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

DATE: SATURDAY, May 19, 1990                   TAG: 9005210207
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-11   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

SALEM ON MERGER: WHO CARES?

Logically, Salem would be a partner in the effort to merge the Roanoke Valley's absurdly numerous local governments - and could have been, had it shown the slightest interest back when the Jaycees were circulating their consolidation petitions.

But though the Jaycees had little trouble getting enough signatures in Roanoke City and Roanoke County to force the consolidation talks, not so in Salem.

There, the Jaycees could not find anyone to circulate the petitions, let alone enough people to sign them.

Why, then, is Salem now so interested in the issue?

Why is Salem sufficiently interested, in fact, that Mayor James Taliaferro says City Council will take a stand on it - on an issue, that is, to be decided in a referendum in which Salem by its own wish has no say?

The short answer: because Salem, like it or not, is part of the Roanoke Valley. And inevitably, like it or not, Salem's future is intertwined with the future of the rest of the valley.

That truth is reflected in the various proposals by merger negotiators to guarantee residents of west county, if consolidation is approved, a second vote on whether to become part of Salem instead of the new metropolitan government.

Understandably, Salem would like the best deal it can get. It would like the most lucrative (that is, commercial rather than residential) territory it can acquire for the lowest cost it can negotiate.

But Salem isn't exactly in the driver's seat. The evolution of a Roanoke City-County consolidation plan with at least a a modest chance of success has seen to that.

Taliaferro may well be correct in saying that it's better - not only on general principle, but also for the plan's Understandably, Salem would like the best deal it can get. It would like the most lucrative (that is, commercial rather than residential) territory it can acquire for the lowest cost it can negotiate. But Salem isn't exactly in the driver's seat. chances at the polls - to nail down prospective annexation arrangements before the November referendum.

But Salem must also weigh the possibility that the plan might win approval even without a firm annexation understanding. If that happens, Salem could not annex at all except on terms dictated by the consolidated government.

Salem could find itself restricted to its current borders, an island surrounded by the larger metropolitan government.

Little wonder, then, that Taliaferro says Salem City Council will oppose the consolidation plan unless the financial terms of possible annexation are settled.

The wonder is why it should matter to anyone what Salem thinks about the plan, pro or con.

When it disdained merger in the first place, Salem forfeited its voice on the issue. It now is in no position to take a position.