ON THE ROAD, SENATORS HEAR SUPPORT FOR ARTS

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

DATE: SUNDAY, January 12, 1992                   TAG: 9201120193
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: D4????????????????   EDITION: NEW RIVER 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NORFOLK                                LENGTH: Short
ON THE ROAD, SENATORS HEAR SUPPORT FOR ARTS
Mental health, libraries, movies and the arts got a huge outpouring of public support Saturday as the General Assembly's money committees wrapped up a series of on-the-road hearings on the state budget.
More than 400 people signed up to speak at the hearing at Norfolk City Hall, the third in three days for the Senate Finance and House Appropriations committees on Gov. Douglas Wilder's proposed $28 billion spending plan for 1992-94.
The budget has drawn considerable interest because of massive shifts in spending that will provide higher education aid while making drastic cuts elsewhere to close a recession-based $500 million revenue gap.
The number of speakers in Norfolk was somewhat larger than at hearings Thursday in Wytheville and Friday in Falls Church, and the overflow crowd had to be shuttled in groups on elevators to the 11th floor hearing room.
Wilder's proposals to eliminate the staff of the Virginia Commission for the Arts and slash funding to public libraries, public broadcasting and the Virginia Film Office brought a number of protests.
Robert E. Brown, a member of the arts commission, and other supporters of arts funding said state money generates federal and private contributions to such endeavors and helps improve the quality of life that is important in recruiting new economic development.
As for libraries, "the governor seems to have overlooked the vital role that public libraries play in the educational system," said Patsy Hansel of Williamsburg.
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB