THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 17, 1995 TAG: 9503170583
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARGARET EDDS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
Launching their half of what's shaping up as an eight-month battle for control of the General Assembly, leading Democrats cast themselves Thursday as the defenders of a public education system imperiled by a Republican budget ax.
At news conferences in Richmond, Alexandria and Norfolk, Lt. Gov. Donald S. Beyer Jr., House Majority Leader Richard C. Cranwell, and Sen. L. Louise Lucas of Portsmouth touted the Democrats' recent role in restoring funds for state colleges and earmarking millions for public schools.
``Our vision is a very positive vision as opposed to Gov. Allen's impaired vision,'' said Del. Linda T. Puller, D-Alexandria, who introduced the trio.
Later in the day, Gov. George F. Allen also cited a philosophical divide between Republicans and Democrats, who hold slim majorities in both houses of the Assembly. All 140 members are up for re-election in fall, and Allen this month began campaigning to tip the balance to the GOP.
At stake, he told members of the Richmond Bar Association, ``are two different visions . . . one that trusts the people, and one that trusts the government.''
On his side of the ledger, Allen put tough law enforcement, no-nonsense education, jobs and standing up against the ``federales.''
While concentrating on differences over tax and spending policies, the two sides also engaged in a bit of the sniping that characterized relations during the recent Assembly session.
Puller said she's not surprised that Allen has ``impaired vision'' because ``he is not truly a Virginian. He's from California, and he has surrounded himself with people from Washington, D.C., and once he got elected he tried to emulate the government of New Jersey.''
Allen, a former congressman and state delegate, moved to Virginia in his late teens. Puller neglected to mention that Beyer was born in Trieste, Italy; Cranwell in West Virginia; and Puller in Iowa. Of the featured Democrats, only Lucas is a Virginia native. Allen called the remark ``foolish and petty.'' The Democrats must be ``frightened or desperate,'' he said.
To the contrary, said Cranwell, his ``faith in the legislative process was regenerated'' by a session in which Democrats stood up to Allen's plan to cut Virginia's $32 billion biennial state budget by $403 million, including a $149 million tax cut.
The proposed cuts came in a state that in 1992 was 49th in the nation in state and local government spending per $1,000 of personal income, Cranwell noted. The state ranked 44th in per capita state spending.
Dueling with statistics, Allen countered that Virginia has a higher combined state and local tax burden than any other Southern state when figured on a per capita basis. It ranks 35th.
Democrats also took credit for the Virginia Omnibus Education Act of 1995, which earmarks lottery proceeds for education, allots money to reduce class sizes and work with 4-year-olds in poor school districts, and allows parents who don't cooperate in disciplining their children to be fined.
Cranwell called the bill the most important piece of education legislation to be approved in almost a quarter of a century.
Allen termed that assessment ``hyperbole.'' ILLUSTRATION: Gov. George F. Allen cites a philosophical divide between
Republicans and Democrats.
by CNB