ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 18, 1996 TAG: 9604180025
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-11 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: PAUL RADIKE
THE ROANOKE County School bond referendum was defeated because it became a lightning rod for all of the negatives of county government and county voters.
County voters turned their back on maintaining a satisfactory educational infrastructure in Roanoke County. Why? Judging from the ``against'' opinions expressed in the newspaper over the past month, the referendum was defeated chiefly for the following reasons:
Spite. Voters in West County and North County said resoundingly, ``If we cannot get what we want, then Southwest County will not get what they want either!'' This is a sad commentary in the '90s where only my needs matter - not yours.
Trite. ``Southwest County is getting special attention,'' or ``Southwest County is getting their unfair share of the referendum funds,'' or ``I don't have any children or grandchildren in county schools.'' The fact is that Southwest County is (and has been) growing rapidly and presently dealing with old and overcrowded schools. More money per pupil has been spent on schools in other areas of the county over the past 10 years, much from the wallets of Southwest County taxpayers. (Forty-five percent of the tax base is in Southwest.)
Tax protest. The county tax rate is too high, the real estate assessments have increased too much every year, the county isn't spending our tax money wisely. This may be true, but is it wise to provide second-class facilities for our children's education?
County debt. Fresh in all voters' minds is their most recent water bill, which has increased more than 250 percent in the last year. Even though this was a needed project, this is a very visible reminder of county debt.
Questions about the viability of the high school plan. What about the site? What about possible cost overruns, etc.? Consensus is impossible in the '90s and there will never be the ``perfect'' plan. Have you ever looked for affordable land suitable for a school in Southwest County?
Retired on a fixed income. ``I can't afford it.'' I imagine that part of your fixed income is Social Security, which is removed from my check every pay period as a tax (your pay-in to Social Security is used up in six to seven years). You also benefit from Medicare, which is also a tax for working people. I'm sorry that you cannot give up one night out a year to provide for county schools. You may not have to give up anything!
In addition to county voters, the county Board of Supervisors is responsible for this divisive defeat to the vital needs of Roanoke County students. The gutless supervisors put it up to a bond referendum rather than doing what they were elected to do - make decisions.
Where do we go from here? The county School Board and county Board of Supervisors need to get busy now.
The supervisors need to get the county financial house in order. Eliminate the empire-building, cut nonessential services, right-size and look at out-sourcing some services, if feasible. Prove to the county voters that you are fiscally conservative. The prevailing county resident attitude is that the county looks for ways to grow and spend rather than use tax dollars wisely and hold costs in line.
The School Board must review and downsize the bloated county school administration. The county school system has become a career path for administrators instead of a tool for innovative educational excellence.
Both bodies need to develop a seven-year strategic school-facility and education-enhancement plan. This plan should include all county school needs and be developed with community input. This sensible and equitable plan, with costs and implementation timelines, should then be articulated to all county residents and voted on by the board.
If this course is followed, maybe the county can be reunified and find a silver lining in this cloud.
Paul Radike lives in Southwest Roanoke County and is an account executive at AT&T.
LENGTH: Medium: 83 linesby CNB