THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 2, 1995 TAG: 9502020398
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARGARET EDDS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
Gov. George F. Allen's battered legislative agenda took more blows Wednesday as three former governors - two of them Republicans - challenged his spending plans and the Senate reversed a sex-education victory.
In a six-paragraph letter countering Allen's call for a tax cut and reduced government spending, former Republican Govs. Mills E. Godwin Jr. and Linwood Holton and former Democratic Gov. Gerald L. Baliles defended Virginia's ``strong bipartisan tradition of careful fiscal management and low taxation.''
The three said fiscal policy in Virginia has been characterized by ``integrity, foresight, frugality, and the courage to make wise investments for the long term.
``Now is the time to make critical new investments in Virginia's future,'' they said, citing state colleges and universities as the place to start.
The unusual letter came on the eve of an expected Senate Finance Committee vote today on Allen's proposed tax cuts. The measures are expected to be defeated.
Meanwhile, an earlier decision to make sex-education programs optional in public schools was reversed following a parliamentary skirmish in the Senate. Three Republicans joined in scuttling the legislation, which had been hailed as a victory for Allen. A tie-breaking vote by Lt. Gov. Donald S. Beyer Jr. sealed the bill's fate.
``It's a change,'' and change is difficult, Allen said later, offering his view of why he is encountering so much opposition. A Republican, Allen argues that setbacks in the legislature will only make his party more popular with voters next fall.
``I think the people would appreciate some change,'' Allen said.
Asked how he explains the defections of some members of his own party, he replied: ``I well understand that a lot of folks think this government needs to keep growing.''
Allen argues that the state budget has grown 300 percent in the last 15 years, and that his cuts are a small percentage of overall state spending.
Allen said the sex education reversal was ``unfortunate.'' He blamed it on ``elitists and status quo dictators'' in the General Assembly.
Republican Sen. Jane H. Woods of Fairfax, who voted for the reversal, said localities already have enough flexibility to tailor family life curriculums. Allowing localities to opt out altogether would be a setback for children, she said.
The local option provision had been approved Tuesday as a floor amendment to a bill codifying current procedures on teaching sex education. Supporters of the original legislation tried to bring the bill back up Wednesday in order to drop the amendment.
But opponents of that idea, led by Republican Sens. Mark L. Earley of Chesapeake and Kenneth W. Stolle of Virginia Beach, maneuvered to prevent a vote on dropping the amendment. Faced with the alternative of keeping the amendment or killing the entire legislation, the bill's backers opted for the latter.
When the matter stalled on a 20-20 tie, Beyer cast the deciding vote to kill the bill. Both sides said the issue may come up again in another form before the Assembly adjourns.
The tax-cut letter lacked the signatures of the two other living former governors, L. Douglas Wilder and U.S. Sen. Charles S. Robb. A spokesman for Robb said she understood that the letter was drafted by the Virginia Business Council for Higher Education, a private group. As a public official, Robb was not asked to sign, but he does share the concerns expressed, she said.
Wilder said he wasn't contacted by the other governors. ``Not a soul mentioned anything to me,'' he said. Noting that he held down government spending during his four years and has generally supported the concept of tax cuts, Wilder added: ``Maybe there's a reason I wasn't asked. My record speaks for itself.'' ILLUSTRATION: "Now is the time to make critical new investments in Virginia's
future," - former Govs. Mills E. Godwin Jr., left, Linwood Holton,
center, and Gerald L. Baliles, in a letter questioning Allen's
proposed cuts.
"I think the people would appreciate some change." - Gov. George F.
Allen, who has said that his legislative setbacks will help
Republicans in elections this fall.
KEYWORDS: GENERAL ASSEMBLY BUDGET CUTS by CNB