HMWK 6.2

A large crowd was in attendance at the Lynchburg City Council on Monday night during the vote to relocation a cemetery for a supermarket and a raise on the city sales tax.

The Metropolitan Zoning Commission proposed to relocate the graves to Peaceful Rest Cemetery so that a new supermarket can be built on the land. Carl Erskine, the developer of the supermarket, had requested the commission to submit this proposal to the city council after agreeing to pay all of the expenses involved with moving it from its current location on the 2800 block of Forbes Street. This land is already zoned for commercial use.

“I think rezoning will be good for the neighborhood and the city,” Erskine said. “There’s not another supermarket for at least a mile and a half in any direction.”

About twenty people spoke after Erskine and only two of them had positive things to say about the rezoning.

“Nobody on my street wants the supermarket. We have plenty of places to go to shop. We don’t need this.” said Polo Grounds Road resident Dick Groat.

“This is going to destroy our neighborhood. It’s pretty quiet there now, but if you get this thing in there, it’s going to turn noisy.” said Forbes Street resident Early Wynn.

These comments were met by opposing comments suggesting that those against the rezoning were simply against progress.

Following the questions and comments, the council voted 5–2 against the rezoning petition.

The next order of business was the proposed raise of sales tax by one-cent. Councilwoman Wilma Rudolph suggested this tax would raise about $400,000 the city desperately needs to prevent layoffs of city employees.

“Such a tax will only cost the average family in the city about $75 a year” said Joe Black, the city treasurer.

The council voted 5–2 in favor of the tax which will go into effect at the start of next year.

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