George Allen's 1~ 000 Days Have Changed Virginia .......................... By Frank B. Atkinson .......................... Mr. Atkinson served in Governor George ALIens economy and society, the fall ofrigid and divisive cabinet as Counselor to the Governor and Direc­ racial codes, the emergence of the federallevia­ tor ofPolicy untilSeptembe0 when he returned to than and modern social welfare state, the rise of his lawpractice in Richmond. He is the author of the Cold War defense establishment, the politi­ "The Dynamic Dominion) )) a recent book about cal ascendancy of suburbia, and the advent of Virginia Politics. competitive two-party politics. Virginia's chief executives typically have not championed change. Historians usually 1keeping with tradition, the portraits ofthe identify only two major reform governors dur­ sixteen most recent Virginia governors adorn ing this century. Harry Byrd (1926-30) the walls out ide the offices of the current gov­ reorganized state government and re tructured ernor, George Allen, in Richmond. It is a short the state-local tax system, promoted "pay-as­ stroll around the third-floor balcony that over­ you-go" road construction, and pushed through looks the Capitol rotunda, but as one moves a constitutional limit on bonded indebtedne . past the likenesses of Virginia chief executives And Mills Godwin (1966-70,1974-78) imposed spanning from Governor Harry F. Byrd to L. a statewide sales tax, created the community Douglas Wilder, history casts a long shadow. college system, and committed significant new The Virginia saga from Byrd to Wilder is a public resources to education, mental health, Frank B. Atkinson story of profound social and economic change. parks, and other services during his activist first While the nation was trudging through turbulent term. Douglas Wilder (1990-94), who also rank times from Roosevelt to Reagan, Virginia was at as an historic figure, will be remembered les work reconciling its conservative fiscal traditions for notable accomplishments as governor than and cultural values with new realities: the trans­ for the social and political advance inherent in formation of the Old Dominion's once~rural his getting there. University of Virginia NEWS LETTER A departure CREATIVE CONSERVATISM • Economic Development: Virginia has been from Ulethargic With the inauguration of Governor George Allen catapulted into the forefront nationally in eco­ in 1994, the Commonwealth appeared poised to nomic development, and more than 150,000 liberalism" enter a new era. One of the youngest chief execu­ net new jobs have been created since Allen and Ustodgy tives since Jefferson, the optimistic Allen won the took office. With the successful recruitment office by a landslide margin with the promise ofan ofthe world's high-tech giants to the nascent estalishment "honest new generation ofleadership." In both style "Silicon Dominion," $10 billion in new and substance, Allen and his agenda of "creative conservatism. " investment has been attracted to the Com­ conservatism" represented a dramatic departure from monwealth during Allen's tenure, shattering the often muted and lethargic liberalism ofcontem­ the previous record of $1 billion in new poraryVirginia Democrats and the sometimes stodgy investment annually. The broad-based gains establishment conservatism ofthe state's aging Byrd­ can be attributed largely to new pro-growth Republican coalition. tax and regulatory policies, aggressive na­ History has yet to judge the ongoing tenure tional and international marketing ofGovernor Allen. But at this, the 1,000-day mark (including the governor's own intense of his administration, few would deny the sweep­ recruitment efforts) revam12ed state eco­ ing nature ofhis impact. Although Virginia governors nomic development programs, and a new generally have pursued one or two major policy public/private economic development part­ initiatives at most-and even Byrd and Godwin nership and strategy. are each remembered for only two or three-Allen • Government Reform: Through a comprehen­ has pushed through landmark changes in five sive reappraisal ofstate programs, privatization, major areas: and other cost-saving measures, the Allen ad­ ministration has significantly increased funding • CriminalJustice Reform: Virginia's criminal for priorities such as education, public safety justice system has been completely overhauled, and job creation without a tax hike. The econo­ including the abolition ofparole, adoption of mies also enabled the Allen administration to truth-in-sentencing, dramatic increases in pass along to Virginians more than $360 mil­ prison time for violent and repeat criminals, lion in tax reductions and $400 million in and comprehensive juvenile justice reform. refunds to federal retirees