DATE: Saturday, October 11, 1997            TAG: 9710110004

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B8   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Letter 

                                            LENGTH:  102 lines

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

NORFOLK

Smoke out wasteful

spending of our taxes

Where does our tax money go? Almost every month, Norfolk City Council finds a way to raise citizens' taxes. I, for one, am tired of paying for the mistakes of others. The new tax on cigarettes is to go to blighted neighborhoods, to demolish rundown buildings and houses. Why does the taxpayer have to pay for this? The property owners should pay for the destruction of buildings that no longer meet city health and fire codes.

I pay taxes for fire and paramedical services in the city of Norfolk. Yet if I use an ambulance, I get a bill for services. If my property or vehicle is damaged by vandals or in an accident, the police want to take a report over the telephone.

What am I paying for? What is the city doing with all the taxes it collects now? The mismanagement and waste inside Norfolk city government have to come to a stop.

Yes, I smoke, and you can believe that the city of Norfolk will not get another dime of my money for its inability to manage the money it receives now. I will buy my cigarettes by the carton in some other locality at a price that is $6 to $8 cheaper by the carton.

Edward P. Hill

Norfolk, Oct. 1, 1997

CHESAPEAKE

A little more history

on the Housing Authority

Your Sept. 26 editorial, ``Controversy is the norm,'' touched on the firing of the Chesapeake Housing Authority commissioners in 1993. You wrote that the former commissioners had secretly voted to pay themselves for serving on corporations and partnerships in which the authority held an interest.

At that time, the seven commissioners were drawing $75 a month in salary from the city. The ``secret vote'' was a pay raise of $75, bringing their salary to a modest $150 a month. Following the hearings, when nine new commissioners were appointed, they were immediately awarded a salary of $450 per month. That indicates the seven former commissioners had been grossly underpaid.

You stated, too, that over the previous 2 1/2 years, the commissioners had spent more money traveling than all other Hampton Roads housing authorities combined. What you again failed to mention was that the Chesapeake Housing Authority budget was approved by HUD.

It appears that you write with selective memory.

Terry Scott

Chesapeake, Sept. 28, 1997

REGION'S FINEST

Officer goes beyond

the call of duty

On the evening of Oct. 3, while attending the Homearama Preview Party, I locked my keys in my car. When my wife and I discovered what I had done, we approached a Chesapeake police officer who was directing traffic. He obtained a ``slim jim'' and a flashlight to help us gain entrance to our car, but this was unsuccessful.

This fine officer was getting off work and offered to give us a ride home. This may not seem to be such a helping hand until you understand that he lives close to the Homearama site and we live at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. During our drive, we were privileged to get to know Sgt. J. Randy LeFebvre. We learned that he is not only a good police officer but also a fine human being.

In this time when our police officers are under attack from the criminal element of our society, from the media and sometimes by our own city officials (a sad state of affairs), it is indeed a pleasure to meet and interact with one of our region's finest. Unfortunately, those like Sergeant LeFebvre and citizens running green lights do not make the news - but they should.

K. Bruce Nuckols

Virginia Beach, Oct. 5, 1997

VIRGINIA BEACH

Food for thought

- and for support

This letter is in regard to Mayor Oberndorf's ``community conversation and food'' meeting on Sept. 30: What's the old saying, don't bite the hand that feeds you?

Is the Virginia Beach City Council finding such strong opposition to programs on its wish list that it has to recruit citizens who will rubber stamp its tax-and-spend policy? I hope people will take all this into consideration when it comes time to vote.

Joan A. Chebetar

Virginia Beach, Oct. 1, 1997

TOURISM

Next time, we'll

``keep off the grass''

At one time, it was, ``Dogs and sailors keep off the grass.'' Now it seems like it is, ``Dogs and visitors keep. . . .''

We pass through Norfolk several times a year, usually stopping only long enough to decorate my in-laws' graves. This time we stopped for a nostalgia visit.

When we checked out of the motel, I found that the room, which was overpriced at $53, was suddenly almost $60. Why? It seems that, if you don't ``get out of town by sunset,'' you are fined 11.5 percent of your room rate.

In the future, we will not offend the locals by trading on their turf. We will stop only long enough to fulfill our obligations.

Donald G. Albasi

Milford, Del., Oct. 1, 1997

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