What if Roanoke City Mayoral candidate, currently Vice Mayor, Joe Cobb wins the election on November 5th?
Obviously, he will continue to ignore the Roanoke City citizens and disregard their concern. He will continue to be an opaque person and work behind the doors of the Municipal building and pass ordinances and laws to serve his political agenda only.
One good example is his passing laws, such as the zoning amendment in the City to allow building multi-family houses in the neighborhoods of single family houses, which in fact, affects the value of people’s properties, the safety, and increases the crowd and the traffic in the neighborhoods.
What if Cobb wins?
He will continue to increase the real estate tax since he believes that is the only way to pay for the City’s expenses. Such a tax increase adds more burdens on the middle Class and the lower middle class of Roanoke. He will continue to represent his friends and supporters and abandon those who disagree with him.
What if Cobb wins?
He will continue to maneuver around the City and manipulate people. He will blame other factors for his failure in implementing a policy to decrease crimes. And reversely, he will take credit for the City’s police in their role in decreasing crime. In fact, he was not able to be an effective councilman Roanoke. As one of his Church fellows said, “he is a good politician only.”
What if Cobb wins?
Roanoke City Schools will continue to be underfunded and will lack support. Roanoke City Schools has automatically lost 40% of its yearly funding by Cobb’s votes. The public schools have no priority in Cobb’s agenda. It is noteworthy that regardless of the educators’ opposition and appeals to Cobb, he has continued to ignore every one of them. Evidently, he will put his politics ahead of both Roanoke City Schools and Citizens.
On the other hand, What if Roanoke City former Mayor, Mayoral candidate David Bowers wins?
Bowers will return transparency to Roanoke City’s government and listen to people’s concerns. He will put politics aside and find a solution for Roanoke’s problem. He will abolish the zoning amendment which was approved by the current City Council and Vice Mayor Cobb against people’s will.
What if Bowers wins?
He will return the 40% automatic funding to the Roanoke City Public Schools and prioritize the City’s public schools as a support for lower income people and minorities. Such a fund can assist the City’s schools to offer more programs that benefit students.
What if Bowers wins?
He will stop the dramatic real estate tax increase and find an alternative way that does not impact Roanoke City citizens’ budgets to support the City’s. For the past few years, real estate tax increases have created financial difficulties for home owners in Roanoke.
What if Bowers wins?
He will put an end to people’s dire concerns regarding crime in Roanoke. The strategy of fighting crime is not limited to prevention only, as he said, “ Apprehension not prevention” will decrease the crimes in Roanoke.
Obviously, Bowers understands the issues, listens, and is able to engineer a strategy that will benefit the Citizens of Roanoke. To bring a positive change to Roanoke, it is crucial to vote on November 5th (or, indeed, now in early voting) for David Bowers for Mayor.
– 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.