go along. The governor has the upper hand.
by CNB