Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, January 18, 1994 TAG: 9401180222
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A7 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
"During the past year, Susan and I traveled more than 100,000 miles across this commonwealth and met tens of thousands of Virginians. We listened, and we learned from them . . .
"Tonight, I ask you to join me in charting a course for positive, constructive change that will restore safety to our communities and create jobs so our loved ones can pursue their dreams and realize their potential.
"Let us turn first to the issue of public safety, which is the subject most on the minds of the people of Virginia today . . .
"The people of Virginia do not understand why violent criminals are apprehended, convicted and sentenced to long prison terms, only to be released after serving just a fraction of their time and allowed back into our neighborhoods and communities to again terrorize law-abiding citizens . . .
"I intend to convene a special session of the General Assembly later this spring to act on truth-in-sentencing legislation that will abolish parole and begin the process of comprehensively restructuring sentences.
"Under my plan:
" Violent offenders will serve substantially longer periods of time in prison.
" Repeat violent offenders will be taken out of action until they are well on in years.
" And nonviolent offenders, wherever appropriate, will be diverted to alternatives to incarceration in the interest of keeping costs down . . .
"Some will say, of course, that longer incarceration is not the answer to the crime problem. And, indeed, it is not the whole answer, because we will not overcome crime until we address the root causes of criminal behavior.
"But this much is clear: We have to stop the bleeding before we can treat the whole patient. And, today, Virginia is bleeding! . . .
"For the foreseeable future, a major economic challenge in Virginia will be coping with the dramatic scale-down of the national defense establishment. To meet this challenge, we must proceed on two fronts - working to keep our military establishments open, and converting defense-related industries . . .
"The secretary of defense has indicated that next year's round of military base closings may result in the closing of as many as one of every two bases nationwide. The potential impact on the commonwealth is obviously immense. After consulting with Senator [Hunter] Andrews [D-Hampton],Senator [William] Wampler [R-Bristol] and others, I have decided to establish a task force to coordinate state and local efforts to retain our Virginia bases, and I will be seeking your active participation as well as that of our congressional delegation in this critical, bipartisan effort . . .
"Finally, let us renew our commitment to education as the primary means of empowerment and the essential foundation of a free and just society.
"Too often in the past, our Virginia education policies have been erratic, bureaucratic and shortsighted.
"To keep higher education within the grasp of lower- and middle-income families in Virginia, I will be offering a budget amendment to cap tuition increases for Virginia students at the rate of inflation.
"We also need to direct our attention to far-reaching reform of elementary and secondary education.
"As far as I am concerned, there should be no doubt: The expensive and misguided experiment known as `outcome-based education' is graveyard dead and gone.
"The primary purpose of education is to impart knowledge - useful knowledge - not to adjust attitudes. If our students acquire the knowledge and skills they need, positive self-esteem will follow.
"Our foremost task in reforming government is to earn Virginians' confidence in their elected leaders.
"You will have before you this session a number of worthy proposals for reform, including additional disclosure requirements for lobbyists, restrictions on so-called `revolving door' lobbying practices by former public officials, a ban on acceptance of honoraria, disclosure requirements for real estate transactions with the state, and other measures to strengthen our ethics laws. . . .
"Public confidence in government also depends on keeping politics out of matters in which it has no place . . .
"We need to restrain government, not entrepreneurs and working people.
"Accordingly, I will be submitting to you in the current session a proposed constitutional amendment to limit the expansion of state government in Virginia by requiring a two-thirds vote in both houses of the General Assembly before any increase in sales or income taxes can become law. Together with our existing requirement of a balanced budget, this measure will protect future Virginians from unnecessary and burdensome taxing and spending.
"In addition to promoting honesty and efficiency, we must ensure that government is accountable to the people. . . .
"I also want to bring about fundamental change by giving Virginians the constitutional right of initiative and referendum, so that, on matters of great public importance, they can render a judgment themselves."
Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1994
by CNB