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

DATE: SUNDAY, February 27, 1994                   TAG: 9403030013
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A1   EDITION: METRO  
SOURCE: Dwayne Yancey Staff Writer
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

MYTH NO. 3: WE DON'T WANT TO GROW

\ LAST fall, this series shattered two big myths about the Roanoke Valley.

Myth No. 1 was that in recent years Roanoke has fallen economically behind other big cities in Virginia and North Carolina.

The reality: An analysis of 40 years' worth of U.S. Census data showed the roots of Roanoke's sluggish economic growth may reach back two decades or more.

Myth No. 2 was that it's not valid to compare Roanoke with those other cities, anyway. After all, we were never in their league to start with.

The reality: That's true; we weren't in their league. The same number crunching showed that we used to be in a higher-paying one, but have gradually lost ground as those cities created new economies, based on new industries, while Roanoke has leaned too heavily on its traditional employers.

Now it's time to explode Myth No.3:

The Roanoke Valley doesn't want to grow.

After all, polls consistently show that citizens are satisfied with the valley's rate of population growth, which is about nil.

The reality: The latest Roanoke Valley Poll shows citizens may be more receptive to population growth than anyone previously dared imagine - if that population growth is packaged in the name of economic growth.

How receptive?

97 percent say they'd accept moderate population growth if that was the price to pay for economic growth.

77 percent say population growth would have a positive effect on economic growth in the valley. Only 11 percent say population growth would be bad for the valley's economy.

Perhaps most surprising of all, 56 percent say population growth would have a positive effect on their personal quality of life. Only 9 percent say population growth would be bad for their personal quality of life.

Harry Wilson, the Roanoke College political scientist who directed the poll, says he's astonished by the results - but believes the poll shows just how desperate people are for economic growth.

At the same time, he says, citizens probably aren't clamoring for population growth, despite the poll's big numbers.

``We don't want it, but we'll accept it if it means jobs,'' Wilson says. ``People will accept just about anything if it means jobs.''