The Virginian-Pilot
©
CHESAPEAKE
Voters ejected two incumbent City Council members Tuesday, and three Republican-endorsed challengers scored wins in a race characterized by relatively low voter turnout.
Incumbent Vice Mayor John M. de Triquet soared to an easy victory, and Councilwoman Ella P. Ward hung on to her seat with the fifth-highest vote total.
But council members Dwight M. Parker and Bryan L. Collins failed to reclaim their seats as voters went with three Republican-endorsed candidates: retired Virginia Capitol police Chief Lonnie E. Craig, business owner Susan H. Kelly and financial adviser Scott W. Matheson.
"There is a real feeling that people wanted to have conservative leadership," Kelly said.
"I still believe that the Republicans have a better voter turnout machine than Democrats" in Chesapeake, said Parker, a Democrat-endorsed candidate who's been on the council since the mid-1990s. "They turned out their base and we didn't. Voter turnout is what it came down to, and they outfoxed us."
About 17 percent of the city's voters showed up Tuesday, a slight decrease from the 2008 local election, according to a preliminary estimate.
The results Tuesday will ultimately increase the majority for Republicans, who will have seven members on the board starting July 1. Two Democrats, Ward and Councilman C.E. "Cliff" Hayes Jr., will remain.
The change in the board could spell trouble for Belharbour Station at SoNo, a $200 million redevelopment project that had support from the two incumbents that lost and Councilwoman Patricia Willis, who decided not to run again.
Mayor Alan Krasnoff, de Triquet and other Republicans have opposed the project, which would benefit from $35 million in publicly funded improvements such as a parking garage.
The 17-candidate race for five council seats had a little bit of everything: four incumbents, seven first-time candidates, five returning challengers from the 2008 election and one 2008 mayoral candidate.
De Triquet led all candidates with 13 percent of the vote. Kelly, who lost a seat in 2008 by 41 votes, was the second-leading vote-getter this year. "It's still surreal," she said afterward at a Republican celebration at the Amber Lantern Restaurant.
Several challengers accused incumbents of poor spending and saving decisions. Incumbents fought back by arguing that the city had a healthy amount of money in reserves and emergency accounts.
While the last few Chesapeake races have been defined by anger over rising real estate tax rates, this election became a contest over who had the greatest credibility as a guardian of public tax dollars.
Two of Tuesday's winners, Kelly and Matheson, touted their experience in managing finances.
"People are concerned about their financial security, about their job security," Matheson said as he celeb
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Who's qualified for this council
I realize someone has to step up to the plate and lead this city but do we need a baby doctor, a professional masseuse, and a dental hygienist? Where are our citizens who have economics degrees?
Council Members (present and soon to be former)
Maybe if you had given your city employees pay raises for the last few years and stop saying that the city is in dire straights, you could have been re-elected.
I will not vote for any current council member who is up for the next election either.
Council cares about South Norfolk
If you recall, even before elected mayor, Alan Krasnoff and other Republicans argued that funds diverted to South Norfolk should be directed towards projects that enhance the safety and quality of life for South Norfolk residents, and not be spent on the Bell Harbor Project. The project, even if successful, will not pay for itself within our lifetimes. If ever paid off, the revenue would go into the budget and be spread throughout Chesapeake. How does that benefit the common residents of SoNo? Krasnoff and the Republicans on council have supported Chief Wright by increasing police in SoNo to protect residents, and have pushed to use funds for extra street lights and basic neighborhood improvements that enhance quality of life for SoNo. 99% of people who spew ignorant remarks on this site are clueless as to voting records. Do your homework before you post!
got2win1 bashing Belharbour
Putting over 3000 people to work on Belharbour Station, producing millions in tax revenues for Chesapeake, connecting Chesapeake to the Portsmouth and Norfolk watersides via water taxi and attracting developers and businesses to invest in South Norfolk -- how is this not a good thing for South Norfolk or Chesapeake??
got2win1 misinformed
Krasnoff and de Triquet voted "for" the South Norfolk Tax Increment Financing in March 2005. Such districts use real estate taxes collected within the district and then only on the increase in real estate tax value, in this case, after 2005. As part of the South Norfolk Strategic Plan, also approved by Krasnoff and de Triquet; the public improvements in the Belharbour project would be financed with the sale of bonds to be repaid over a twenty year period. The taxes collected on the privately financed building in the Belharbour project would pay for those bonds. How does that benefit the common residents of SoNo? By attracting others to live, work and invest in South Norfolk. Activity begets activity and tax revenues from all sources are then improved allowing the City to spend not just on "very" basic neighborhood improvements, but on schools, parks, roads, libraries and much more. Eliminating urban blight is what lifts quality of life in a meaningful way. Extra police and street lights only address the symptoms.
To be continued
Sorry about running out of space. What I am trying to say is that people need to stop complaining and do something. For instance, if 75% of S.Norfolk would show up to vote, we could alter any vote and put anyone in office we liked. But we have the lowest turnout around. I also have nothing wrong with the rest of the city. Everyone I know in Chesapeake are fine, God fearing people. Raise your family kind of people. Who could want better neighbors. And you were right earlier, you guys in the more expensive neighborhoods foot a lot of the tax bills. Thanks. I wish it were more fair, but by no means should you be ignored. Guess I could do better by doing better. Maybe one day we'll all be one City and forget the past. Just let it go. Like this boring diatribe.
time to let go
I have lived in Chesapeake all my life. I have seen a lot of strange things, so this election is nothing new. A little FYI, there will be no change. The new kids on the blocks will obey the powers to be (same one that got them elected). If nothing else, the Republican party is very good at what they do. That is keep seats. As far as managing the city, they have failed miserably for years. Now we haven't helped much by electing more of them. I do not see this as black or white, nor do I see it as a monotary issue. One party control. I remember when some of them were Democrats when it was cool to be a Democrat.lol As far as South Norfolk is concerned, I live here and to be honest, I like it here. The people are good (for the most part). Granted, some have huge chips on their backs, but overall, a nice tight-knit community. I wwill say I am tired of the crying over how South Norfolk is the "red headed stepchild" of Chesapeake. If we are, it is because we let them do it to us. If South Norfolk residents pulled together, then they could do anything they want. It is called unity. That is the biggest weapon in Democracy. We have some of the lowest turnouts at elections around. If we could
Each Borough/District Needs Representation
Chesapeake needs to follow the lead of Virginia Beach and Norfolk. Each of these cities have council seats for specific districts and citywide or at large seats. Norfolk uses a ward system to ensure that every district has a representative. For years, the Chesapeake City Council has been dominated by candidates from the Great Bridge and Hickory districts. Indian River and South Norfolk have not had representation on council for years and Deep Creek has just lost theirs.
ward systems
Ensure the tenure of hateful clowns like Riddick in Norfolk.
Its about spending and taxing
As to why Collins and Parker lost and Ward almost did, I would look at the primary duties of city council first- spending and taxing authority. Many politicians automate their pay raises to avoid voting on them year after year, but to do it with taxes, particularly automating storm water fee increase is bad policy. Combine that with the introduction of new trash fees, NET increases in property taxes except for the last two years and you have the makings for dismissal by voters. The comment on voter base turnout is out of touch. Its "what have you done on spending and taxing decisions," and how has city benefited for its citizens. Parker and Collins simply did not make a strong case for re-election.