Gary West

By Kimball Payne
October 3, 2009

NEWPORT NEWS - — Republican Dels. Phil Hamilton and G. Glenn Oder sparred with Democratic opponents Robin Abbott and Gary West, respectively, late Thursday during a Newport News forum focused on childrens' issues.

The forum, sponsored by Voices for Virginia's Children, drew a largely partisan crowd. Out of about 100 folks in the audience, at least three dozen were campaign staffers, volunteers or supporters covered with campaign stickers or sporting campaign T-shirts.

The topics coupled with a question-and-answer format kept the forum from producing major sparks in the contentious races for the House of Delegates. But for the second time in a week, the incumbents and challengers worked to draw distinctions.

When the moderator asked about the 200,000 Virginia children without health care, Hamilton and Abbott offered voters a clear dividing line when it comes to universal medical coverage for children.

Hamilton, R-Newport News, chairman of the House Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee, said voters need to remember that parents should be the primary caretaker for children.

Hamilton said the General Assembly has made great strides in recent years funding the Family Access to Medical Insurance Security program, which acts as an extension of the federal children's health insurance program. Hamilton said Virginia would work to cover more children but cannot make it a mandate.

"Virginia has made a lot of progress," he said. "But I do not believe that it is the government's role to support all services for all people all of the time."

Abbott countered that in addition to efforts to promote preventative medicine, cut down on childhood obesity and emphasize wellness in the community to cut on costs, Virginia must strive to provide medical care to all 200,000 children currently without coverage.

"I believe it is our moral obligation to provide health care to all children," she said. "I want to make certain that every child has access to the best quality health care we can provide."

Oder, R-Newport News, detailed how he worked to make sure Newport News Public Schools received state funding for the preschool program that was put in place before General Assembly expanded the program throughout the state. Local school districts had been footing the bill for the early education. He said that pre-school should be a major point of emphasis.

"Let's save a lot of money keeping a kid out of jail and in school," Oder said.

West also stressed the need for intense early education, saying that every dollar spent on a child's education is more like an investment in the future than an expenditure.

West said he would support requiring insurance companies to cover autism, "unlike my opponent, who voted against this legislation."

Oder said lawmakers in Richmond cannot support every initiative that crosses their desks.

"Where is the money going to come from?" he said. "All of this costs money and these are tough decisions."

http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-local_forum_1003oct03,0,5148590.story