THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 2, 1995 TAG: 9511010178
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Long : 286 lines
On Nov. 7, Suffolk voters will have the opportunity to elect the clerk of Circuit Court. That office does not receive a great deal of publicity but is vital to the lives of all of us.
The position calls for proven competence and experience, not just the endorsement of a particular political party. The clerk has a significant part in the judicial system - proper and fair selection of juries, management of court dockets, maintaining case records and processing cases being appealed.
The clerk also records and indexes our land records, receives and records wills and estate matters, issues marriage licenses and handles certain election records.
Henry Murden and his well chosen staff have handled all of these jobs efficiently and courteously. They provide great assistance to those who must use the court system and rely on the accuracy and impartiality of the court records. That benefits all of us. It makes sense to choose proven ability, competence and courtesy rather than the unknown.
I hope the voters of Suffolk will vote for a true and proven servant of the public and re-elect Henry Murden as clerk of Circuit Court.
J. Samuel Glasscock
Kings Highway
Suffolk Holland, Barlow meet challenges of service
In the 22 years I have served in the General Assembly, I have never seen such negative and distorted campaign charges and countercharges.
I am particularly referring to those dealing with my colleagues, Sen. Richard Holland, with whom I have served for 16 years; and Del. Bill Barlow, for the past four years. To classify these two gentlemen as liberal obstructionists is utterly false.
We were elected to represent our constituents to the best of our ability, not to be a pawn to either political party, and I believe sincerely that these two legislators have met that challenge.
Sen. Holland is an experienced, respected businessman with seniority that cannot be ignored. Del. Barlow, while only having two terms behind him, is an effective spokesman for his district, just as my deskmate, Del. Robert Nelms, a Republican of Suffolk, is for his constituents. All three want what is best for Virginia.
I hope as voters go to the polls on Nov. 7, they will give careful consideration to what they have at stake. Virginia is the envy of many states; it has a record of which to be proud. Let's keep it that way.
J. Paul Councill Jr.
Delegate, 75th District
Franklin It's time to remove Holland and Barlow
To put the positions of Sen. Richard Holland and Del. William K. Barlow in proper perspective, ask the following questions and compare the answers to their voting records.
1. If neither is in favor of building new prisons, which felons are they willing to release and return to their neighborhood or mine?
They voted against building new prisons, as well as tougher sentences for repeat violent criminals. They also voted against abolishing parole, truth in sentencing and getting tough on adult and juvenile criminals.
2. Why did both of them vote against the welfare reform bills that would have cut spending by $130 million by cutting waste, fraud and abuse of the system?
They voted for an additional $180 million by adding hundreds of new bureaucrats to the welfare system and gutted the work requirements by creating loopholes that would have made the requirements meaningless. They supported giving more money to women who had additional illegitimate children without requiring identity of the father and supported a bill with loopholes that would undermine the two-year time limit for welfare benefits.
3. Why did they vote to reject adjournment, thus preventing the governor from delivering the State of the Commonwealth address from the floor of the General Assembly?
They and their Democratic colleagues showed condescension of the governor and the very policies on which he was elected in a landslide Republican victory.
These are but a few of the many instances where the will of the people was thwarted by Democrats because of such representatives as Sen. Holland and his more than 65 percent vote against all of the governor's proposals; while his colleague, Mr. Barlow, voted against the proposed legislation by more than an astounding 85 percent.
Is this the kind of representation you want in the General Assembly? I think not. You have a choice - two people who will support our governor, Jerry Flowers for the Senate and Debra Quesinberry for delegate from this district.
I believe it is in the best interest of our commonwealth and certainly the future of all succeeding generations that we get the honest change that we voted for when we elected Gov. George Allen. When you consider that the Virginia budget has increased more than 300 percent in the past 12 years, and less than 85 percent was due to inflation, it is time to change the faces in our legislative bodies.
Robert T. Edwards
Park Circle
Franklin Flowers for this voter
I was so glad to see the program debate on Channel 13 News on Sunday, Oct. 15, between the incumbent, Sen. Holland, and Jerry Flowers. I am surprised to finally hear from the incumbent after all these years.
