ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, March 25, 1997 TAG: 9703250113
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY REED THE ROANOKE TIMES
Roanoke-area legislators cry petty politics and suggest an attempt in April to override the veto.
Gov. George Allen on Monday blocked for the second year in a row any chance Roanoke's College of Health Sciences would get $700,000 in state funds.
"I'm sorry to hear he's doing that," said Del. Vic Thomas, D-Roanoke, calling the college an economic development tool for all of Southwest Virginia.
The College of Health Sciences, which will lose financial support from Carilion Health System in May, had asked for state help to make the transition to a self-sustaining operation.
The General Assembly put the money into the budget as a contingency appropriation, to be given only if tax revenues exceed projections.
The governor had threatened during the assembly session to veto any contingency appropriations. He said the budget provision sidestepped formal actions localities must take to apply for economic-development assistance from the state.
Roanoke Valley legislators said Allen's reasons were political and had nothing to do with economic-development principles.
The health-sciences appropriation was sponsored by Del. Richard Cranwell, D-Vinton, who said the measure was identical to one approved last year for Southern Seminary College, now Southern Virginia College, in Buena Vista.
"It's unfortunate that the College of Health Sciences, innocent folks, have to get hurt by petty politics," Cranwell said.
The veto sets the stage for a possible attempt to override when the General Assembly reconvenes in April.
If that doesn't happen, "We'll get it [passed] next year, when we'll probably have somebody reasonable as governor," said Del. Clifton "Chip" Woodrum, D-Roanoke.
Harry Nickens, president of the College of Health Sciences, said the veto won't shut down the school.
However, last year's veto meant no one at the college got a pay raise. And some jobs needed for the transition went unfilled. There will be no expanded program offerings, and the current staff will keep doing what it's been doing, Nickens said.
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