who were wrongly Partly due to these changes, the unprecedented taxed in the 1980s. In a modern first, the surge in violent crime that was occurring as far-reaching reforms also permitted an this decade opened has been replaced by a state­ actual reduction in the overall size of the wide decline in all categories ofviolent crime. state workforce. Using normal attrition, a • Education Reform: For the first time, rigor­ hiring freeze, and retirement incentives, the ous statewide academic standards have been Allen administration has achieved a net established in the core subjects of math, sci­ reduction of 9,000 filled full-time equiva­ ence, English, and history, and a comprehensive lent positions while imposing fewer layoffs testing program will measure student achieve­ than the preceding Wilder administration. ment against the new standards. To accompany this nationally acclaimed reform, the gover­ Earlier this year, as he addressed the Vir­ nor and legislature earlier this year agreed on ginia General Assembly in joint ses ion for the the largest single increase ever in state fund­ third time, Governor Allen could credibly pro­ ing for education (more than $1 billion), along claim that Virginia was in the midst of a with a freeze on college tuition for Virginia renaissance-a rebirth of optimism and oppor­ students. tunity throughout the state. Opinion surveys • Welfare Reform: The welfare morass in Vir­ revealed a high degree of satisfaction with state ginia has been replaced with the nation's most government among Virginians, a stunning change sweeping statewide reform program, includ­ compared with voter attitudes at the time of the ing a two-year time limit on assistance, 1993 election. And Allen could point to tangible mandatory work for able-bodied recipients, evidence-record job gains, major economic in­ and strong measures to compel fathers to sup­ vestments, falling crime rates, lower tuition costs, port their children. After just one year, Virginia rising academic standards, and thousands ofVir­ welfare rolls already have declined by 14 per­ ginians moving from welfare to self-sufficiency-to cent, while child support collections have risen support his renaissance claim. by 14 percent. Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service • September 1996 SURPRISEAFTER SURPRISE in his inaugural address. The razor-thin legislative A more improbable script could hardly have been majorities enjoyed by Democrats-four in the Sen­ written. ate and five in the House of Delegates-only Just three years ago, many of the same pun­ heightened the partisan tensions. dits who had dismissed Doug Wilder's chances of To make matters worse, the Republican con­ becoming governor were at it again, writing offfirst­ tingent in the legislature was rarely cohesive in support term Congressman George Allen as a doomed of the governor's initiatives. Allen's proposals politician, skewered by redistricting, and waiting to received crucial backing from his GOP legislative be buried in an electoral landslide. Attorney Gen­ allies, and his Republican opponents usually were eral Mary Sue Terry held a seemingly insurmountable few in number. ButAssembly Democrats frequently lead in the polls and a million-dollar advantage in were able to stand back and let one or more of the her campaign kitty. Even Republicans were full of chief executive's maverick Republican critics lead doubts. the assault on his policies. Mter a decade of state administration under The reform-minded chief executive was not moderate-liberal Democratic governors, however, Vir­ without some valuable assistance, however. Chief • ginia voters w re eager for change. Concerns ranged among these assets was the state's Republican attor­ from well-publicized ethical lapses and conflicts among ney general, James S. Gilmore, III. Working closely state officials, to large state and local tax and spending with the governor and his cabinet, Gilmore played increases, a wave ofviolent crime, and such perenni­ key roles in the development ofparole abolition and ally vexing problems as mediocre educational other criminal justice legislation, spearheaded the performance, welfare waste, and economic stagnation. effort to settle the state's costly tax dispute with federal From Allen's Jeffersonian conservative perspec­ retirees, chaired Allen's juvenile justice and envi­ tive, the remedy for these ills lay in common-sense ronmental stewardship commissions, mounted the solutions grounded in Virginians' traditional values. governor's legal attacks on mandates imposed from His promises were clear and specific: He would abolish Washington, and championedAllen's reforms as he Virginia's liberal parole laws, reform welfare so that traveled around the state. With few exceptions, the able-bodied