
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, February 11, 1995                   TAG: 9502130023
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-10   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: MALFOURD "BO" TRUMBO
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

CROSSOVER WEEK AT CAPITOL

This week was marked by crossover and the budget.

Crossover is the deadline proscribed in the Procedural Resolution when all House Bills must be acted on by the House and all Senate bills must be acted on by the Senate, so that they can "cross over" to the other house. The day was full of debate and last minute maneuvering to pass legislation.

However, Crossover Day was overshadowed by the Special and Continuing Order on Thursday, when both houses debated the budget.

The governor's tax cut initiatives having been defeated in committee, the budget provides for a wide range of program restoration that includes many of the cultural and art organizations in our area such as Center in the Square, Explore, Science Museum of Western Virginia and the Virginia Museum of Transportation to name a few. I was pleased to see that the Finance Committee recommended a number of the budget amendments that I submitted.

Radford University was included for funding in the Senate Finance Committee recommendations, but not to the extent that I had hoped.

I was extremely pleased to see the Senate Finance Committee's recombination to restore the 6 percent reduction for those institutions of higher education whose restructuring plans were approved by the State Council of Higher Education and the secretary of education in December [1994] and early January 1995, and I was happy to see the restoration of the 2.25 percent faculty salary increase.

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University's amendment for restoring funding of the Center for Organizational and Technological Advancement at the Hotel Roanoke site was recommended to receive $600,000 in the Senate Budget.

Additionally, the Community Services Board funding, which will retain the Alleghany Office and others, was restored. Cooperative Extension, which is vital to our area, had money restored to its budget as well.

If you have any questions about the budget, I can be reached at the General Assembly Building Room 386. My phone number is (804) 786-6884.

Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1995

by CNB