Roanoke residents should keep in mind a few things about the city council in November

Roanoke, Virginia – Is there a possibility that the Roanoke City Council will have new, progressive members in January 2025, including a mayor? Members who are less political in their public service and who pay attention to the concerns of the public? In fact, Roanoke residents have the final say over who can take the Council seats.

One political party’s dominance of the City Council and the Mayor’s position frequently inflates power and allays public worries. And it seems that the Roanoke City Council members, who distinctly believe they are a cut above the rest of us, share this sentiment.

I encountered one of my neighbors last week, and since we both have concerns about Roanoke, we immediately started talking about the election that will take place in November. We also talked about worries regarding the locked-in mindsets and inattention of City Council members. I said that it is past time for the people of Roanoke to remove the one-party system of governance and elect some sincere and open candidates. Regarding the mayoral candidates, I pointed out that Republican David Bowers covered a wide range of significant topics during his news conference last month.

Speaking about the regressive real estate tax hike in Roanoke, Bowers mentioned that neither Mayor Sherman Lea nor the Council members had previously expressed concern about it. But according to my neighbor, who went to church with Joe Cobb, she knew him. He is solely interested in himself and politics, she claimed.

The same issues keep coming up in our city, so it’s time to assess the Roanoke City Council members and, in light of their unfulfilled prior service, show them the door. It appears that the members of the City Council do not bring their commitments with them when they enter the Municipal building.

Notable is the fact that I paid my real estate tax with my entire income today! In fact, I have nothing against paying taxes because the city needs them to accomplish a lot of worthwhile goals. In Roanoke, however, the middle and lower middle classes do not benefit from the real estate tax.

It has not worked to demand answers from the Roanoke City Council members. It is crucial to understand that some of the biggest issues can only be resolved by reorienting the City and electing new Council members.

On Election Day in November, and before casting our votes we should remember that:

• The current Roanoke City Council members have been in control for years without being able to draw a plan to reduce crimes.
• The current City Council members have mercilessly increased a real estate tax, which primarily affects the middle and lower middle class of Roanoke.
• As the current Vice Mayor of Roanoke City (and prior to that a member of the Council) Joe Cobb has not been able to find a solution for the City’s problems.
• In an unethical political move, City Council members unnecessarily created a second Assistant City Manager position that pays a salary over $150,000 from tax payers’ money for their friend, former City police chief Sam Roman.

We need new representatives on the Roanoke City Council now.