VIRGINIA BEACH
The mayor, council members and city staff went on a fence-mending tour of Stihl Inc.'s campus Wednesday, a response to this spring's hubbub over the machinery and tools tax.
Nobody mentioned the 90 percent business tax increase that the City Council approved in May and then reversed when Stihl, Virginia Beach's largest manufacturer, complained.
But the issue is far from closed. Just hours after the tour, it came up as the candidates for mayor tussled in their first public forum of the campaign.
Challengers John Moss and Will Sessoms hammered Mayor Meyera Oberndorf for initially backing the tax increase and being unaware of its effect on Stihl.
"If I was mayor, that would never have been put on the table," Sessoms told members of the Tidewater Bicycle Association, holding up a newspaper clipping about the tax's impact on Stihl.
Moss, who frequently attends budget hearings as a representative of the Virginia Beach Taxpayer Alliance, said he warned the City Council about increasing the machinery and tools tax from $1 per $100 of assessed value to $1.90.
"They don't listen," Moss said.
Oberndorf said the city staff told her and other council members that the companies affected by the increase were consulted and accepted it.
Stihl officials said they were not contacted by Beach staff.
"I did say it was a mistake, and I apologize," Oberndorf said. "I think it should be refreshing to have somebody in public office who says it was a mistake, and it was rectified."
Council members had discussed raising the business tax to lessen the burden of home-owners, who contribute to the bulk of the city's revenues, she said.
And in the end, the tax remained the same, Oberndorf noted.
The process prompted questions about leadership on the City Council, Moss said.
"I think it does raise a competency issue and that they don't hold anybody accountable," Moss said.
Challengers have seized on the issue to tout their credentials and draw contrasts between themselves and Oberndorf, a five-term incumbent.
Sessoms, a bank president, is running on his business background. Moss' message has been to cut spending and reduce taxes.
Scott Taylor, a political newcomer, didn't mention Stihl at the Wednesday forum, but he agreed that the issue is fair game.
The case with Stihl, Taylor said, shows how elected officials don't listen to the people who live and work in Virginia Beach.
"It was a poor decision," Taylor said.
Deirdre Fernandes, (757) 222-5121, deirdre.fernandes@pilotonline.com
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Fortunately Guntario
The citizens who vote will be smart enough to keep Moss in 4th place in this race.
Way to completely miss the point...
The candidates were there to voice their points of view regarding cycling in Virginia Beach. The Stihl portion of their debate was a small part of what was discussed. Way to go Virginian-Pilot, way to tell the whole story.
Who needs !@#$% anger management?
Allen Alto, you made coffee come out my nose when I read your last comment! Now I need to clean up my keyboard, LOL! That was too funny!
There really is only one
person I'd vote for to be mayor this time around. Moss did warn council as he said, and is the only candidate who wants to cut spending and taxes. He has no special interest groups pushing him. He is truly a candidate for the people. Without a doubt, he's my choice.
Come on Reid!
You expect mayor or council to say anything to the city mangler spore? They are afraid of him. There is no way they would discipline him for his inept management of the city budget. Heck, he might drive over in his corvette and start take down her re-election signs!
20 years is enough already!!!!
Isn’t 20 years enough? So she admitted her mistake, big deal. She had no choice!! How many mistakes has she made, that she hasn’t admitted???? She has had a free ride for too long and needs to go! But once again the city of Virginia Beach has not learned their lesson. We will split the ticket once again, with two people running against her. ? I am shocked (some what) that we keep making the same mistake, aren’t these people smart enough to see this? If anyone really wants change and to rid us of the evil troll, only one person can run against her!! Somebody needs to step down, who will be the bigger man and do so
So did Meyera lead council to hold Sporee accountable?
Mr. Watkins, I agree that it Mayor Oberndorf admitted her histake. Of course the more important question is what action did she take to replace the senior staff for lying to City Council and placing one of our city's most important employeers at risk?
We need real leadership!
Meyera is in over her head. She said herself she made a mistake that almost cost us our largest manufacturer. I'm glad that she admitted her mistake, but wouldn't any business minded person realize that raising a the machinery and tool tax 90% was going to hurt somebody very badly. That's the kind of leadership we have right now! I'm embarrassed that the largest city in the Greatest State in the union is led by such an incompetent leader. Meyera you have done a commendable job the past twenty years, however IT IS TIME FOR A CHANGE VOTE SESSOMS 2008!!
Unbelievable
Sessoms' quote: "If I was mayor, that would never have been put on the table."
Sure, I believe that. His history on council certainly proves that.
Moss says he "warned the City Council about increasing the machinery and tools tax."
Yeah, I believe that too.
Meyera took the high road and said "We made a mistake." Unlike the other two, she didn't try to deflect the blame.
Listen!
The Virginia Beach city council seldom listens to its citizens. The forum for citizens at the Council meetings is merely window dressing. Voting out the current members of city council probably won't change things, but why not give it a try.
Cut spending to lower tax burden on Beach homeowners.
Will Sessoms was never a supporter of cutting the city's budget and then passing the savings onto Beach homeowners. John Moss is. This tax on Stihl, one of over 100 taxes increased by City Manager Jim Spore and his senior staff simply serves to underscore what a poor job the Beach City Council has done in providing oversight of our City Manager and our city spending. Moss "gets it". For years Moss has been working to help City Council lower spending and focus on better priorities. Developer Scott Taylor has not. Moss offers a plan to put Beach families and neighborhoods FIRST. Sessoms has raised over $400K from special interests, more than half from the real estate industry. They plan to get what they pay for. We need a Mayor looking our for us. The best choice is to vote for Moss.
Never met a tax......
She did not like. Again, as true to the tax-em-dorf creed, any tax increase get's an immediate YEA vote! No discussion, no thought, no research, just vote yes.
We need leadership on council that will provide thought, management, and leadership. John Moss for Mayor. Put responsible leadership back on council.
GREEDY
Va Beach Government is Greedy.
Stihl should go shopping around for a friendly place to move.
If I were Norfolk or Chesapeake.
I'd go to zero tool tax to get them.
Re-elect No one in Va Beach
Re-elect No one in Va Beach, especially the Mayor. As you can see, the Mayor and the Council seldom get it right. Sessoms is probably not the answer either. Remember: Re-elect No one in Va Beach.
Taxemdorf Agan!!! Vote Them Out!!!!
Taxemdorf is over the hill. We need someone better!!!! Anyone!!!!
there's only one
And that one is Moss!