BY JEFF E. SCHAPIRO
Richmond Times-Dispatch
When it came to briefing the legislatureâs money committees, no one quite rivaled Stuart Connock in telling them what they wanted to hear â without telling them too much. He would use a lot of technical jargon, allude to âtaxpayer behaviorâ and cite economic data, which he pronounced âdater.â
Connock, as Virginiaâs de facto and actual finance chief in the 1970s and 1980s, was not trying to mislead delegates and senators. Rather, he was intent on preserving his flexibility â and that of the governors, Republican and Democratic, for whom he worked.
By ensuring that maneuverability â and always knowing where he could find a few extra million dollars for the pet programs of governors and legislators â Connock, who died this past Sunday at 95, was among the most powerful state officials Virginians didnât elect.