Jerry Flowers is a welcome opponent in this year's election for those of us in the 15th Senatorial District. Wake up, and take a good look at Jerry Flowers.
Vote on Nov. 7 to send Jerry to Richmond.
Lynn Edwards
Stumpy Lake Court
Suffolk Barlow for this one
Del. Bill Barlow has done an outstanding job in representing the people of the 64th District.
He supports education, is tough on crime and is not a tax-spending liberal as his opponent would like you to believe. He backs the welfare reform, and he was a leader in opposing the excessive budget cuts proposed by Gov. Allen.
Gerald H. Gwaltney
Commissioner of the Revenue
Isle of Wight Republican majority would work for people
May one fact be evident to all of us as we approach the elections: The majority party holds the power in the General Assembly! Any honest observer of the current leadership cannot deny the arrogance and underhanded dealings of the Democrat majority.
What service has been given to us when the top priority of the Democrat power structure has been to embarrass Governor Allen and render his leadership useless? We should all be thankful they were only partially successful. They should have been active finding ways to make his well accepted vision for Virginia work for all of us. Instead, they insisted on a deceptive power struggle.
The philosophy of the Democrat Party has twisted the basic concept of the right to life and has confused the common sense of the right to bear arms. Combine this with their general hostility toward the largest job provider in the nation, small business, and it should become evident that their time is up.
It seems a number of incumbent Democrats are ashamed of the way they've abused their majority power and are trying to distance themselves from their own partisan politics. I pray the people of Virginia will realize the time has come for a Republican majority that will work for the people by working with the governor instead of against him.
Bill Colgan
Smithfield Flowers, Quisenberry for `honest change'
Anticipation fills the air as we close in on Nov. 7 and the election of a New Majority for our Old Dominion. Finally, we will have a General Assembly that can work cooperatively with Governor Allen to bring honest and positive change to our beloved Virginia.
Looking toward to that day, Jerry Flowers and Debra Quesinberry recently signed a pledge at the State Capitol to make the needed honest changes a reality. The Republicans pledged to keep neighborhoods safe, improve the quality of education, return lottery profits to the localities, create more jobs by reducing wasteful government spending, enact parental notification, fully implement Governor Allen's welfare reform plan, and promote open and honest government.
Debra and Jerry's pledge says the status quo is no longer good enough. It says localities, communities and families have better solutions than centralized government. And it says, unlike our opposition - a party built on power, privilege and pork - we are a party of principle.
And as citizens respond positively to our message based on innovative change, it has become almost amusing to watch the defenders of the status quo, like Mr. Holland and Mr. Barlow, scramble to cuddle up to Governor Allen and his popular message.
Their latest prank was to cite ``support'' for his agenda in Richmond last session. But how absurd. They were the majority party. They were the very ones who ``just said no.''
By order of the liberal Democrat leadership, it was Barlow and Holland who routinely either killed the governor's legislation or gutted it or voted against his amendments, but always creatively using the legislative process to avoid having to cast ``final'' votes that they knew the constituents would disapprove of back home. There's a word for someone who votes that way in Richmond and then distorts the record and misleads the voters.
The fact is, on that key block of votes that best highlight the Republicans' common sense agenda, Richard Holland and Bill Barlow voted against the governor nearly 70 percent and over 80 percent of the time, respectively. And that is according to George Allen!
The contrasts have never been more stark or the choices more clear. Those who have ruled Virginia for over 100 years are out of new ideas and out of time. It's time to decide, which side are you on?
Your vote and support are urged for Jerry Flowers for state senator and Debra Quesinberry for delegate.
Max B. Porter
Boykins These Republicans stand behind education
If excellence in education could be assured by spending vast sums of money, we surely would have the greatest education system in the world. However, this, we all know, is not the case.
The past programs, policies and mega spending have failed. We must have real education reform! This, I believe, can only be achieved by implementing higher academic standards.
The State Board of Education, in June 1995, unanimously adopted new academically rigorous standards for Virginia schoolchildren in the basic subjects (math, science, reading, writing, history, geography and civics).
