ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, October 9, 1996 TAG: 9610090076
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C4 EDITION: METRO
D-Democrat R-Republican L-Libertarian VIP-Virginia Independent Party/Reform Party
What policy or policies do you advocate that would help Jim Woodford - and others like him - who are concerned that we don't spend enough on education?
FOR U.S. SENATE
Mark Warner (D)
``Education is a local issue, but both the federal government and the business community have a role to play. I have proposed partnerships by which a federal trust fund and private businesses will help finance a program to provide computers wired to the Internet in all of our schools. Unlike my opponent, I support Virginia taking Goals 2000 money because it's millions of dollars to bolster local education initiatives that will help people like Jim Woodford's son.''
John Warner (R)
``Jim Woodford is correct. Education funding is primarily a local and state issue. The federal government provides approximately 10 percent of all money spent on education at the primary and secondary level.'' Also notes that Americans are ``demanding'' a balanced budget. Says he is ``working to ensure that federal education funding is preserved, and that additional federal mandates are not imposed on schools.''
FOR 5TH DISTRICT, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Virgil Goode (D)
``While education is primarily a local and state function, the federal government can help out - though it should do so without strings attached. In Virginia, we have taken action to decrease class sizes in kindergarten through third grade and to put a computer in every classroom. We need to continue that progress while stressing the basics.''
George Landrith (R)
``As a member of the [Albemarle County] School Board, I worked tirelessly to save money in bureaucratic and administrative costs so the savings could be used in the classroom. As a result, we were able to purchase textbooks and computers and provide teachers with the necessary resources. In Congress, I will work to empower local schools and to eliminate the cumbersome strings that the federal government attaches to the money it provides.''
Tex Wood (VIP)
``We in Southside and the mountains will never accept the continuing concentration of federal tax money on urban centers, including for education. We can never spend too much on education, but what we're spending goes to the wrong areas: paying for top-heavy administrations, studies and evaluations teaching no one anything. Basics like books, supplies, and teacher salaries have been ignored too long and at our obvious peril.''
FOR 6TH DISTRICT, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Bob Goodlatte (R)
``Too much of the federal education money is spent on wasteful Washington, D.C., bureaucracy that wants to micromanage our local schools. I've voted to put more money directly into our classrooms where it helps students and teachers do their jobs while also having the needed resources.''
Jeff Grey (D)
``Our schools are our nation's future. Local, state and federal governments are all needed to ensure the best education for our children. Virginia is the only state not participating in Goals 2000. Federal money can help ease our financial burden and help to replace our out-of-date textbooks.''
Jay Rutledge (L)
``The purpose of the process of education is acquisition of knowledge. We already spend too much on the process for the amount of purpose achieved. In a free market, competition for individual choice regulates spending and performance. I propose public funding for a free market in K-12 education.''
FOR 9TH DISTRICT, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Rick Boucher (D)
''Education is the best investment that we make as a society in our future quality of life and economic success, and more funding should be provided by the federal government for the basic education block grant.'' Decisions on operating schools should be left to the states and localities but federal funding should increase.
Patrick Muldoon (R)
``Education must be a priority. Federal spending translates into federal control over our schools, imposing costly and burdensome regulations which require teachers to spend valuable time on paperwork better spent in the classroom. Federal block grants to states, however, allow communities to tailor educational programs to meet individual students' needs.''
Tom Roberts (VIP)
``This is not a congressional issue. Personally I believe that on a state and county basis, good public K-12 education is the best local investment a community can make. The lion's share of funding for K-12 education originates from local property taxes, almost no funding comes from the federal government.''
LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICS CONGRESSby CNB