DATE: Sunday, October 5, 1997               TAG: 9710040853

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B2   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Your Voice, Your Vote 

SERIES: Decision '97 

        Last Week's Highlights in the 1997 Statewide Races

                                            LENGTH:  119 lines

THE CAMPAIGNS

With all polls showing the gubernatorial race to be a dead heat, Democrat Donald S. Beyer Jr. and Republican James S. Gilmore III will square off in an important two-hour debate Monday night in Richmond.

It will be the first direct exchange between the candidates since late July, when Beyer and Gilmore debated before the Virginia Bar Association. Beyer surprised many at that event by unveiling a plan to give relief from the car tax to compete with a similar program already announced by Gilmore.

The campaigns aren't saying whether another surprise is in store for Monday.

Beyer and Gilmore each spent many hours last week preparing for the debate.

The event will be held at Virginia Commonwealth University. Former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder - a Democrat who has been critical of Beyer and is withholding his endorsement - will be the moderator. Political scientists Robert Holsworth of VCU and Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia will question the candidates.

Here are a few things to listen for:

Cars: Each candidate will argue he has the best plan to defray the personal property tax on cars. Gilmore's would phase out the tax over five years on all personally-owned vehicles with an assessed value of less than $20,000. The Republican estimates his plan, when fully implemented would cost $625,000 a year. The Virginia Municipal League says it will cost more than twice as much.

Beyer would offer a state income tax credit to many who pay the levy: up to $150 for individuals with incomes less than $40,000 and up to $250 for families earning less than $75,000. His program would cost $202 million a year.

Abortion: Expect Beyer to accuse Gilmore of taking inconsistent positions on the explosive topic. Gilmore has publicly said that although he personally favors a law requiring parental consent before abortions can be performed on minors, that he would not seek such a requirement if elected governor. But in a fundraising letter last week to social conservatives, Gilmore wrote: ``I will fight, as governor, to implement parental consent laws.''

Pat Robertson: Expect Beyer to accuse Gilmore of being subservient to the conservative religious broadcaster. Robertson has donated $50,000 to Gilmore's campaign this year. In television ads, Beyer warns of a ``Gilmore-Robertson plan'' to funnel public support to private schools. Gilmore says there is no such plan and accuses Beyer of trying to create fear.

Character: Expect Gilmore to accuse Beyer of having no ideological core and flipflopping on a number of issues over the years, such as welfare reform and early release for criminals. Beyer says his votes had more to do with specific problems in bills rather than changing his mind.

Armchair Participation:

See it on TV. Local News on Cable, 8 p.m. Monday (Check your Cox cable listings.)

After the debate. Pilot 13 News at 10 p.m. will offer analysis and highlights. Public TV station WHRO will rebroadcast the debate, 10 p.m. to midnight Monday.

Before, during and after: Offer feedback by calling Infoline, 640-5555, and punching 2562, or by joining a live Internet bulletin board, http://www.pilotonline.com. Click on the icon that says, ``Debate the Debate.'' VCU will take call-in questions up until the final salvos Monday night and is also inviting e-mail questions. E-mails will be reviewed up to noon on debate day. To submit questions for consideration by panelists: dial 1-800-375-4010 or visit the web page at www.vcu.edu/debate/. VCU also wants post-debate reflections and feedback.

Trail Talk

Merit selection. Beyer told college faculty leaders that he would take politics out of appointments to college boards by appointing a commission to review qualifications.

Beyer said Thursday that Republican Gov. George Allen picked some college board members who had good political credentials but were ill-suited for the job. ``There are many good appointments to boards of visitors by Governor Allen and there are some awful ones,'' Beyer said. ``What we need to do is dramatically improve the ratio.''

``This is not just a Virginia problem,'' Beyer told the Faculty Senate of Virginia. ``It's a national problem.''

Away from home: Former Gov. Gerald L. Baliles (now of private legal practice) and former Secretary of Health and Human Resources Eva S. Teig (now of Virginia Power) are hosting a fundraiser for Democratic House candidate Johnny S. Joannou of Portsmouth at Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral Monday (Oct. 6) in Richmond.

Three's not a crowd. The State Republican Party announced a first Thursday: a new 30-second TV ad airing across Virginia promoting the GOP candidates for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general. All three members of the ticket share the same airspace: The ad is really three 10-second spots, each featuring one of the candidates.

By the Numbers

Nov. 4: Election Day

Oct. 6: Last day to register to vote

As of Friday, number of registered voters, according to

local boards of elections.

Chesapeake 96,319

Norfolk 103,000

Portsmouth 53,819

Suffolk 31,690

Virginia Beach 203,500

For registration information:

CHESAPEAKE 382-6141

NORFOLK 664-4353

PORTSMOUTH 393-8644

SUFFOLK 925-6391

VIRGINIA BEACH 427-8683

What's Next

In Hampton Roads:

Monday at 4 p.m. L.F. Payne will participate in the Awards ceremony for the Second Annual Ray Connor Golf Invitational Tournament at Cedar Point Country Club, Suffolk.

On Friday at 6:30 p.m. Jim Gilmore will be in Suffolk for the Peanut Festival to meet and greet voters.

Saturday, Mr. Gilmore will be attending a reception at the home of Senator Ed Schrock. MEMO: Warren Fiske, Janie Evans, Ledyard King, the Associated Press

contributed to this report KEYWORDS: CAMPAIGN VIRGINIA GUBERNATORIAL RACE

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu