Archive for the ‘light rail’ Category

A review of our Virginia Beach City Council’s “accomplishments” of the last ten-twelve years clearly demonstrates the need for new city council members – new city council members who will put citizens first.

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To be impartial” Virginia Beach agreed to remove a grossly misleading light rail ad from the city website. Impartial? What nonsense. Most members of council are for light rail and are definitely not impartial..

The ad stated that a yes vote was a vote to continue the study of light rail. Those who developed the ad knew from the beginning that the ad was a lie. The ad was intended, was designed to con citizens into voting yes while thinking that a yes vote was for permission to continue with the study of light rail.

In fact, a yes vote will give city council the OK to “… adopt an ordinance approving the use of all reasonable efforts to support the financing and development of the Tide….” Just what the heck does all that mean? It means that our light-rail-supporting city council can start spending money and making plans for the development of their favorite development tool – light rail.

A yes vote means that council can do whatever “reasonable efforts” they want.

As Councilman Moss stated, “It’s designed to influence and advocate.”

The ad was so heavy handed, so obviously a lie it should never have seen the light of day. Mayor Sessoms should have been the first to tell staff to take that ad off the air.

Thank you, Councilman John Moss.

Control Group? Who or what is a control group? And what do they do? The Control Group is our Virginia Beach City Council supported by the power centers of our city. In Virginia Beach, power centers are organized around developers, real estate companies and tourism related businesses. Power Centers are oriented to and driven to accomplish specific self-serving goals, to control the decision-making process and guide the process to the desired goal. Read the rest of this entry »

After the last two Virginia Beach City Council meetings (April 24^th and May 1^st) I can easily imagine many council members saying to the citizens of Virginia Beach, “Well citizens of Virginia Beach, how do you like that?”

During the Virginia Beach City Council meeting of April 24^th , our council said to the citizens we will have a referendum on light rail in November. Don’t like it? Too bad. And, council decided to keep the election process as is. Don’t like it ? Too bad. At the May 1^st meeting, the mayor and a number of council members proposed a $.06 increase in our real estate tax rate. And the mayor claims to have enough votes for that increase. Don’t like it? Too bad.

Getting the message yet?

In your face – citizens of Virginia Beach. It’s Mayor Sessoms way – period.

Take the light rail referendum issue. Have you any idea what that phrase “all reasonable” means? What do you know about light rail – what are the costs? Are benefits to all citizens? Are you, citizens of Virginia Beach, ready to vote on a referendum in November that may obligate you to supporting light rail? Many questions. Can you answer any?

The election process. The discussion is: Change the election process so that only those citizens in each of the seven districts would vote for their district candidate and the at large candidates. The candidates would campaign only in his/her district and be able to campaign with less money. A significant advantage is that the candidate would not have to rely on the well-heeled developers for funds and therefore would not be subject to those same developers when it comes time to vote.

Council wants to keep the process as is.

Real estate taxes. Raising the tax rate from $.89 to $.95 OK with you? Several city council members have said that the Virginia Beach budget can be balanced without raising our real estate taxes. Are you aware of that? Many council members are ready to add a tax increase on top of the other recent fee increases when citizens are already hurting and the continuing decline in assessments (losing value in our homes).

Remember that a light rail referendum, keeping the election process the same and raising our real estate tax rate are all to the advantage of some council members and their developer supporters.

Getting the message yet?

In your face, people.

Citizens of Virginia Beach, would you like a nice big bowl of jelly beans? That is basically how our Virginia Beach City Council will fashion the referendum question about light rail. Don’t concern your pretty little self about the cost of the jelly beans, just help yourself and don’t worry about the cost of the jelly beans.

Instead, the referendum on light rail should include, if not specifics, a reasonable estimate of costs involved. Read the rest of this entry »

Of course, medical care as presented in Obamacare has nothing to do with transportation in light rail. The similarity between Sessomslightrail and Obamacare  is the process by which these projects have been dumped on the American people. Read the rest of this entry »

The “reshaping” of Virginia Beach as described by city manager Jim Spore in an article in the Virginian-Pilot on May 31 and comments by Mayor Sessoms in a June 4^th article provide examples of the reach of the Virginia Beach Power Centers and further demonstrates that in Virginia Beach “it is too late now .” Read the rest of this entry »

The city council of Virginia Beach should show us the sources of the money for the major projects planned for our future: the headquarters hotel for the convention center, an entertainment venue for the old Dome site (tourism-related projects); all the light rail costs and the redevelopment of the Strategic Growth Areas. Read the rest of this entry »

We have a Great Divide in Virginia Beach. We, the citizens of Virginia Beach, have been pushed to one side of the Great Divide by the combined force of the local Power Centers. The Great Divide is the difference between citizens needs and Power Center wants. Read the rest of this entry »

Several current city council members and a few challengers remain unsure what to do about a light rail referendum and what to do if citizens again vote NO. Read the rest of this entry »