THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 15, 1996 TAG: 9603140118
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
Here is another view on the current debacle with our School Board. How much did we really know about their qualifications and character? Many of them were elected by the citizens of Virginia Beach in the last election, after a long struggle to get ``elected school boards.'' What went wrong? I think a major factor was that we did not really know the people we were voting for.
There were 45 names on the ballot, 25 for the School Board and 20 for the council. Being involved with the election, I talked to hundreds of voters and most of them only knew four or five of the candidates. I mean knew them as people, knew their educational philosophy, knew their character. Most knew a ``name'' only because they saw one of those ubiquitous signs along the roadsides. Do signs say anything about the candidate? Only that they have the money to pay for them.
My point is that this clearly demonstrates a major reason for changing the way we elect our School Board and City Council. This change will be voted on at the forthcoming election in May.
Instead of everyone voting for all candidates throughout the city, as in the present system, the change will allow seven of the 11 seats to be elected by, and be responsible to the citizens living in their respective borough/district. The number of candidates would be reduced and each of us would have the opportunity to really know the person for whom we are voting.
J.E. Weirich
Virginia Beach
Can you fight City Hall? The problem in Virginia Beach seems to be not that the council will fight back, they just simply ignore your howls of protest and go on doing what you don't like.
An interesting insight into this is the remarks of Councilman W.W. Harrison as he helped slam the door on the Canadian Football League in favor of a major league coliseum. He seemed annoyed by the idea of Norfolk and Virginia Beach holding a joint study to see if it was worth the gamble. Harrison said he had had enough of studies, ``What we need to resolve is where to build this thing. Then let's do it.''
Harrison said he thought it made sense to locate the regional area in downtown Norfolk. Experts say the coliseum, with major league appointments, would cost $140 million.
Now, many sports fans like myself would like to see a major league facility here. But I can't understand the complete lack of accountability Harrison demonstrated. He acted as though creating this most expensive of all local ``jewels'' (which often turn out to be nothing but money-eating zircons) was simply a matter of scheduling the groundbreaking ceremony.
What about the Beach citizens who may not want to contribute millions to a downtown Norfolk project? Where can they find a site in that cramped area for 70,000 fans? Where will they find 70,000 fans?
The $50 million proposal to rebuild Pacific Avenue and put in a traffic pattern that turns the whole oceanfront over to the tourists is another example of council arrogance. That council people can speak so cheerfully of such huge expenses goes back to the at-large system of government. A candidate can spend $100,000 in getting his seat in a citywide election. He forgets the public exists for four years and then he spends another $100,000 to renew his seat.
This is why incumbents like Harrison fight the district (partial ward) proposal. They hate the thought of trying to sell plans like the coliseum, the Pacific Avenue transformation or the other massive spending projects to a group of local voters who could sink them in the next election.
Edward F. Bacon
Virginia Beach by CNB