Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 2, 1990 TAG: 9005020701
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A/1 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
They called themselves "the team-for-the-people Democrats."
Councilman Howard Musser, former Councilman James Harvey and School Board member William White didn't worry about analysts' labels in their campaign for Roanoke City Council.
They talked about "the working folk and retired citizens." They promised that poor people will get just as much attention at the Municipal Building as the rich and influential.
They said they would make council more responsive. Harvey said he would insist that council reinstate its neighborhood meetings if he won.
The Democrats talked about the need for a balanced approach to government: planning for the future and investing in needed capital projects without creating a financial burden on taxpayers.
They said Roanoke's real estate tax rate needs to be gradually reduced to help offset rising assess- ments in recent years.
They said they are pro-education despite charges by some school supporters that they favor tax cuts at the expense of schools.
Whatever the labels, the three Democrats won easily Tuesday.
They forged a winning coalition by running strong in traditional Democratic areas - blue-collar, black and middle-class neighborhoods. Musser, who led in the voting and will become vice mayor, also ran strong in South Roanoke.
It's been a recurring pattern in city politics for more than a decade.
Candidates who have portrayed themselves as grass-roots politicians concerned about the problems and financial pressures on middle- and low-income residents and retired people have routinely beaten business-oriented candidates who have focused on pro-growth and economic development policies.
The Democrats avoided becoming closely aligned with prominent businessmen, although they talked about the need for economic growth and jobs.
They received campaign contributions from several prominent businessmen and enjoyed support in the business community, but they did not want to be labeled as the businessmen's candidates.
In contested council elections in the past decade, the winners have been Democrats more often than Republicans.
Mayor Noel Taylor, Council members Robert Garland and Elizabeth Bowles, all Republicans, have regularly won re-election, but they have often been unopposed. Garland did not seek re-election this year.
Harvey and Musser, who helped organize a taxpayers protest over rising real estate assessments in the late 1970s, have had a role, either directly or indirectly, in every council election since 1978.
White, who won in his first try for elected office, has not been identified with the coalition of populist Democrats and dissident taxpayers who have been successful at the polls in the past decade. But he embraced the movement, saying he shared the same political philosophy with Musser and Harvey even though they might disagree on some issues.
Councilman James Trout, a Democrat-turned-independent, had the support and campaign contributions of many influential businessmen and bankers who traditionally back GOP candidates. Roland Macher had the support of the Republican party - if not campaign contributions from GOP contributors.
But neither the businessmen's money nor the Republican party's endorsement were enough for Trout and Macher to make a serious challenge to the Democrats.
Two years ago, Vice Mayor Beverly Fitzpatrick Jr. broke the string of victories by the populist Democrats and taxpayers coalition. Fitzpatrick won with strong support and large financial contributions from businessmen, but he had the support of the Democratic party and a family name that is well known to Roanokers.
This year, the Democratic candidates talked about more than just taxes, a main theme in campaigns by the party's nominees during the early and mid-1980s.
They billed themselves as competent, capable and responsive leaders who "know what works and what doesn't work." The three candidates cited their combined experience of 21 years on council and the School Board.
In addition to the need for economic growth and jobs, the Democrats talked about schools, downtown renewal, neighborhood revitalization, improved services for the elderly residents and homeless and planning for the city's future.
Musser and Harvey said the Democrats are not as radical as their political opponents make them out to be.
"Some people tried to tab us as being anti-education and others said we are anti-business," Musser said. "Jimmy and I have an eight-year voting record and I say the record doesn't show that."
Referring to the labeling of the Democrats as populists by some analysts, Harvey said half-jokingly Tuesday night: "Let's see what happens now that we have a populist council." He suggested the Democrats will be more moderate than their political opponents portray them.
What will Tuesday's results mean for council and city government?
The Democrats will have a 5-to-2 majority, although Fitzpatrick is not closely identified with the Democrats-taxpayers coalition. Taylor and Bowles will be the only Republicans.
Fitzpatrick and Trout have disagreed with Musser and Councilman David Bowers on several issues in the past two years. Often, the Democrats have lacked a working majority even though they have held four seats. Under the new alignment, the Democrats will have a majority even if Fitzpatrick breaks with them.
Bowers, who has stood alone on some issues in the past two years, will have more allies on council. Politically, Musser, Harvey and White are closer to Bowers than Fitzpatrick. This could put Bowers or another Democrat aligned with the Democrats-taxpayers coalition in a better position to run for mayor in 1992 if Taylor decides to retire.
Asked for his reaction to Tuesday's results, Bowers said: "Just say that David Bowers is in the catbird's seat."
Some insiders think Bowers and Fitzpatrick could be rivals for the party's nomination in two years for mayor if Taylor doesn't seek a new term. Musser, who will become vice mayor July 1 for the third time, is also considered a potential candidate for mayor because he has led in the voting each time he has run.
Council is likely to develop a plan for a gradual reduction in the real estate tax rate of $1.25 per $100 assessed value. Both Harvey and Musser called for such a plan during the campaign. But Musser said he doesn't expect the Democrats to try to cut the rate in the next fiscal year. Harvey and White won't take office until July 1 unless Garland and Trout resign.
Council is likely to appoint School Board members who aren't reluctant to question Superintendent Frank Tota's recommendations. Bowers, Harvey and Musser have criticized Tota on some issues in recent years. During the campaign, Harvey said council "should encourage rather than discourage individual thinking and freedom of expression on our boards and commissions."
But the Democrats' victory Tuesday probably will not have an immediate effect on the filling of three pending vacancies on the School Board unless Garland and Trout resign before their terms end July 1.
Council's support for a downtown convention center is unlikely to change because the Democrats favor it. Plans for several other downtown revitalization projects - the Dominion Tower, Norfolk-Southern's new office building and a parking garage on Church Avenue near Fire Station No. 1 - won't change.
Musser supported the decision to raze the Jefferson Street leg of the Hunter Viaduct to provide a site for Henry Faison's office building. Bowers opposed closing the viaduct, but he favored the project on another site.
There will be no change in council's strong support for the proposed plan for consolidating the city with Roanoke County. All of the Democrats favor consolidation. Musser and Fitzpatrick were the city's consolidation negotiators. Bowers has been an outspoken advocate of merger; both Harvey and White support the plan.
by CNB