
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 25, 1990                   TAG: 9004250676
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: EVENING  
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

TAXPAYERS' GROUP BACKS DEMOCRATS

A Roanoke taxpayers group has endorsed the three Democratic candidates in next week's City Council election, saying their philosophies "more nearly represent" taxpayers' views on economy and efficiency in government.

The Concerned Citizens and Taxpayers also believe the Democrats - Councilman Howard Musser, School Board member William White and former Councilman James Harvey - would be accessible to city residents if they are elected, said George Hitch, a spokesman for the group.

Harvey and Musser helped organize the group in the late 1970s before they were elected to council.

Hitch said the taxpayers organization believes city residents would have a greater voice in city government if the Democrats win.

In another campaign development, Musser confirmed that Councilman James Trout missed council's meetings Monday with the top three city officials to review their job performances for the past year because he apparently was working on his re-election campaign.

Musser, chairman of council's Personnel Committee, said he considers the meetings important because they are the only time each year council sits down with the top officials to discuss how they are doing in their jobs.

Council met separately Monday with City Manager Robert Herbert, Finance Director Joel Schlanger and City Attorney Wilburn Dibling.

Musser said the closed meetings lasted almost all day. Council had a brief 30-minute open session to handle the regular agenda, but it spent the rest of the day on the job reviews. Musser said the meetings had been scheduled several weeks ago.

Trout, a Democrat who is seeking re-election as an independent, said he missed the morning session because he was opening his campaign headquarters on Orange Avenue. He said the event lasted longer than he anticipated.

Trout attended council's open meeting but he left immediately afterward because of another commitment, he said.

"I evaluate the performance of the officials every day and every week of the year. I don't think it is that critical to be there" for the formal meetings with the top administrators, he said.

Keywords:
POLITICS

by CNB