THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 19, 1996 TAG: 9604190527
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KAREN WEINTRAUB, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Long : 121 lines
In an annual rite of spring, a parade of city residents and employees asked the City Council Thursday night for more money.
The 600-person crowd at Larkspur Elementary School included flamenco dancers, firefighters and Latin teachers, sixth-graders and retirees.
The council holds two public hearings every year about this time to get citizen input on its proposed spending plan for next year and its six-year budget for big-ticket items.
Last month, City Manager James K. Spore asked the council to approve an $898 million budget for next year to fund the city and the schools.
His proposed 3.2-cent tax rate increase was not an issue with the speakers, all of whom asked for more spending, not less.
But Thursday night, the largest crowd and the most colorful audience members came to ask for more money for the arts in next year's budget.
About 300 people turned out to say that spending 50 cents on the arts for each city resident is not enough. The figure should be more like $1.50 per resident, Diane B. Murdock, vice chairman of the Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission, told the council.
The arts help spur economic development, businessman Andrew Fine told the council, and they help ``give texture and excitement'' to the community.
``Reinstating a small percentage for the arts will reap rich rewards,'' he said.
Beatriz Amberman said she thinks cultural events, like the dance programs she participates in, broaden the minds and the spirits of city residents.
``I feel that the pride of a city is really where it shows the diversity of its people,'' said Amberman, a native of Mexico, dressed in the garb of a flamenco dancer. ``(The arts) encourage people to have more understanding of people who are different.''
Virginia Beach's arts community needs performance space and a stable source of funding, several board members of the city's Arts and Humanities Commission told the council.
A handful of speakers, including State Sen. Ed Schrock, R-Virginia Beach, asked the council for more money for city libraries, which he said are good but could be much better. The libraries need more current books, better technology and more and bigger buildings, they said.
About 250 teachers attended Thursday night's hearing to ask for more generous raises.
``I am your typical teacher,'' Fairfield Elementary School third-grade teacher Kathy Hume Arn told the council. ``I am intelligent and competent. I don't have a lot of money. I am committed to teaching.
``Please commit to teachers,'' she continued. ``Please commit to our children. Please commit to funding our public schools.''
Several teachers said they see pay raises as a sign of respect for their dedication, as an indication that the council thinks they are doing a good job, and as an incentive to stay in the profession.
The School Board approved a budget last month that provides for employee raises as high as 6 percent. Spore's budget recommended the City Council fund raises of 3.3 percent.
Leaders of police and fire organizations also asked for more generous raises, additional staffing and more state-of-the-art equipment.
Three Kemps Landing Magnet School students asked the council for money so 150 more students can share the fun of solving algebra problems and writing English papers at their school next year. Spore's budget suggests continuing the magnet program but not expanding it.
The second public hearing on the budget is set for May 9 at 2 p.m. in the council's chambers at City Hall. The council will adopt the budget on May 14.
VIRGINIA BEACH - In an annual rite of spring, a parade of city residents and employees asked the City Council Thursday night for more money.
The 600-person crowd at Larkspur Elementary School included flamenco dancers, firefighters and Latin teachers, sixth-graders and retirees.
The council holds two public hearings every year about this time to get citizen input on its proposed spending plan for next year and its six-year budget for big-ticket items.
Last month, City Manager James K. Spore asked the council to approve an $898 million budget for next year to fund the city and the schools.
His proposed 3.2-cent tax rate increase was not an issue with the speakers, all of whom asked for more spending, not less.
But Thursday night, the largest crowd and the most colorful audience members came to ask for more money for the arts in next year's budget.
About 300 people turned out to say that spending 50 cents on the arts for each city resident is not enough. The figure should be more like $1.50 per resident, Diane B. Murdock, vice chairman of the Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission, told the council.
The arts help spur economic development, businessman Andrew Fine told the council, and they help ``give texture and excitement'' tothe community.
``Reinstating a small percentage for the arts will reap rich rewards,'' he said.
Beatriz Amberman said she thinks cultural events, like the dance programs she participates in, broaden the minds and the spirits of city residents.
``I feel that the pride of a city is really where it shows the diversity of its people,'' said Amberman, a native of Mexico, dressed in the garb of a flamenco dancer. ``(The arts) encourage people to have more understanding of people who are different.''
Virginia Beach's arts community needs performance space and a stable source of funding, several board members of the city's Arts and Humanities Commission told the council.
A handful of speakers, including State Sen. Ed Schrock, R-Virginia Beach, asked the council for more money for city libraries, which he said are good but could be much better. The libraries need more current books, better technology and more and bigger buildings, they said.
About 250 teachers attended Thursday night's hearing to ask for more generous raises.
``I am your typical teacher,'' Fairfield Elementary School third-grade teacher Kathy Hume Arn told the council. ``I am intelligent and competent. I don't have a lot of money. I am committed to teaching.
``Please commit to teachers,'' she continued. ``Please commit to our children. Please commit to funding our public schools.''
Several teachers said they see pay raises as a sign of respect for their dedication, as an indication that the council thinks they are doing a good job, and as an incentive to stay in the profession.
The School Board approved a budget last month that provides for employee raises as high as 6 percent. Spore's budget recommended the City Council fund raises of 3.3 percent.
Leaders of police and fire organizations also asked for more generous raises, additional staffing and more state-of-the-art equipment.
The second public hearing on the budget is set for May 9 at 2 p.m. in the council's chambers at City Hall. The council will adopt the budget on May 14. by CNB