DATE: Wednesday, September 17, 1997         TAG: 9709170723

SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A4   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: FOCUS: ELECTION '97

DECISION '97

                                            LENGTH:  146 lines

79TH DISTRICT WHY ARE YOU RIGHT FOR THE JOB? THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY CANDIDATES IN SOUTH HAMPTON ROADS' CONTESTED RACES TALK TO CITIZENS.

JOHNNY S. JOANNOU

Born: 4/22/40, Brooklyn, NY

Years living in city/district: 52 years in the 79th District.

Education: Woodrow Wilson High School graduate, 1958; Virginia Polytechnic Institute B.A., 1962. Attended T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond J.D., 1969.

Occupation: Lawyer with the firm of Joannou, Knowles & Clark.

Party affiliation and official endorsements: Democrat; Virginia Education Association; Portsmouth Education Association; Hampton Roads Realtors Association; Retired Portsmouth Police and Fire Fighters; Inter-Denominational Ministers Forum; Portsmouth Fraternal Order of Police; Minority Police Officers Association.

Political experience/community service: A member of the Virginia State Bar; Portsmouth Democratic Committee; Portsmouth Naval Lodge No. 100, A.F. & A.M.; Scottish Rite, Khedive Temple; the Portsmouth and Norfolk-Portsmouth Bar Associations, Southeastern Board of Virginia Alcohol Safety Action; members of the Greek Orthodox Church in Norfolk.

How can citizens reach you? 686-5508, campaign headquarters; 399-1700, law office; 397-6624, fax; 709 Court Street, Portsmouth, Va. 23704.

I believe the three major issues facing the citizens of the 79th House of Delegates District are education, crime and taxes.

Education and economic development are tied to each other. A first-class education system attracts industry, which in turn creates more jobs, which creates a more secure future for all of us.

I want the best schools for all our children. I think we must get back to the basics. It starts with making our schools safer, with more discipline and higher standards. I want children to focus on their studies, and teachers to focus on teaching, not on being baby-sitters.

We need to fight any efforts that would take lottery funding away from our public schools. We need to reduce class size and upgrade our computers so that our children will be ready for the jobs of the 21st century.

Some politicians are pushing for charter schools, which would take money away from public schools in order to set up separate schools. We should focus on improving our public school systems to ensure that all of our children will receive the best education possible.

With regard to crime, my record is clear. I favor the death penalty, not with glee, but as a necessary tool to take those persons out of society who commit heinous crimes. I have introduced legislation that has toughened sentences for drug pushers and fought for legislation that made it mandatory prison time for a person convicted of the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

For my efforts in law enforcement, I was named Legislator of the Year by the Virginia Sheriff's Association and endorsed by other law enforcement groups.

With regard to taxes, in my sixteen years in the General Assembly, I never voted for a general tax increase. I supported and voted for the balanced budget amendment to the Virginia Constitution. I believe our government should be run in a responsible, business-like manner. We should not spend more than we take in.

With regard to the personal property tax on automobiles and the Business Professional and Occupational License (BPOL), I believe those are unfair taxes and should be repealed in a responsible manner, and I will work to repeal the same.

I believe because of my experience, knowledge and background, not only as a lawyer, businessman and legislator, but as a husband and a father, you will vote for me on November 4th. Together we can make a difference.

D.R. ``DAN'' EVANS

Born: Nov. 16, 1955, Portsmouth

Years living in city/district: All but 5 years of life

Education: Churchland High School graduate, 1974; Key Business College graduate, 1975

Occupation: President of Evans Electric Co.,

Party affiliation and official endorsements: Republican; Gov. George Allen; former Gov. Mills Godwin; Jim Gilmore; State Sen. Mark Earley; John Hager; National Federation of Independent Business; The Madison Project; Life Underwriters PAC; Associated General Contractors.

Political experience/community service: Elected to represent Virginia in 1995 to the White House Conference on Small Business; Churchland Jaycees; Portsmouth Kiwanis; Effingham Street YMCA board member; Retail chairman of the 1996 Portsmouth United Way Campaign; past board member of Aldersgate United Methodist Church; member of America-Fellowship Lodge of Portsmouth; past president of Miars Farm Civic League; board member of the Portsmouth Partnership.

How can citizens reach you: 397-7979; fax, 397-4811; P.O Box 12, Portsmouth, Va.23705, or e-mail: dan4va(AT)aol.com or dan(AT)evans-inc.com

Being a small-business person in Portsmouth, I have seen firsthand how government does not respond to the needs of its citizens. It is my observation that we can run government more like a business and reach everyone's goals.

Protecting our citizens from crime should be our No. 1 priority. Programs that have been effective statewide are parole abolition and tougher sentences for repeat offenders. Locally, the neighborhood officer programs have been very effective and should be continued.

Items I would add to help fight crime are ``Pay to Stay'' and cleaning up the court system. My definition of ``Pay to Stay'' is that those criminals with the money to pay for their own incarceration should do so up front. Others would be given the basic needs: food, bathroom and bed. To go to the TV room or participate in any recreational or learning endeavor, they would have to work enough hours to pay for it.

The court system in Portsmouth is a travesty of justice, with rampant abuse of continuances by state delegates and a commonwealth's attorney's office that can't properly explain how people are let off because they cannot bring cases to trial in a timely manner. The state MUST address Portsmouth's courts system, and the (continuance) statute, or the hard work our police officers do is for naught.

We need to improve our education system by spending our money more wisely. One way would be to cut the bureaucracy, so that the money saved could be used to hire teachers. We would then be able to decrease classroom sizes for K-6 grade. We can also look into ways to have economies of scale by bringing school board functions under city governments, such as purchasing and maintenance.

We need to give the teachers the power to have unruly children removed from their classes and sent to alternative learning centers. This would allow children who truly want a good education the classroom time needed to deliver it.

Continuing on education, one part that has been hopelessly left out in recent years is vocational education. We should work on programs in conjunction with businesses to be sure that those students who may not be interested in college have a chance to make a living wage in adulthood. Some of Evans Electric's best employees (including four of our current management team) started with us through high school programs.

On the subject of taxation,. . . repeal of the personal property tax on cars is a good start, but we need to look at our whole tax system.

Last, but certainly not least, we have to continue to protect Virginia's environment. We should do this by working with business instead of against them. Allow business people to ask questions or for help without the fear of being fined or thrown into jail.

With tourism growing strong in Virginia, we must also say no to out-of-state garbage. Scanning the brochures in travel agencies, you will never see on that says, ``Come visit our garbage dump, we have some of the best out-of-state garbage that has ever been collected.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos

Johnny S. Joannou

D.R. ``Dan'' Evans KEYWORDS: ELECTION VIRGINIA HOUSE OF DELEGATES RACE

VIRGINIA 79TH DISTRICT PROFILE CANDIDATES

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