CORRECTIONS PLANS PASSED

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

DATE: TUESDAY, March 9, 1993                   TAG: 9303090274
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
CORRECTIONS PLANS PASSED
City Manager Bob Herbert said Monday night that the odds are good that Roanoke will receive state funds to help pay for a jail annex and an expansion of the city's juvenile detention home.
Without dissent, City Council voted to approve plans for the two projects and to seek state funds for them.
The city wants the state to pay 25 percent of the $7 million cost of the jail project and 50 percent of the $3 million expansion of the detention home.
"We are reasonably assured that we will get the money," Herbert said, because the General Assembly has lifted a moratorium on state funds for jails and detention homes.
The city hopes to receive $3.25 million in state funds.
Sheriff Alvin Hudson and his top aide, George McMillan, and Public Safety Director George Snead will travel to Richmond today to submit the city's request for state funds to state corrections officials.
Council's vote Monday night constituted initial approval of the projects, but it will have another vote on March 22 on whether to issue bonds and raise taxes to pay the city's share of the cost.
Herbert has recommended a $5 increase in the city's motor vehicle license decal and a 3 cents per pack boost in the cigarette tax to pay for expanding the city jail and juvenile detention home.
The decal fee would increase from $15 to $20. The cigarette tax would increase from 14 to 17 cents per pack.
Herbert has recommended that council issue the bonds without a referendum because the city is under pressure from the judges to ease overcrowding in the jail and detention home.
In other action Monday night, council:

Was urged to provide more funds for the school budget so teachers can receive pay raises larger than the average increase of 4.1 percent. Mason Powell, executive vice president of the Roanoke Education Association, said 28 percent of the teachers will receive only 2 percent raises. Powell said council members talk about a quality school system, but they won't provide the money to pay for it.

Adopted a resolution urging Congress to provide funds for the extension of Amtrak service from New York to Atlanta by way of Roanoke.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB