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Virginia Governor (1986-1990 : Baliles), Executive Papers, 1986-1990. Accession 33702 and 33707, State Records Collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.
Accession 33702 transferred from Office of the Governor, 11 January 1990; Accession 33707 transferred from Office of the Governor, 12 January 1990.
Gerald L. Baliles was born in Patrick County, Virginia on 8 July 1940. He was educated in the public schools of Patrick County until high school when he attended Fishburne Military School in Waynesboro, Virginia and graduated in 1959. Baliles graduated from Wesleyan University in Connecticut in 1963 and received his law degree from the University of Virginia in 1967.
From 1967 to 1975, Baliles worked in the Virginia Attorney General's Office as an Assistant Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General. After leaving the Attorney General's Office in 1975, he joined the law firm of Partner, Bell, Lacey and Baliles and began his career in Democratic politics. He defeated incumbent Howard Carwile for the 35th District seat in the Virginia House of Delegates (representing Henrico County and the City of Richmond). Baliles served in the House of Delegates from 1976 to 1982.
In 1981, Baliles ran for Attorney General and narrowly defeated Wyatt B. Durrette, 50.9% to 49%, part of a Democratic sweep of the offices of Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General. Baliles served as Chairman of the Southern Association of Attorneys General and was selected as the most outstanding attorney general in the United States by his peers in the National Association of Attorneys General in 1985.
Baliles sought the governorship in 1985. He defeated Lieutenant Governor Richard Davis in the state party convention to win the Democratic gubernatorial nomination and once again defeated Wyatt B. Durrette in the general election, 55.2% to 44.8%. Baliles was sworn in on 11 January 1986 and became the sixty-fifth Governor of Virginia.
The Baliles administration focused primarily on transportation, trade and economic development and education. In 1986 appointed a Commission on Transportation for the 21st Century to study the Commonwealth's future transportation needs. That same year he convened a special session of the General Assembly that passed a 12 year $12 billion transportation package to modernize the state's roads, seaports, air ports, and mass transit, partially funded by a half cent increase in the sales tax. Baliles designated 1987 as the Year of Trade, established the Secretary of Economic Development and led eight international trade trips to promote Virginia in the international marketplace. Baliles education reforms included the introduction of guidance counselors in elementary schools and requirements for students to learn foreign languages.
During his term, Governor Baliles served as chairman of the Southern States Energy Board, Southern Growth Policies Boards (1987-1988), and National Governors' Association, 1988-1989.
After his term as Governor ended in January 1990, Baliles became a partner in the Richmond law firm, Hunton and Williams, where he focuses on aviation, trade and transportation law. Baliles has two children from his marriage to Jeannie P. Baliles, Laura and Jonathan. They divorced in 1996.
Executive Papers, 1986-1990, including correspondence, form letters, memorandums, minutes, pamphlets, programs, reports, relating to Baliles term as governor. The majority of this collection consists of general correspondence from constituents to the Governor and an attached copy of the response of the Governor, Governor's Office, or the appropriate cabinet secretary or state agency. These records document the Governor's response to topical issues during the administration of Governor Gerald L. Baliles. In addition to mail from the general public (which includes invitations, requests for assistance on a variety of issues, and stances on policy), these records also include letters to and from federal and state agencies, local government officials, Virginia General Assembly members, member of the United States Congress, and others including the United States President, governors of other states and other members of Congress regarding legislative proposals, issues, and bills.
Correspondence from the Governor's Office, in addition to those written by Governor Baliles, include, David K. McCloud, Chief of Staff, 1986, Andrew B. Fogarty, Chief of Staff from 1986 to 1989, Leonard L. Hopkins, Jr., Chief of Staff from 1989 to 1990, H. Benson Dendy, III, Special Assistant to the Governor and Secretary to the Cabinet from 1986 to 1989, Patricia L. Lambeth, Alan D. Albert, Meredith L. Strohm, and Robert B. Jones, Jr., Special Assistants to the Governor.
Correspondence to and from Cabinet secretaries include, Carolyn J. Moss, Secretary of Administration from 1986 to 1990, Richard M. Bagley, Secretary of Commerce and Resources (1986) and Secretary of Economic Development from 1986-1988, Curry A. Roberts, Secretary of Economic Development from 1988 to 1990, Donald J. Finley, Secretary of Education from 1986 to 1990, Stuart W. Connock, Secretary of Finance from 1986 to 1989, Eva S. Teig, Secretary of Human Resources from 1986 to 1990, John W. Daniel, III, Secretary of Natural Resources from 1986 to 1990 and Vivian E. Watts, Secretary of Transportation and Public Safety from 1986 to 1990.
Correspondence to and from Virginia's Congressional delegation include Paul S. Trible, John W. Warner and Charles S. Robb.
