THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 2, 1997 TAG: 9702020111
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY WARREN FISKE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: 147 lines
They don't socialize together and they've never really sat down to talk. But Lt. Gov. Donald S. Beyer Jr. and Attorney General James S. Gilmore III say they have a lot of disagreements they want to air this year.
Democrat Beyer and Republican Gilmore are their parties' presumptive nominees for governor in this fall's election, and some critical differences in policy and style have begun to emerge in this winter's General Assembly session.
``A lot depends on experience,'' says Gilmore, who notes that as attorney general he supervises a staff of 130 lawyers. ``This is a big operation that guides policy throughout the state.'' Beyer, he adds ``just comes in and presides over the Senate when it's in session.''
Beyer, a Northern Virginia car dealer seeking to become Virginia's first nonlawyer governor in 40 years, has a different fix on the experience question.
``Lawyers like my opponent want to pass laws,'' he says. ``As a businessman, I'm more interested in making long-term investments. I'm interested in prevention of problems. I haven't seen that emphasis from (Gilmore). He's more interested in solutions that turn the spigot off temporarily.''
Beyer, 46, is an expansive thinker who often sees policy problems as complex and interconnected and seldom offers simple solutions. He's approachable and low-key, and likes to put people at ease with a self-effacing sense of humor.
Gilmore, 47, has a trenchant mind adept at identifying problems and solutions. He's direct, hard-working, seldom-smiling and known as an efficient and caring administrator.
The difference in style was evident in interviews last week when each candidate was asked to address their upcoming race. Beyer became instantly engaged while Gilmore initially resisted, noting that he had not formally announced his candidacy.
One of their sharpest differences is about the best way to keep cigarettes out of the mouths of young people. Gilmore believes the responsibility should lie with the state, while Beyer believes it should rest with the federal government.
Gilmore has proposed legislation that would put the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Department in charge of enforcing tobacco laws. He is seeking to double the penalty against merchants who sell cigarettes to minors to $500.
Beyer has accused Gilmore of grandstanding with the proposal. He and other Democrats say that the ABC has always been in charge of enforcing tobacco laws, but has ``never sought a conviction of an adult selling tobacco to a minor.''
He notes that Gilmore is not seeking more ABC agents to monitor tobacco sales and questioned the effectiveness of ``doubling the fine on a law that's never enforced.''
Beyer's solution is to rely on federal proposals to outlaw cigarette vending machines and ban tobacco advertising targeted to youths.
``This debate over tobacco cuts to the difference between us on how leadership should be provided,'' Gilmore says. ``Don Beyer says we should rely on the FDA (the federal Food and Drug Administration). I don't believe the FDA has the authority to do this. . . . This is a problem that Virginia should deal with, and I think the ABC can provide the best possible enforcement.''
Beyer and Gilmore also disagreed sharply on a proposed state constitutional amendment that would have given parents a ``fundamental right'' to ``direct the upbringing and education of their children.'' The matter narrowly failed last week in the state Senate.
Gilmore supported the amendment, saying it was a much-needed affirmation of parental rights. Beyer opposed it, arguing that the seemingly innocuous proposal could bury schools in an avalanche of lawsuits from socially conservative parents.
``This is a fundamental disagreement between us because the attorney general aligned himself with the most socially extreme elements in our polity,'' Beyer said, noting that the Christian Coalition and home schooling advocates supported the amendment.
Gilmore replied: ``I think there were a lot of hysterical scare tactics being used against the amendment. I looked at the parade of horribles people were trotting out and they just weren't true. I think it's a very mainstream idea to affirm the rights of parents in the Virginia Constitution.''
Of course, the two candidates don't disagree on everything.
They are endorsing similar proposals to help make state colleges more affordable to Virginians.
Beyer is promoting legislation that would make scholarships available to junior college students maintaining B averages.
Gilmore is pledging to create a program that would make $2,000 a year in undergraduate scholarships available to Virginians who graduate from high school with B averages and good conduct records. This is not part of his legislative package, but will be a campaign platform.
Each is promoting safe classroom legislation. Gilmore is seeking to require jail time for any student found guilty of assaulting a teacher; Beyer wants to give teachers greater ability to remove disruptive students from classes.
Beyer and Gilmore's legislative agendas also reflect different priorities. Gilmore, a former prosecutor, is concentrating on law-and-order issues. He is seeking to toughen penalties for burning churches and dealing drugs.
Beyer is seeking $8.3 million to help localities across the state hire 1,000 more police officers. But he is more focused on social and business issues. He is opposing GOP efforts to weaken child day-care regulations and he is seeking tax credits for companies that provide technical retraining for employees.
What's the one thing they want voters to keep in mind this winter?
``The biggest difference between the attorney general and me is our vision for Virginia,'' Beyer said. ``I have a vision of Virginia moving forward, as a place where kids can get an education second to none. . . . I can't tell you what the competing vision is. It's just a collection of bills and I don't know how they hang together.''
Gilmore said: ``This race is going to be about whether people of the commonwealth will continue to be in charge of their lives. . . . We here are more willing to stand up for Virginians when the federal government comes in and tries to impinge on lives and Don Beyer is more willing to trust the federal government.'' MEMO: Related story on page A8, 1997 Condidates for Governor: Funding
Sources ILLUSTRATION: Graphic with color photos
JAMES S. GILMORE'S LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES THIS YEAR
Tobacco: Clarifies state Alcoholic Beverage Control agent's
authority to enforce laws banning tobacco sales to minors.
Safe Schools: Increase penalties for assaulting teachers or other
school employees; permit students who have been victims of violence
in one school to transfer.
School Construction: Require minimum $250 million for school
construction be earmarked in the State Literary Fund.
Arson: Increase penalties for persons convicted of burning
churches.
Environment: Authorize attorney general to prosecute
environmental crimes in cooperation with commonwealth's attorneys.
Crime: Supporting bills toughening penalties on drug dealers.
DONALD S. BEYER'S LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES THIS YEAR
Safe Schools: Give teachers the authority to remove violent and
disruptive children from classrooms.
Affordable Education: Providing second-year scholarships for
community college students who achieve B average during first year.
School Construction: Increase maintenance fees paid to local
school systems.
Public Safety: Provide $8.3 million in matching funds to help
localities hire 1,000 new police officers.
Day Care: Opposing GOP efforts to remove high school educational
standards for providers and increase children-to-staff ratios.
Business: Establish tax credits for companies that provide
technical retraining for employees.
Child Abuse: Expand access to Virginia's sex offender registry
KEYWORDS: GUBERNATORIAL RACE CANDIDATE