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

DATE: SUNDAY, September 3, 1995                   TAG: 9509010013
SECTION: HORIZON                    PAGE: G-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

BEHIND THE DECISION

Voters tend not to look at the upcoming General Assembly elections as a partisan choice. Instead, they tend to view it in terms of problem-solving

"Where do we want to be? Where do we want to go with our local institutions? Do we want to maintain our infrastructure? I think that's how you ought to establish yourself. What is your plan? What do you want to see the government do?"

- Floyd Childress III, Riner

"We're giving prisoners what should be given for education? At the Bland correctional farm, they just built a brand new gymnasium for the prisoners. At Bland High School, they've got a gym that's just about dilapidated. We're putting too many resources to the lowest common denominator of our society and not trying to build up."

- Bill McDonald, Blacksburg

"What could be more useful than education? ... If we could spend money on education and take it away from other areas, I'd have no problem with that."

- Michael Van Haelewyn, Roanoke

"The jobs around here are low-paying. ... I don't see how most people around here make it. There are just not enough jobs to pay a living wage."

- Jan Politis, Riner

"What about the Roanoke Valley? I read a statistic that we're missing a whole generation, from 18 to 28. They go away to school and don't come back until they're ready to raise a family. Because they can't make it here. There's nothing for them."

- Frances Little, Daleville

"We have parents who try to get jobs. They get on welfare. Welfare says you have to look for so many jobs. How are parents supposed to go out and find a job when they don't have a car? How are they supposed to go out and find a job when they don't have child care? So things that are put in place to help families actually hurt them."

- Patricia Radcliffe, Roanoke

"I support the candidate on four things: his ability to provide the service for the area he represents, his knowledge of the state's problems, his fiscal conservatism and his contact with constituents. And I am a Democrat, but I'll tell you right now, I'll support a Republican in a heartbeat if he had the same qualifications of some Democrats, which I have done in the past."

- David Simmons, Roanoke County

"I think they ought to be disallowed to advertise during their campaigns. They should have to speak, and should be forced to go to public forums and talk. Answer questions, and they can't put advertisements on TV or anything."

- Rebekah Woodie, Fincastle

by CNB