THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 2, 1995 TAG: 9510310074
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TONY WHARTON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 121 lines
More than 200 Norfolk residents turned out Oct. 24 to see and hear their General Assembly candidates in one of the campaign's major forums, sponsored by three local civic leagues.
They saw little in the way of fireworks and plenty of discussion of the issues - although candidates occasionally had to hurry through their remarks to avoid having the large Maury High School bell rung on them at the time limit.
Del. George Heilig, D-86th District, noted that he is a Maury graduate and Norfolk native. Despite what Republicans are saying, Heilig said the state is in good shape, noting its high bond rating and success at attracting new jobs. Heilig said he does not automatically oppose Gov. George Allen just because he's a Republican.
``I support the governor when I think he's right, I oppose him when I think he's wrong,'' Heilig said.
The state needs to reduce class size and increase technology funding to improve the schools, he said.
Virginia also may need to look at scrapping the system of independent cities, Heilig said, since it has led to so much competition and funding problems in Hampton Roads and other areas.
Heilig's opponent, Republican George E. Schaefer, introduced himself by talking about his personal background: ``Before you consider voting for me, you might want to know, who is this guy?''
Schaefer recounted his career, first as a teacher at Granby High, then a prosecutor in Norfolk and Virginia Beach, and currently as in-house counsel and public affairs officer with the Norfolk Sheriff's Office.
When he talks about issues, Schaefer said, ``I know these things firsthand. I've been in the classroom. I've been in the courtroom.''
He said the state must pay close attention to early childhood development.
``There are some schools in this city where some 5-year-old kids come in who barely know their name,'' he said. ``And we have to invest some money to deal with that. I think it will pay off in the long run.''
Del. Tom Moss, D-88th District and Speaker of the House of Delegates, said the legislature fought Allen for good reasons.
``For whatever reason, and I do not know why except to give people a tax cut that amounts to about $33 a year, the present administration wanted to make some serious cuts,'' Moss said. In education and other programs, Moss said, the legislature fought to restore those cuts.
He also said Allen had tried to strip money from programs that work, such as Meals on Wheels.
``The new trend now is the `Newt Gingrich trend,' and I don't like it,'' Moss said. ``It's to prey on those who can't defend themselves.''
He noted that while Republicans are attacking Virginia's finances, the governor's staff has been promoting the state's financial health in national magazines to attract corporations.
Jay Sherrill, the GOP candidate for the 88th District, attacked the most aggressively, saying Moss ``takes credit like a rooster, every time the sun rises.''
Sherrill said Allen deserves more credit than Moss for the state's achievements. He also attacked Moss over prominent city projects, which legislators do not control.
``Let's also thank Tom for Nauticus and the MacArthur Center, and whatever the next big capital debt is,'' Sherrill said.
To that, Moss said, ``I didn't vote for Nauticus - I had nothing to do with it.''
Sherrill, a hotel owner in Norfolk, said, ``Because I'm in the hospitality industry, I'm in the business of facilitating people's needs.''
He said there should be less government control of the schools and more control by parents.
Moss' other opponent, independent Green Party candidate Mark Yatrofsky, cast himself as an alternative to the other two.
``The reason I'm running as an independent is that I've become frustrated with the two-party system and its `miracle cure' thinking,'' he said. ``These are the hashed-over philosophies of the past. Citizens have been deliberately left out of the process.''
The schools should teach basic skills ahead of computer skills, Yatrofsky said, because basic skills are still the most important. Also, computers are expensive and quickly become obsolete.
At the end of the evening, Yatrofsky said, ``I am Mr. Moss' term limit. Many people are for term limits, and now you have a chance to vote for one.''
Sen. Yvonne Miller, D-5th District, gave the only true speech of the night, describing why Virginia must invest in education.
``We live in a global society,'' Miller said. ``We cannot afford to waste any human potential.
``We have the technology. We have the resources. We lack only the political will to adequately educate every child in the commonwealth. Until we have that will, we're going to continue to have problems.''
A top priority, she said, must be good jobs. That means the state needs good day-care programs, good schools and the continued health of its existing industries, such as the port of Hampton Roads.
Her opponent, Republican Bruce Wilcox, said he has been happy that the 5th District campaign has been on the issues and not negative.
``My opponent has been in the legislature 12 years,'' Wilcox said. ``Ask yourselves, are things better now than when she was elected? Are your neighborhoods safer? Are the schools better?
``If they're better, maybe you should keep the same person. If they're not, maybe it's time for a change.''
He said crime is down somewhat, and he attributed that to the parole abolition plan championed by Allen and passed last year.
The forum was sponsored by the Ghent Neighborhood League, the Colonial Place/Riverview Civic League and the Larchmont/ Edgewater Civic League. ILLUSTRATION: Photos
Schaefer
Heilig
Moss
Sherrill
Yatrofsky
Miller
Wilcox
KEYWORDS: CANDIDATE ELECTION HOUSE OF DELEGATES RACE VIRGINIA STATE
SENATE RACE by CNB