The Republican candidates for Roanoke City Council’s May 6 election didn’t make it to the recent Greater Raleigh Court Civic League forum with the other six Democrats and independents – citing prior commitments – but they did release a position paper a few days later. “The Complaint Department is Open Only on May 6th,” their document proclaimed – urging people to get out and vote.
Although Roanoke City skews heavily Democrat, so few people vote in municipal elections – perhaps 15 percent of the electorate – that Roger Malouf, Jim Garrett and Hank Benson say they can win, if their message of fiscal responsibility and more attention to the wishes of citizens is heeded.
In an interview conducted at their downtown headquarters (513 Jefferson Street) the trio – vying for the three contested seats in May – criticized the 7 million dollars spent on the Elmwood Park Amphitheater and the decision to develop the old Huff Lane Elementary School parcel with hotels. Some nearby residents fear it will devalue their property and erode the quality of life.
Jim Garrett is a retired 21-year Army veteran who has started several small businesses. Roger Malouf, who ran for Commissioner of the Revenue last fall, is a member of the Board of Zoning Appeals in the city and is a property manager. Hank Benson manages the branch office of an industrial battery company.
Their platform calls for “stopping wasteful handouts to special interests,” a more thorough audit of city finances and a moratorium on any new projects until that audit is approved. The GOP ticket vows to repeal the 10% raise City Council voted itself and wants to end one-party rule to “keep Roanoke from becoming a bankrupt and broken city like Detroit.”
“I believe we need to change the culture in Roanoke City government,” said Malouf, “and to change the culture in Roanoke City government you must change it at the top. That’s why we’re running.” Its not about politics said Malouf, its more that the current council, all Democrats (Bill Bestpitch and Ray Ferris are running as independents this time) “is not listening to the people. They’re spending money unwisely on pet projects.”
Malouf said he could work with anyone, regardless of their political persuasion. Benson said the city did not listen to citizens in the case of Huff Lane, preferring to look at the dollar signs from hotel tax revenue instead of the concerns people had about such intense redevelopment where there once was an elementary school.
“There are several major issues where City Council is not listening to the citizens,” said Benson. Elmwood Park is a good example said Benson: a survey he said City Council took before approving the new amphitheater was approved showed “only 12 percent of the population” wanted it, “yet Roanoke City [built it]. The rest of the people didn’t want that.” Benson wouldn’t rule out that he personally would have voted against it – but “perhaps not now because of where the budget is.”
Malouf said City Council “broke its promise” to Huff Lane residents; having vowed long ago that once Valley View Mall was built no further development would take place near their neighborhood. “They went back on that promise. That’s not what a responsible City Council does.”
Garrett said he “watched the Huff Lane debacle,” the Elmwood Park debate and the taking of land for the Carilion-Virginia Tech Riverside complex on Reserve Avenue. “Just knowing there is no diversity on City Council and no opposing opinions, leads us to a place where you start down a path. There’s no one to say why don’t we think about this or think about that? I think there needs to be some differing opinions instead of a one-sided government.”
Garrett would like to see the city help more businesses get off the ground, having launched several high tech firms himself, including one he sold to Ntelos. “That’s one thing I’ve actually discussed with quite a few people in the community. We’re really in need of more economic development. I think we can do more.”
The GOP ticket says they are planning to appear at several candidate forums with others that are running before May 6. Winning people over to their side isn’t about looking through a political prism said Malouf, its about “putting out a platform and ideas that everyone can relate to. Things like wasting $7.4 million [on Elmwood Park] is something that everyone can listen to. [Or] the escalation of bond debt. That’s something everybody has to pay. This is not just a Republican agenda that we’re after – we’re trying to help the people of Roanoke.”
– Gene Marrano
