ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, February 2, 1997 TAG: 9702030069
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
TYPE: GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1997
SOURCE: WARREN FISKE STAFF WRITER
THE TWO MEN who want to lead Virginia are pushing different ideas in the General Assembly.
They don't socialize together, and they've never really sat down to talk, but Lt. Gov. Don Beyer and Attorney General Jim Gilmore say they have a lot of disagreements they want to air this year.
Democrat Beyer and Republican Gilmore are their parties' presumptive nominees for governor in this fall's election, and some critical differences in policy and style have begun to emerge during this winter's General Assembly session.
"A lot depends on experience," says Gilmore, who notes that as attorney general he supervises a staff of 130 lawyers. "This is a big operation that guides policy throughout the state." Beyer, he adds, "just comes in and presides over the Senate when it's in session."
Beyer, a Northern Virginia car dealer seeking to become Virginia's first nonlawyer governor in 40 years, has a different fix on the experience question.
"Lawyers like my opponent want to pass laws," he says. "As a businessman, I'm more interested in making long-term investments. I'm interested in prevention of problems. I haven't seen that emphasis from [Gilmore]. He's more interested in solutions that turn the spigot off temporarily."
Beyer, 46, is an expansive thinker who often sees policy problems as complex and inter-connected and seldom offers simple solutions. He's approachable, low-key and likes to put people at ease with a self-effacing sense of humor.
Gilmore, 47, has a trenchant mind adept at identifying problems and solutions. He's direct, hard-working, seldom smiling and known as a efficient and caring administrator.
The difference in style was evident in interviews last week when each candidate was asked to address the upcoming race. Beyer became instantly engaged, while Gilmore initially resisted, noting that he had not formally announced his candidacy.
One of the candidates' sharpest differences is about the best way to keep cigarettes out of the mouths of young people. Gilmore believes the responsibility should lie with the state, while Beyer believes it should rest with the federal government.
Gilmore has proposed legislation that would put the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Department in charge of enforcing tobacco laws. He is seeking to double the penalty against merchants who sell cigarettes to minors to $500.
Beyer has accused Gilmore of grandstanding with the proposal. He and other Democrats say that the ABC has always been in charge of enforcing tobacco laws, but has "never sought a conviction of an adult selling tobacco to a minor."
He notes that Gilmore is not seeking more ABC agents to monitor tobacco sales and questioned the effectiveness of "doubling the fine on a law that's never enforced."
Beyer's solution is to rely on federal proposals to outlaw cigarette vending machines, ban tobacco advertising targeted to youths and require anyone younger than 27 purchasing cigarettes to furnish identification.
"This debate over tobacco cuts to the difference between us on how leadership should be provided," Gilmore says. "Don Beyer says we should rely on the FDA [the federal Food and Drug Administration]. I don't believe the FDA has the authority to do this. ... This is a problem that Virginia should deal with, and I think the ABC can provide the best possible enforcement."
Beyer and Gilmore also disagreed sharply on a proposed state constitutional amendment that would have given parents a "fundamental right" to "direct the upbringing and education of their children." The matter narrowly failed last week in the state Senate.
Gilmore supported the amendment, saying it was a much-needed affirmation of parental rights. Beyer opposed it, arguing that the seemingly innocuous proposal could bury schools in an avalanche of lawsuits from socially conservative parents.
"This is a fundamental disagreement between us because the attorney general aligned himself with the most socially extreme elements in our polity," Beyer said, noting that the Christian Coalition and home-schooling advocates supported the amendment.
Gilmore replied: "I think there were a lot of hysterical scare tactics being used against the amendment. I looked at the parade of horribles people were trotting out, and they just weren't true. I think it's a very mainstream idea to affirm the rights of parents in the Virginia constitution."
|n n| Of course, the two candidates don't disagree on everything.
They are endorsing similar proposals to help make state colleges more affordable to Virginians.
Beyer is promoting legislation that would make scholarships available to community college students who maintain B averages.
Gilmore is pledging to create a program that would make $2,000 a year in undergraduate scholarships available to Virginians who graduate from high school with B averages and good conduct records. This is not part of his legislative package, but will be part of his campaign platform.
Each is promoting safe-classroom legislation. Gilmore is seeking to require mandatory jail time for any student found guilty of assaulting a teacher; Beyer wants to give teachers greater ability to remove disruptive students from classes.
Beyer's and Gilmore's legislative agendas also reflect different priorities. Gilmore, a former Henrico County prosecutor, is concentrating on law-and-order issues. He is seeking to toughen penalties for burning churches and dealing drugs.
Beyer is seeking $8.3 million to help localities across the state hire 1,000 more police officers. But he is more focused on social and business issues. He is opposing GOP efforts to weaken day care regulations, and he is seeking tax credits for companies that provide technical retraining for employees.
What's the one thing they want voters to keep in mind this winter?
"The biggest difference between the attorney general and me is our vision for Virginia," Beyer said. "I have a vision of Virginia moving forward, as a place where kids can get an education second to none. ... I can't tell you what the competing vision is. It's just a collection of bills, and I don't know how they hang together."
Gilmore said: "This race is going to be about whether people of the commonwealth will continue to be in charge of their lives. ... We here are more willing to stand up for Virginians when the federal government comes in and tries to impinge on lives, and Don Beyer is more willing to trust the federal government."
LENGTH: Long : 124 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshots) 1. Don Beyer\Lieutenant governor. 2. Jimby CNBGilmore\Attorney general. Graphic: Chart: Beyer vs. Gilmore: Where's
the money coming from. KEYWORDS: MGR POLITICS GOVERNOR