THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 9, 1997 TAG: 9701090006
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A16 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: 25 lines
Hallelujah! Former Rep. L. F. Payne has experienced an epiphany. After years of actively trying to block Virginia Beach's quest for the Lake Gaston pipeline, the Southside Democrat now says the city has a right to the water.
It's no coincidence that Payne's conversion coincides with his need for Hampton Roads votes in next November's election. Payne wants to be Virginia's next lieutenant governor.
Flip-flopping on an issue as important as Lake Gaston might be only an amusing indicator of Payne's character if he were not seeking such a pivotal position in state government.
The lieutenant governor presides over the Virginia Senate and votes to break ties. The job is often a stepping stone to the governor's mansion.
We welcome Payne's belated change of heart on the Lake Gaston issue and hope that now that he has seen the light he will work as hard to see that water soon flows through that much-needed pipeline as he did trying to stop it.