Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 5, 1994 TAG: 9404080012
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Running against Democrat Howard Packett, a member of Salem City Council, Griffith noted that he could find evidence of only one council vote in the past four years that had not been unanimous. Asked Griffith: What kind of leadership is not willing occasionally to support new ideas and break from the pack?
To be sure, this Republican isn't the complete maverick. His go-along endorsement of Oliver North for the U.S. Senate nomination is a major disappointment.
But Griffith's got backbone. Witness his willingness to speak out in favor of the proposed Interstate 73 running through his district, even before road-hostile constituency groups.
Griffith apparently did not make any converts - or friends - last week when he went, uninvited, to a meeting of Bent Mountain residents upset that the road might come through their community.
State transportation officials say maps showing a route over the mountain denote only a general path for the road, and the construction actually might be miles away from Bent Mountain residents' homes and property. Even so, Griffith's advocacy of the road wasn't welcome at that meeting. He made a bad impression. When asked for a show of hands as to how many there would vote for him again, no hands went up.
Welcome or not, Griffith is right to try to consider his constituents' understandable Not-In-My-Back-Yard reactions in the context of the long-term interest of the entire region. The merits of specific alternatives for the interstate route aside, the freshman legislator showed a bit of courage and leadership on an issue that he considers important.
Voters should be able to appreciate that, even if they disagree with him on the issue.
by CNB