Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 17, 1993 TAG: 9302170278
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B3 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: GREG SCHNEIDER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
SENATE PANEL BLOCKS BILL TO LIMIT POLITICAL DONATIONS
Campaign-finance reform fizzled like a choirboy in a punk band Tuesday as a state Senate committee blocked the only remaining bill that could have limited donations to politicians.Sponsored by Del. Glenn Croshaw, D-Virginia Beach, the measure had won unanimous approval from the House of Delegates. It failed in the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee, which several weeks ago throttled a similar measure proposed by Sen. Yvonne Miller, D-Norfolk.
In both cases, committee members said the issue was too complex to decide quickly and should be referred to a study committee. Every political-ethics bill to come before the Senate this year has been shunted to the same study.
The issue already has been studied, and recently. A contribution cap and other reforms were proposed last fall by an ethics task force. But because Gov. Douglas Wilder neglected to include lawmakers on the panel he appointed, the Senate has insisted on its own inquiry.
"We're disappointed," said Glenn Davidson, Wilder's press secretary. "We find it particularly surprising, considering the assurances we were given . . . earlier, that ethics reform was important enough to pass something this year."
Croshaw was more conciliatory.
"I'm not disappointed. We've taken a step forward, put the issue out there. It's going to pass [next year], but we'll do it in a thoughtful way," he said.
Virginia puts no limit on donations to political candidates. Croshaw's bill applied only to state House and Senate races, capping individual contributions at $1,000 each for primaries and general elections. Political-action committees and corporations could have donated $2,500 each.
The Senate committee's first reaction Tuesday to the proposal was indignation that senators and delegates would be subject to the same cap. Each senator represents 155,000 people and serves a four-year term, while a delegate represents 60,000 and runs every two years.
"The cost of running a Senate campaign is considerably more than a House campaign," said Sen. Hunter Andrews, D-Hampton. "This means you all can get $1,000 for two years while we can only get it for four years. I submit that that is entirely not fair."
Croshaw conceded that Andrews' point was worthy of consideration and did not object when the bill was referred to the study committee.
Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1993