THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 23, 1995 TAG: 9503230596
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBERT LITTLE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
Gov. George F. Allen took his first swipe Wednesday at regaining what his Democratic opponents took away during this year's General Assembly session. He said he would try to restore $1.7 million that the legislators cut from the state police.
State officials say that without that money, a new class of cadets would not be able to begin its scheduled training in August - keeping as many as 75 new troopers off the streets. Col. Wayne Huggins, superintendent of the state police, said those troopers are needed for the Violent Crimes Strike Force and for drug interdiction.
``I hope that the General Assembly will correct the mistake,'' Allen said at an afternoon news conference at the state police training center. He called the budget passed by the legislature ``misguided'' and ``ill-conceived'' for eliminating the state police money.
Democrats were quick to lash out at his announcement, calling his premise that legislators were cutting troopers a political scare tactic.
Del. Clifton A. Woodrum, D-Roanoke, said the Assembly never intended to cut 75 state troopers. The proposed cuts included saving $800,000 by grounding the state helicopter, $500,000 by eliminating certain meal allowances for state troopers and $150,000 by eliminating a reimbursement for troopers' home telephones, Woodrum said.
But that came as a surprise to Huggins and state Secretary of Public Safety Jerry Kilgore, both of whom said they were never given any direction from anyone about how the General Assembly's $1.7 million cut would materialize.
``I even asked,'' said Huggins, who said he lobbied lawmakers as they crafted their final budget plan. ``When I see a specific cut like that, it suggests to me that someone has a plan. But one was never conveyed to me.''
Allen, required by law to sign a balanced budget, would not say where he will find the money to finance the addition, noting only that ``obviously, we're going to have to reduce funding elsewhere.''
He will make his pitch for the state police funds in the form of a budget amendment to be presented during the legislature's special veto session April 5.
After Wednesday's announcement, Allen said he plans to sign a bill making it easier for Virginians to carry concealed weapons, assuring that at least some form of the measure will become law.
Allen said he plans to offer amendments to the bill, but would not elaborate - except to say he will not propose amendments excluding certain localities, as officials in some urban areas have requested.
Despite his amendments, Allen said he will not tamper with the proposed law's basic premise: that residents no longer be required to prove they need protection to get a license to carry a concealed weapon.
KEYWORDS: VIRGINIA STATE POLICE BUDGET GENERAL ASSEMBLY by CNB