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

DATE: MONDAY, August 16, 1993                   TAG: 9308160113
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE                                LENGTH: Medium

ALLEN CRITICIZES MANDATES; TERRY WOULD GIVE HELP

Republican George Allen characterized the state government under Democratic leadership as a "meddling nanny" and promised Sunday to end unfunded local government mandates if elected governor.

When it was her turn to speak to about 900 locally elected government officials, Democratic candidate Mary Sue Terry pledged to give them more hands-on help from state government and to foster regional cooperation.

"We need to give local officials more support from Richmond, not more red tape," Terry said.

All six candidates for statewide office appeared before the annual Local Government Officials Conference. They didn't debate, but gave standard stump speeches slightly tailored to the audience.

The Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, Mike Farris, also criticized state regulations imposed on local governments.

He recounted the complaints he received from a mayor in Southwest Virginia who had to spend most of the funds allocated to build a sewer line on engineering studies required by the state. And he said a Northern Virginia farmer had to obtain 19 permits before he could begin raising pigs.

"Regulation is not only killing local governments in Virginia, it's killing business in Virginia," he said.

Allen said during the past 12 years with Democratic governors, state spending has grown 143 percent and the number of state regulations and other requirements imposed on local governments has increased.

During the past two years, 29 new mandates have been imposed on local governments. Only 32 percent of the state requirements now include state funds to carry them out, he said.

Allen said Virginia should follow the lead of 15 other states and require reimbursement to local governments for state mandates.

Terry said state government needs to be streamlined so it's an asset rather than a roadblock to local development.

She said she would put someone in the governor's office whose "chief responsibility will be to work with local governments and address their concerns in a substantive way."

Keywords:
POLITICS

by CNB