DATE: Thursday, March 13, 1997              TAG: 9703110148

SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS         PAGE: 17   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Letter 

                                            LENGTH:   48 lines

LETTERS TO TH EDITOR - NORFOLK

Redraw ward lines

It is wise for Norfolk to start the action toward the popularly elected mayor now. There is another item that should be on the agenda. Congressional districts with racially drawn lines have been declared unconstitutional. The same, or similar results, may occur in Norfolk with its racially drawn ward lines.

The committee appointed to consider the direct election of mayor should consider redrawing these ward lines as well. There is no need for overlapping wards such as the super wards. The mayor himself would be representing the entire city.

Superwards are confusing and give undue advantage to those with excessive wealth who wish to retain or expand their power. The ward system can be simplified by making just six single member wards. The mayor would only have a vote when all six council members have a tie.

For this task I suggest that council hire out of town consultants who have lived in Norfolk within the past five years. They have a good insight of what Norfolk is, and needs.

Al Horton

Chesapeake Use existing laws

Randy Wright, the rest of the Norfolk City Council, the city attorney and our Norfolk police deserve appreciation from the Ocean View community for their crackdown on prostitution.

Our former delegate, Howard Copeland, sponsored a law to seize cars used for prostitution, but the Commonwealth's attorney would not use this law, probably for political reasons, since he opposed Howard Copeland's re-election.

Our freshman delegate, Thelma Drake, campaigned on and introduced numerous crime bills, but all of them, including anti-prostitution bills, failed miserably in both years of her term. She was either ineffective or insincere in sponsoring this legislation.

Our city officials are relying on adequate existing laws to deter and diminish this scourge on the redevelopment of Ocean View. If the Commonwealth's attorney won't enforce these laws, the city attorney says he will. My neighbors and I trust that the city attorney and the police will spare no effort.

George S. Hughes

E. Ocean View Avenue

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