Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, November 11, 1994 TAG: 9411160049
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A14 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
In Roanoke city, voters overwhelmingly approved a $23 million bond issue for capital improvements, including high-tech communications for schools and nuts-and-bolts renovations for bridges, streets, storm drains, older schools, etc. The package also includes a modest $1.5 million for the first phase of a downtown railside linear park and a $813,000 grant for a face lift to the Virginia Museum of Transportation - two projects at the heart of the city's hopes for tourism development.
Roanoke residents have traditionally OK'd such bond issues, but the breadth and depth of support on Tuesday were noteworthy: more than 4-to-1 in favor, and approval in all 32 city precincts. That would seem a solid vote of confidence in the city's leadership and its future.
In Salem also, residents expressed confidence in the way their school system is being run, and in the ability of City Council to select School Board members to run it. In voting against a change to elected school boards, Salem became one of only three localities in Virginia to buck the populist tide in favor of the change. Ninety-six others, including Franklin County and Radford on Tuesday, have now approved elected school boards.
Though the trend seems driven by good intentions to make school boards more accountable, they still won't have independent fiscal responsibility - so full accountability remains elusive anyway. Salem voters decided wisely as well as characteristically to stick with the status quo, lacking a strong reason to depart from it.
Botetourt and Franklin voters are not as accustomed to bond issues - long-term debt financing for capital needs - as are residents of more urban areas. But they are no less interested in ensuring adequate public-school facilities for their children.
To their credit, voters in both counties approved bond issues that will help relieve overcrowding and improve their school systems - a good show of civic responsibility.
The final round of applause goes to 9th District Rep. Rick Boucher's media advertising. In an election season when TV viewers were assaulted by others' spiteful attack ads and flying muck, Boucher's spots were dignified, positive and honorable. Had he faced stronger opposition, he might also have taken a low road. But that made his ads no less a relief from the sort that 5th District voters, for example, had to endure.
by CNB