Guest post by Chuck Taylor
I began this note after reading about the decision to keep the majority of Council discussion behind closed doors and away from public scrutiny two weeks ago. However, it languished in a target rich environment, where so many interconnected issues of Council malfeasance and ineptitude made it hard to constrain my subject. But after reading Mr. Minium’s article last Sunday, it is apparent that the path leads us straight to Mr. Fraim.
Until recently Mayor Fraim controlled our City with an iron grip. In the last election he lost Randy Wright and Don Williams, both were counted votes within his oligarchic style of governance. He was able to maneuver the installation of Alveta Green, but this still leaves him a dependable vote down. I believe much of what Harry Minium wrote of relates to the fact that it has been a very long time since Fraim has been challenged, and he doesn’t like it! So the question becomes “where do we go from here”? Green and Winn will be up for election soon, and both should be removed. I cannot say much about Green beyond that I believe she is a pawn employed at Fraim’s convenience. Winn on the other hand has had ample time to prove himself a leader, but has done little but follow. Combined, they extend Fraim’s grip on power and are the exact opposite of what the citizens of this city need.
In the past I have referenced both Tammany and Mayberry in describing Norfolk. Now that Randy Wright is gone, it would appear we are left simply with Tammany. Twenty or thirty years ago strong, dictatorial leadership may have been needed to provide Norfolk with new direction. Petty larceny and cronyism could be tolerated in a government as long as progress was made. But the time when this type of governing was tolerable has long since past. Today Norfolk needs leaders who will say no to developers promising future tax revenues for immediate favors. Norfolk needs open debate about a failing school system. Norfolk needs open discussion about our massive investment in a transit system built around the creation of retail hubs in Virginia Beach, rather than the typical commute of a citizen of Norfolk. We need open discussions on housing policies that destroy neighborhoods and send our middleclass to Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, while encouraging poverty here in Norfolk. Most importantly, Norfolk needs leaders that have not forgotten that accountability to the public is a primary responsibility of elected civil servants.
Chuck Taylor lives in Norfolk
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Excellent post by Chuck Taylor who has managed to say what many have been thinking for awhile now.
Fraim spoke a lot about transparancy during his campaign- where’s the action?
First of all, I like Chuck Taylor’s shoes.
More seriously, the problem with his argument is that it assumes simply swaping out a few personalities on Norfolk City Council would in itself fundamentally change the game. Not if the new Councilmen are tied to the very same interests keeping Fraim and his allies in power.
I disagree with him on light rail. Extending Norfolk’s Starter Line would cement Norfolk as the hub of South Hampton Roads. 15 years ago or so Norfolk could have easily imploded and become Portsmouth North.
Had to chuckle at housing policy. Sounds like the inverse of what our City government in Virginia Beach is doing, where we build McMansions by the boatload while City Hall tries to pretend the poor don’t exist.