Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 15, 1995 TAG: 9503150039
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SARAH HUNTLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Speaking to about 10 supporters who gathered in front of Fort Lewis Elementary School, Brown said Catawba residents are tired of paying high taxes that benefit other parts of the county.
``I chose Fort Lewis Elementary School to announce my candidacy because it is an indication of our district. It is a beautiful school with great people working in it, but like our district, it has been neglected,'' Brown said. ``We don't have anyone fighting for the Catawba District. We need an advocate.''
A conservative who joined the party last year, Brown will run against Kohinke on June 13, when the Republicans hold their first local primary in more than 25 years.
In a news release Tuesday, Kohinke commented on his opponent's position on charter schools.
``I find it very strange that my opponent for the GOP nomination would use a county school as the backdrop to kick off his campaign,'' Kohinke said. ``He is no friend of the public school system. Instead, he strongly supports privatization, vouchers, home schooling and charter schools: all of the ``pat'' answers for public education reform from the far right.''
Brown is a member of the Education Committee for Charter Schools and supports charter school legislation.
``Charter schools, I think, are a good concept,'' Brown said. ``It's a concept that's coming. It gives parents a choice, it gives teachers a bit more freedom to try innovative approaches, and it gives kids the chance to learn more.''
Brown said he would form a Catawba-area advisory committee; create a waste-finding committee to identify excess spending by the county; and conduct quarterly community meetings.
``We need to get people more active in our government,'' Brown said. ``We need to get more people watching our government.''
by CNB