THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 12, 1995 TAG: 9501100129
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SCOTT McCASKEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
The attitude voiced at a Norfolk town hall meeting held Saturday at the Ocean View Senior Center can best be summed up with the adage: ``If it isn't broken, don't fix it.''
Norfolk City Councilman Randy Wright called the meeting, which was attended by about 60 residents. State Sen. Stanley Walker and state delegates George Heilig and Howard Copeland joined Wright in listening to residents expressing concerns over the potential harm Gov. Allen's proposed tax cuts might bring.
``Tax cuts sound great, but I'm worried about what the resulting costs might be,'' said Jarrell Wright, an Ocean View resident. ``I'd rather continue to pay taxes and receive the same services.''
Of the 20 people who addressed the panel, only one was in favor of the tax cut. The greatest concern was that a reduction of revenues at the state level will precipitate a tax increase at the local level, specifically a hiked real estate or personal property tax.
``It's hard to argue with a tax cut but if it means shifting the burden to the city, it may not be such a good thing,'' Heilig said. ``We're going to have to take a serious look at what the impact will be.''
Another hot topic was the fate of the planned downtown campus for Tidewater Community College now that the governor has proposed cutting it.
``We're one of the largest cities in the country without a community college,'' said Mayor Paul D. Fraim. ``There are probably six or seven thousand people who are not getting the opportunity for a college education because of that. It's something this city needs.''
After the meeting, Walker expressed hope that the funds for the school will be put back in the budget.
``I think Allen has to take another look, this flies in the face of economic development,'' he said.
The state's financial future was another focus.
``North Carolina is cleaning our clock in terms of economic development,'' said G. Wayne Brown of Ocean View. ``They've invested in roads, universities, the arts. I hope Allen's short-term political gain is not put ahead of the future of our state.''
Cries about the general status of education also were heard.
``Allen wants to build more prisons instead of improving our school system,'' Frank Reynolds said. ``That's like closing the barn doors after the horses are already out.''
Code enforcement was a point of contention on the local agenda.
``People think they can throw a board over a broken window and walk away,'' said Eloise LaBeau, president of the Norfolk Federation of Civic Leagues. ``We can't afford to let neighborhoods deteriorate to the point that we have to tear them down.''
Other suggestions included reform of regulations governing alcoholic-beverage sales, such as more rigorously differentiating between a restaurant and bar.
Some urged increased police presence on the streets. by CNB