By LARRY O'DELL
Associated Press Writer
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Gov. Jim Gilmore said he will trim about $134 million from the state budget to help pay for his car-tax cut, which will cost nearly twice as much as he said last fall during his campaign.
Gilmore said the tax cut will cost about $493 million over the next two years. Along with the budget reductions, he is projecting $183 million in new revenue to help cover the cost.
During the campaign, Gilmore estimated the cost of the tax cut at $260 million over the first two years. Organizations representing local governments, which levy and collect the tax, said then that Gilmore's estimate was much too low.
Gilmore said at a news conference Friday that he did not deliberately low-ball the projection to make his plan more viable politically.
''That's not right at all,'' he said, adding that he would have made the car-tax cut the centerpiece of his campaign even if he had known its true cost. He said that as governor, he had access to more reliable numbers.
''This is a period of unequalled prosperity, and the people should benefit from that,'' Gilmore said.
The proposed state budget for the next two years already included $260 million for the tax cut. That, along with the revenue and spending adjustments announced Friday, would allow Gilmore to pay for the tax cut and a few other new initiatives and still leave $50 million unappropriated.
After the tax cut is fully implemented in 2002, the annual impact on the state budget will be just over $1 billion. That is nearly $400 million more than Gilmore estimated in the fall, but about $300 million less than the Virginia Association of Counties and the Virginia Municipal League projected.
Gilmore said none of his 20 proposed budget reductions would cut existing state services. The state would save $37 million by suspending contributions to the state employees' life insurance program, which Gilmore said has enough money to cover prospective liabilities through 2000.
However, he also would trim from the two-year, $40 billion budget some proposals his predecessor, fellow Republican George Allen, announced with much fanfare last fall. For example, Gilmore would save $25 million by postponing an incentive grant program for colleges until after his blue-ribbon commission on higher education studies the matter.
''He's turned some of Governor Allen's new initiatives on their head,'' said Sen. R. Edward Houck, D-Spotsylvania. ''It looks to me like he's going back on promises Governor Allen made.''
M. Boyd Marcus Jr., Gilmore's chief of staff, said later that it is only natural for different governors to have different priorities.
Legislators said that despite the escalating costs, they are certain some form of car-tax cut will pass.
Del. Glenn Croshaw, D-Virginia Beach, said the legislature probably will be able to handle the financial burden in the 1998-2000 budget. He is more concerned about the long term, when the cost is higher and the economic outlook less certain.
''With any downturn in the economy, you could be facing a potentially catastrophic deficit,'' he said.
Gilmore said the car-tax bill, which will be submitted Monday, will guard against that by slowing implementation of the tax cut if revenues fall short of projections.
As it stands now, taxpayers would get a rebate from the state for 15 percent of the car tax they pay in 1998.
After that, taxpayers would get a voucher good for a discount on their car tax. The discount would be 30 percent in 1999, 50 percent in 2000, and 70 percent in 2001. The tax would be eliminated on the first $20,000 assessed value of vehicles in 2002.
The tax bill would show the total amount of tax, the discount and the amount due from the taxpayer. The taxpayer would sign the voucher and return it along with a check to the local government, which would bill the state for the discounted amount. The state would transfer the funds electronically to the locality within 48 hours.
''This is a simple plan,'' Gilmore said. ''Nobody has to make any complicated calculations.''
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Key points in Gov. Jim Gilmore's proposal to cut the local personal property tax on the first $20,000 in assessed value of personally owned vehicles:
-The tax cut would cost $493 million over the first two years, just over $1 billion annually when fully implemented in 2002.
-Gilmore is projecting $183 million in new revenue and proposing $134 million in spending adjustments to help pay for the tax cut in the first two years.
-The state would reimburse local governments for the lost revenue. Reimbursements will be based on the tax rate and valuation method in place on Jan. 1, 1997.
-Taxpayers would get a rebate from the state for 15 percent of the car tax they pay in 1998. Checks could be issued as early as July for some taxpayers.
-Beginning in 1999, taxpayers would get a voucher good for a discount on their car tax. The discount would be 30 percent in 1999, 50 percent in 2000, and 70 percent in 2001.
