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

DATE: FRIDAY, March 12, 1993                   TAG: 9303120135
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: DAVID M. POOLE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

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MOTEL-TAX SUPPORT WAVERING

Roanoke County Supervisor Ed Kohinke indicated Thursday that he is wavering in his support for increasing the county's tax on motel room charges.

Kohinke - who provided the swing vote Tuesday in favor of the issue - said he now does not know how he will vote when the motel tax comes up for a final vote on March 23.

A negative vote from Kohinke would be a setback for promoters of the Explore Park and other tourism interests, who are seeking $300,000 a year from the county.

Earlier this week, Kohinke said he supported raising the motel room tax rate from 2 percent to 5 percent because it generally would not affect county residents. Kohinke now appears to be leaning the other way. The Catawba Republican released a memo Thursday in which he cited a recent poll indicating "lukewarm" support for tourism among Roanoke Valley residents.

"I don't see the Board of Supervisors as entrepreneurs for this industry, either, and have serious reservations about using taxpayer dollars - regardless of their source - as venture capital," he said.

Kohinke could not be reached for comment. The rest of the board is evenly divided. Harry Nickens and Lee Eddy support raising the tax on motel guests, while Fuzzy Minnix and Bob Johnson are opposed.

Minnix said he could not support any tax increases until 1994 because he pledged his Cave Spring constituents he would hold the line on taxes for a year if they approved an $18 million bond issue last fall.

Johnson is opposed because the General Assembly - under pressure from tourism lobbyists - has told the county it must spend any new motel tax revenue for tourism-related activities only.

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