Sunday, July 21, 2013
Re: “Can’t stop this music,” July 15 news story:
Your newspaper is to be commended for this article and noting as well the concern of an attendee about the deterioration of the Roanoke Mountain Campground due to a lack of maintenance.
What your paper failed to note is that this deterioration is due to the sequester approach to our budget problems by the U.S. House of Representatives, as it neither has the will nor the good sense to set budget priorities. Instead, it acts as though all government programs are of equal value and therefore must be cut by an equal percentage.
Given the contribution that the Blue Ridge Parkway makes to our economy in Southwest Virginia, and Roanoke in particular, it is sad that our area continues to be represented by two congressmen who lack the sense to take a business approach to budgeting.
Also, may I ask, why are local governments in the Roanoke area not speaking out on this? Here in Montgomery County, we have heard outcries about the cuts being made to Head Start by the House’s approach to budgeting, whereas in Roanoke, more attention is being given to salary raises for elected officials.
GEORGE W. DALLEY
CHRISTIANSBURG