THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 14, 1996 TAG: 9604130119
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Long : 170 lines
I recently saw a local newscast about the misuse of public donations for a family picnic by the Chesapeake Fire Department. I was appalled by this to say the least. A fire official said no public donations were used. Is this going to be another black eye on the city of Chesapeake as was the City Garage and Public Works? Where did the money come from? Can anyone start a fund from public donations? Surely these funds were not intended for someone to have a good time. Does the fire chief know about these funds? Who authorized these funds? Who OK's the spending of these funds? Surely not the secretary. Who makes the decision to have a picnic? Where's the fire chief? Who's in charge? Where's the city manager? If it's not donated money, is it taxpayer money? I'm sure as large as the fire department is it would take several thousands of dollars to sponsor a picnic. Why does the city manager allow these things to happen? Is the secretary being used as a scapegoat?
The fire chief and city manager are paid very well to know what's going on. Maybe we are paying the wrong people. City Council, beware.
Charles W. Sawyer
Canal Drive Parking problem
This is in regard to the ``Catch 22'' situation which Western Branch High School students are being forced to deal with every day. The school is having an addition built, and the students' parking lot was torn out last year. The new parking lot was to be completed in November 1995. Four months later it is nowhere near complete.
When the students started the school year, they found 250-plus parking permits had been issued during the summer, and no more were available, forcing them to park on Bruin Drive or in the surrounding neighborhoods. My daughter gets out of school at 1:30 p.m. and drives to work. She cannot ride the bus. She frequently has to park two, three or four blocks from the school. The harsh winter has been hard on these kids having to walk so far to park.
The crown jewel of this problem has been the Chesapeake Police Department's enthusiastic ticket-writing campaign. It seems they have nothing better to do than cruise down lines of parked cars writing parking tickets.
Let's give these kids a break. They shouldn't have to pay for the city's problem in not being able to finish the parking lot.
Dean Horton
Condor Landing Conservative hypocrisy
As I listen to talk radio and read editorials written over the past year by conservatives, I am amazed by their hypocrisy. Many of these conservatives have and are showing sympathy for the Freemen and other militia groups. They profess to empathize with these groups' agendas, put forward in expressing a fear of losing rights (mainly Second Amendment rights) and too much government control.
I wonder if these same conservatives supported their great leader Ronald Reagan, who as governor of California restricted Californians' Second Amendment rights in the form of the Mulford Bill, which receded the right of Californians to carry weapons that were not concealed in public.
I wonder if conservatives such as G. Gordon Liddy (a fed at the time) supported the Black Panthers who at times did shoot at the heads of federal law enforcement officials, who in many cases had illegally entered their homes? I wonder if these same conservatives who continuously oppose civil rights (see Barry Goldwater through George Bush) considered the Panthers an armed militia simply exercising their Second Amendment rights? (Remember, the Panthers were not fighting to keep rights, but fighting to simply have the rights all citizens of America are supposed to be afforded).
I doubt they do. With conservatives it seems it's really not about losing their rights, but about who gets to exercise them.
David Nason
Gloria Drive What to believe?
What's a poor Chesapeake taxpayer to believe?
(1) ``Following the Council's policy of no new taxes. . . '' - Statement from page II, official Chesapeake Proposed Operating Budget, 1996-97
(2) ``No tax increase.'' - Statement from page ii, official Chesapeake Proposed Operating Budget, 1996-97
(3) ``Notice of Proposed Real Property Tax Increase'' (from $1.23 per $100 valuation to $1.26.) - Headline over public hearing advertisement placed in The Clipper March 31 by the Chesapeake City Attorney
(4) ``The city's proposed 1996-97 operating budget...calls for no new taxes. . . '' - News story on page B3 of the April 3 Virginian-Pilot
(5) ``No new taxes. . . '' - Blurb on page 1 of the same issue
(6) ``No tax increase scheduled for Chesapeake.'' - Blurb on page B1 of the same issue
Of course, the city's budget preparers and your reporters know there is a vast difference between ``no new taxes'' and ``no tax increase.'' And they know, too, that immediately after the May 7 councilmanic election, there will be either new taxes or a tax increase and maybe both.
