Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 26, 1995 TAG: 9501260132
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
Do they support their party's governor, or do they heed voters back home who may lose state services?
A look at budget amendments sought by lawmakers show that many Republicans want to reverse some of Allen's spending cuts and even stick in money for other pet projects:
$1.48 million to restore grants for public television (Sen. William Wampler Jr. of Bristol).
$30,000 to hire coyote trappers in Highland County (Sen. Malfourd ``Bo'' Trumbo of Fincastle).
$10.4 million to reverse cuts in dropout prevention grants (Sen. John Chichester of Fredericksburg).
$300,000 to spiff up the beach at Smith Mountain Lake State Park (Del. Allen Dudley of Rocky Mount).
Democratic lawmakers, of course, have plenty of their own spending requests. But House Majority Leader Richard Cranwell, a Democrat from Roanoke County, noted that many GOP lawmakers now espousing spending cuts have a long tradition of looking after their constituents.
Del. Tommy Baker, a Republican from Radford, said obligations to his constituents led him to submit a $3.7 million wish list to the House Appropriations Committee. Most of the money would go to reverse the cuts Allen wants to make at Radford University.
``They are a very large employer in my district,'' Baker said.
Some Republicans balanced their requests for money with offsetting cuts in other parts of the budget.
To pay for an inmate drug counseling program that would be held aboard a seagoing ship, Del. Robert McDonnell of Virginia Beach proposed cutting lottery advertising and administrative staff at the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
In other business, local government officials squared off with business owners at a public hearing on Allen's proposal to phase out the business, professional and occupation license tax imposed by localities.
The proposal got panned by elected officials from Roanoke, Roanoke County and Salem, who said that schools and other essential services in their localities could suffer if they lose local tax revenue.
Fuzzy Minnix, chairman of the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors, said he was skeptical that the state would keep its promise to hold localities harmless by providing $300 million a year in state funds. Roanoke County could lose $3.4 million, Minnix said.
Roanoke Councilman John Edwards said the tax generates $8.16 million a year in Roanoke and is a proven, growing source of revenue.
``The city of Roanoke is poised to take off,'' Edwards said. ``Don't clip our wings by repealing BPOL.''
Cranwell - who presided over the hearing as chairman of the House Finance Committee - made it clear that the tax cut will face rough sledding when it comes up for a vote in the panel next week.
Cranwell was adamant that Allen's plan was unfair to rural counties that do not have a local gross receipts tax. Cranwell noted that residents of these poor areas would help foot the bill for the state's $300 million annual subsidy, but get no benefits.
Cranwell said a vote on legislation is likely next Wednesday.
Allen claims Democrats are plotting to kill his tax cuts in committee to provide political cover for their colleagues. All 140 legislative seats are up for election in November.
Cranwell, who denied any such agreement, became agitated when Sandy Bowen of the state Chamber of Commerce said keeping the proposal from coming to the floor would ``make a mockery of the process.''
``Stop right there,'' Cranwell said. ``That's pure political baloney. How many times as a lobbyist have you asked me to kill a bill you oppose in committee?''
``Plenty,'' Bowen replied.
Allen complained again Wednesday that Democrats are trying to bottle up his proposals.
``Let them take a stand. Don't use some ruse, don't use some parliamentary procedure to let it stand in some committee,'' he said.
Elsewhere at the General Assembly on Wednesday, two Republicans pushed for an amendment to the state constitution that reaffirms the rights of parents.
Sen. Stephen Martin of Chesterfield and Clifton Del. James O'Brien said the government is too intrusive on parents who are trying to raise their children their own way.
``It's a simple and direct statement of a basic right,'' Martin said. ``Parents, not government, raise children.''
They said the amendment would give parents greater discretion in such matters as keeping their children from receiving free condoms in school.
Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1995
by CNB