McDonald, hiding behind rhetoric that she's serving the taxpayers' best interests through her interpretations and aggressive actions, has proved inflexible at best.

It has been implied that after  several businesses raised BPOL tax issues, that McDonald ordered retaliatory audits of several of the businesses the following week.

In 2007 her attempt to assess a wholesale tax on petroleum dealers, already taxed separately for the same product, was overturned by the General Assembly.

Drake said, "To our knowledge, McDonald is the only constitutional officer whose efforts to impose such a tax have been overturned by a member of his/her own party, namely Senator Dick Saslaw, now the Senate Majority Leader."

A 2003 attempt to assess a $50 fee on artists at the Stockley Garden Art Fair had to be stopped by the Norfolk City Council.
And its alleged her staff 'investigations' of scofflaw garage sales costs the city more than they produce in revenue.

McDonald does cite numerous improvements she's made to the office and policies making it easier for citizens to obtain various permits.

Knack also has the support of the Retail Merchants Association and numerous businesses.  He has raise more than twice in campaign funds what McDonald has.

He's banking on the growing dissatisfaction of businesses and unpopularity for her tactics to help him win the office.

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