Bacon's Rebellion

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In Memory of Stuart Connock

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by

Dick Hall-Sizemore
in

Stuart Connock (left)
Photo Credit: Joe Mahoney, Richmond Times-Dispatch

by Dick Hall-Sizemore

A legend in Virginia government passed away this past Sunday.  Stuart Connock  dominated state government finance in the 1970s and 1980s.  Before that, he was the one that Governor Mills Godwin tapped to implement the new sales tax. His influence was felt long even long after he retired.

Stuart (everyone who worked with him felt they could call him by his first name) was quiet and self-effacing. He was not well-known to the general public, but he once was viewed as more influential than the governor. He was liked, respected, and trusted by all legislators, whatever the party.

Stuart’s influence and power came about in the old-fashioned way — his knowledge of the budget and state government in general and taxation and revenues in particular. His understanding of the budget was unmatched. This gave him a leg up on those, to use Jeff Shapiro’s phrase, “part-time legislators often incurious about budget arcana.”

Above all, Stuart was a nice person.  He always took time to listen to others and to patiently explain complex budget issues to neophytes, as I can personally attest.

To some on this blog, Stuart may be regarded as part of the “plantation elite.” He was courteous, knowledgeable, nonpartisan, cared about good government, and cared about Virginia. The Commonwealth could do a lot worse if it had more Stuart Connocks around.

Jeff Shapiro’s column on Stuart Connock’s legacy is here.

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11 responses to “In Memory of Stuart Connock”

  1. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    I suspect that the criticism of being part of a “plantation elite” may be more aimed at the relationship between those who vote in the budget and the people who are taxed to pay it, rather than the relationship between Mr. Connock and the legislators he served. In other words, Mr. Connock isn’t subject to that criticism– he plowed a straight furrow as he saw it and has earned his rest. The criticism may or may not be justly aimed at the legislators he served, but I’ll leave that to others to argue.

    What I notice is that DHS describes this (unelected) man’s power as sometimes being greater than that of the (elected) governor. That’s troubling, if unsurprising. What’s more, that power arose (per DHS and Jeff Shapiro’s column) from his knowledge of the budget mechanics and how to show and hide information at the right times to the right people. That’s also troubling, if no more surprising. That’s the kind of role the budget mechanics should try to _prevent_ from gaining power at the expense of legislators. The opening of Shapiro’s column (which is all worth reading), with my elisions for brevity:

    “… no one quite rivaled Stuart Connock in telling [legislators] what they wanted to hear — without telling them too much. … Connock, as Virginia’s de facto… finance chief in the 1970s and 1980s, was not trying to mislead delegates and senators. Rather, he was intent on preserving his flexibility — and that of the governors… for whom he worked. By… always knowing where he could find a few extra million dollars for the pet programs of governors and legislators — Connock, who died this past Sunday at 95, was among the most powerful state officials Virginians didn’t elect.”

    “a few extra million dollars for the pet programs of governors and legislators”; as an ordinary citizen, that leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

    1. djrippert Avatar
      djrippert

      The hallmarks of members of the plantation elite are a combination of condescension toward the average Virginian, a superiority complex based on nothing (i.e. legends in their own minds) and a willingness to operate somewhere between opacity and flat out dishonesty to get what they want.

      “… no one quite rivaled Stuart Connock in telling [legislators] what they wanted to hear — without telling them too much. … Connock, as Virginia’s de facto… finance chief in the 1970s and 1980s, was not trying to mislead delegates and senators. Rather, he was intent on preserving his flexibility — and that of the governors… for whom he worked. By… always knowing where he could find a few extra million dollars for the pet programs of governors and legislators — Connock, who died this past Sunday at 95, was among the most powerful state officials Virginians didn’t elect.”

      Classic plantation elite behavior. Disrespecting the average Virginian by conning their elected representatives. Creating opaque slush funds to curry favor with governors and select legislators so that “pet projects” could get funded out of public view and overall legislative oversight.

      Sorry guys, he might have been a swell guy (most members of the plantation elite are “hail fellows, well met”) but that behavior should be seen as unacceptable.

      1. idiocracy Avatar
        idiocracy

        That behavior should be seen as unacceptable, but isn’t, because the “Virginia Way” includes the acceptance, if not encouragement of, that behavior.

        Things that made the headlines in other states and get the electorate up in arms are seen as perfectly normal here in Virginny.

  2. Steve Haner Avatar
    Steve Haner

    Virginia has been well served in those key financial positions, and several people I admire come to mind, including the Current Occupant. Jeff listed many of them. Connock was always kind enough to explain to a clueless reporter, and even a partisan activist, how the machinery worked or what some obscure language actually meant. If you asked, he would answer. I learned quite a bit from him, and also found him friendly and with a great if wry sense of humor. I join in condolences to his family, and regret that a raucous wake is just not in the cards now.

    The sources of real power are always money, people and information. Information is the most valuable scare good. Those strings all intersect in the the Secretary of Finance, just as over at the legislature they intersect in the Senate Finance Committee (screw the new name…)

    1. JuniusQuercus Avatar
      JuniusQuercus

      I am struggling to keep up. May I dare ask what is their new name?

      1. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
        Dick Hall-Sizemore

        Finance and Appropriations. To people like Steve and me, it will always be Senate Finance.

  3. WayneS Avatar
    WayneS

    RIP Mr. Connock.

    “He was liked, respected, and trusted by all legislators, whatever the party.”

    Maybe it says more about the quality of the parties than it does people, but there are not too many individuals of whom that can be said today.

  4. Steve Haner Avatar
    Steve Haner

    Anonymous, DJ, you should be ashamed of yourselves, speaking ill of the dead to the people who admired him (including Dick and me.) You crossed a line with me. Your mommas shoulda whipped you more.

    1. djrippert Avatar
      djrippert

      Dick put it out there in his article …. To some on this blog, Stuart may be regarded as part of the “plantation elite.”

      If Dick’s article was meant as purely a tribute he shouldn’t have invited a discussion of other things.

      When you open a door you have to accept what walks through.

      You and Dick should have leaned long ago not to start brawls unless you have the stones to fight.

      1. Steve Haner Avatar
        Steve Haner

        I don’t think that’s in doubt with either of us.

        1. djrippert Avatar
          djrippert

          Then quit whining about a discussion of the “plantation elite” in an article where the term was prominently featured.

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