THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 19, 1995 TAG: 9511170015
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 43 lines
Al Armfield (``Tourist do not make a city,'' letter, Oct. 15) writes that he has lived in Norfolk for 40 years and hoped things would change; but because they haven't, he is going to move from Norfolk.
As a civic-league president, I am tired of people waiting for things to happen rather than helping to make things better by attending civic-league meetings, PTA meetings, city council meetings and voting. Instead they just complain and do nothing to make things better.
Mr. Armfield can move to Virginia Beach where they are short of water and have a school system that overspends. He can move to Chesapeake with its salty water and Taj Mahal City Hall.
I challenge everyone to find the perfect city where there are no problems and their tax dollars are spent only on what they want them spent on.
As for Nauticus and trying to attract tourists to Norfolk: I applaud the city for trying to bring some attractions to Norfolk. We have nine public-housing areas that pay no real-estate taxes and where low incomes will never provide a significant tax base for Norfolk.
We also receive no taxes on any of the food-stamp purchases from low-income families. So could we try to raise money for Norfolk by raising our property taxes? I would rather see attractions that lure people from outside of Norfolk to spend their money here so we get the benefit of the money they spend and the taxes they pay on restaurant meals and hotel rooms. So what if not every idea is a winner at first?
And, to be realistic, our tax money is not paying for Nauticus. Our tax dollars barely pay for the services we receive. So who pays? The industrial businesses in Norfolk are paying for more than they get, but are they complaining about Nauticus? No! In fact, they are donating more money for Nauticus (Thank you, Ford Motor Co.)! So what is the beef?
KEN GROW SR.
Norfolk, Nov. 7, 1995 by CNB