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

DATE: MONDAY, August 29, 1994                   TAG: 9408300014
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By LEE B. EDDY
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long

SOUND REASONS TO DELAY COUNTY'S SCHOOL-BOND VOTE

I UNDERSTAND space limitations for covering any particular news, but I thought the news article on Aug. 25, ``Bond decision blasted,'' regarding the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors' decision not to hold a school-bond referendum this fall, was one-sided and incomplete. To express my position on this important issue, I had prepared the following statement, which I read at the Aug. 23 meeting at which the decision was reached. It contains many important points that were not adequately addressed in the article:

``After careful study and much thought, I have decided not to support a school-construction bond referendum for November for the following reasons:

Countywide school-enrollment projections are essentially flat for the next 10 years. There are no county funds available now to pay debt service on a large bond issue without a substantial increase in tax rates. No one has convinced me that we need a new Cave Spring High School in the immediate future in order to carry out a high-quality school program in Roanoke County. I do think a new Cave Spring High School should be built seven to 10 years in the future when decreases in debt service on existing bonds will allow us to undertake new debt without a substantial tax increase.

In spite of the enthusiasm of those supporting a $30 million bond referendum this fall, my political instincts say that it would likely fail, primarily because of the substantial tax increase required. We have never had a failed school-bond issue in Roanoke County that I recall, and the results of a defeated referendum could be psychologically damaging to future funding for major school or other county needs.

If we stretch our finances now to pay debt service on a $20 million high school and a $4 million stadium, it will be more difficult to fund improvements to other aspects of our school program, such as increased teacher salaries, technology equipment, upgraded maintenance and repair, annual vehicle replacements and similar needs. On balance, I believe that good programs and personnel are more important than bricks and mortar.

The projects proposed for a $10.2 million general-obligation bond issue can be financed by state VPSA [Virginia Public School Authority] bonds or [literary fund] loans, which do not require referendum approval. I am convinced that the proposed projects need to be done, but I am reluctant to ask for voter approval for a relatively small bond issue so soon after the $17 million referendum in 1992. I think referenda should be reserved for large, clearly defined school or other county projects, and that 1994 is too soon after the 1992 referendum.

I believe that the $4 million in county-wide school renovations included in both the $30 million and $10 million bond proposals should be funded from annual appropriations, because they represent ongoing needs that will exist for as long as we have a school system. I have no problem in raising the real-estate tax rate 2, 3 or 4 cents as necessary to pay debt service on a moderate level of state bonds, and to provide for an increase in annual school appropriations to take care of maintenance and repair items on a regular basis.

I would not want anyone to think I am opposed to spending the funds necessary to operate a high-quality school system. I believe a large majority of county citizens feel it is vitally important to provide quality education for the benefit of our children, and to attract new businesses and residents to our area. Since 1990 this board, after a number of years of `benign neglect,' has approved school-board requests for many millions of dollars in building improvements, including major additions to Glenvar and Northside, air-conditioning elementary schools, additional classrooms and libraries at several elementary schools, and renovating the old RCOS [Roanoke County Occupational School] building for modern school-board offices. In addition, with Board of Supervisors' concurrence, over $9 million in [literary-fund and VPSA] loans has been scheduled to fund major improvements to Cave Spring Junior High School, William Byrd High School, Cave Spring High School and Ft. Lewis Elementary School over the next few years.

In summary, I believe that this Board of Supervisors has been very supportive of school capital-improvement needs and a quality school program. My reluctance to vote to place a $30 million bond referendum on the ballot this fall should not be interpreted as a negative attitude toward continued improvements to our school buildings and programs. My basic reason is that I do not see existing conditions at Cave Spring High School so deficient as to justify a major tax increase at this time.''

I have one additional comment regarding the news article. The estimated increase of eight cents on the real-estate tax rate to fund debt service on a $30 million bond issue came from the county finance staff, and I merely restated its estimate.

Lee B. Eddy is chairman of the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors.

by CNB