Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 30, 1994 TAG: 9405020161
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By MIKE HUDSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Roanoke City Council candidate William White is running on his experience.
``I'm not out here promoting a lot of new things,'' the Democrat says.
White was elected to City Council four years ago. Since then, he says, he's provided ``reasonable and sound leadership.''
He says his experience helps, for example, when the city sits down with neighboring governments to negotiate regional cooperation agreements.
Along with his experience on council, White says his background as an accountant is a plus. In his time on council, White says, he's pushed the city administration to make sure council members get all the details they need on the budget. If they don't, ``I will raise certain questions.''
While he doesn't have any new initiatives in mind, White says he is concerned about what's happening to the city's young people, especially those who are doing drugs, committing crimes or dropping out of school.
He's worried about ``the number of young people who have given up hope and don't care and will do anything. I know some young people who just don't care. They don't respect anybody.''
You can't save them all, he says, but you can do something to reduce the number who have lost hope. ``If you don't, I don't care how many Hotel Roanokes you build and how many Dominion Towers you build, there's going to be decay.''
Education is the key to changing this, White says. He doesn't suggest spending more money on youth programs, however. He says the city is spending enough on youth - it simply needs to find better ways of delivering the services.
On other issues, White:
Believes the city has done a good job of opening up contracts to minority businesses. The Hotel Roanoke project is an example, he says.
White says he doesn't believe in quotas, but ``I want the awareness.'' Five or six years ago, he says, the city didn't pay much attention to making sure minorities got a fair shot. But ``the environment is there now.''
Minority contractors don't want anything given to them, White says. ``They want a fair chance - They don't want to be locked out by the old-boy network.''
Says the city government has become more open than it has been in the past. ``People feel free to come down to council and talk.''
Believes the city has treated Gainsboro fairly in its recent road-building plans through the neighborhood. ``I saw the effort the staff put in'' to listen to people's concerns, White said. ``The majority of the community is content. ... We did not satisfy everybody. Some people say: No road, period.''
Favors holding a referendum to decide whether the city should have a modified ward system of council elections, in which four members would be elected from wards and three would be elected at-large.
``I would never want a pure ward system,'' he says. But he says having some members elected by wards will encourage citizens to get involved in parts of the city, such as Southeast, that have had little representation on council.
Also, because it will cost less to run in a ward than citywide, it will give a chance to candidates who might otherwise be locked out. ``Even if you don't win, the experience of running for council helps you'' and helps your neighborhood, White says.
Does not favor elected school boards, ``but I'm not going to fight the petition'' to put the issue to a referendum. Roanoke's appointment system has worked well, he said. Besides, White says, elected school boards are ineffective unless they have taxing authority.
Keywords:
POLITICS PROFILE
by CNB