For these new higher standards to become effective throughout Virginia's public school system, they must be made enforceable as regulations.
In the 1995 session of the General Assembly, Governor Allen proposed legislation to make the enforcement of these standards a reality, but the General Assembly Democrats obstructed all efforts by the governor and Republicans to pass this crucial legislation.
I am appalled that the Democrats, with the sole purpose of maintaining their grip on power, put their interests above the vital educational needs of the Virginia schoolchildren.
Jerry Flowers and Debra Quesinberry have pledged to support Governor Allen's ``Rigorous Standards of Learning Legislation.'' A vote for these two is a vote for academic excellence in public schools.
Rosemary Riddle
Clay Street
Franklin Enforcement support by Moore appreciated
I want to thank Del. William ``Billy'' Moore for his strong support of law enforcement in higher education and particularly to let him know how deeply appreciative I am of his efforts to make our college campuses safe and secure.
Since 1990, I have been active in the Virginia Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (VACLEA) by holding the positions of legislative chairman, second vice president, first vice president and president. VACLEA is a statewide association comprised of the chiefs of police and directors of public safety for college and university police and security departments throughout Virginia.
Although I am not writing this letter in my capacity as a member or former officer of VACLEA, I would like to say that, on many occasions, I had the opportunity to work firsthand on legislative matters with Delegate Moore. I found him to be deeply committed to the well-being of those pursuing higher education in our commonwealth, and he always showed a concern for legislation that was important to the safety and security of our colleges and universities. It pleased me that we had a legislator who was willing to support and get legislation passed which would assist in fulfilling the mission of keeping our college campuses safe.
I hope that the constituents of the 79th District are as thankful to have a legislator with Delegate Moore's commitment to law enforcement in the public and private sectors of our colleges and universities as I am.
Gerald J. Bright
Sycamore Road
Portsmouth Candidate's view: why you should elect her
There has been a lot written lately from various people, including Mr. Barlow, concerning the House of Delegates race for the 64th District. I feel candidates have access to various media and should leave the editorial page letters to the public. However, since Mr. Barlow took it upon himself to spread additional misinformation and continue his personal attack on me, via this media, I feel it necessary to provide the facts concerning the deplorable liberal voting record of Bill Barlow.
I realize that some find it difficult to accept, but the facts speak for themselves. Time and time again, Mr. Barlow has abandoned conservative and moral principles, and voted against his constituents.
This past Friday evening, Gov. Allen visited me and my local supporters in Smithfield. In his remarks, the governor again admonished Barlow for voting against the governor's real welfare reform. Gov. Allen explained that Mr. Barlow voted for the Democratic plan that would have cost us, the taxpayers, $180 million more. The governor pointed out to the crowd that indeed, Barlow had voted against the governor's agenda for honest change a shocking 83 percent of the time.
In addition to the governor and myself, other groups have examined Mr. Barlow's voting record and found it failing. For example, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) scored all legislators on their business friendly votes. This group looks at votes that would impact small business, like right to work, taxes, frivolous lawsuits, etc. The NFIB declared that Mr. Barlow votes against business 60 percent of the time!
The Family Foundation also evaluated the voting record of legislators for family friendly votes. The Family Foundation looked at votes that impact Virginia families, like taxes, quality education and crime in our community. They reported Barlow's record on family votes even lower than business votes. Barlow voted against our families 62 percent of the time! Barlow even voted to allow gays and lesbians to adopt children not related to them.
Mr. Barlow has a liberal voting record, voting against Gov. Allen 83 percent of the time, against business 60 percent of the time and against our families 62 percent of the time. These are the facts, and as Ronald Reagan used to say, ``Facts are stubborn things.''
I have never attacked Barlow personally, but I have taken every opportunity to expose his record. Rather than address the issues, he prefers to call me, my family, the governor, and any independent group liars for merely presenting the facts.
I hope the people of the 64th House District will send the liberals in Richmond, including Mr. Barlow, a clear message. We want an honest, conservative representative who votes for us and will stand up for our families and business.
Debra Quesinberry
Republican candidate
64th House District by CNB