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

DATE: FRIDAY, May 4, 1990                   TAG: 9005040947
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER MUNICIPAL WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

POLL: MOST SEE BOON IN MERGER

A majority of residents in Roanoke and Roanoke County think consolidation of the two localities would help stimulate economic development and improve long-range planning, based on a survey by Virginia Tech researchers.

The survey showed that 78 percent of city residents and 57 percent of county residents believe consolidation will help create more jobs.

Eighty-two percent of city residents and 63 percent of county residents think merger will improve long-range planning.

The survey also showed that the overwhelming majority of residents think consolidation will increase the Roanoke Valley's political influence at the state level.

Virginia Tech researchers conducted the telephone survey of 1,000 residents - 500 from the city and 500 from the county - last September and October for the consolidation negotiators.

The researchers gave the negotiators preliminary results last year before the city and county completed work on the merger plan. They have now given their final report to the city and county.

As expected, the survey showed much stronger support for consolidation in the city than in the county.

It showed that 20 percent of county residents "strongly oppose" consolidation, while only 16 percent "strongly favor" merger. The remaining 64 percent fall into what the researchers called the "pivotal group" - those who favor, oppose or haven't made up their mind. Based on those who are leaning one way or the other, it appears that sentiment in the county is split.

In the city, about 28 percent "strongly favor" but only 3 percent "strongly oppose" it. The response in the "pivotal group" in the city shows strong support for consolidation.

The survey showed the strongest support for consolidation in the county is in the Windsor Hills district. The weakest support is in the Catawba district.

The survey showed that the overwhelming majority of residents in both the city and county rate governmental services in their own locality as good to excellent.

More than 75 percent of the residents in each locality rated their services as good to excellent. There were only two exceptions. Only 67 percent of city residents rated city schools as good to excellent. Only 62 percent of county residents rated the county sheriff's department as good to excellent.

The survey showed the strongest support for consolidation among middle-income residents with higher educational levels and the strongest opposition among those with lower educational levels.

by CNB