Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 28, 1994 TAG: 9401280188
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
"Good morning, Virginia," Allen said as he opened the hour-long show aired from WRVA and offered to more than 60 stations statewide on the Virginia News Network.
The first caller had a less friendly greeting for the governor. He wanted to know whether Allen supports fellow Republican Oliver North for the U.S. Senate, even though North was convicted of felonies in the Iran-Contra scandal.
"I will support our nominee," Allen said. "I'm not going to get into the details of his trials."
North was convicted of lying to Congress about the arms-for-hostages deal, but the convictions were overturned on appeal. He and former Reagan administration budget chief Jim Miller are vying for the GOP nomination for Democratic Sen. Charles Robb's seat.
The second caller chided the governor for sending letters to 450 state employees last month, asking that they resign and reapply for their jobs in the Allen administration.
One of those letters went to her son, a state employee for 23 years, the caller said. "He was devastated. The whole family was destroyed for the holidays," she said.
"I'm sorry for the distress as far as your holiday season," Allen said. But he defended his actions, saying he will keep the most qualified people who share his philosophy of government.
The governor had no specific answer for a single mother of a handicapped child who said she is worried about losing health benefits in six months because she is going off welfare. Her ex-husband has refused to pay child support, she said.
"I'm making less now working than I was on welfare," she said.
Allen said he believes fathers should pay child support, and his welfare reform task force will have recommendations in a year.
On another issue, Allen said he has not decided whether to support a bill to allow riverboat gambling, but he noted that he backed the lottery and horse racing.
He used several responses to callers' questions to plug his proposals on crime, education, regulatory reform and economic incentives to help Walt Disney Co. build a theme park in Prince William County.
Afterward, Allen defended his plan for a $142 million road bond package for Disney that would not have to be approved by the voters.
Allen, who supports allowing citizens to vote on proposed laws through ballot initiatives, said a vote on the bond package "would take too long."
"This has to be decided soon," he said. "We need to go forward on it."
At a luncheon speech to small-business owners, Allen urged them to lobby legislators on his anti-crime package that would abolish parole for violent offenders and lengthen some sentences.
"I need you to make them feel the heat. Let them know that the small-business people of Virginia want their government to protect them from violent criminals," he said.
by CNB