Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 29, 1995 TAG: 9510270108
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: G2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Approximately 60 percent of eligible voters didn't vote and seldom do. But Republicans will soon learn that this large group of voters, angered by the Republican attack on their security, will vote. This applies to state and national elections.
These voters, sometimes called centrists, don't want children deprived of food or seniors deprived of needed medications to fund welfare for the rich. Neither do they believe that our air and water are too clean. They also don't want self-styled Christians, gun crazies or nicotine pushers dictating our laws, and they deplore evangelical and political-hate preaching.
Independent centrists vote Democratic more often than Republican because, although liberals are often foolish, conservatives are often mean, unsympathetic and tend to use anger-provoking words such as liar and coward when referring to their opposition. We see this demonstrated every day at the federal and state level. And these voters will demonstrate their discomfort with such actions in upcoming elections.
TEDDY F. SMUSZ VINTON
\ No increased funding for educrats
LIBERAL Democrats - from President Clinton to Sen. Madison Marye - are screaming about Republican efforts to reduce bureaucracy in the education system by returning control of schools to the state and local levels. Voters need to examine the facts closely before accepting their claims that this cost-saving effort will hurt our children's future education.
Since 1960, total expenditures on education have increased more than 200 percent. Most of this money has gone to increased spending on bureaucracy, with administrative and noninstructional functions gaining 107 percent in real terms and the number of noninstructional personnel growing 400 percent, nearly seven times the rate of increase in classroom teachers.
What do taxpayers get from this bureaucracy, which now squanders more than 50 cents of every tax dollar spent on education? Well, at the last National Education Association conference held in Minneapolis, these educrats busied themselves with an agenda that had little to do with improving our children's education. Among the resolutions passed were 15 drawn up by the NEA's Gay and Lesbian Caucus on sexual-orientation issues, a resolution supporting statehood for Washington, D.C., and a resolution to create a national holiday to honor Casar Chavez. The list goes on to cover the entire liberal agenda.
It thus becomes obvious that the reason Democrats support increased spending for and protection of the current bureaucratic mess in education is because these educrats are nothing more than taxpayer-funded lobbyists for their liberal agenda.
FRANK HOLS GALAX
The nation doesn't need the oil
ALASKA'S magnificent arctic National Wildlife Refuge is at risk, thanks to pro-development Alaskan congressional members. America survived the Persian Gulf War without the oil they claim is so vital to our national interests.
Unfortunately, this area of natural heritage may not survive the self-serving, greedy representatives from Alaska. They have garnered powerful positions on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the House Resources Committee, and they seek to open the refuge to oil exploration and development.
Although Virginians may never see this pristine ecosystem, which includes polar bear, musk ox, wolves and caribou, we shouldn't allow these lawmakers to control the refuge's future primarily to benefit the oil industry and other special interests. These members of Congress seek to open the refuge through the budget process, where little debate is permitted. Any oil revenues will be short-lived, yet the damage to this last complete Arctic ecosystem in North America will be irreversible.
PEGGY ALLEN Conservation Chair, New River Valley Chapter, Sierra Club BLACKSBURG
Averill is merely Allen's puppet
I READ the second of two recent mailings received in my home from Trixie Averill's camp, and I remain unsure as to whether the Republican candidate, a homemaker, is capable of adding together the cost of two grocery items.
Her campaign to unseat Del. Dick Cranwell is so laced with mudslinging and references to Gov. George Allen's agenda that I cannot get a grasp on her qualifications to represent me and others in the House's 14th District.
This latest mailing compares the political stances of Allen and Cranwell, which, I suspect, doesn't come close to telling the real story. I get the feeling that Averill and her people, with no practical political experience to draw from, know of no other way to run their campaign.
We all know the things Allen wants to do with our fair state, but what about Averill? So far, she has shown she's nothing more than a puppet with a string that runs all the way to Richmond. What will happen the first time she's faced with standing up for Southwest Virginia at the expense of money grubbers from the District of Columbia suburbs and Tidewater? My guess is that when this happens, Allen won't be so quick to pose with Averill for publicity photos.
It appears she's unable or unwilling to develop a platform of her own. If this is the case, we in the Roanoke Valley could be in serious trouble.
JOSEPH C. SCHUPP GOODVIEW
Candidate has long served the schools
THANK you for this opportunity to speak on behalf of Marion Roark, a Roanoke County School Board candidate representing the Catawba district.
She's an accountant, owns her own business, has given more than 20 years to the county school system and our county's youth as a volunteer. She has served on the budget, calendar, gifted-education and vocational-education committees. She was president of Glenvar Elementary Parent-Teacher Association, Glenvar High School PTA and the Roanoke County Council of PTAs. She was Roanoke district director of PTA and on the Virginia PTA board. She has served with dignity, dedication and unparalleled loyalty.
When you vote (and please do), cast your ballot for this candidate who's qualified, knows the school system and how it operates, and puts the welfare of all children first.
SHIRLEY M. BLACK ROANOKE
Two new schools mean duplication
THERE WERE two meetings held recently for the public to discuss whether Roanoke County needed a new high school in the Southwest County area and what should be done to ease overcrowding in the schools.
Studies were made, and it was found that by the year 2005 there would be almost 2,000 high-school students. Presently, Cave Spring High School holds about 1,300 students, and that doesn't include ninth-grade students. Southwest County is growing, and Cave Spring High is overcrowded. Just ask the students who go there.
There was also talk of having two smaller high schools vs. one large one. In my opinion, I think one large high school should be built that would hold 2,000 students.
It would be more expensive to build and keep up two smaller schools. Two schools would mean duplicate sets of principals, teachers, athletic departments, teams and coaches. This would cost taxpayers a lot of additional expense.
The studies indicated that the majority of people want one large school built, but there are still a lot of questions to be answered before any action is taken. I hope officials take action soon so I may be able to attend at least one year at a new high school.
CARY WOODYARD ROANOKE
by CNB