The George Allen Record – Abolition of Parole – October 13, 1994

Oct 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

On October 13, 1994, George Allen fulfilled a major campaign promise by signing into law the Abolition of Parole.  The measure, overwhelmingly adopted in a Special Session of the Virginia General Assembly, fundamentally transformed the Commonwealth’s criminal justice system and made Virginia a safer place for law-abiding citizens.

“With my signature on this legislation, we are sending an unmistakable message to criminals or those thinking of committing criminal activity: Do not commit crime in Virginia. We will no longer tolerate it. And we will no longer excuse it. We’re going to hold criminals responsible and accountable for their violent acts. And it is high time that these principles are restored to our justice system here in Virginia,” stated Governor Allen. “By taking violent predators off the street and keeping them off, we will begin to reclaim our communities from crime. In doing this we will create an environment where hope can be restored, where businesses and jobs can return, where schools can again be places of learning, and where neighborhoods can be places for families rather than felons.”

The sweeping anti-crime package specifically abolished parole for offenses committed on or after January 1, 1995; established truth-in-sentencing – where criminals will serve a minimum of 85% of their sentences; and increased the time served in prison by 125% for first-time murderers and rapists and by 300%-500% for repeat violent criminals.  

George Allen’s Abolition of Parole marked a major victory for all law-abiding citizens.  With violent criminals serving longer prison sentences, Virginia reached its lowest crime rate level in more than a decade by the end of Allen’s service as Governor.  Fifteen years after Allen abolished parole, Virginia’s violent crime rate is down by more than 36 percent, and a recent Pew study attributes Virginia’s much-lower-than-average recidivism rate (28.3 percent compared to 43.3 percent nationally) to abolition of parole.

Filed Under: Blog, Issues Tagged With: ,

The George Allen Record – Line-Item Veto Authority – September 27, 2005

Sep 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

In an effort to rein in wasteful government spending and change the way Washington does business, on September 27, 2005, George Allen, along with Senator Jim Talent (MO), proposed a constitutional amendment to give the President Line-Item Veto similar to the power Governors in 46 States have to disapprove specific spending items without vetoing an entire bill.

Commenting on the proposed amendment on the Senate floor, Allen stated, “When I was honored by the people of Virginia as Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, I had the power of the line–item veto. I used it 17 times. I saw how useful a tool that was as Governor to knock out undesirable, nonessential spending.”  He further explained that “after you use it [Line-Item Veto] a few times, you don’t have to use it as much, because the legislative branch understands … and when it comes to the final budget or appropriations bills, the undesirable or wasteful programs or spending are not in it.”

In addition to Line-Item Veto authority and implementing iron-clad spending cuts, George Allen advocates long-term fiscal solutions like the Balanced Budget Amendment and Paycheck Penalty for members of Congress to end Washington’s reckless spending habits which have made trillion dollar deficits the norm. In order for Americans to compete and succeed in the future, Washington should have to live by the same rules that Virginia families and businesses do – within their means.

Filed Under: Blog, Issues Tagged With: , ,

The George Allen Record – Commission on Conversion of State-Owned Property – September 16, 1994

Sep 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

In his ongoing efforts to cut waste and make State government run more efficiently and effectively, on September 16, 1994, George Allen signed an Executive Order creating the Governor’s Commission on Conversion of State-Owned Property. The Governor charged the Commission with advising him on the current use, importance, value, and recommended disposition of real property assets held by agencies of the executive branch.

“The Privatization Subcommittee of my Strike Force has identified sale of surplus and under-utilized real properties as a significant potential source of capital to fund prisons and other capital needs in the years ahead,” stated Allen. “The charge of this Commission will be to identify those surplus and under-utilized properties and to recommend those that should be sold to generate prison construction funds.”

As a result of the Commission’s recommendations, the Commonwealth sold off nearly $10.4 million in surplus real property and identified tens of millions of dollars of additional property that was suitable for surplus. As Governor, George Allen’s streamlining initiatives such as the Blue Ribbon Strike Force and the Commonwealth Competition Council dramatically helped Virginia shed outdated burdensome regulations and manage resources efficiently.

