ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, April 17, 1996 TAG: 9604180002
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITER
When the General Assembly reconvenes today for its veto session, it will tackle a long slate of proposals by Gov. George Allen, including line-item vetoes of four budget items, vetoes of nine bills and amendments to 160 individual pieces of legislation.
One of the most contested issues will be Allen's veto of budget language requiring him to apply for $6.7 million in federal Goals 2000 funds, if 85 local school districts petition his administration for the money.
An independent statewide poll released Tuesday suggests that nearly half of Virginians believe Allen is wrong to refuse the money.
Democrats said the survey by Mason-Dixon Political/Media Research confirmed their contention that Allen's ideological opposition to Goals 2000 is out of touch with the state's political mainstream.
``The message to Allen is, `Stop the foolishness and get on with the business of making our schools better,''' said Gail Nardi, a Democratic spokeswoman.
But Allen officials argued that the poll is meaningless because people surveyed were given information that put Goals 2000 in a favorable light.
Ken Stroupe, Allen's press secretary, wondered aloud what the results might have been if the question had been worded to include the administration's fears that Goals 2000 would lead to federal intrusion into state education decisions.
The Goals 2000 debate takes place against the backdrop of a constitutional dispute over the governor's power under his line-item veto authority.
The state constitution allows the governor to veto specific ``items'' in the budget. Democratic legislators - backed by some constitutional experts - say this means the governor can erase dollar amounts, but not language in the budget that contains directives, but no dollar amounts.
Because Goals 2000 is a language amendment, House Speaker Thomas Moss, D-Norfolk, could rule Allen's veto is inappropriate - thus setting up an almost certain court battle between the executive and legislative branches of government.
Moss said Tuesday that he had not decided what to do. He acknowledged that some Democrats, convinced that Allen is pursuing a losing policy, have urged him to force a vote on Goals 2000.
Among the less contentious issues today is an Allen amendment to keep anti-fishing protestors stranded at the pier.
The revision of an unrelated drunken-boating bill would prohibit people from operating a watercraft in a ``willful and intentional manner to impede the lawful fishing for any species of fish or shellfish.'' That would make it illegal for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to launch boats off Virginia Beach this summer to discourage sport fishing.
``Fishermen take this very seriously; protestors would be interfering in their livelihood in some cases,'' said Julie Overy, an Allen spokeswoman.
The anti-PETA amendment is expected to pass today.
The Allen-Democrat showdown over Goals 2000 is in marked contrast to the relative harmony of the General Assembly session that ended last month.
That truce helped both sides improve their public standing.
The Mason-Dixon poll showed that 58 percent of Virginians rate Allen's performance as excellent or good - up from 54 percent in October and the highest during his 27-month term.
The General Assembly's rating was 39 percent, up from 32 percent following the tumultuous 1995 session.
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines KEYWORDS: GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1996by CNB