Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, May 1, 1990 TAG: 9005010341
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The council campaign has been angry and partisan at times. It has focused more on personalities - including the candidates' qualifications and records - than issues.
The proposed bond issue, which includes money for a flood-reduction project on Peters Creek and the renovation of the old Jefferson High School into an arts-education center, has produced no controversy or debate.
The polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Alton Prillaman, secretary of the city Electoral Board, expects more voters will go to the polls today than in the past two council elections, when less than 30 percent of the registered voters cast ballots.
"It could be 35 to 45 percent because we have six candidates for three seats and the Democrats have a ticket," Prillaman said, but he stressed that was only a guess.
This would be far lower than the election for governor in November, when 70 percent of the registered voters cast ballots. But the turnout in council elections is traditionally much lower than gubernatorial and presidential elections.
The Democratic ticket is Councilman Howard Musser, School Board member William White and former Councilman James Harvey. The other candidates are: Roland "Spanky" Macher, a Republican; Councilman James Trout, a Democrat running as an independent; and the Rev. Cecil McClanahan, an independent.
Registrar Sharon Carrington said the city has 39,181 registered voters for today's election, down several hundred from November's governor's race. Exact numbers are unavailable, but somewhat less than half of Roanoke's eligible voters are actually registered to vote.
If the election is as close as the last council election two years ago, the turnout could be decisive. In 1988, only 24 votes separated Councilwoman Elizabeth Bowles and Harvey, who is trying to make a comeback.
Carrington said 150 voters have applied for absentee ballots. Two years ago, there were 154 absentee ballots, but only 82 in 1986.
Salem and Vinton also have council elections, but there are no contests in either locality.
In Salem, Councilmen W. "Mac" Green and Carl "Sonny" Tarpley are unopposed. In Vinton, Councilmen Roy McCarty and Donald Davis are unopposed.
Two years ago, 29.1 percent of the registered voters cast ballots when three council members and the mayor's job were up for election. There were only four candidates for three seats and Mayor Noel Taylor was unopposed.
Four years ago, 17.5 percent of the registered voters went to the polls to fill three council seats from four candidates.
The largest turnout in recent council elections was in 1984, when 42 percent of the registered voters cast ballots for mayor and three council seats.
The $15.2 million bond issue on today's ballot includes:
$3.5 million for conversion of the old Jefferson High School into a center for the performing arts, education and civic organizations.
$4 million for schools to remove asbestos from school buildings, replace heating systems in four schools and develop plans for modernizing six schools.
$4 million for a flood reduction project for Peters Creek.
$2.7 million for storm drains for Statesman Industrial Park and $860,000 for storm drains in downtown in the vicinity of Luck Avenue and Church Avenue.
$150,000 for the city's share of the cost for three highway projects.
City officials said the bond issue would not require an increase in taxes. The normal growth in tax revenues will provide enough money to pay off the bonds without the need to increase tax rates, said city Finance Director Joel Schlanger. The city's payments on prior bond issues will also begin to drop in 1994, he said, freeing up funds that can be used to help pay off the new bond issue.
by CNB