DATE: Sunday, November 9, 1997              TAG: 9711080007

SECTION: COMMENTARY              PAGE: J4   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Letters

                                            LENGTH:  129 lines

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

URBAN RENEWAL

Let's do it right this time, Norfolk

In his Oct. 29 column, ``A tale of two cities: Newark and Norfolk,'' Glenn Allen Scott quotes acclaimed architect/urbanologist Barton Myers as saying that Norfolk's plan was ``probably the worst program of urban renewal ever carried out in the United States.'' Many of us who love Norfolk agree.

A friend and I just returned from a trip to Maine and Massachusetts, where we were astounded and enchanted by the lovely old buildings and houses that escaped the urban-renewal wrecking ball.

We visited the Newburyport, Mass., Chamber of Commerce and asked how they managed to save their wonderful downtown, which looked like the Ghent Colley Avenue shopping area, but blocks and blocks of it. They said that 20 years ago their downtown was a blighted and neglected area slated for demolition. The citizens and historical society fought the mayor/City Hall tooth and nail, saved their wonderful architectural treasures and had a comprehensive plan to encourage business back to the area.

We all benefit from the Chrysler Museum, the Virginia Opera, Broadway shows and Colley Avenue. Norfolk threw away a great part of its history. I hope that downtown Norfolk becomes the vibrant center that it once was.

Joan W. Uhlar

Virginia Beach, Oct. 29, 1997

Norfolk's future is bright, Newark's grim

Having been born and raised in Newark, it is truly sad what has become of my once fair city, a stone's throw away from Manhattan. Unfortunately, it has become far too commonplace to blame Newark's troubles on the riots, an event that took place 30 years ago.

Newark's troubles can be directly attributed to its totally dysfunctional political system, where decades of corruption have left the city landscape barren and scarred. Political corruption is a tradition in Newark, precluding the rebuilding effort that should have been initiated sometime in 1968.

Fortunately, Norfolk's road into the future is well-lit and bright. Norfolk has yet to achieve its grandeur, and controls its own destiny with competent, honest leadership. While all conversations of Newark speak of its grand past, the future of Newark is bleak.

Eric Towe

Virginia Beach, Oct. 29, 1997

MILITARY

Try going to college on an enlisted salary

I have never been so angry as I was when I read Keith Monroe's Oct. 24 opinion in regard to Sandra Nelson, a Navy wife who feels that she should qualify for in-state tuition.

As a Navy wife attending ODU, I can certainly sympathize with Mrs. Nelson. Undoubtedly, Mr. Monroe, you are unaware of how difficult it is to live on one military income, where people are often qualifying for food stamps and WIC due to the low wages enlisted personnel receive. It is difficult enough trying to go to college without the spouse around to help with household responsibilities and children, due to deployments and long working hours, but you cannot possibly understand how difficult it is paying child care of $200-$400 a month, tuition, books and fees on this one low income.

Navy dependents are not looking for a free lunch but a means to better our educational levels in order that we may one day become employable in decent jobs in order to improve our family's income. It would be more beneficial to this state to grant in-state tuition to new military residents. If not, more military personnel will eventually seek orders in other states where they can qualify for in-state tuition and this will only hurt Virginia in the long run.

Beverly Waterbury Payne

Virginia Beach, Oct. 25, 1997

Military families pay lots of taxes

Apparently, Mr. Monroe does not fully understand the economic impact of our military population. Nor that military personnel and family members pay enormous taxes to reside in this state.

Military personnel who have civilian part-time jobs (and many of them do), as well as military family members who work in Virginia, pay Virginia state income taxes on that income. They may also pay state income taxes on that same income in their state of residency, as my husband and I did for about eight years before he retired from the Navy.

Military and family members also pay sales taxes on their purchases from civilian vendors, food taxes when they eat in our restaurants and fast-food establishments, utility taxes, phone bills, cable TV bills, wastewater-management bills, etc.

So please, Mr. Monroe, don't say that out-of-state residency allows these servicemembers to avoid Virginia taxes and fees. Yes, they do not pay personal-property taxes on a vehicle, but only if that vehicle is registered in the active-duty member's name alone. If the vehicle is jointly owned and registered in a non-active-duty spouse's name too, the vehicle is indeed subject to Virginia personal-property taxes.

Also, schools receive federal impact aid according to the numbers of children enrolled who have military sponsors and parents who work on a military installation. Those federal dollars help to maintain or improve the educational services for all the children.

Anita J. Flavin

Virginia Beach, Oct. 25, 1997

Learn the facts about military in Virginia

Mr. Monroe stated his opinion that Mrs. Nelson wanted a free ride on the strength of her status as a nonresident Navy wife. He should get his facts straight.

Fact: Assignment to a state other than that of residence does not relieve a military family of the obligations of his state of residence.

Fact: Most military people who are assigned to Virginia do not want to be here in the first place.

Fact: If Mrs. Nelson completes her accounting course and takes a job in Virginia, her salary is subject to Virginia taxation.

Fact: If Mrs. Nelson accepts a job in Virginia, she must register her car here, and pay all the taxes every other resident pays.

Perhaps Virginia should look into reciprocal tuition arrangements with other states, since Virginians assigned to other states still are obligated to Virginia taxation, and Mr. Monroe should rethink his ``Sailors and dogs keep off the grass'' mind-set.

Roger Wright

Norfolk, Oct. 27, 1997

Want in-state tuition? Then pay state taxes

I sympathize with Sandra Nelson and others in her situation (``Navy wife thinks current tuition law is unfair,'' Oct. 22). However, do they sympathize with us Virginia residents who pay for city stickers and personal-property taxes?

Nelson and others like her are able to claim states, like Florida, that do not make military personnel pay taxes while they are active. They do not pay Virginia taxes for schools, roads and the like even though they use them more than those of us who no longer have children in school.

I am sorry Ms. Nelson cannot afford tuition in Virginia, but there are numerous Virginians who cannot afford tuition at the resident rates because we are paying personal-property taxes and the like. Would Florida let me go to college there and pay resident rates? You can't have it both ways!

Linda Duda

Virginia Beach, Oct 22, 1997

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