DATE: Tuesday, May 6, 1997                  TAG: 9705060010

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B10  EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Letter 

                                            LENGTH:  106 lines

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR -THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

BANKING

Don't restrict

our credit unions

I am writing to express my great concern over the possibility of American consumers, like myself, losing our freedom of choice when selecting a financial institution. The American Bankers Association has convinced a judge that credit unions cannot admit members who do not share a single common bond of occupation.

The recent ruling by the U.S. District Court will now be heard by the Supreme Court. Its decision will affect thousands of credit unions and millions of credit-union members and potential members. As a nonprofit cooperative, credit unions are run democratically by their members/owners and provide more than 70 million Americans with rates and services that banks are unwilling to provide. Do you want to see this taken away?

Mark A. Priest

Chesapeake, April 24, 1997

VIRGINIA BEACH

It's time to make

our council accountable

Like most property-owning taxpayers, I have been complacent about the outrageous betrayal by our ``elected'' City Council for entirely too long. The council has established a pattern of committing ``our'' monies to projects like Lake Gaston and the seawall without obtaining the appropriate legal or financial commitments, while allowing growth to overwhelm our resources (water, schools, roads, sewers) so tourists can rinse their feet in fountains while we drive dirty cars home to dead lawns.

Now, they choose to increase our property assessments so that they can: (a) borrow against them for a ``tourist mecca'' and (b) raise taxes to continue squandering funds.

The word ``referendum'' seems to arise only when speaking of the undeniable needs of our children, instead of when all these ludicrous self-serving projects arise, i.e.: seawall (can only withstand a Level 1 hurricane), G.T.E. Amphitheater, soccer stadium, golf course at Lake Ridge, Laskin Road ``gateway and sand for Sandbridge.

It is time for all Virginia Beach residents to come together again (we did to stop Dixie Stampede) and force the council to give the beach and Oceanfront back to the residents (whether they live at the North End, Kempsville or Seatack), and fund our children, our disabled and our less fortunate.

Brent L. Buehler

Virginia Beach, April 24, 1997

THE ARTS

Pro dance is alive,

well and en pointe

I would like to assure David A. Tussey (``Discontinued dance series should be revived,'' April 10) that professional dance in Hampton Roads is alive and well and being rehearsed. Virginia Ballet Theatre presented four professional dance programs last spring and fall, featuring international stars from the Dutch National Ballet, the Royal Ballet and the Dance Theater of Harlem, among others.

On May 8 and 9, the Virginia Ballet Theatre, Hampton Roads' own regional ballet company, will present two evenings of professional dance at Harrison Opera House and at the Virginia Beach Pavilion. Included on this program will be the classic Balanchine ballet ``Serenade.'' VBT will be the first ballet company based in Hampton Roads to have the right to present a Balanchine ballet.

Currently, VBT has 12 professional dancers on payroll, preparing for the shows in May. In September, we will bring back our dancers for another six weeks of rehearsal and performances. Within a few years, we expect to be able to expand our programs to employ dancers for 20 weeks each year. We have used Virginia Symphony musicians extensively and will continue to seek ways to expand our partnership with the Symphony.

We share Mr. Tussey's regret over the loss of the dance series. We will do everything in our power to fill that gap.

David Andrew Smith

President

Virginia Ballet Theatre

Norfolk, April 21, 1997

NORFOLK

Renovation won't

help Taylor School

We were distressed with the April 29 advertisement placed by the Alumni and Friends of Taylor School.

The advertisement states that ``the school's condition is the result of poor maintenance.'' Maintenance has nothing to do with the lack of restrooms, the lack of an indoor physical-education room, an undersized cafeteria, multiple levels, temporary mobile units and undersized classrooms.

The ad states that ``elevators could provide handicapped access to the other two floors.'' It does not mention the numerous levels in the building that will not be accessible from elevators.

The ad states that ``because it is concrete, it is more fire resistant than the proposed building.'' It does not mention the narrow stairwells and multiple levels that make exiting the building in the event of a fire dangerous, and the fire code violations that will not be corrected with a renovation.

We are not gladdened by the fact that the school needs to be torn down, but we do recognize it as the only fiscally responsible option to guarantee a first-class, safe facility. A partial renovation will not solve many of the code violations, and a full renovation (if it can be done) would cost more than a new building. We cannot be selfish and must be mindful of the needs of more than 36,000 students served by Norfolk public schools.

F. Sullivan Callahan

E. Lauren Callahan

Norfolk, April 30, 1997

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