Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 1, 1994 TAG: 9410030064
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LAURENCE HAMMACK AND LAURA LaFAY STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: RICHMOND NOTE: LEDE LENGTH: Medium
The General Assembly on Friday finished work on a deal to end parole and to reform sentencing without appropriating the money Gov. George Allen says he needs to implement it.
The plan could cost taxpayers up to $2.2 billion over the next 10 years, according to a legislative study. During a special session that began last week, Allen asked lawmakers to approve $367 million in bonds just to get started. But by the end of the session Friday, he had only $56.5 million and assurances that the General Assembly will think about the rest of the money later.
The question of funding could set the stage for a major fight when legislators return to Richmond in January.
Republicans say their colleagues have a mandate to fund the new crime bill now that they have approved it, and that means giving Allen the non-voter-approved bonds he wants.
"We have a commitment from both sides of the aisle to fund it," said Sen. Kenneth Stolle, R-Virginia Beach. "If they don't do that, this would be a charade."
But some Democrats insist that voters should have the final say in a bond issue that lists the specific site and cost of each new prison.
House Majority Leader Richard Cranwell, D-Roanoke County, has worried about funding the plan since Allen unveiled it.
"The sentiment in the House is, if we do any debt at all, it should be by voter approval," he said.
Allen, who based his campaign last year on a promise to abolish parole and cut crime, says he is confident that funding for the plan will survive next year's political maelstrom. He called Friday "a great day for Virginia."
"What is significant about this is that, by the actions of the General Assembly, Virginia has restored truth, honesty and accountability to our criminal justice system," he said.
Under the bill, parole will be abolished for all those convicted of felonies committed after Jan 1. Prisoners will serve at least 85 percent of their sentences, and violent and repeat offenders will serve sentences up to five times longer than they do now.
"Ten years from now, there are going to be hundreds of people walking the streets in Virginia who would otherwise be dead if we hadn't passed this legislation," Stolle said.
Although House Speaker Thomas Moss, D-Norfolk, characterized the bill as a bipartisan effort and Democrats congratulated themselves about how well they had worked with Republicans to improve the original Allen version of the bill, some Republicans muttered that the victory was mostly theirs.
"Yes, it was a bipartisan effort," said Del. Frank Hargrove, R-Glen Allen. "But make no mistake about it - the opposition was solidly Democratic."
With the exception of Del. Jay DeBoer, D-Petersburg, the only opponents of the Allen bill were black Democrats. The House voted 89-7; the Senate tally was 34-4. The bill's few opponents had complained that it is punitive and racist, and does nothing to address the root causes of crime.
All of the Roanoke and New River valleys' legislators supported the bill, including Del. Clifton "Chip" Woodrum, D-Roanoke, who had voted against it Thursday. Woodrum said he changed his vote after being assured by other lawmakers that his concerns about funding for additional prevention programs will be taken up next year.
Asked Friday if he has any future plan for preventive programs, Allen said: "We'll see."
Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1994
by CNB