bikerjohn on 6/30/2008 2:58:46 PM wrote:
This board is a good example of why nothing gets done in Roanoke.
FOCUS people!
What does any of this discussion have to do with credit card spending by city officials?
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Starcityflyer on 6/28/2008 10:52:03 AM wrote:
Thank you phily7, you are 100% on target. I've have been in Arlington, Va. all this week where I'm at right now. I can't believe how awesomely quiet and pleasant my visit has been compared to living in "noisie" Roanoke.....NO dogs barking 24/7, no constant sirens, no mopeds and constant cars with loud mufflers day and night. Yes, its the wonderful simply little things in life that make for great quality of living. Roanoke Police and Code inspectors simply do not do the job for which they are hired and paid for. Why I will never understand. We don't need NEW this that etc. We just need to improve and make perfect what we have and then Roanoke Could be the great place to live that we all long for so much.
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philly7 on 6/27/2008 11:19:31 PM wrote:
Sorry, Starcityflier - I only work in Roanoke, don't live or vote in Roanoke, but I have a lot of family who do. I just don't see any real change here. Things just keep festering. No wonder so many young people will not stay here. I am sorry about all your troubles. Sadly, the best people do not always win, and often, those that are truly honest are squashed, or labeled as trouble-makers.
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Starcityflyer on 6/27/2008 10:51:19 PM wrote:
Philly 7 !, Who have you been voting for all these years? Do you go to the candidates Forums and get to know those who are running for City Council? You won't vote for someone honest and upfront like myself who tells it like it is and is so honest and up front I can't get enough money to run for office, so you guys need to stop complaining!
I've run for Mayor and City Council, and because of that, I'm the guy Mayor Harris Had dragged out of City Council by the police in 2005 for agreeing with the speaker at the podium who called him a "Liar" I was just arrested and taken to jail with 5 police cars at my house over a $5.00 expired dog tag! So you see us poor, little honest guys are squashed by power and money! Plain & Simply.
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tigerlilly on 6/27/2008 5:05:45 PM wrote:
Overlooked by the citizens of Roanoke is the flour mill sale by RHA to Carilion. The article on 6/17: "Carilion will pay only for the land -- $560,000 -- and apply its payment to demolition and land-clearance costs, which are expected to exceed $1 million. The authority will pay the difference. Authority officials won't recoup much of the $8 million the authority paid for the mill while it was still in operation in 2004."
According to my inquiry to the Roanoke City Finance Dept. $5.5 mil of the $8 mil paid in 2004 came from General Obligation Bonds which are backed by our real estate taxes. So the math seems to indicate WE taxpayers are donating to Carilion quite a chunk of change with this shell game.
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philly7 on 6/27/2008 3:53:55 PM wrote:
(continued) I've lived here for over 20 years and I don't think Roanoke politics and school system has changed at all. Constant bickering, dog and pony shows that are fluff and nothing more, politicians and principals with less than honorable characters - and they all eat out of each other's pockets. Just go to the Roanoker one morning- you would be surprised to see a local principal in there during school hours! What is that all about? Someone please tell me why Roanoke officials operate the way they do. Does anyone really care about this city,it's children, it's future - or is it just "you take me out to a meal at a nice place, and I'll take you out to a meal at a nice place, and we will laugh at the tax payers"!
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philly7 on 6/27/2008 3:49:08 PM wrote:
Why doesn't the Roanoke Times use the Freedom of Information Act to get the audit records of how some principals are spending taxpayer money in Roanoke City? That's another travisty they keep siting on? Who is buttering them up? Yes, even Keith Humphrey was on the trail about the Transportation Director that finally got fired, but that took over a year! What is it with Roanoke? It seems like this is the most backwards place, the foxes have no one policing them, and in the meantime the chickens are being gobbled up. Why is it that Dr. Bishop is not coming out on the issue regarding keeping low academic standards for athletes? Why do city officials here say one thing and do another? Will Bowers do anything?
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Pamela on 6/27/2008 7:53:37 AM wrote:
sounds like fraud to me !!
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BlackDiamond on 6/27/2008 7:30:49 AM wrote:
Be reminded that no matter how you feel about Brian Wishneff, he is an independent businessman that hasn't necessarily needed the resources of the city's taxpayers to maintain his social life. This issue has NOTHING to do with him, so why are you "ladies and gentlemen" continuing to try to use this heinous action perpetrated by YOUR former councilman, to be critical of Mr. Wishneff?
Since you want to weigh the gap between Mr. Wishneff's less than $200 spending, opposed to Dowe's $7000 plus, then we must address the duty of our Commonwealth Attorney's to do his job concerning Mr. Dowe, since he took it upon himself to call Joel Branscom in from Botetourt Co. to possibly "prosecute" the fact that Mr. Wishneff took out a newspaper ad! Geeez!
