A Small Win for the Psychic and a Look at Council's Shortcomings

Roanoke City Council

Roanoke psychic medium Tracey Lockwood talked Roanoke City Council down yesterday, but came away from her initial set-to with the governing body with only a partial win, though an impressive one.

Here's what she accomplished: A reduction of her business license tax from $1,200 a year to $300 and an elimination of jail time for not registering to pay the tax. The new penalty  for not registering a small business is $500 and no jail, down from $1,000, plus jail.

The city code refers to Lockwood as a "fortune teller," which is absurd, archaic and wrong. She is a medium for those wishing to reach the parallel world of the dead, something I don't specifically recognize, but one that other people do believe exists. I have no problem with that and city council had absolutely no business regulating it by imposing a $1,200 tax (actually a fine for doing this kind of business) when other businesses the size of hers pay $50 a year, plus a small percentage of income over $100,000.

I'm disappointed--though not surprised--that council would not go all the way with this. It is pretty much symptomatic of this council and a very good reason why we need to make changes among every member who is running for re-election this spring. All of them. Vote in a new slate and let's try this, and some other issues, again.

(Photo: WDBJ7)