Filed Under: Blog, Issues Tagged With: , ,

The George Allen Record – Energy Independence – September 8, 2006

Sep 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

From the floor of the United States Senate, on September 8, 2006, George Allen delivered his Strategic Plan for Energy Independence outlining a five-point approach that would lessen our nation’s dependence on foreign oil. Allen’s plan details the need for accelerated exploration and development of America energy resources as well as fostering education, innovation, and entrepreneurship in energy.

“For America to be free and independent, for America to remain the masters of our own destiny, we must declare our independence from the Middle East, and other hostile sources of foreign oil,” stated Allen.  “We must commit every effort and resource to the achievement of this national purpose.  We have the resources to do it, the resources underneath our land and water, and the best resource of all, the ingenuity of our free, creative minds.”

As gasoline prices and our dependence on foreign oil increase, Virginia needs a Senator who will fight for commonsense energy policies that encourage entrepreneurship, innovation, and safe exploration of our natural resources. Unleashing America’s energy resources will not only put us in control of our energy destiny, but it has the potential to create two million or more new jobs, add over one trillion dollars to the revenue side of the Treasury’s balance sheet without raising taxes, promote national security, and help preserve our quality of life.

Filed Under: Issues Tagged With: , , , ,

The George Allen Record – Thomas Jefferson Freedom Award – August 3, 1996

Aug 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

In recognition of his outstanding success in advancing the Jeffersonian principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and federalism, on August 3, 1996, George Allen received the American Legislative Exchange Council’s (ALEC) 1996 Thomas Jefferson Freedom Award.  Allen joined President Ronald Reagan and the Honorable Jack Kemp as the seventh recipient of this prestigious award.

“This award is in recognition of your bold initiatives to reform Virginia’s education, welfare and criminal justice systems, and your unwavering commitment to restoring the balance of power between the States and the federal government to what was originally envisioned by the Founding Fathers,” said The Honorable Dale Van Vyven, an Ohio State Representative and 1996 National Chairman of ALEC, in a letter to the Governor announcing his selection.

Allen’s success in abolishing parole, reforming a broken welfare system, overhauling Virginia’s regulatory policies and instituting high academic standards of learning (SOLs) and accountability in the Commonwealth’s classrooms all contributed to his unanimous selection by the Council’s Board of Directors.

Click Here to read George Allen’s speech at ALEC’s Thomas Jefferson Freedom Award Banquet

Filed Under: Issues Tagged With: , , , ,

The George Allen Record – Welfare Reform – July 25, 2005

Jul 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

In commemoration of Virginia’s sweeping welfare reform initiative, on July 25, 2005, George Allen marked the ten year anniversary of welfare reform in Virginia by visiting Cross Over Health Clinic and Calhoun Community Center, two Richmond area locations he first inspected as part of the initiative back in 1995.  The initial implementation of Allen’s welfare reform initiative began on July 1, 1995 with the Virginia Independence Program (VIP) and  Virginia Initiative for Employment not Welfare (VIEW).

During the ceremony marking the tenth anniversary, Allen stated, “Ten years ago, we embarked on this honest new era of hope and opportunity.  Back in 1995, we followed through on our promises and this welfare reform law was the most principled pro-family, pro-work, pro-individual responsibility, law in the nation.  At the time, Virginia had a system that rewarded idle behavior and we wanted to promote the work ethic.  We required able-bodied, able-minded welfare recipients to work. Today we don’t measure welfare reform success by how many people are on welfare, we measure it by how many people are leading independent, self-reliant lives.”

In the sixteen years since the welfare reform was instituted, welfare rolls in Virginia have been reduced by 47% and have saved Virginia taxpayers over $57 million in its first two years. Through upholding the twin pillars of strong work ethic and individual responsibility, George Allen believes that welfare should not be a way of life, but a temporary means of assistance that serves as a hand up to opportunity rather than a hand out to dependency.

Filed Under: Issues Tagged With: , ,

The George Allen Record – Welfare Reform – July 1, 1995

Jul 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

On July 1, 1995, Virginia began the implementation of George Allen’s sweeping welfare reform initiative, built on the twin pillars of work and individual responsibility.  Enacted more than a year ahead of the federal reform, Virginia’s welfare overhaul (the Virginia Independence Program and Virginia Initiative for Employment not Welfare, VIP/VIEW) became a national model for principled pro-family, pro-work, pro-individual-responsibility reform. 

