Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 6, 1992 TAG: 9202060323
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: From staff reports
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
TRUCK LOBBY CASH MADE LITTLE DENT
Big bucks and big trucks are renowned for their intrusiveness.Money, few would argue, often dominates the legislative process in a manner not unlike the way roaring 18-wheelers sometimes take over the road.
But initial indications are that big bucks could not have had significant impact on the House of Delegates vote Monday that would enable big trucks to cruise rural interstates at 65 mph.
The trucking industry, which for decades has been one of the most powerful lobbies in the General Assembly, watched its purse closely in last year's legislative campaigns.
A computer data base of contributions to the 140 senators and delegates, prepared by The Virginian-Pilot and Ledger-Star of Norfolk, indicates that trucking interests gave just $15,940 to House members last year and $12,425 to senators.
Only 40 of the 100 delegates and 23 of the 40 senators reported any donations from trucking interests.
Among 21 types of businesses whose contributions were included in the data base, only agricultural interests donated less to the legislators. Health care providers, including doctors, hospitals and nursing homes, were the most generous contributors. They donated almost $269,000 to delegates and more than $196,000 to senators.
The trucking industry's favorite legislators, judging from its contributions, were Sen. Stanley Walker, D-Norfolk, who reported $1,650 in trucking donations, and Del. Franklin Hall, D-Richmond, who received $1,500. Del. Pete Giesen, R-Augusta, who introduced the bill to raise the speed limit for trucks on rural interstates to 65 mph, was among the biggest recipients of truck money - he got $1,000.
In Tuesday's House vote on the 65 mph limit, recipients of trucking contributions were in abundance on both sides of the issue. The 58 delegates voting for the higher limit received a total of $9,790 in industry donations; the 41 who opposed it received $5,650. One member who didn't vote, Richard Fisher, R-Vienna, received $500.
The speed-limit bill must now be passed by the Senate and signed by Gov. Douglas Wilder in order to become law.
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.