Civic watchdogs keep pressure on in Norfolk

NORFOLK

One of the most aggressive and successful citizen groups in this city is at it again, this time pushing its watchdog agenda in a new direction: scrutinizing almost everything and everyone in City Hall.

Members of the Norfolk Tea Party 2, who last spring helped to persuade the City Council to adopt the largest real estate tax cut in decades, plan to mail or hand out 10,000 surveys to residents later this month. The surveys will poll residents on a host of issues, including how they view the performance of the city manager, the mayor and other members of the council.

"We want them to know we're looking over their shoulders," said Vic Yurkovic, an Ocean View civic leader and one of the founding members of the Tea Party.

Surveys will be mailed during a meeting Jan 19 at The Banque restaurant. Tea Party head Brian Smith said volunteers will also distribute the questions to "every neighborhood in the city."

The survey also asks residents to list the city's top issues and whether there should be further tax rate cuts.

In addition to the survey, Smith said the group plans to pay close attention to how city leaders form Norfolk's upcoming budget.

Tea Party members recently met with Assistant City Manager Marcus Jones and school administrators to discuss their budget processes.

Norfolk's operating budget, which is about $1.2 billion this fiscal year, probably will be passed in June. The schools' budget, about $319 million, likely will be adopted in June as well.

Formed a little more than a year ago, the Tea Party 2 was emboldened by its success last year.

The group drew hundreds of irate homeowners to public meetings and netted 16,000 signatures from residents demanding tax cuts.

Mayor Paul Fraim acknowledged that the group played a key role in the city's tax rate being cut by 16 cents, from $1.27 to $1.11 per $100 of assessed value.

While he considers the Tea Party powerful, Vice Mayor Anthony L. Burfoot questions the group's objectivity.

Burfoot said he is bothered by the fact that one of the group's recent meeting flyers noted that coffee and doughnuts were to be provided by Councilman W. Randy Wright. Wright was a founding member of the original Tea Party, founded in the 1970s to protest real estate taxes.

"How can you call yourself a watchdog or try to evaluate council persons when you're not independent of council persons?" Burfoot said.

Wright said he provided refreshments because he was asked.

"My name is on their survey like everyone else's," Wright said.

Smith dismissed Burfoot's concerns, saying that the group is independent of the council, though is appreciative of "Councilman Wright and any council member whose priorities are consistent with the goals of the Tea Party."

Smith said he hopes city officials welcome his group's feedback.

"We're doing this before they formulate the budget because we want them to know how the citizens feel about what they've done with the money we've already given them."

Harry Minium, (757) 446-2371, harry.minium@pilotonline.com