Letters to the Editor

News Virginian
Published: April 6, 2008

City leaders are intelligent and helpful

Members of the Waynesboro City Council and Planning Commission recently demonstrated their devotion to and willingness to serve our community. After e-mailing and phoning these individuals about zoning issues, I was pleasantly surprised to receive replies to each and every inquiry.

Council members Lorie Smith, Frank Lucente and Tim Williams held lengthy conversations with me, answering each of my questions. They were knowledgeable, patient and respectful even when our opinions differed.

Members of the Planning Commission were also well educated and supportive. They explained complex issues, ordinances and laws. Terry Short, whose degree is in city planning, was extremely helpful. He clarified numerous issues in a timely and easily understood manner.

All of these individuals give their time and effort to represent us. They are non-paid volunteers who take their work seriously. I am amazed and pleased to have such devoted members of our community working for us.

Pam Hammock

Waynesboro

Editor's note: City Council members and the Planning Commission do receive compensation.

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Budgets are strained, prisons overcrowded as it is

Once again, the politicians have overbuilt our prison system ("Questions on prison dollars," editorial, April 1). As I write this, out-of-state inmates are coming to the commonwealth to be housed. Yes, a profit is made. However, in the past, the Department of Corrections kept the profit instead of the profit going back in the general fund. Our prisons and jails are overcrowded!

Just maybe, instead of spending $100 million for a new prison — two have been built, with ground breaking on another — this money would have been better spent in our schools and on our roads.

Very few taxpayers know this. When the Staunton Correctional Center was closed, $7 million was left over in that budget. That did not go back into the general fund, but into the Department of Corrections budget, where it was divided up between the prisons and spent. Some more so-called cost cutting-

Steve Morris

Churchville