VOTE KEY TO SCHOOL BOARD ACCOUNTABILITY

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

DATE: TUESDAY, February 18, 1992                   TAG: 9202180358
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
VOTE KEY TO SCHOOL BOARD ACCOUNTABILITY
RAY GARLAND'S commentary (Feb. 6) on electing school-board members and giving them the power to levy and collect taxes clearly demonstrates that he is out of touch with the taxpayers of Southwest Virginia and, perhaps, out of touch with reality.
Mr. Garland argues that giving elected school boards full fiscal authority will somehow make them accountable to the taxpayers in their localities. If appointed school boards refuse to make themselves accountable now, how will giving them the power to impose taxes make them accountable in the future?
Garland also argues that giving elected school boards taxing power will automatically eliminate the gap between the campaign promises of school-board candidates and their in-office performance. But how will giving school boards taxing power miraculously ensure that their promises will be kept?
Candidates for president, governor, county supervisor, etc., are forever making campaign promises they can't keep once in office, but that is an understandable part of the election process in which majority rules. Presidents often run up against opposition Congresses, and governors encounter adverse state assemblies. What matters is that elected officials have an obligation to represent the people in their area.
The power to tax doesn't make any governmental group adhere to its promises or force it to become accountable to the public - but elections do! And the time for electing school boards in Virginia is long overdue. TERESA IRVIN WYTHEVILLE

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB