
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 15, 1994                    TAG: 9406150006 
SECTION: FRONT                     PAGE: A16    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: Short 
DATELINE: 940615                                 LENGTH:

RETIREES OR PRISONS

{LEAD} Wake up, Virginians. Federal retirees are about to get virtually the same sweetheart deal given to state retirees back in the mid-1980s - a $400 million tax break. It will undoubtedly affect an issue that all Virginians are concerned about - crime.

Next fall, Governor Allen hopes to ``end parole as we know it.'' Such a grand endeavor costs money. I guarantee that paying for the plan (i.e., building prisons, hiring police, etc.) will be difficult. One major reason will be the cost of the payoff to the federal retirees.

{REST} When it comes to choosing where to spend my tax dollars, I vote for building more prisons. I must admit this choice is based in part on my lack of sympathy for federal retirees. The primary reason, however, is simple - building more prisons will benefit (and safeguard) all Virginians rather than a select few.

PAT WILLIAMS

Virginia Beach, May 29, 1994

by CNB