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

DATE: THURSDAY, March 23, 1995                   TAG: 9503230096
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ROBERT LITTLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Medium

ALLEN SAYS LEGISLATORS MIGHT KEEP NEW POLICE OFF DUTY

State officials say that without that money, a new class of cadets would not be able to begin its scheduled training in August - keeping as many as 75 new troopers off the streets. Col. Wayne Huggins, superintendent of the state police, said those troopers are needed for the state Violent Crimes Strike Force and for drug interdiction programs.

``I hope that the General Assembly will correct the mistake,'' Allen said at the state police training center. ``I hope they will act responsibly. We will give them another at-bat.''

He called the budget passed by the legislature ``misguided'' and ``ill-conceived'' for eliminating the state police money.

Democrats were quick to lash out at the governor's announcement, calling his premise that legislators were cutting troopers a political scare tactic.

Del. Clifton ``Chip'' Woodrum, D-Roanoke, said the legislature never intended to cut 75 state troopers. The proposed cuts included saving $800,000 by grounding the state helicopter, $500,000 by eliminating certain meal allowances for state troopers and $150,000 by eliminating a reimbursement for troopers' home telephones, Woodrum said.

But that came as a surprise to Huggins and state Secretary of Public Safety Jerry Kilgore, both of whom said they were never given any direction about how the General Assembly's $1.7 million cut would materialize.

``I even asked,'' said Huggins, who said he lobbied lawmakers as they crafted their final budget plan. ``When I see a specific cut like that, it suggests to me that someone has a plan. But one was never conveyed to me.

``What we proposed [under the legislature's budget] was what we deemed necessary.''

Allen, required by law to sign a balanced budget, would not say where he will find the money to finance the addition, noting only that ``obviously, we're going to have to reduce funding elsewhere.''

He will make his pitch for the state police funds in the form of a budget amendment presented during the legislature's special veto session April 5.

After Wednesday's announcement, Allen said he plans to sign a bill making it easier for Virginians to carry concealed weapons, assuring that at least some form of the measure will become law.

Allen said he plans to offer amendments to the bill, but would not elaborate - except to say he will not propose amendments excluding certain localities, as officials in some urban areas have requested.

Despite his amendments, Allen said he will not tamper with the proposed law's basic premise: that state residents no longer be required to prove they need protection to get a license to carry a concealed weapon.

``This has nothing to do with politics, it has to do with my beliefs,'' said Allen, responding to criticism that the concealed-weapons bill has become a crusade for otherwise-rebuffed Republicans this year.

``I feel even more strongly than ever that this is a good law,'' he said. ``I don't feel it will put the police in danger. I don't think there's any evidence of that.''