Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, February 21, 1994 TAG: 9402210017
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Rob Eure
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
Despite his campaign rhetoric about bringing a revolution to state government, Gov. George Allen has not offered much in the way of sweeping reform.
The first Republican governor in a dozen years has yet to present his program for eliminating parole or redesigning welfare. He made only minor changes to the state budget. And his first big test has come on the sweetheart deal he offered Walt Disney Co., familiar turf to the state's big-business-friendly establishment.
Last week, however, his Disney effort ran into trouble in the House of Delegates at the hands of young turk Democrats who quietly are challenging one of the oldest traditions in Richmond. They want to open the vault within which senior Democrats traditionally have made money decisions.
The turks embraced Hillsville Democrat Tom Jackson's move to delay final approval of the $125 million to $145 million Disney aid package until a special session in May.
Disney doesn't like the delay. Neither does Allen. But the turks' real target is senior budget-writers.
The floor debate brought warnings from Disney backers that delay would jeopardize the $600 million Disney's America theme park in Northern Virginia.
More than warnings - real threats - were delivered in private by House Appropriations Chairman Robert Ball of Richmond, who promised punishment in the state budget for delegates who bucked the Disney package recommended by his committee.
Ball is following traditions set by his predecessors: Power in the legislature is held by those who control the money.
Before most of today's lawmakers reached Richmond - but no so long ago - Virginia's budget was crafted by the governor and sent to the House Appropriations Committee, where senior members massaged it.
"I've heard not even all the members of the committee could get in the meetings," Jackson said. "They had an armed guard at the door, and regular legislators couldn't go in. You'd show up at the door and give the guard your budget amendments to hand inside. They'd tell you to come back in a few days to see how you did."
For the past few years, the young turks, mostly junior members spearheaded by Jackson and Glenn Croshaw of Virginia Beach, have been questioning the wisdom of the budget czars.
Two years ago, the young turks threatened to hold up any vote on the budget if the leadership didn't change the rules, expanding the time they have to examine the document before voting on it. They also killed a leadership-backed bill to borrow for new state facilities in favor of a larger one crafted - for the first time for any of them - with their input. Eventually, their efforts buckled under pressure from then-Gov. Douglas Wilder and their leaders, but their power to stop business as usual had been demonstrated.
As in previous battles for opening up the money process, the young turks got help from the Republican minority.
"What I've found out in doing this," Jackson said. "is that there are a whole lot more people oppressed by the system than those that do the oppressing."
Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1994
by CNB