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

DATE: THURSDAY, November 9, 1995                   TAG: 9511090022
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

THE PRIVATE SECTOR'S ROLE IN PUBLIC PARKS

YOUR NEWSPAPER printed a commentary (Oct. 1, ``Privatize Virginia's state parks? It won't work'' by Richard S. Groover) by a former state bureaucrat who took advantage of the Workforce Transition Act and left state government. He used his new leisure time to pen a piece filled with false assertions and inaccuracies. Because he was highly paid, one might have the mistaken notion that he was a senior manager and brought ``inside information'' to the table, but that would be wrong. His commentary was based on his opinion.

Virginia state parks are supposed to be little islands of respite and recreation with the beauty of our natural resources, flora and fauna, contributing to renewal and restoration of our spirits and our physical well-being. Parks are for the public's benefit, but they're not free, and the resources must be managed wisely if they are to prosper.

People should have considerable input as to the role parks play in their communities. All Virginians have paid for the land, the basic infrastructure and core elements that allow public access to and use of park lands.

Additional activities in parks, however, should be guided by surrounding communities, paid for by those who benefit from these activities, and provided by private vendors who will offer quality service to those who use the service. This is the American way. It is also one way the National Park Service operates successful parks that attract national and international visitors. It's fair, and it's the future.

The word ``privatization'' has been made a bogeyman by those who fear the private sector and don't trust the people or their elected representatives. Virginia is home to three of the most famous and most visited private parks in the world - Mt. Vernon, Colonial Williamsburg and Monticello. Each exudes excellence, serves citizens and beautifully manages its valuable resources - natural and historic.

Citizen stewardship, community involvement, volunteerism, meeting needs of citizens and allowing the private sector to fully participate, invest, improve and enhance our natural resources is the future. Don't let bad attitudes make an enemy of the good. Let's work together as Virginians to improve our parks, enhance our natural resources, and trust the people.

BECKY NORTON DUNLOP

Secretary of Natural Resources

Commonwealth of Virginia

RICHMOND

Sales tax could pay off the debt

ALL THE recent discussions and arguments about the desirability and methods of balancing the annual budget to obtain an annual zero deficit appear to show a lamentable ignorance by both the executive and legislative branches as to the real problem.

It is never pointed out that interest payments on national-debt obligations (which also includes interest payments on approximately $500 billion ``borrowed'' from the Social Security trust funds) total approximately one-third of the budget requirements.

Eliminating the national debt would free up funds to cover massive reduction in all kinds of taxes, along with funds to pay for many desirable social programs. Granted, the first step is eliminating the annual budget deficit, but the aim should be eliminating the national debt.

If the central government could be trusted - and there's no evidence from its past behavior that this could or will happen - a federal sales tax of 1 percent on all goods and services (except food and clothing), to be applied only to retirement of the national debt, would be an initial approach to this long-term problem of debt reduction.

But don't hold your breath waiting for honest and sensible actions to be made by any political party!

WILLIAM E. BUTTERFIELD

BLUE RIDGE

Making too much of innocent fun

REGARDING Cody Lowe's Oct. 29 article headlined ``Hallow-lujah'':

I'm surprised and appalled that he's dabbling at such a tabloid level. By giving coverage to these extreme factions of the church, and their denunciation of Halloween, that's exactly what he's done.

Though we Americans aren't as fervently religious about Halloween as, say, Mexicans are about Mexico's Day of the Dead celebration (which is a time of remembrance, parties and costumes), All Hallows Eve is an acceptable religious holiday. Besides this, it's also a night of good innocent fun and imagination.

Maybe the Rev. John Nadeau, youth minister at Valley Word Ministries, and Youth Pastor Keith Wingfield had evil thoughts when they were entitled to go out on Halloween as youngsters, but I highly doubt this. I certainly didn't feel Satan coursing through my veins - just sugar - as a 10-year-old werewolf pounding the pavement alongside my fellow witches and cowboys in search of tricks and treats on the coolest night of the year!

JAMES BURTCH

ROANOKE

by CNB