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Ever since Sen. Harry Byrd Sr. proclaimed the doctrine as organizational gospel 60 years ago, challenging it has been tantamount to political suicide for candidates seeking office and a final curtain for those trying to hang on to their official seats.
Baliles, of course, already has been elected, but doing violence to Virginia’s pay-as-you-go tradition, can still be a high risk gamble for many lawmakers whose support he will need in the future and who will be called upon to support the governor’s plan.
To be sure times have changed in Virginia, but it is doubtful that many delegates and senators in 1987, when both Houses will be up for election, will be looking forward to running for re-election on a platform proclaiming that they supported the dismantling of the state’s pay-asyou-go highway funding tradition.
In fairness, it must also be noted that in spite of all the post inaugural hoopla about his near (by Virginia standards) revolutionary proposal Gov. Baliles did not run on such a platform in 1985, either.
Nevertheless, for the governor, the proposal was a bold stroke, ranking right up there with the boldest of any governor in recent memory. For that reason, it appears safe to assume that when, in the future, Jerry Baliles talks about creating a New Dominion, we had best listen to him. You may rest assured that the power brokers of the General Assembly most certainly will be doing so... intently!
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