THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 21, 1995 TAG: 9505180005
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 33 lines
Rules don't seem to apply to the city - only to taxpayers. If the city would go by the rules it makes makes up daily, taxpayers might respond better.
Mow your lawn, don't put trash out on the wrong day or you're fined $25. No warning - just slap a fine on the taxpayer. We only need taxpayers to pay for our tourist industry. Our streets are full of potholes, but not on any of the streets the councilmen live on. Overgrown grass and shrubbery all over the city medians are typical blind spots.
The city wants taxpayers to cut and keep up their side of the sidewalks but the city doesn't pay us to do so. Every city vehicle owns a bumper sticker reading ``Keep Norfolk cleaner because we care.'' Bull. City employees are the worst culprits. They drop garbage all over the streets, set your cans in the middle of the road, eat lunch on your property under shade trees and leave their trash all over the taxpayers' property. I think it's pretty nervey to expect the taxpayer to abide by city laws when the city doesn't comply by the laws it makes. Taxpayers should be allowed to fine the city for breaking its own laws.
I don't re-elect anyone.
JOYCE DOWNS
Norfolk, May 10, 1995 by CNB