Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 17, 1994 TAG: 9402170137
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: WARREN FISKE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
"It was all Democrats," Allen said. ". . . I think they were playing partisan games, and it's unfortunate, because this is not a partisan issue."
By a 55-44 vote Tuesday night, the House agreed to a bill that would postpone until May final action on an aid package for the proposed theme park. Lawmakers argued that they needed more information before deciding whether the state should invest in road upgrading and provide other incentives for development of the proposed $658 million theme park in Prince William County.
Democrats voted 49-3 for the delay, while Republicans voted 40-6 against it. Senate bills on Disney do not include the delay, which Disney has indicated could kill the project.
Allen said Democrats are creating an unfriendly environment for Disney. He touted estimates that the theme park would create as many as 19,000 new jobs and generate $47 million in annual tax revenues for the state by the end of the century.
"If you were a company looking to come to the state, and you listened to the comments of some of the [House] members, well, they don't exactly sound like a welcoming committee," Allen told reporters after a speech to the Virginia Federation of Republican Women.
Allen insisted that delegates have been presented with adequate financial information about the theme park. "The plan to study this until May is simply a dilatory maneuver," he said.
The governor said he is still hopeful that final approval can be won before the General Assembly adjourns March 12. A conference committee will meet next month to iron out House-Senate differences on the bills.
House Democratic leaders displayed little spirit of compromise during a news conference Wednesday. They said the $125 million to $145 million in taxpayer money needed to improve roads for the Disney project may be too much.
"We're not in the business of giveaways," said House Speaker Thomas Moss, D-Norfolk. Moss said he has asked the Southeastern Planning District Commission to examine the impact Disney would have on tourism in Hampton Roads.
"By the time we finish gathering all the facts necessary, I'm certain we'll be able to work out a reasonable compromise that will be both beneficial to the commonwealth and Disney," Moss said.
House Majority Leader Richard Cranwell, D-Roanoke County, added: "The worst thing Virginia can do in the future is make a mistake on Disney. . . . I hope the message to Disney is that this is a businesslike state."
Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1994
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.