-The tax cut would be implemented more slowly if state revenue falls short of projections.
-The tax eventually would be eliminated for nearly 5 million vehicles, or about 90 percent of all personally owned cars, trucks and vans in the state.
-The state would provide about $5 million to cover local governments' administrative costs.
RALEIGH, NC- The national tobacco settlement and global leaf outlook will be lead topics at Flue-Cured Tobacco Cooperative Stabilization Corporation's 40th annual District 10 meeting in Blackstone.
The meeting is set for 2 p.m., Monday, Feb. 16, at the Southern Piedmont Agricultural Center.
"The national tobacco settlement will be a major topic along with the world leaf outlook," said Andrew Q. Shepherd, district director. "We'll also be talking about the tobacco program as it applies to individual farmers and its importance to the industry. And, of course, key to all this is the strengths and weaknesses of domestic and export markets."
Data from the 1997 tobacco season will be presented by representatives of Stabilization, Tobacco Associates, Inc., and U.S. Department of Agriculture's Tobacco Division. "Comments and discussion will be welcomed," Shepherd said.
Following the regular meeting, advisory committee members will be named from each of the district's counties. Stabilization's District 10 includes each of the flue-cured counties in Virginia.
"The future of tobacco production will soon be debated in Washington," said Lioniel S. Edwards, Stabilization general manager. "For that very important reason, flue-cured tobacco farmers need to be at this meeting. You own this cooperative and you're our reason for being. We want to hear from you ."
Flue-Cured Tobacco Cooperative Stabilization Corporation is a farmer owned organization that administers the USDA flue-cured tobacco price support program. Flue-cured producing states are Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia.
Ten district meetings are held annually in the flue-cured tobacco producing states.
Kiley Armstrong and Tiffany Brizendine are on the cutting edge of local sports history.
The two Halifax County High School seniors are the first two women to occupy a starting spot on the Halifax County High School varsity wrestling team.
As a result, they are creating a unique mark not only on their school but for the community as well.
"I think people make more of big deal out of it just because we're girls," said Brizendine.
"I don't look at myself as a girl wrestler. I look at myself as just a wrestler."
While Armstrong also views herself as being simply a high school wrestler, she says it is a special experience knowing that she and Brizendine will occupy a place in the Comet record books.
"I think it's neat," Armstrong said.
"People are always going to look at you and say you're the first girls to wrestle. I feel privileged to know that we're going to make it into the history books at Halifax."
Both young ladies quickly point out that this is not one of those women's rights ploys to gain recognition and further the cause of women.
"It's not a woman's rights thing," Armstrong stated.
"We're here to prove that girls can do it if they really want to. Girls don't have to be scared away because its a boys' sport."
Brizendine added, "I didn't start wrestling to make myself look good or because I'm a woman. I started wrestling because I wanted to do it."
Comet coach Brady Taylor, who, this season, is in his first varsity coaching position, said that the experience of working with the young ladies has been a unique one.
"I'm really enjoying it," Taylor said.
"I wasn't sure I would when I started. There were some issues I was concerned with at first. I have been on teams before where this would have been a problem. But, these guys on the team are good wrestlers, they treat them like wrestlers and like they're equal which I'm very happy for."
Taylor said that the experience of working with the girls has been a good.
"I love working with the girls," Taylor remarked.
"They work hard. I treat them the same as I do everybody else. When they walk out onto the mat they wrestle to win. They're doing a heck of a job for me. I'm impressed with both of them."
Armstrong and Brizendine appear are two typical high school students. The two seniors are honor roll students. Brizendine attends the Southside Regional Governor's School and is a member of the Spanish Club. Armstrong is in the high school's Health Occupations Students of America organization and in the school's nursing assistants program. And, both share a love for the sport that is considered a man's sport.
Brizendine started out as a Wrestlette, one of a group of young ladies that was formed to assist the Comet wrestling team and coaches with various tasks at matches and at practice.
"I was a Wrestlette in the ninth grade which was the first year they had them." Brizendine explained.
"Then, in the tenth grade, I started wrestling."
Brizendine said that knee problems during her junior year forced her to miss out on a lot of the wrestling activity. But, she decided to return this year, in her senior year, to give it a try.