Carl Cahill
Old Drive Time for a change
Isn't it time for a change?
For the past 1 1/2 years I have faithfully served as president of the Chesapeake Council of Civic Organizations (CCCO). However, because of my concern for our future quality of life, I thought it was in the best interest of the citizens of Chesapeake that I direct this letter to you. I am writing this letter as a fellow citizen with my own personal comments and not on behalf of the membership of the CCCO.
Our city has grown too fast! Most major roads are over capacity, and we still have more than 350 portable classrooms in our city. Money has been spent in newly developed areas of our city while existing areas like South Norfolk and others continue to suffer. This is no way to manage a city! Why are we in this situation? Because the leadership of past city councils has not said ``No'' to developers and has refused to direct your tax dollars in the right places at the right time. Remember, it was the current City Council that installed the current Levels of Service standard, requiring minimal standard roads and only slightly crowded schools to be in place prior to allowing a rezoning to occur.
That is why I am supporting John Cosgrove for mayor. I have taken the time to spend hours discussing with Mr. Cosgrove his plans for Chesapeake's future. He is an honest man who will consistently listen to the people and do what he says he will do! He supports managed growth requiring adequate roads and schools prior to building new housing developments. He supports doing something with existing communities like South Norfolk before investing millions of dollars to widen roads, building new schools and increasing fire and police protection for new developments in our city. He supports regionalism and encouraging good clean business growth in our city.
Isn't it time for a change? Mayor William E. Ward has represented us well at ceremonies and is a very good spokesman, but let's face it, isn't leadership more than that? In Mayor Ward's own words while addressing the president of the Tidewater Builders Association at City Council, ``I've voted for 99 percent of the applications that have come before me in 16 years, so I guess if anyone of them want to blame any one person for a lot of this, then I'm one of those.'' After making that comment, Mayor Ward then promptly voted against the Levels of Service plan for the city. For the last three years in a row, Mayor Ward has consistently voted against Adequate Public facilities legislation. Last July, he voted against a CCCO-sponsored managed growth referendum that failed five votes to four. With his vote, we would have been able to vote on managed growth for Chesapeake last November and send an appropriate message to our state legislators in Richmond.
Let's make a positive change for our city on May 7, and vote yes for a new mayor, John Cosgrove!
Gene Waters
Clearfield Avenue Examine the record
In reply to the letter to the editor, ``Don't forget record'' (The Clipper, March 31), I agree that it is important for us to remember the records of our city officials. But, sometimes the memory plays tricks. It was not our current Vice Mayor Robert T. Nance Jr. who spearheaded the purchase of fax machines or a change in council's speaking rules. It was the former vice mayor, Arthur L. Dwyer.
In regard to the dismissal of the city manager, an objective look at the performance of the interim city manager, Clarence V. Cuffee, will show that a change was in order. In a short time, Mr. Cuffee has already presented numerous efficiency and cost-saving measures to the City Council.
When we remember Robert Nance's record as councilman and vice mayor, let us not forget his many efforts to keep taxes down, to make our city government more efficient, and, most of all, to provide quality drinking water.
David W. Messmore
Butterfly Drive Thanks to candidates
I'm thankful John Cosgrove, Dalton Edge and Patti Willis attended the Dunedin Civic League meeting on Monday. After hearing these individuals speak, they appear to have the best grasp on issues facing our city.
It was disappointing to see that Bill Ward has lost his drive to lead this city into the 21st century. On the other hand, John Cosgrove and Dalton Edge made great presentations on how they plan to lead this city. Patti Willis also offered some great solutions on the Chesapeake school system.
I hope John Cosgrove, Dalton Edge and Patti Willis are elected in May.
John Johnson
500 Taylor Road by CNB