THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 8, 1994 TAG: 9409030205
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
The 81,000+ residents of the proposed city of Ocean View, now pay approximately $150 million to Norfolk City Council.
The Norfolk Council 1995 budget designates $46+ million for this year's payment on the city debt. This debt was incurred largely by expenditures, both cash and bonds, for downtown Norfolk public ``investments.'' Of the $46,791,662 debt service, $21,144,483 is paid in interest. It that intelligent borrowing?
If the city of Ocean View were in existence today it would save over $15 million of its share of the debt. That is $15 million that could be spent this year on:
1. Improvement of streets in East Ocean View, making this a more attractive place to live without the land grab orchestrated by Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority, previously estimated at over $36 million.
2. Subsidize the much needed bus service on Willoughby Spit just canceled by Norfolk Council's failure to fund TRT as needed.
3. Build a recreation center in Bayview this year instead of being considered in 1999, as indicated by the council.
4. Build a swimming pool at Tarrallton that was in the original plans and canceled by council.
5. Build a pool at Lake Taylor High School to replace the one in the original plans that was canceled, just prior to building one at Maury High School instead.
Some 1995 expenditures of Norfolk that would not be required in the future for the new city of Ocean View.
1. Downtown Norfolk Council: $60,000
2. Department of Development: $894,039
3. NRHA administrative support: $847,000
4. Festevents: $583,736
5. Chrysler Museum: $1,816,283 (this is in addition to requested fees we pay on entering.)
6. Market and Promotion program: $3,000,000 (The Virginia waterfront ads of recent months do not mention the Ocean View area.)
7. Tour homes: $180,326
8. Norfolk Commission on Arts and Humanities: $217,205
9. Norfolk City Arts program: $67,795
10. Virginia Symphony: $50,000
11. Virginia Zoo Society: $40,000
12. Convention Center Subsidy: $600,000 (opened in the fall of 1991)
13. Harbor Park: $288,470 (in addition to debt service)
Capital Improvements budgeted for Norfolk include:
1. Scope infrastructure improvements: $200,000 (this is part of total of $800,00 through fiscal year 1999)
2. Ghent Commercial Area Streetscape improvements: $190,000 (this is part of a total of $520,000 through fiscal year 1999)
3. Zoo Master plan: $218,000
Couldn't some of this money be used to meet needs and desires of residential neighborhoods? Norfolk City Council is creating the prettiest commercial districts in the country. They may well end up being indebted islands among deserted and deteriorated houses.
Al Horton
Norristown Drive by CNB