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

DATE: TUESDAY, March 20, 1990                   TAG: 9003202767
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

BUSINESSMEN WOULD RUN CITY BANKRUPT

THE WAY things have been going in our city for the past eight years, we are going to have to help ourselves. It looks as though the City Council we have will continue to try to make us over into New York or some other lousy city.

We need a council that will think occasionally of us poor taxpayers, and also of our schools. They have appointed School Board member after member who seem to take great delight in helping Frank Tota to humiliate and embarrass our teachers every time they have a legitimate complaint. Having followed the school system for the past 10 years, I can see our kids from the lower-income families going backwards day by day, as the school system goes more and more for the elite.

Now we have two gentlemen running for council who have proved themselves. Howard Musser and James Harvey will make a great difference to us taxpayers. We have a coalition of businessmen who, if left alone, will run this city into bankruptcy; they could not care less for any interests other than their own.

As for Trout, I worked very hard for him after his drunk-driving conviction. He was elected. But now after the way he has conducted himself, I wouldn't touch him with a 50-foot pole. Also, I could not vote for anyone who has ever been a yes person on one of Tota's school boards.\ JAMES L. PAYNE\ ROANOKE

by CNB