Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 28, 1993 TAG: 9310280391
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: N-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MIKE HUDSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Barrows is concerned that too much uncontrolled growth is starting to hurt the county by destroying the natural beauty that both attracts newcomers and makes longtime residents stay.
For example, when Lawrence Transportation Systems asked for zoning approval to move its trucking operations to U.S. 11 near Troutville, Barrows spoke out at a Board of Supervisors meeting. He said the new industry would bring too much pollution and too much congestion along U.S. 11 and the Cloverdale/Troutville exit off Interstate 81.
Layman, the current Board of Supervisors chairman, voted in favor of allowing Lawrence to move its operations from Roanoke to Botetourt.
Layman says the county needs to strike a balance: It needs to protect its environment, but it also must attract industry to expand its tax base and create jobs.
Barrows, a Republican, operates R&B Aircraft Company in Fincastle, where he develops experimental planes and engines. He has served as manager of engineering at Ingersoll-Rand in Hollins and director of engineering at W.T.G. Energy Systems.
He says that county government can be more efficient by contracting out more government services to private companies and by encouraging more volunteer programs. He also says the county's personal property tax is unfair and should be eliminated.
Layman, a Democrat, has been a county supervisor for six years. He runs a John Deere dealership in Buchanan.
He says the county government is operating efficiently, and that the Board of Supervisors has worked hard to keep the tax rate low. He says he does not favor getting rid of the personal property tax, because the county needs to keep a balance among real estate, personal property and business taxes.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB