THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 10, 1996 TAG: 9603080278
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Medium: 100 lines
I bought a pickup truck in November 1995. When my wife went to the city treasurer's office to purchase a city decal, she was asked if she wanted one for the remainder of 1995 or one for 1996. She purchased the one for 1996.
We had planned to keep the truck for a while, but circumstances intervened, and we had to sell it. My son went to the city treasurer's office to turn in the sticker. He was told refunds were not given for city decals, as DMV does for vehicle tags.
I called City Treasurer Ronald H. Williams' office the next day. I talked with a secretary and was told it was customary that refunds were not given.
I asked if there was a ``written policy'' and she could not answer. She instructed me to write a request to Mr. Williams explaining my situation, and asking for the refund. I did this on Feb. 15. I took a copy of the letter to Mayor S. Chris Jones and explained my problem to him. He agreed if it was not a written policy, I should be given a refund - full or partial.
After two weeks and not receiving a reply from Mr. Williams, I again called his office on March 1. I was told he was in a meeting and he would return my call as soon as the meeting terminated. I gave my number and, to this date, I have not received a return call.
If it is ``written policy'' that refunds not be given on ``unused portions of use'' of city decals, I respect that. However, if it is not a written policy, I would expect a full or partial refund.
Whenever our personal property taxes (which are among the higher in Hampton Roads) are due at a time of year most inconvenient to us taxpayers, I send mine as early as possible.
In the future, when I sell a vehicle with a city decal on it, I assure you that I will not scrape it off and have the buyer spend $20 or $25 for another. Doesn't this add up to the city making $40 or $50 off the one vehicle, plus the personal property tax, and I lose out on my $25 or a part of it?
I wonder how many other Suffolk citizens would like to see this ``unwritten policy?''
Randall Estes
Colonial Drive
Suffolk Sounding off on Falcon, and other city topics
I have nothing good to say about Falcon Cable TV.
I have called the company so many times and have been given the runaround, put on hold and, at times, have been disconnected.
Each time we had an outage, we were told that it was our house only. Why wasn't such an isolated incident repaired?
A cable, laid across our backyard, remained there all winter and was buried two weeks ago. When a relay outside the house went out, a repairman came out three days later and fixed it. A week later, when another problem arose, a different repairman came out and said the same thing was wrong again and repaired it.
We have had cloudy, snowy and no pictures for the last eight years or so. This household is fed up with Falcon. I agree with writings that have appeared in The Sun.
People all around Suffolk get more channels, better service and excellent reception for a lot less money. When we write a check each month for $40.20, even when we have outages, I feel it is wasted.
Yes, there are alternatives, but why should we have to go to that expense when something could be done to get rid of Falcon and make a lot of people happy?
I have a difficult time believing that Suffolk has not done anything about this total waste of time and space that Falcon seems to take up with empty promises and higher rates. Can't something be done?
Some other issues I would like to mention:
Recently, The Sun told of five police officers receiving promotions. Where are they working? I travel Crittenden Road twice a day, five days a week, and never see any patrolmen on that road.
There is a 35 mph speed zone from Longvue Shores to Highway 17, and no one seems to abide by it. On 17, no one seems to abide by the 45 mph zone from Crittenden Road to just past Smithfield Gardens, nor the 45-mile zone at Bennett's Creek. But I never see anyone stopped or any patrolmen there other than in a parking lot.
How are the police earning their money, if not by patrolling, stopping and attempting to slow these rude drivers? I recommend more patrolling of that area.
Dogs run loose at all hours in Longvue Shores. I have seen an animal control officer in that section one time, six or seven years ago.
I have called several times, reached a dispatcher and was asked whose dogs they were, where they lived, etc. I don't know, and it isn't my job to find out.
Water and sewerage to our property were scheduled in 1995, but it was not done. Mayor S. Chris Jones said it had been put on a back burner for monetary reasons.
How can all the improvements to the new industrial park off 664 be justified, when established residents and property owners are still in need of the services promised years ago? I would think that the permanent residents and home owners would come first for improvements. We pay taxes and deserve more than what we get.
I could go on, but I believe I have gotten the message across.
Sue Belcher
Longvue Circle
Suffolk by CNB