THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 3, 1995 TAG: 9503020019
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines
The recent failed attempt by Gov. George Allen to enact legislation that would have radically altered the security and economic well-being of Virginia citizens is merely a prelude to a more dismal scenario should his party gain control of the General Assembly.
In one of the more remarkable political coups in the history of Virginia politics, House delegates moved to eliminate the governor's major proposals - specifically those relating to budget cuts and tax reductions - and effectively rendered his own party powerless to help him.
Although Democrats staged and politically benefited from the coup, the real winners were Virginia citizens. The governor's budget had called for deep cuts in state allotments to education, vital social services, cultural benefits and even crime control, a mainstay of Mr. Allen's campaign. The payback to citizens for making those sacrifices would have averaged a tax savings of a paltry $33 per family.
This does not suggest extremism on the governor's part. Mindful of the sagging economies of nearby states (New Jersey borrowed $117 million in the first few months of its new governorship), being a product of avid fiscal conservatism and taking cues from the recent success of Gingrich politics, the governor's move to fulfill his campaign promise to downsize government was timely and well-intentioned if not practical.
But it was also unnecessary. Twelve years of Democratic government has made Virginia one of five states with Triple-A rating - an indication of high rank and success in fiscal management.
Additionally, Virginia is one of the lowest-taxed states in the union (for every kind of tax). Already, Virginia ranks seventh from the bottom in per-capita aid to college students, and more than half the states pay more to public education.
Likewise, only four other states pay less per capita for welfare programs. Clearly, the governor's cut-to-the-bare-bones package went far beyond the mainstream and the practical wisdom of the state's economics.
The Democrats' victory, however, may be short-lived. In the upcoming General Assembly elections, state Republicans could conceivably gain control of the legislature to include the powerful speaker's seat. Armed with this fresh clout, they could reinstate the damaging proposals with a decisively different outcome. Virginia voters should use their own clout to ensure against this.
NORMAN J. FULLER JR.
Virginia Beach, Feb. 23, 1995 by CNB