"I just decided that I wanted to do it again because I liked it," she said.
Armstrong has been wrestling for three years and gained a lot of knowledge of the sport from her father, Mickey Armstrong, who is a former wrestler and a volunteer assistant coach for the Comet wrestling team.
"He just asked me one day if I wanted to try to do it," Armstrong said.
"I said 'yeah,' and he has been supporting me ever since."
Wrestling is one of the most physically demanding sports an athlete could tackle. The drilling and physical conditioning is tough and the intensity of the effort required on the mat is tremendous. Both girls admit that it has been harder than they first thought.
"I feel I have to prove myself," Brizendine said.
"I feel we have to go harder than the guys do and work harder than they do. It's harder than I thought it would be. If I had more strength in my arms it wouldn't be quite as hard. Coach Taylor (Comet head coach Brady Taylor) is big on conditioning. We do a lot of running and speed drills. It's kind of tough."
For both girls, this is their first year of varsity wrestling. And, for both girls, this is the first year that they have competed against boys.
"Coach Newbern (former Comet coach Mike Newbern) wouldn't let us wrestle guys last year," Armstrong said.
"But, Coach Taylor has supported us. He's told us we're just as equal, that everybody is equal and to go for it. He has confidence in us."
Armstrong says that not only is it tough physically wrestling boys, it's tough mentally as well.
"I walk out there (on the mat) and they think I'm nothing," Armstrong said.
"I have to go out there are show them I am more than they think I am."
Neither girl has won a match yet. But, that hasn't bothered them.
"I don't know when we'll win a match," Brizendine said, "but, one day we will."
"It doesn't bother me when I lose," Armstrong added.
"I just get frustrated sometimes."
"It's frustrating," added Brizendine, "especially when you get down near the end in the second or third period and you end up getting pinned. But, it teaches you self control and self confidence."
Both young women say that wrestling teaches you a lot of things.
Armstrong says that wrestling "teaches me to know that I can do anything I put my mind to." Brizendine adds that wrestling is teaching her that lesson as well along with giving her self confidence and self respect.
Both girls say that they have received outstanding support from their male teammates and that the guys have been willing to take time to work with them and help them improve.
"They've always helped me out when I've had a problem," Armstrong said.
"They have always been there for me. They have always helped me and supported me."
Taylor says that while he wants to see the girls win, winning isn't everything.
"So what if they don't win a match this year?" Taylor mused.
"Big deal. They will get much more out of wrestling than just winning. They will have learned what hard work is. They will have learned what dedication is. Those are two big lessons that will help them every day for the rest of their lives. I'm proud to work with them."
Four people were treated for minor injuries after a single-vehicle wreck Saturday afternoon on U.S. 501 near Volens, according to the Virginia State Police.
Susan L. Irby lost control of a 1979 Ford pickup on U.S. 501, approximately one-half mile south of Rt. 636, police said.
The vehicle ran off the left side of the road and struck an embankment, according to the investigation.
Irby was injured during the 3 p.m. crash. Also injured were three passengers, three-year-old Michael Irby, five-year-old Karyn Irby, and six-year-old Chris Irby, police said.
Damages to the pickup truck were estimated at $1,000. Irby was charged by Virginia State Trooper D.J. Cline with reckless driving.
In other wrecks:
· A rear end collision that occurred Friday morning injured a Halifax woman, police said.
Nicola Carter, 22, of Halifax was stopped on Rt. 651, waiting to make a left hand turn when her 1984 Mercury was struck in the rear by a 1996 Mercury driven by Tonya M. Barksdale, 22, also of Halifax, police said.
The 8:15 a.m. crash occurred on Rt. 651, two-tenths of a mile east of U.S. 501, according to the investigation. Carter was injured.
Damages to the 1984 Mercury were estimated at $300, while damages to Barksdale's vehicle were estimated at $700, police said.
Carter was charged with defective equipment, while Barksdale was charged with following too closely, according to the investigation.
The wreck was investigated by Virginia State Trooper R.T. Ridgeway.
· A tractor trailer and a car collided Thursday morning at the intersection of U.S. 501 and Rt. 638, police said.
