News / Virginia

By CHRISTINA NUCKOLS, The Virginian-Pilot
© October 6, 2001

RICHMOND -- The two men seeking the state's second-highest elected office sparred over taxes and the death penalty during a debate Friday evening.

A proposed referendum on a regional sales-tax increase in Northern Virginia did not dominate the event as it did during this week's gubernatorial debate. But Democrat Timothy Kaine and Republican Jay Katzen spelled out stark differences on the issue.

³I do support the right of that region or others to hold referendums and self-fund projects . . . without Richmond standing in the way and blocking their ability to have the kind of quality of life they want,² said Kaine. ³I don't think it's leadership to look them (Northern Virginians) in the eye and tell them that they don't know as much as I do when I don't even live in that region.²

Katzen bragged that he has voted against the referendum ³at least a dozen times² and said he would do so again.

³The worst thing that could happen to our economy now as we're being encouraged to spend more money is to then pickpocket you and take it out of your purses, take it out of your wallets and send it all to the government,² he said.

When the two were allowed to ask each other questions, Katzen -- a proponent of the death penalty -- zeroed in on Kaine's opposition to capital punishment.

³We human beings are not gods,² Kaine said. ³I just don't believe that the death penalty is right, because we human beings make mistakes.²

Kaine said he instead favors life in prison without parole. But, he added, ³I'm not a pacifist. I believe Osama bin Laden has declared war on the United States. People who declare war on the United States should be dealt with in the way that war requires.²

The debate was sponsored by the Virginia Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division. The Libertarian candidate for lieutenant governor, Gary Reams, was not invited to participate but did attend the debate.