Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, November 6, 1995 TAG: 9511060003
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DWAYNE YANCEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
a. about right.
b. too high.
2. I believe one of the keys to better schools is:
a. smaller class size.
b. tougher academics.
3. I believe the proposed "charter schools" - under which private groups would be allowed to contract with local school boards to operate public schools outside the regular school system - are:
a. a bad idea, because they would drain money from the regular school system and lead to resegregation of public classrooms by race and income levels.
b. a good idea, because they would allow for innovative programs and provide some competition to the public schools.
4. I believe the so-called "disparity" issue, the unequal funding between rural school systems and affluent suburban ones, is:
a. a big deal, because it means many rural school systems must do without computer technology and suffer high student-teacher ratios.
b. not a big deal, because money doesn't solve everything, and some rural school systems have produced higher test scores than their suburban counterparts.
5. I believe Virginia needs to:
a. build more prisons so we're not in danger of letting prisoners get out early because we don't have space for them.
b. build fewer prisons, and seek alternative means of punishment.
6. When it comes to paying for prison-building, I believe Virginia should:
a. go slow, so we don't overbuild, just in case the prison population projections are wrong. I also believe we should finance them, as much as possible, on a pay-as-you-go basis, because it's a bad idea to run up too much debt.
b. immediately authorize a 10-year construction plan, so there's no uncertainty. I also believe we should borrow money to pay for those prisons because one generation shouldn't have to foot the entire cost for capital construction that future generations also benefit from.
7. I believe the state government's spending is:
a. about right, considering how fast Virginia's population has grown and how many social service programs, such as Medicare, that the federal government is transferring to the states. To make real cuts in state spending would imperil important state services.
b. too high, because the rate of state spending has tripled since 1980. There's plenty of waste that can be trimmed from the budget without hurting key programs.
8. I believe the proposal for the state to turn over its lottery proceeds to localities is:
a. a sham, because it would leave a big hole in the state budget, and there's no guarantee that localities would use the funds for education, as many of the proponents are promising.
b. a great idea, because it puts control of the lottery funds closer to the people. And if localities want to spend the money on something other than education, that's their right.
9. I believe the proposal to repeal localities' rights to levy a gross receipts tax on business - the so-called BPOL tax, for "business professional occupation license" - is:
a. generally a bad idea, because it eliminates one of the few ways localities have to raise revenue. Without it, localities might be forced to raise property taxes, which are more unfair than the BPOL tax.
b. a great idea, because even businesses that lose money must pay the tax, and the tax impedes small businesses from expanding.
10. I believe that state funding of cultural groups and other local projects, such as Center in the Square, the Hotel Roanoke Conference Center, Virginia's Explore Park and the Virginia Museum of Transportation, is:
a. an important way the state can promote economic development through tourism and underwrite educational programs throughout the state.
b. an example of "pork barrel" politics that should be eliminated. If localities want those projects, they should raise the money locally.
\ WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?
1. A: Democrats stress that Virginia is one of the lowest-taxed states in the country. Only New Hampshire has a lower tax burden.
B: Republicans say even in a low-tax state, there's still room to cut taxes.
2. A: Democrats are proposing to increase spending to reduce class sizes, especially in kindergarten through third grade, which they say will have teachers give students more individual attention.
B: Republicans back Gov. George Allen's efforts to institute mandatory statewide standards, with emphasis on basic subjects.
3. A: Democrats vigorously oppose charter schools.
B: Many Republicans, including those closest to Allen, are promoting charter schools.
4. A: Democrats in Western Virginia have made closing the funding gap one of their top priorities.
B: Most Republicans don't talk much about the funding disparities.
5. Trick question. Actually, there's bipartisan agreement on how many prisons Virginia needs to build between now and 2001, and there's bipartisan agreement that the state needs to explore alternative means of punishment as well. The partisan debate is over how to pay for those prisons.
6. A: Democrats favor this course.
B: Republicans want to go this way.
7. A: Democrats say Virginia spends less per capita than most states, and that the governor's proposed budget cuts this year show that key state services are endangered.
B: Many Republicans back Allen's plan to cut 3 percent from the state budget.
8. A: Democrats think Allen's proposal to turn over lottery proceeds to localities is politically popular but economically unwise.
B: Republicans have made return of the lottery proceeds one of the key planks of their platform.
9. A: During the last General Assembly session, Democrats successfully fought off Allen's attempt to repeal localities' right to levy the tax.
B: Many Republicans make repealing this tax one of their top priorities.
10. Another trick question, sort of. Members of both parties have supported such funding in the past, although Democrats - because they're the majority party - have generally taken the lead. This year, Allen promised to cut or eliminate funds to many of those projects, which put many members of his own party on the spot. Some Democrats charge that some Republicans aren't sufficiently vocal about protecting those funds.
by CNB