Dueling op eds: Joannou v Light

2007 General Assemby races, Local, Norfolk, Politics, Virginia 1 Minute

In the other pair of op eds in today’s Virginian Pilot, incumbent Democratic Delegate Johnny Joannou and challenger Henry Light square off.

Joannou attempts to answer the original question as to why he is a Democrat:

I believe that government should be responsible to the people and that their tax dollars should be spent wisely. I am and have always been fiscally prudent when it comes to raising taxes. However, when there is a clear need for additional revenues and the case is made by clear and convincing evidence, then it becomes the responsibility of your elected officials to ensure that any increase in revenues should be fair, just and used in an efficient and responsible manner as to not breach the trust of the taxpayer, who bears the burden of that tax increase.

[…]

I believe the Democratic Party is the party of working men and women just trying to make a better life for themselves and their children…These are the principles I have adhered to all my life, and I believe these are the principles of the people who live in the 79th.

Light, in his first run for elected office, attempts to lay out his vision:

…in walking door-to door to talk with voters during my campaign for the House of Delegates, I’ve discovered a common thread: Democrats in this district want to elect a representative who will articulate a vision designed to solve problems and meet the significant challenges we confront in our region and state.

I believe the challenges our society faces can be solved with hard work and consensus building, and that our region and state can be made better places for our children, grandchildren and future generations.

The winner of this primary will be the representative from the 79th, as no Republican or Independent challenger has emerged. The two of them were also the subject of an article in today’s Pilot.

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2 thoughts on “Dueling op eds: Joannou v Light”

  1. There is no endorsement by the Portsmouth Education Association. Local boards can only make endorsements in local city races. They can make recommendations to the state PAC. As they did for Del. Joannou, but the state decided not to endorse him.

    Thus, there is no endorsement from the state Education Association or the Portsmouth Education Association. To say so is totally inaccurate. Their recommendation failed because of Del. Joannou’s record on education.

  2. Mr. Holihan,
    You are 100% incorrect.There is indeed a recommendation for the PEA-PAC. As the chair of the Portsmouth Education Association- PAC, I can assure you that we, along with the Suffolk(EAS) PAC, DID unanimously recommend Johnny Joannou for the 79th house district seat in today’s primary. We also contributed to his campaign from our own PAC dollars. There is no restriction that prohibits the local from recommending on its own – as both Portsmouth and Suffolk did. The VEA-PAC voted not to be involved in the primary. That DID NOT prevent us from making our recommendation – which was done well before the VEA convention.

    Perhaps you should check your facts before you make public comments that are totally inaccurate.

    Additionally, neither the NEA, the VEA, nor the locals uses the term “endorse”. We recommend.

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