The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Wednesday, April 3, 1996               TAG: 9604030002
SECTION: FRONT                    PAGE: A14  EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Letter 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   22 lines

WHY NEGOTIATE?

I view with concern that the Virginia Beach School Board is negotiating with Mordecai Smith about his resignation. He should have been fired a long time ago. We taxpayers compensated him handsomely to analyze the School Board budget and develop the following year's spending plan.

It takes no genius to merely add a few percent for inflation as Mr. Smith did. For this we paid him more than $70,000 a year. Where do I apply?

JOHN BERGER

Virginia Beach, March 22, 1996 by CNB