William Cullen Thaxton Jr., 47, of Nathalie was injured after his 1979 Buick collided with a tractor trailer at 6:45 a.m., according to the investigation.
The 1994 Volvo tractor trailer, owned by Sunshine Mills, was driven by Paulette C. Holt, 51, of Dennis, Mississippi. She was not injured, but damages to the rig were estimated at $22,000, police said.
Damages to Thaxton's vehicle were estimated at $2,000, according to the investigation.
The tractor trailer was legally passing the Buick when Thaxton attempted to make a left turn into the rig's path, police said.
No charges have been filed. The incident is still under investigation by Virginia State Trooper M.S. Roark Jr.
· A Nathalie man was injured after a single-vehicle wreck Saturday morning on Rt. 640, 2.8-miles north of Rt. 669, police said.
Wreckley Davis, 36, was driving a 1984 Ford when he lost control, ran off the road, struck an embankment, and overturned, according to the investigation.
The truck was declared a total loss after the 10:45 a.m. wreck. Davis was charged by Trooper Ridgeway with reckless driving.
· Bonnie Lynn Richardson, 28, of Halifax was injured Friday night in a single-vehicle wreck on Rt. 678, four-tenths of a mile west of Rt. 654, police said.
Richardson was driving a 1995 Isuzu pickup truck when an unknown vehicle crowded her off the roadway, according to the investigation.
The pickup ran off the right shoulder and struck several small trees. Damages to the truck were estimated at $5,000, police said.
No charges were filed and the incident was investigated by Trooper Ridgeway.
Sarah Lacks Faucette of St. Petersburg, FL, formerly of Halifax County, died Thursday, January 22, 1998 in St. Petersburg at the age of 69.
She was born in Halifax County on June 29, 1928 the daughter of Luther B. Lacks and Emily Scott Lacks and was married to Samuel Joseph Faucette Jr. and was a member of Zion Grove Baptist Church.
Mrs. Faucette is survived by one son, Samuel Joseph Faucette III of St. Petersburg; two daughters, Michele Faucette and Sandra Faucette, both of Clover; her mother of Clover; three grandchildren; four sisters, Elizabeth Bryant and Emily Ferguson, both of New Haven, CT, Mary Lacks and Irene Lacks, both of Clover; five brothers, James Lacks and Luther Lacks, both of Brooklyn, NY, Mitchell Lacks and George Lacks, both of New Haven and John Lacks of Clover, and other relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, January 28 at 1 p.m. at Zion Grove Baptist Church with Rev. Jefferson Goode officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family will receive friends at Jeffress Funeral Home chapel Tuesday evening from 7 until 8:00.
Archie Woodrow Satterfield of 2165 Oak Level Road, Halifax died Saturday, January 24, 1998 at Berry Hill Nursing Home. He was 73 years of age.
Mr. Satterfield was born in Halifax County on August 30, 1924 the son of Charlie Satterfield and Minnie Wilkerson Satterfield.
Survivors include four sisters, Lottie Tate of Halifax Sue Satterfield and Lucille Raynor, both of South Boston and Myrtle Dodson of Sandston; and one brother, Henry Satterfield of Danville. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Melvin and William Satterfield.
Graveside services for Mr. Satterfield will be held today, January 26 at 2 p.m. at Pleasant Grove United Church of Christ with Rev. Rudolph Jacobs conducting the service.
Lucy Ann Davis of Clover died Thursday, January 22, 1998 at Halifax Regional Hospital. She was 80 years of age.
Mrs. Davis was born in Halifax County on May 8, 1916.
Survivors include four daughters, Lucille Anderson of Clover, Thelma Waller, Surilla Miller, both of Nathalie and Bettie Tucker of Gretna; two sons, Hurley Davis and Joe Davis, both of Nathalie; 29 grandchildren; 52 great-grandchildren; and 14 great-great-grandchildren; two sisters, Mary Black and Mozella Black, both of Nathalie; and other relatives and friends.
Funeral services for Mrs. Davis were held Sunday, January 25 at 3 p.m. at New Second Buffalo Baptist Church with Rev. William Yancey officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery in Clover.