What a surprise, another shooting on Sunday morning in Roanoke City! Indeed no, it is not a surprise. Roanoke City Council members and Mayor Sherman Lea, who soon will retire and leave behind a legacy of a politician who accomplished………. I am thinking about what he accomplished……….I am still thinking about what he accomplished……….Never mind.
As the Roanoke City Police Department last year turned its old page over from former Chief Sam Roman, who failed to handle the City, a new page started with Scott Booth as a new Chief and a new mentality and work ethic in Roanoke.
It is time to turn the Roanoke City Council’s page over – a page that is full of doodles and scratches. And start with a new page that the Citizens of Roanoke will be able to write on and have a voice in running the City. We need new council members to understand the public instead of a political group with a rigid mentality that are presently “serving.” (Clearly, I use the term loosely.)
To break the iceberg of Roanoke City Council and let the river run, the people of Roanoke must vote the current members out. In fact, the City Council members have proven their incompetency in their failed attempts to solve the major problems of Roanoke. Tightening the grip on the City’s Council will make the situation in Roanoke even worse.
Under the democratic systems ethical elected officials used to resign in the event of
failure – but not anymore. This was an example of accepting responsibility for not being able to fulfill their duties. But Roanoke City Council members are missing such character.
The list of the problems in Roanoke City that reach down and affect the majority of people is embarrassingly long. Between the crime rate, shootings and outrageously high real estate tax, people of Roanoke are hurting.
In addition to the problems that exists in Roanoke, the Council members are attempting to create another problem. The proposal of changing the funding formula of the City schools, will negatively impact students, staff and other extra educational programs that the schools provide to improve students’ intellectual levels.
The present proposal would require the City’ schools to create a guarantee fund. But “if it is not broken, don’t fix it.” Economically Roanoke City has always been able to fund the schools. In this case, what is the problem? Evidently, the Council members’ mentalities are the problems.
However, the opportunity is not very far as the November Election is approaching. Roanoke City voters can open both exit and enter doors of the Municipal building to let the current members out and new members in. That is the only solution.
– Serwan Zangana supported Operation Iraqi Freedom as a U.S Army translator before coming to the U.S from Kurdistan, Iraq in 1997 to seek political asylum. He was granted asylum status and years later proudly became a U.S citizen. He currently serves as a correction officer in Roanoke.