ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, March 11, 1990                   TAG: 9003122963
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: F-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

MERGER GIVES BIG EDGE TO THE CITY

CONSOLIDATION gives Roanoke city a big edge.

Roanoke city has more than 100,000 people. Roanoke County has 73,000 people. If consolidation is approved, the town of Vinton will more than double in size.

This will leave Roanoke County with about 60,000 people. This means that Roanoke city will have twice as many votes as Roanoke County in all voting procedures in everything, to electing a mayor, raising taxes, etc. How unfair will this be to Roanoke County?

After Roanoke city gobbles up Roanoke County, the city will be happy for a few years. Then Roanoke will try to take a part of Botetourt, Craig or Montgomery counties, so the city will again increase its size and tax base. MELVIN C. GREEN SALEM 


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