ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 11, 1996 TAG: 9604110069
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: Associated Press
Gov. George Allen huddled with aides and legal advisers late Wednesday night to figure out what action to take on a budget bill that was missing entire sections.
Allen faced a midnight deadline for acting on bills approved by the 1996 General Assembly.
Ken Stroupe, a spokesman for the governor, said Allen did not receive a complete copy of the amended 1994-96 budget. He said Allen received on Monday only the changes approved in the most recent session.
Stroupe said it appeared the Democrat-controlled legislature was trying to prevent the Republican governor from using his line-item veto authority on portions of the budget that were not changed in the most recent session. The administration believes the governor has such line-item veto authority, Stroupe said.
He said both changes and existing language were presented to Allen's Democratic predecessors.
``We haven't the slightest idea what they're talking about,'' said state Democratic Party spokeswoman Gail Nardi. ``There is no plot, and the dog did not eat the budget.''
The $35 billion budget for 1996-98 was submitted in its entirety, and Allen said he planned to use his line-item veto to make changes in that document.
LENGTH: Short : 35 lines KEYWORDS: GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1996by CNB