Commenting on the launch of Virginia’s welfare reform program, Allen stated, “For centuries, both the ideas and activities of independence and liberty were born here in Virginia. It is fitting that the Virginia Independence Program, which we designed to break the debilitating trap of dependency in our current failed welfare system, would become law and be approved at the same time that we commemorate Independence Day.”

Among its groundbreaking provisions, Virginia’s welfare reform law required recipients to work in exchange for benefits; put a time limit on benefits received; eliminated increases in State financial assistance for those having more children while on welfare; created tough paternity identification requirements; and required young mothers—minors—who had children while on welfare to live at home and to remain in school.  With a program focused on helping recipients lead independent, self-reliant lives, Virginia’s welfare rolls fell dramatically and today are 47% lower than they were in 1995.  The more efficient and effective program saved Virginia taxpayers over $57 million in the first two years alone. 

George Allen believes States can produce similar results if given the flexibility to reform other federal programs, including Medicaid and food stamps.

Filed Under: Blog, Issues Tagged With: ,

The George Allen Record – Regulation – June 21, 1994

Jun 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment

On June 21, 1994, I signed three critical Executive Orders establishing strict standards and procedures for promulgating new state regulations in Virginia, & initiating a comprehensive review of all existing regulations. The review of existing regulations resulted in 71% of all state regulations being recommended either for termination (30%) or amendment (41%) into a more logical, less intrusive form.

Filed Under: Blog, Issues Tagged With: , , ,

The George Allen Record – Regulation – June 21, 1994

Jun 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Recognizing the burden that government regulations place on families and businesses, on June 21, 1994, George Allen signed three critical Executive Orders establishing strict standards and procedures for promulgating new state regulations in Virginia, and initiating a comprehensive review of all existing regulations.

“The sweeping regulatory reform principles now in effect by Executive Order… will provide direct guidance and results in reducing burdensome regulations on businesses and individuals,” stated Allen.

The Executive Orders established a presumption in favor of individual liberty and freedom from government restraint – restricting regulations to those required by law or essential in protecting the health, safety or welfare; as well as being the least costly and intrusive means of achieving that goal. The review of existing regulations during Allen’s service as Governor resulted in 71% of all state regulations being recommended either for termination (30%) or amendment (41%) into a more logical, less intrusive form.

Today, unelected, unaccountable regulators are out of control in Washington, and the regulatory onslaught is costing our economy over $1.75 trillion a year.  To stop overreaching, burdensome interference in the lives of Americans and the competitiveness of job-creating businesses, George Allen proposes regulating the regulators by requiring a “jobs and family impact analysis” of proposed regulations and congressional approval for any regulation with an economic impact greater than $100 million.

Filed Under: Issues Tagged With: , , ,

The George Allen Record – Death Tax – June 7, 2006

Jun 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

In response to the Senate’s failure to kill the “Death Tax”, on June 7, 2006, George Allen vowed to continue fighting to give the “Death Penalty to the Death Tax,” explaining that it puts a heavy burden on individuals, families, and small businesses “who are the owners of their property, not the government.”

“When I travel throughout Virginia and meet with individuals and families who own small farms, growing and thriving businesses—the real strength of America—people recognize that this is an unfair tax. The reality is that in this country when people earn money they are hit with an income tax. When they invest their savings they pay tax on dividends and interest. When they sell an asset they pay a capital gains tax. When they buy something they pay a sales tax. The government taxes you to death and then they want to tax you when you die. I don’t think the IRS ought to be hovering around like a bunch of buzzards at the funeral of our loved ones,” stated Allen. “This was an important vote to see where Senators stand and I am going to keep fighting to kill the death tax once and for all.”

George Allen believes the American Dream includes the ability and freedom to pass along your hard-earned assets, including a small business or farm, to your children. Foremost, Allen believes that Washington should not be standing in the way of entrepreneurs and innovators, who rely on a consistent, predictable tax system, from creating jobs, expanding opportunity, and spurring economic growth. In an encouraging sign, last year, Washington agreed to a temporary and limited relief from the death tax through 2012 by lowering the tax rate to 35% and exempting estates under $5 million.

###

Filed Under: Issues Tagged With: , , ,
« Older Posts