DATE: Friday, April 11, 1997                TAG: 9704100174

SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON   PAGE: 11   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Letter 

                                            LENGTH:   73 lines

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - VIRGINIA BEACH

The public notice to resort area residents/visitors for parking published in The Beacon Friday, Feb. 28 indicates that the City of Virginia Beach has scant consideration for its residents and the residents of other areas of Hampton Roads.

Is the resort area so packed with tourists in April and post Labor Day September that summer parking restrictions are necessary at those times?

It is my opinion that these restrictions, including money-gouging meter fees of 75 cents per hour, are counter-productive to increasing commercial activity in the resort area. If I owned a business in that section I would do all I could to remove from office those government administrators responsible for such unimaginative action.

Calvin M. Spivak

March 1 The elderly deserve lower city taxes

I am sure others remember the harsh winter of 1995-96. Through the extra cost of keeping our highways and streets clear of snow and ice must have been enormous, our city came out with a $20 million surplus. Makes one wonder who is getting the well-known shaft on taxes. Who else but the elderly on real estate taxes?

I can hardly wait to visit my 83-year-old friend. Both of us have replaced hips, give each other a high five and yell ``whoopee'' that the city is giving thought to an 18-hole golf course for the tourists. This is under the guise it will help lower taxes.

Some say, why shouldn't old people pay real estate taxes? After all they get police and fire protection and drive on well-maintained streets. Sixteen-year-olds get this same protection, plus they drive also.

I'm sure that fellow who thought up that brilliant storm water tax will find a way to get these young citizens under the tax law. Stupid, but is it any more stupid than a 91-year-old man in a nursing home having to pay over $900 every six months for roads he helped build and maintain for 70 years? Plus he still pays taxes on food, water, etc.

On our final checkout date, when the beneficiaries ask, ``where's our inheritance?'' the answer will be simple. The city tax department beat you to it.''

Lester Prather

March 20 Trapper story is sadly ironic

When reading The Beacon's article ``Urban Trapper'' (March 7) about trapping wild animals, I could not help but notice the sad irony. Mr. Baxendale cuddles with a domestic cat on his kitchen table, and he wears an endangered species humpback whale sweatshirt. Yet he traps, kills, skins and eats animals like beavers, deer, raccoons and foxes.

It shouldn't matter if an animal is domesticated or endangered. All animals are capable of experiencing pain and pleasure, and all should be able to live freely.

Noah Baker

Norfolk

March 10 Walkers also deserve a ride

Until I moved into a ``walking zone'' area of our public school, I never realized how unfair this is.

We live about four blocks away from the school that my 11-year-old has to walk to, no matter what the weather. I have to leave for work earlier and the before school program is full.

I pay taxes, too, and I feel my son should have a bus ride to school with his backpack full of books in the rain, heat or cold. I think an elementary walk zone should be limited to one block. Our streets are not as safe as they used to be.

Hope Herrit

March 9

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