THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, January 9, 1996 TAG: 9601090251
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBERT LITTLE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines
As legislators get ready for their annual lawmaking session, a novel twist to recent Virginia politics is brewing in the state Senate. The political parties are talking about sharing.
No one is sure yet how the 20 Democrats and 20 Republicans in the state Senate will divvy power. Informal negotiations between the parties continue and might not be resolved until the General Assembly convenes Wednesday.
The chances are increasing, however, that Republicans will, for the first time, control some of the state Senate's committees, and possibly even one of the chamber's top leadership posts.
Many Democrats don't like it, to be sure. But two factors are pressuring everyone to consider sharing power with their GOP counterparts:
Maverick Democrat Sen. Virgil Goode has sent letters to all Senate Democrats saying he wants to share leadership with the Republicans and won't vote for any organizational plan that doesn't. Knowing that without Goode's vote they lack a clear majority, other Democrats are now supporting the idea, too.
The Democrats hold their tenuous majority only by virtue of Lt. Gov. Donald S. Beyer Jr., a Democrat who has the power to break ties in the Senate. With that post up for election in two years, some senators worry about the consequences of shrugging off Republicans now only to see them win control in 1997.
Another factor, one less tangible but no less pervasive, hints at real change. After a bitter 1995 session and a stick-in-the-eye election, legislators appear ready to let things calm down.
``The politics are rather delicate,'' said Sen. Charles J. Colgan, a Manassas Democrat. ``But I think everyone wants to get on with things.''
The Senate has 11 designated committees, and Democrats have historically chaired them all. Thanks to last fall's election and two retirements, however, only six of those chairmen will return this year.
To Republicans, that makes for some simple logic: Fill the five empty spots with GOP legislators, and everyone's content. Rarely is politics so simple, of course - and certainly not in the 1996 Senate.
These four are among the most influential - Finance, Education, Courts of Justice, Agriculture. If Republicans drive those committees, they control most of the Senate horsepower.
So Colgan is offering a plan that would allow senior Democrats to move into those influential chairmanships, then give Republicans what's left. The GOP would have a majority on the committees it leads, the Democrats would control theirs. A handful of other Democrats say they're willing to back Colgan up.
``It might be the only reasonable solution,'' said Sen. Charles L. Waddell, D-Loudoun.
``If that's what it takes, I would be willing to consider it,'' said Sen. Jackson E. Reasor Jr., D-Bluefield. ``I don't think we're under any obligation to find something that everyone will like, but I think we have an obligation to try,'' he said.
``And that's probably going to mean sharing. I don't think an even split is realistic, but certainly some sharing is.''
All of which broils other Democrats intent on clinging to their party's power until they're forced to give it up.
``You don't give away power, you take it,'' said Sen. L. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth. ``And right now, we can take it.''
``If they had the lieutenant governor, they wouldn't even talk to us,'' said Sen. Richard J. Holland, D-Windsor, another who thinks Democrats should keep all the power they can get.
But when things are tied 20-20, there's no room for dissent. And while Colgan, Waddell and Reasor won't necessarily vote against their party if it takes a collective position, Goode doesn't even show up for their meetings. He wants to give Republicans even more authority than Colgan - granting them a leadership position, such as president pro tempore.
Ideally, Goode and the other more-conciliatory Democrats want a plan that both parties will accept for four years - regardless of who wins the lieutenant governor's race next year.
``I'd go along with that, if it's really something fair to everyone,'' said Sen. John H. Chichester, R-Fredericksburg. The senior Senate Republican, he also has been a primary negotiating go-between.
``If we could make an arrangement and leave it that way, it would be better for everyone,'' he said. ``I'm optimistic. There are a lot of intelligent people who want to work things out.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photos]
Maverick Democrat Sen. Virgil Goode has told Senate Democrats he
intends to share the leadership.
"The politics are rather delicate," says Democratic Sen. Charles J.
Colgan.
KEYWORDS: GENERAL ASSEMBLY by CNB