Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 8, 1993 TAG: 9310080248
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
Democrat Mary Sue Terry also tried to link Republican George Allen to the religious right and said he advocated "change that will move our state back and to the right."
Allen repeatedly attacked "Robb-Wilder-Terry policies" developed during the last 12 years of Democratic rule in Richmond.
"You expect your leaders to set an example for your children," Allen said. "We're all sick of the petty bickering and the scandals while the people's business goes unattended."
Terry said she is the most trustworthy candidate and urged the viewers to call a toll-free telephone number to get substantiation of her debate comments.
"You decide for yourself which candidate is leveling with you," she said.
After the debate, Allen said, "I got a kick out of her 1-800-dodge issue."
Both candidates promised to close a projected $500 million state budget shortfall by cutting spending. Terry said she would collect $400 million in unpaid taxes and fines, and she suggested that people who haven't paid could lose their drivers' licenses.
"You could have done that as attorney general," Allen shot back.
He said his proposal to make welfare recipients perform community service for their benefits could save $134 million over five years.
He and Terry both called for studies to review government waste.
Allen said Terry is "very happy with our lenient liberal parole system," while he wants to abolish parole.
But Terry said her parole reform plan "is toughest on the tough" and would keep violent offenders behind bars.
She said Allen's plan would require 52 new prisons in Virginia. "Apart from the cost, I don't know whose back yard those prisons are going to go in," she said.
She repeatedly pitched her support of a five-day waiting period for handgun purchases.
Allen said spending to control crime must be a priority. He said prisoners could separate trash in landfills and do other work to save the state money.
The panel of reporters for the debate at television station WWBT asked the candidates to promise to keep negative attacks to a minimum during the remaining four weeks of the campaign, but neither directly responded.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB