THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 13, 1994 TAG: 9408130319
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: ROANOKE LENGTH: Short : 34 lines
Independent U.S. Senate candidate L. Douglas Wilder said Friday he would work to cut federal red tape and might support elimination of the U.S. Department of Education.
Wilder questioned the need for the agency, which President Carter established and President Reagan tried to dismantle.
``I certainly favor more direct grants and less regulation and bureaucracy,'' Wilder said. ``It does require a re-looking whether in fact there is a need for it.''
Wilder said that in 1990, his first year as governor, the state cut the layers of administration in education from eight to three.
``I haven't heard anybody saying we miss this or we miss that or we want our five layers of bureaucracy back,'' Wilder said.
Before walking through a mall department store in Roanoke and greeting customers and employees, Wilder promoted his management of state finances during a news conference at Radford University.
Wilder said he inherited a $2.2 billion state budget shortfall but was determined to maintain the excellence and diversity of higher education and still not raise taxes.
KEYWORDS: U.S. SENATE RACE CANDIDATE CAMPAIGN by CNB