Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 18, 1990 TAG: 9004180459
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARK LAYMAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Hodge included $30,000 for human service agencies in the proposed 1990-1991 budget that he presented to the supervisors last week. That is the same amount the agencies received this year.
Eighteen agencies requested more than $144,000 from the county. But Hodge is recommending that, once again, the county contribute to only 10.
The largest contributions would go to the League of Older Americans ($6,750), the Free Clinic of the Roanoke Valley ($6,000), the Association for Retarded Citizens ($3,875), Tinker Mountain Industries ($2,875), the Adult Care Center of the Roanoke Valley ($2,700), TRUST ($2,500) and the Child Abuse and Neglect Coordinating Council ($2,250).
Other agencies that Hodge is recommending the county contribute to are Roanoke Area Ministries ($1,300), Family Service of the Roanoke Valley ($1,250) and Planned Parenthood ($500).
In recent years, the county has been the only Roanoke Valley government to contribute to Planned Parenthood. Anti-abortion activists who have waged a long-running battle with Planned Parenthood got Roanoke City Council to quit giving money to the agency in 1984. Salem City Council followed suit the following year.
Hodge is not recommending money go to Bethany Hall, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Botetourt Mounted Search and Rescue Unit, the Council of Community Services Information and Referral Center, the Fifth District Employment and Training Consortium, the Roanoke Valley Speech and Hearing Center, RAM House or the Salvation Army.
Decisions about contributions to human service agencies are "very difficult," Board of Supervisors Chairman Dick Robers said. "Our feeling was that all those [agencies] are important, but we want to try to keep things on an even keel."
One alternative would be for the county to make a lump-sum contribution to an agency such as the United Way of the Roanoke Valley, he said.
Supervisor Steve McGraw said he wished the county would give more money to human service agencies. "If we've got enough money to start cutting taxes, we should have enough to give more to those agencies," he said.
Last week, McGraw cast the only vote against reducing the county's real estate tax rate 2 cents, effective Jan. 1. "That's one reason why I was opposed to the tax cut," he said. "We have a lot of needs out there that aren't being met."
With the tax rate reduction, though, "I don't see how we can" give more, he said.
Hodge also is recommending that the supervisors give $25,000 to Total Action Against Poverty and $69,984 to Mental Health Services of the Roanoke Valley. Those are separate line items in the budget.
The county has given the same amount to those two agencies in each of the past two years.
Hodge also is recommending no increase in the county's contributions to cultural and recreational organizations next year. His budget includes $25,000 for Virginia Amateur Sports Inc., $15,000 for Center in the Square, $5,000 for the proposed Julian Stanley Wise Museum and $500 for the Vinton Dogwood Festival.
It also includes $2,500 each for the Roanoke Symphony and the Arts Council. As it did this year, the county also plans to apply for a $5,000 grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts to be divided equally between the two organizations.
There will be a public hearing on the proposed budget at 7 p.m. Tuesday, at the county administration building.
by CNB