XML FeedsVirginia Beach – Going Broke Saving Money
By Wally on Aug 10, 2009 | In Politics, Va Beach | 4 feedbacks »
There are times when my devoted wife comes back from a shopping trip and quotes, “There was this great sale at Nordstrom’s.
You ought to be proud of all the money I saved you.
I was reminded of her quote when reading the Virginian-Pilot’s Saturday editorial BEACH’S BARGAIN-HUNTING MUST BE JUSTIFIED.
Follow up:
First, I find it amazing that the Pilot’s Editorial staff, a cadre of Liberal Art journalism majors, would be taken seriously when it comes to political economics. Yet this staff pokes their sticky wickets into areas they know little and relying on verbal responses rather than researching facts.
The Pilot’s editorial quotes “Virginia Beach has been forward-thinking in its planning and protective of its investments in good schools, safe streets, plentiful parks and city services - arguably among the best in Virginia”.
Yet, not once, has the editorial staff conveyed that Virginia Beach is one of the ten most family unfriendly major cities in the nation. Yes, Virginia Beach receives accolades from various magazines and organizations. However, one must remember those awards were city initiated by enrolling and submitting pertinent data for consideration. Many city workforce hours are expended to accomplish this. The next time the city receives an award of this nature, one should ask, “How much did it cost us to receive this award, and where is it covered in the budget”.
On the other hand, the city did not submit any data for the unfriendly award. That notoriety was based upon data held by the U.S. Census Bureau and derived using a ACS tool comparing 40 major cities in the U.S.
According to Pilot’s editorial, the city is looking into ways it might be able to get long-needed projects under way quickly because they can save so much money by doing them now. All that is missing is how proud we should be on how much money they are saving us. Of course a tax increase is needed to create this bonanza.
In a published letter to the Pilot’s editor, Bob Rose of Virginia Beach indicated that he was “willing to give up one Slurpee per week and pay the tax increase” for these needs. It may be a minimal sacrificial for Rose but unfortunately, for some, they’ve already given up the Slurpee’s, vacations, driving, jobs, and even houses
Yes, maybe we are going broke saving money.
4 comments
In the Tuesday edition of the Pilot's opinion page, Council Member Rosemary Wilson lodged an objection to above subject Pilot editorial. It appears that Pilot credits a two-cent tax increase to Mayor Sessoms, "To help pay for the $95 million package, Sessoms floated the idea of a 2-cent increase in the property tax, now 89 cents." According to Wilson, mention of the tax increase
came from staff the Tuesday following the meeting.
Again Pilot's editorial staff has, either through design or ineptitude, successfully misled public opinion.
Pilot's editorials are to be taken advisedly and with the same reality as the funny page.
Note that the 2 cent Property Tax option appeared in that morning's V-P. Therefore, it had to come up prior to Tuesday afternoon's discussion of the projects list. Wilson is wrong. (What's new?)
Having been at the Retreat, my hypothesis is that it was floated during one of the sidebars Aaron Applegate was having with officials out on the concourse during Monday's session.
Then could Council Member Wilson be correct that the first she heard of it was from staff?
Moreover, I would think side bar discussions and proposals on the concourse are not a way to conduct a facilitated retreat.
If and when Mayor Sessoms "floated" the two-cent solution who was there along with the the Pilot?
Now it appears the best that the Pilot Editorial staff had is the hearsay scribblings of a staff reporter. But as to where, when, or who was present is muddled.
Could be Wilson is not wrong but was out of the loop because of her opposition to a tax increase?
Rosemary's statement is correct only if she didn't read that morning's paper. While the 2 cent increase didn't come up in the Retreat session until Tuesday afternoon, those of us early Tuesday morning were discussing Applegate's story while chowing down on the continental breakfast.
I made that point that morning: it was bad politics to float the idea in session, then have Council find out how specifically they wanted to pay for it from the media. A great way to bruise egos.
Editor note Thank you Henry for the clarification
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