Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 7, 1995 TAG: 9502070101
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ROBERT LITTLE AND DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: RICHMOND NOTE: STRIP LENGTH: Medium
Intent on forcing the General Assembly to take a second look at his rejected proposals, Gov. George Allen has broken tradition in a defiant exercise in partisan brinkmanship.
Assembly veterans say Allen is the first chief executive in memory to use his executive authority to revive bills by sending them directly to the floor of the Senate and House of Delegates.
``I cannot recall a previous instance where a bill was sent down by a governor after the cutoff date for the primary purpose of putting everyone on record for or against a measure,'' said Bedford Del. Lacey Putney, the assembly's lone Independent and its senior member, having served since 1962.
There is little chance the bills will do better on the floor than they did in committees, but Allen is intent on forcing recorded votes that could be used against Democrats when all 140 seats in the legislature come up for election this fall.
The Republican chief executive is drawing the battle lines as starkly as possible: Either he is totally repudiated and the Democrats retain power in the assembly; or he succeeds in depicting Democrats as obstructionists and leads the GOP to its first-ever majority.
Past governors have used their legislative prerogative to offer bills past the usual deadline, but typically only in emergencies - such as when bills with errors had been enacted and needed to be overturned.
Allen, however, has used the authority to send down his tax cut proposal and a bill diverting lottery proceeds to localities.
Democrats, who easily defeated the lottery bill Monday, think the governor is wasting everyone's time.
``There's a name for all that stuff coming down from upstairs: litter,'' said Del. Jay DeBoer, D-Petersburg.
Senate Majority Leader Hunter Andrews of Hampton said Allen clearly has the authority to send down legislation. ``I'll defend his right,'' Andrews said. ``Whether he helps himself by doing it is another question.''
Ken Stroupe, Allen's press secretary, suggested the legislature may receive other proposals, such as welfare reform.
``Let the chips fall where they may,'' Stroupe said. ``But at least let us have some accountability'' by getting a recorded vote on key issues that have been killed in committee.
While Democrats consider the move a type of political foul play, Republicans defend it.
``I'd be surprised if [the bills] didn't come down,'' said Sen. John Chichester, R-Fredericksburg.
Unlike last year, when the legislature struck bipartisan deals ending parole, refunding money to retirees and welcoming the Walt Disney Co. to Virginia, this year has become one of finger-pointing and partisan posturing.
The legislators say the governor's trying to steamroll them; the governor says the legislators won't compromise.
Meanwhile, the Feb. 25 end of the lawmaking session approaches, and the only dialogue between the two sides consists of exchanging insults.
``Contrary to the best traditions of the commonwealth, present communications between the legislative and executive branches are virtually nonexistent,'' wrote the top two Democrats in the House of Delegates, in a letter addressed to Allen on Sunday.
``Our only source of information has been your almost daily bashing of us as `fat cats,' `big government dinosaurs' and `elitists' in the media and the newspapers,'' continued House Speaker Thomas Moss of Norfolk and Majority Leader Richard Cranwell of Roanoke County.
Democratic leaders in the Senate sent the governor a similar message.
``We have been told that you intend to `knock their (i.e. our) soft teeth down their whiny throats,''' wrote Andrews and President Pro Tempore Stanley Walker of Norfolk, referring to a comment Allen made at last year's statewide Republican convention.
``Again, hardly dignified language coming from our distinguished governor.''
Both chambers met longer than usual Monday, the day before the legislative ``crossover'' deadline for all bills except the budget. After today, any bill that cleared one house will be up for consideration in the other.
Keywords:
GENERAL ASSSEMBLY 1995
by CNB