Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 13, 1992 TAG: 9202130378
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BONNIE V. WINSTON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Long
PANEL OKS $1 BILLION IN BONDING
The House Finance Committee endorsed a $1 billion bond package Wednesday for roads, higher education, mental health projects and parks that would be paid for by a half-cent increase in the state sales tax.The package, sponsored by Del. Richard Cranwell, D-Vinton, also would pump some of the sales tax proceeds into schools to help alleviate disparities in state aid to wealthy and poor districts.
The committee's 17-3 vote sets the stage for a House floor fight between the Cranwell package and a more modest, $535 million bond proposal supported by Gov. Douglas Wilder. The governor's package would not require a tax increase, but also would provide no money for schools or highways.
If Cranwell's proposal survives on the House floor and in the Senate, it would go to voters in a July 14 referendum. If it passed, the new sales tax would take effect Sept. 1, and construction would begin by year's end.
Cranwell, who has pushed the package to "jump-start" Virginia's economy, estimated that 4,000 or more jobs would be created.
Cranwell acknowledged that the measure faces an uncertain future on the House floor. Some lawmakers said Wilder's plan is more likely to win approval.
Wilder's bill is being backed by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Hunter Andrews, D-Hampton.
"I know the chamber [of commerce] wants this and the schools want this, but I'm not sure it will fly because of the sheer size," said Del. Harry Purkey, R-Virginia Beach, one of the three GOP delegates voting against the measure Wednesday.
Western Virginia delegates voting for the package Wednesday included Cranwell; Willard Finney, D-Rocky Mount; and Joseph Johnson, D-Abingdon.
According to Cranwell's figures, sales tax proceeds left after the annual payment on the 20-year bonds would provide $153 million for schools in 1992-93 and $163 million in 1993-94.
State Secretary of Finance Paul Timmreck told committee members that Cranwell's package would not jeopardize the state's AAA bond rating. At Timmreck's suggestion, the committee amended the bill to reflect that if sales tax revenues were less than projected, the projects would take an equal percentage cut.
Outside the meeting, Timmreck said that despite his comments on Cranwell's package, the administration still supports its own plan.
"When you link all of this to disparity and transportation, it is attractive," Timmreck acknowledged. "But we're concerned that it may not get public endorsement."
Cranwell said that he understands those concerns. "But business leaders have said they feel this may be the only opportunity for a bond package of this magnitude in the foreseeable future," he said.
HIGHWAYS\ PROJECTS ON LIST\ \ U.S. 58, Henry County four lanes west of U.S. 220 bypass: $7.2 million.\ \ U.S. 220 business, Rocky Mount four lanes: $2.6 million.\ \ Virginia 40, Franklin County preliminary engineering for widening: $3 million.\ \ Virginia 122, Bedford $2 million\ \ Blacksburg-Interstate 81 link preliminary engineering, right of way and construction: $28 million.\ \ U.S. 60, Clifton Forge four lanes: $5.2 million\ \ Interstate 64 interchange with U.S. 220 engineering study: $750,000.\ \ U.S. 19, Tazewell and Russell counties parallel lane: $12 million.\ \ U.S. 58, Grayson County parallel lane west of Virginia 94: $5 million.
\ EDUCATIONAL AID\ TO HELP SOLVE DISPARITY\ \ Alleghany: $1,194,509\ Bath County: $67,465\ Bedford: $214,421\ Bedford County: $1,733,034\ Bland CountY: $676,140\ Botetourt County: $819,885\ Buena Vista: $927,674\ Carroll County: $2,644,945\ Clifton Forge: $315,744\ Covington: $701,238\ Craig County: $484,906\ Floyd County: $521,779\ Franklin County: $1,621,234\ Galax: $753,163\ Giles County: $1,579,307\ Grayson County: $1,767,769\ Henry County: $2,441,754\ Lexington: $127,937\ Martinsville: $772,761\ Montgomery: $1,986,052\ Patrick County: $791,322\ Pulaski County: $2,764,235\ Radford: $349,082\ Roanoke: $5,288,081\ Roanoke Co.: $2,326,383\ Rockbridge: $1,291,626\ Salem: $727,247\ Smyth County: $3,281,381\ Wythe County: $2,113,879
COLLEGE CONSTRUCTION\ PROJECTS ON CRANWELL BOND LIST\ \ Radford University: Reed Hall improvements, additions to Preston Hall and McConnell Library, McGuffey Hall improvements: $14.2 million.\ \ Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center: cooperative higher education center: $9.9 million\ \ New River Community College: library space: $500,000.\ \ Patrick Henry Community College: addition to Philpott Technical Center: $2.5 million.\ \ Virginia Western Community College: laboratory/continuing education building for humanities and continuing education departments: $2.9 million.\ \ Wytheville Community College: learning rescource center, addition to maintenance building: $2 million.\ Southwest Virginia Community College: improvements to Russell, Tazewell and Buchanan Halls: $1 million.\ \ Virginia Highlands Community College: occupational/technical education center: $2.4 million.\ \ Mountain Empire Community College: improvements to Godwin Hall and the mines, minerals and energy office complex: $1 million.\ \ Virginia Tech: addition to veterinary medicine complex, academic facility for engineering and architecture, heating and ventilation improvements, library storage facility, improvements to Major Williams Hall, office and greenhouse facilities at Winchester research experiment station, biotechnology offices and labs: $43.7 million.\ \ Virginia Military Institute: improvements to Maury-Brooke and Richardson Buildings, barracks improvements, improvements to Preston library: $10.2 million.