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Starcityflyer on 6/26/2008 5:55:42 PM wrote:
What Wishniff's lack of spending says and we all know, is he does not have the time for city council...Period, plain & Simple.
I've believed Dowe to be a crook from day one. He acquired his home through insider information. Hud cleared him, but that does not mean he was not morally and ethically wrong.
The greater question NO ONE is asking, is WHY? Why would any man put so much at risk for so little money? He had to have been desparate. Having personally seen him at 9 am council work sessions where he could not sit still or hold his head up and keep his eyes open, I'd say he's either a very sick man or doing some darn good drugs!
Why not a drug test for elected officials?
You got to take one to be a bagger at Kroger.
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bamboo on 3/3/2008 8:21:52 AM wrote:
Walker, Once again you have it right. I continue to be impressed with your clarity of thought and expression.
Dowe appears to be a common criminal who was "wining and dining" other business people in an attempt to further his own personal business.
He must have known what he was doing was morally wrong and illegal. There are no two ways about it.
If he didn't know, then I don't want someone that dense representing me on city council.
He should be prosecuted for misuse of funds.
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Walker on 3/1/2008 5:00:34 PM wrote:
Apparently the new paper in town, The Star Centennial, uncovered the fact that Dowe had been over-spending/double-dipping recently.
The Roanoke Times was aware of this nearly a month ago and had decided to sit on it. The Roanoke Times only released the story AFTER they heard that The Star was going to run it.
Odd.....why would the Roanoke Times hold back on this info? Why would they protect Dowe?
Another story, about the Transpo Museum, was also kept by the Times until the Star was about to get the research findings themselves.
Odd....why would they not want this info released to the public? Makes you wonder what else the Roanoke Times doesn't see fit to release to the public.
Report the news, or manage the news? Which are they supposed to do again?
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TripleActionJones on 2/26/2008 11:22:20 AM wrote:
A real shame to hear about this news.
Kudos to the Roanoke Times for exposing it though.
Hopefully it will help keep council members & city employees on their toes and curb extra misuse of taxpayer money.
I believe there is a balance of spending some money for the benefit of the city and not spending much. I can see why CoolJCPA would have comments about Wishneff's small usage of funds.
It's fair enough to wonder,though it would be more fair in a non-accusatory manner, if he is or isn't out there mixing it up, talking & schmoozing with potential clients for the city to lure in and help our city.
Don't get me wrong, I do applaud the small amount he charged the city.
It's great to know he isn't sticking it to taxpayers in that way.
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StarCity on 2/25/2008 6:38:29 PM wrote:
Finally, Alfred Dowe's demise. From the beginning of his tenure, he never knew what end was up. The draw string in his back being pulled by leaders in the city looking for the black vote.
There is no doubt he is a good guy but he was clearly a fish out of water on city council. He was indecisive and many times made unintelligible remarks when asked specific questions. The man truly was in over his head.
The outcome from letting Mr. Dowe's hand go a little bit in the past year shows his inability to decide what is right from wrong. He needs someone to tell him all the time what to do.
Can you imagine that his real job is being a fiduciary for other people's money with Northwestern Mutual? Unbelievable.
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Walker on 2/25/2008 4:21:36 PM wrote:
It's amazing how people can look at the SAME information and come to (2) totally different conclusions.
And by your remarks on Wishneff's voting record, it's personal/political on your
part.
We have one guy who IS a thief and a liar. But, he was only doing his job wining and dining the public (I call it something else).
We have another who only spent $200, and HE is viewed as suspicious? That's hilarious.
You probably think Congressman Jefferson of New Orleans is a fine, upstanding man of the people as well.
Dowe is a common thief. Wishneff is a public servant, like him or not.
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CoolJCPA on 2/25/2008 3:05:14 PM wrote:
I strongly believe these council members need to be taking business people out to lunch and playing a vital role in the community. As long as it documented and they can substantiate that the City was on the agenda I see no problem with it.
I have more of a problem with Mr. Wishneff only spending $200. 1. He isn't getting out and listening to business leaders in the community, thus his track record of voting. or 2. He is getting some of the "perks" of office and being wined and dined to listen to the needs of special interest groups, which is just as bad.
So, again, I am not defending Mr. Dowe, but rather questioning Mr.Wishneff's lack of expenses.
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Walker on 2/25/2008 11:15:10 AM wrote:
The amount of money these people are allowed to spend per year on these cards is absurd to me. $10,000 a piece? On what? If it's materials or equipment benifitting Roanoke, fine. But hotels and dinners?
Unfortunately, because Dowe showed himself to be a thief, we need to audit everyone to see where the money is being spent.
Flower's article in Sunday's paper made Dowe seem like a "decent" guy, who was tricked or confused and made a mistake. She needs to wake up. Dowe STOLE from Roanoke. Period.
The people should DEMAND to see the receipts for all expenditures.
On a side note, Wishneff only spent a couple hundred. We need more like him.
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