DATE: Wednesday, October 15, 1997           TAG: 9710150503

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B6   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JON GLASS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   61 lines

BARFIELD BACKS GOP CANDIDATE FOR REVENUE JOB

Sam T. Barfield, the retiring Democratic commissioner of the revenue, on Tuesday endorsed Charlie Gibson, the Republican candidate seeking the job in the Nov. 4 election.

Barfield, who won seven consecutive elections and spent 28 years in the constitutional office, said he made his decision after hearing that the Democratic candidate, Sharon McDonald, has been criticizing the way he has run the office.

While Barfield acknowledged that he has not personally heard what McDonald has said at community candidate forums, he said, ``People of both parties have brought me accounts of certain statements she has made.''

``Of course, my age was brought up,'' Barfield, 80, said in a written statement. ``And this would be a fair subject for debate if I was running. The context in which I was used indicated that I had gotten old and my employees had contracted the `age disease' and were still living and working in the 19th century.''

Barfield, who said McDonald ``doesn't have the foggiest notion of what a constitutional office does,'' said his office has been recognized for its excellence.

He said that ``when she belittles my employees, I will not stand still for that.''

Barfield said he had intended to remain neutral in the election since Gibson was running as a Republican and had served as his top deputy.

During a candidates' forum at Bayview on Tuesday night, McDonald said, ``I think there are things that are wrong with that office that need to be changed to enhance customer service and operational efficiency. . . . I am the agent for change. I have a vision on what the office . . . can be in the 21st century.''

McDonald also said in response to a question that she had decided to run, in part, because of frustrations with the office's service when she applied for a business license.

When shown Barfield's statement after the forum, McDonald said there were ``inaccuracies'' in it.

McDonald, who operates a firm that specializes in conflict resolution, said she may have been able to straighten the matter out if Barfield had come to her.

``I have not criticized Sam Barfield at all,'' she said. ``He is going on hearsay.''

She said, however, that she had known for some time that Barfield has had a Charlie Gibson campaign sticker on display in his office. She also said some of his employees have attended candidate forums wearing Gibson stickers.

``It greatly disappoints me,'' McDonald said of Barfield's action. ``We run in the same party, but you're not going to get everybody to support you. I wish that Sam had come to me expressing his concerns.''

But McDonald said she didn't think Barfield's endorsement of Gibson would hurt her chances.

``My message is resonating with the voters,'' she said. ``The people are listening.''

Gibson, who had learned a couple of days ago that Barfield planned to endorse him, said he was ``very grateful and overwhelmed.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo

Barfield

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