Organized into the following series:
I. 1986 II. 1987 III. 1988 IV. 1989 V. 1990 VI. Miscellaneous Series I through IV are each divided into the following sub-series: A. General Correspondence B. Associations C. Localities D. Governor's Office E. Cabinet F. General Assembly G. Secretary of the Commonwealth H. Legislative I. Attorney General J. Judicial K. State Corporation Commission/Independent State Agencies L. Lieutenant Governor M. Virginia Liaison Office N. United States GovernmentNotable records include a letter to Leonard L. Hopkins, Jr., Executive Assistant to Governor Baliles from Joseph Gatins, a reporter from the Richmond Times Dispatch, dated 8 April 1986, concerning access to Governor Charles S. Robb's gubernatorial papers from 1982 and 1983. Attached is a memo to Governor Baliles from Hopkins, dated 6 April 1986 advising on same topic (Governor's Office, Staff Correspondence, Box 15, Folder 5); minutes of the Virginia State Mental Health and Mental Health Retardation Board from September 1985 to November 1986, copied to Governor (Cabinet, Secretary of Human Resources, Box 29); minutes of Virginia Health Services Cost Review Council from November 1985 to September 1986, copied to Governor (Cabinet, Secretary of Human Resources, Box 31, Folder 1); summary of ownership of all Virginia National Guard Armories as of 3 April 1986 (Cabinet, Secretary of Transportation and Public Safety, Dept. of Military Affairs, Box 37, Folder 6).
Notable records include a letter to Governor Baliles from Mark R. Warner, head of MRW Enterprises, dated 21 July 1987, requesting an introductory meeting with the Governor and expressing his interest to get involved in Virginia politics (Associations, National Governors' Association, Box 50, Folder 3); several memorandums on Executive Mansion renovations and the Executive Mansion Anniversary Project (Governor's Office, Executive Mansion, Box 55, Folder 4); Virginia Military Advisory Commission, First Report of the Legal Affairs Committee, submitted by Attorney General Mary Sue Terry, 1 September 1987 (Governor's Office, Virginia Military Advisory Commission, Box 64, Folder 1); minutes (5 June 1987, 17 July 1987, 11 September 1987, 2 October 1987 and 16 October 1987) of the Joint Subcommittee Studying the Adoption of New Lyrics for the Official Song of the Commonwealth (Legislative, Division of Legislative Services, Box 87, Folder 7); minutes of meeting at the Executive Mansion with Virginia Congressional Delegation, 19 January 1987, attached to 6 February 1987 letter to Governor Baliles from Senator John W. Warner (United States Government, Box 89, Folder 2).
Notable records include 1988 Annual Report of the Southern Growth Policies Board which Governor Baliles chaired and minutes of Second Quarter Executive Meeting in Washington, D.C. on 14 March 1988 (Associations, Southern Growth Policies Board, Box 96, Folder 3); minutes (12 August 1988, 10 June 1988, 6 May 1988, 19 February 1988, and 6 November 1988) of the Potomac River Fisheries Commission, copied to Governor (Governor's Office, Potomac River Fisheries Commission, Box 103, Folder 2); memorandum to file from Meredith L. Strohm, 23 December 1988 on the Executive Mansion Wine Cellar (Governor's Office, Staff Correspondence, Box 105, Folder 6); memorandum to Hugh D. Keogh, Director, Department of Economic Development, from Andrew Fogarty, 28 September 1988, requesting documentation of Governor Baliles expenses during trade mission and attached memo dated 22 July 1988 listing Governor Baliles' expenses for his April 1988 trip to Israel (Governor's Office, Staff Correspondence, Box 106, Folder 1); Virginia Israel Commission, Report to the Governor, June 1988 (Governor's Office, Virginia Israel Commission, Box 108); copy of concept study for National Air and Space Museum Dulles Wing/Phase I, September 1985 and copy of Washington National Airport Master Plan, transmitted by Linwood Holton, Chairman of Washington Airport Authority, 17 May 1988 (Governor's Office, Washington-Dulles Airport, Box 108); memorandum to Governor Baliles from Curry A. Roberts, 5 August 1988, providing a progress report on the creation of the new Department of World Trade (Cabinet, Secretary of Economic Development, Box 112, Folder 1); minutes (16 December 1987, 27 January 1988, and 24 February 1988) of Virginia Health Services Cost Review Council (Cabinet, Secretary of Health and Human Resources, Department of Rehabilitation Services, Box 124, Folder 1); and bi-weekly status reports to Governor Baliles on the new Virginia lottery from Kenneth W. Thorsen (Independent State Agencies, Lottery Department, Box 135).
Notable records include Governor's briefing material for Virginia Military Advisory Commission meeting on 1 December 1989 including schedule, agenda, and preparation material (Cabinet, Secretary of Transportation and Public Safety, Box 182, Folder 4); monthly status reports to Governor Baliles on Virginia lottery (Independent State Agencies, State Lottery, Box 186, Folder 2); and Governor's briefing material on the national Education Summit with President George H.W. Bush, held at Charlottesville, Virginia, on 27-28 September 1989.
This series is organized into four sub-series: Governor's Office, Cabinet, General Assembly and United States Government and contains constituent correspondence from January 1-January 12, 1990.
This series includes materials from the Secretary of Human Resources, 1987, that was not included in the original transfer and records of Baliles tenure as chairman of the National Governors' Association from 1988 and 1989.