THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 30, 1995 TAG: 9504290138
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
SOURCE: Beth Barber
LENGTH: Short : 40 lines
And what, City Council was asked at Friday's signing session, does the Gaston agreement mean to folks just sitting home, eating their dinner to-night?
Councilman Baum didn't miss a beat:
``We'd appreciate them drinking beer instead of water.''
Beer's on tap for a celebratory toast. Gaston isn't, yet. And it won't be for at least another three years even if politics doesn't delay the pipeline's construction.
Byzantine as state and local politics are, make it a Lite.
Sealing the pipeline settlement depends in large part on a Republican governor who has even his supporters perplexed: Did he want to prevail in the recent legislative session or just to set Democrats up to lose their majority in November?
Settlement depends equally on a Democratic leadership in the Assembly that's so piggish with power it might well let the Beach (and its heavily Republican delegation) shrivel from thirst.
And without Norfolk's agreement not to sell water, its sole hot commodity, to points west, the settlement could break down.
With homeboys like these, who needs Hunt and Helms?
The region needs water, and common sense about tapping into it. Why both have been so long in short supply is a good question - one that incumbents would as soon not have to field before November's Assembly elec-ion and next May's councilmanic contests.
It's their call. They can politick over a rain barrel. Or they can name the spring when Gaston flows and campaign over a keg of beer. by CNB