DRESSED-TO-KILL TAXPAYER GIVES BOARD AN EARFUL

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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 10, 1993                   TAG: 9303100389
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
DRESSED-TO-KILL TAXPAYER GIVES BOARD AN EARFUL
Bill Reid had trouble finding words to express his frustration with Roanoke County taxes, so he decided that a costume would do the trick.
Reid shaved his hair into a crew cut, bought a pair of eyeglasses and donned a white dress shirt and tie for a public hearing Tuesday on county tax rates.
Even without an Uzi, Reid was a dead ringer for Michael Douglas, the star of "Falling Down," the hit movie about a commuter-turned-vigilante.
"The taxpayers are mad as hell and they are not going to take it anymore," Reid told the Board of Supervisors.
His sentiments were shared by all but one of nine county residents who spoke at the public hearing.
The lone exception was Roanoke County Education Association president Becky Deaton, who asked supervisors to keep teachers' salaries competitive with surrounding localities.
The supervisors took no action on the proposed real estate and personal property tax rates for the budget year that begins July 1.
The board's commitment to setting no rate increase failed to placate most speakers, who said they pay more in taxes anyway because of rising real estate assessments.
Supervisors assured the audience that they were doing their best to provide services as efficiently as possible. But none of the supervisors appeared ready to reduce the tax rate as some suggested.
Some people applauded when Bob Johnson, the Hollins District representative, warned that the tax cut would mean the elimination of some services and layoffs of county employees.
"I very respectfully disagree with you," replied Johnson, who stressed the importance of a quality school system.
Reid, who is president of the Masons Cove Civic League, said he was acting out the frustrations of league members when he dressed like the main character in "Falling Down."
Reid said a level tax rate did not mean a thing as long as annual assessments continue to rise. "We don't care about the tax rate; we care about taxes," he said.
Residential assessments will rise by 2.53 percent on average in the coming fiscal year.
The Board of Supervisors is scheduled to set tax rates for the 1993-94 budget year at its next meeting, March 23. The rates can be no more than $1.13 per $100 in assessed value for real estate and $3.50 per $100 in assessed value for personal property.
In another money matter, the board voted 3-2 to give preliminary approval to an increase in the county motel tax from 2 percent to 5 percent, beginning July 1.
The motel tax increase would generate $300,000 a year. The Gene al Assembly - under pressure from the tourism lobby - stipulated that the county can spend the money only to promote tourism.
A majority of supervisors said the increase would not violate the board's pledge not to raise taxes for a year if voters approved an $18 million bond initiative last fall.
Supervisors Ed Kohinke, Harry Nickens and Lee Eddy noted that tourists - not county residents - generally would pay the tax.
"We're not really raising the tax rate on citizens, as such," Eddy said.
Johnson opposed the measure, saying that the General Assembly had no business telling the county how to spend its money.
Fuzzy Minnix, the Cave Spring District representative, said he could not support the measure because he gave his constituents a blanket pledge on tax increases.
\ ROANOKE COUNTY SUPERVISORS\ \ Voted to seek refinancing for outstanding bond issues to take advantage of low interest rates. Finance Director Diane Hyatt said it was too early to estimate how much the refinancing would save the county.\ \ Refused to pay a disputed $213,876 water bill from the city of Roanoke for 1991-92, leaving the matter to a Roanoke County judge.\ \ Agreed to lease 15 acres in the new section of Vineyard Park to the Roanoke Valley Youth Soccer Club Inc., which plans to develop soccer fields on the property. The club will retain priority use of the land during the 10-year lease, which can be renewed. The lease fee is $1 a year.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB