Despite the pleas of its residents, the city council in Virginia Beach decided last night to spend the $27.1 millon surplus rather than returning any of it to the people who created it. (Click on picture to enlarge to see where the money went.) I watched the coverage on the news last night. Councilman Bob Dyer proposed returning $10 million to the taxpayers, but that proposal was shot down. Councilman Bill DeSteph proposed that the matter be postponed but that was also rejected. One of the nearly 20 speakers was Robert Dean, who represented the Virginia Beach Taxpayer Alliance.
From the news coverage last night, there were a few who spoke on behalf of spending the money. One was a firefighter, who spoke of the need for improving the stations. I see that the budget includes $2.9 million for fire and rescue stations. I assume that the $1.3 million for regional homeless housing is related to the project discussed here.
I have no doubt that the projects that the city spent money on are worthwhile. The problem is that it was done out of the pockets of the residents. Had the $27.1 million not been collected, would the city have raised taxes to spend these dollars? I doubt it.
The council of Virginia Beach had an opportunity to buy some goodwill with its residents by returning some, if not all, of the surplus to them. Instead, they once again ignored the citizens’ wishes. Will the voters remember this at election time?
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Race aside (is the spending of “surplus” tax funds a race issue too? [he said in frustration] Marsha, Marsha, Marsa, … race, race, race …) – another interesting question related to this topic is the question of what will happen because of Council’s failure to even pretend to care about what they were told during the GA mandated “Public Hearing”?
Most people feel the answer is – nothing.
The arrogance of politicians secure in their special interests backers and counting on voter apathy and ignorance is the fruits of decades of the citizen’s failure to run viable taxpayer friendly candidates, rally the 435,000 residents, and actually FIRE these pro-developer pupets.
This example of local government run amuck serves as another reason to be thankful for the Dillion Rule. Without the GA making it a legal requirement for political subdivisions of our Commonwealth does anyone seriously believe that the Virginia Beach City Council would have even conducted a “public hearing” on the $27M (General Fund) and $11M (schools) “surplus”?
On fall out from City Council’s vote is that Councilman Bob Dyer has been removed from the Christmas Card list of the VBTA – and thousands of other Virginia Beach taxpayers.
The frustration with Bob Dyer stems from his pro-taxpayer “talk” – but his anti-taxpayer voting finger.
During the ’06 budget hearings Bob Dyer “talked the talk” – but when it came time to vote he failed to “walk the walk” – deciding to vote for a bloated budget and not to allow the tax rate on residential property to only increase by 1% as the state statue requires. (Meaning he voted against tax relief for over taxed home owners. Yet … he gave the impression he was partnering with citizens and taxpayers – especially the VBTA and TLP folks.
Bob sent out a detailed email yesterday attempting to explain what happened with the Parlimentary SNAFU – the reality is that since this is twice Bob has done this – voted FOR city spending when he spoke out against city spending – a lot of folks no longer believe he is telling the truth.
Bill Desteph and Reba McClannan are the only citizen/taxpayer friendly representaitves left of the VAB City Council.
It’s not enough to make a speech – when it comes time to vote, the vote needs to match a politicians words.
Reid, DeSteph waited until a motion and a substitute motion were made before deciding he wanted to make a substitute-substitute motion. Now which is it? Did DeSteph not know parliamentary procedure and mess up?
Or did he purposely wait too late to make his motion so he could play victim when the city attorney told him he couldn’t.
But the broader point, Reid, is that the VBTA has two problems. One, is that the ONLY candidate they’ve EVER supported to oust an incumbant was ……Bob Dyer. And that’s where you focus your ire?
There are 8 Councilmen who were voting yes going in, and were voting yes since the surplus was announced. But y’all want to bash Dyer, who’s vote would only have changed a 9-2 approval to an 8-3 approval. Yeah, that accomplished loads!
The VBTA has supported candidates against John Uhrin, Meyera Oberndorf, Rosemary Wilson, Jim Wood, and Ron Villanueva and urged write-ins against Louis Jones who was unopposed.
The VBTA lost every time. Robert Dean lost three times. Wally Erb lost. John Moss lost. RK lost twice. Bob O’Connor lost.
Bob Dyer won, and he’s been the focus of VBTA scorn ever since.
I’m sympathic with your plight with regard to the surplus, but I really don’t understand why you think that those who lose elections should set the agenda.
So then Brian, is what you are saying is that once President Bush won the last two elections, all of the Democrats (they lost) had no right to set the agenda – or – in this case, to be upset with how their taxes are being spent by their representatives?
Uhm. Reid. You can be upset all you want. You can also expect that the agenda of Dean, Moss, RK, Krause, Erb and O’Connor to be passed by those who defeated them all day long if you like.
How many times do you have to learn the same lesson. Elect people who support a hotel at 31st street, and you get a hotel at 31st street.
Anti-taxers lose their elections. Guess what the result of that is.
Bad government?