ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, February 25, 1996 TAG: 9602260013
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-5 EDITION: METRO
Some examples of how he's changed his positions over the years
ON THE BUSINESS COMMMUNITY
Feb. 7, 1991
"There is the lure of economic development, with new glass buildings, industries and things like that, but we need to be concerned about our poorer and older people, too. We need to have better communication with laborers and working people . . . "
February 1992
"I was born a shanty Irishman, and I will die a shanty Irishman. I like representing the middle class. That's my key constituency. I think the middle class should align themselves politically with the working class and the poor and the elderly and minorities. That's Rooseveltian."
July 10, 1995
"We should continue to focus on the need to make our city the optimum business environment of any city in the United States. While Virginia and Roanoke generally are regarded to have a pro-business attitude, that will not be enough to be successful in the future. If we expect to attract investment, our environment must be shaped and molded to appeal to those with the resources to make investments."
ON THE WARD SYSTEM
September 3, 1991
"To leave the [at-large] system as it is is to ignore the fact that all life is change and democracy is a never-ending, evolutionary process."
July 12, 1994
"If it's going to deal with a fundamental change for the system of government in this city, then I don't think I'd be comfortable making that decision. I'm not opposed to the people of the city of Roanoke expressing their wishes in a referendum."
March 13, 1995
Votes against referendum, saying he's changed his mind on the issue, the same way he's changed his mind on elected school boards and judges.
"I've seen the experience of some other cities with the modified ward system. A very good friend of mine who used to be mayor of Norfolk told me it has been a disaster for that city."
ON HOW TO PURSUE REGIONAL ISSUES
Feb. 17, 1985 op-ed column:
"We ought to be on our way to cooperation and merger of valley governments. What matters now is the possibility that we can unify the governments if we diffuse the emotional school issue. Let's agree to find areas of agreement, and to unify those areas while we try to figure out how to settle the more difficult issues that separate us ... So that we can have a better police department now, so that we can have an 911 emergency system now, so that we can have an airport that's second to none in the South now. ... I believe that sometimes getting part of the pie is better than getting no pie at all."
July 11, 1988
"As I have been saying for years, this piecemeal approach on regional issues, whether it be a 911 phone system, landfills, or flood reduction, isn't doing any good. We've got to stop hemming and hawing and consider a larger approach."
ON REGIONAL COOPERATION
Jan. 20, 1994
Bowers dismissed calls for regional cooperation as "a strategy of the suburban counties to keep the central cities from becoming strong and viable."
April 25, 1994
"I am setting out the gauntlet, issuing a challenge. The city of Roanoke will be first in regional cooperation."
LENGTH: Medium: 80 linesby CNB