The Virginian-Pilot
©
VIRGINIA BEACH
Four candidates. Two months. One seat.
A business owner, an undersheriff, a technology consultant and a former councilman have just a short time to woo voters ahead of November's special election for a City Council seat. The vacancy came when former Councilwoman Rita Sweet Bellitto moved to the Seattle area.
"It's going to be a sprint," said John Moss, who was a council member for seven years and has since been a frequent critic of the city's spending priorities.
Moss and Prescott Sherrod, Dennis Free and Mike Makela will be on the ballot in November.
Moss is a resource manager for the U.S. Navy and recently made unsuccessful runs for mayor and the City Council. Until a few months ago, Moss led the Virginia Beach Taxpayer Alliance and hammered the City Council on its spending priorities. He said he thinks that this time, because of the national economic crisis, his message will resonate with voters. Moss was last on the City Council in 1995, when he resigned before finishing his term because the Navy moved his job to another state.
Sherrod, who owns an information technology consulting firm, was appointed in July by the City Council to fill the vacant seat until the election. He is a former member of the city's development authority and minority business council, and he is making his first run for elected office.
Sherrod started PEMCCO Inc. in the early 1990s and is running as a business-friendly candidate. Having shepherded his company through turbulent financial times, Sherrod said, he understands the concerns of Virginia Beach residents facing economic pressures.
Sherrod's company has grown from a one-person operation to a firm with about 35 employees.
His business and personal taxes have come under government scrutiny. At one point, he owed the state and federal governments nearly $400,000, Sherrod said. The Internal Revenue Service took the unusual step of placing liens against Sherrod twice in the past decade, according to city court records. Sherrod recently said he learned of the underpayments through a government audit, and that he has reduced the debt to $116,000.
"We've gone through some challenging times," Sherrod said of his company. "We've never given up.... My company is still alive and thriving."
Makela, a software consultant and former U.S. Navy nuclear-power, surface-warfare officer, said he is running because he thinks government needs to return to the basics of providing good schools, safe streets and low taxes.
Makela, the father of two school-age children, said he has been frustrated by what he believes is the City Council's failure to recognize the value of the Beach's school division. The City Council needs to show more appreciation for the city's education system and continue to fund it at current levels, he said.
Makela, who is a political newcomer, is also a member of the city's Human Rights Commission and is active in the region's Jewish community. He grew up in Maryland but has lived in Virginia Beach for more than 14 years.
Makela owes BB&T bank more than $100,000 in loan and interest payments, according to a lien filed in Wilson County, N.C. Makela said he and bank officials have negotiated a payment of the loan.
"Nobody is repossessing my house," Makela said.
Like Sherrod and Makela, this is Free's first run for office.
Free is a former police officer who is now the undersheriff, or second-in-command, of the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office. Free said he is using his vacation time to take a leave of absence during the campaign.
Campaigning requires time, and he was concerned about the appearance of a conflict of interest, Free said.
If he wins, though, Free said, he intends to continue working for the sheriff, whose department receives some city money. When the City Council has to vote on an issue that could directly benefit him, Free said, he would abstain from the decision.
Current council members occasionally have conflicts between their jobs and their positions on the City Council, Free said.
The City Council needs a representative who has worked in government, Free said.
"There's nothing wrong with having somebody on council who understands the business of governance," Free said.
The special election will be held Nov. 8.
Deirdre Fernandes, (757) 222-5121, deirdre.fernandes@pilotonline.com
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I've heard all I need to hear
If Mike Barrett opposes him,I support him.
Comment deleted
Comment removed for rules violation. Reason: Personal attack, name calling
List of those condemned by the VBTA
Yes, of course, most members of the moribund VBTA will support him. But perhaps you are not aware of the hundreds of thousands of Beach residents/voters who have been insulted and condemned by Moss and his cronies at the moribund VBTA. Let me show you just a partial list: the city and school board employees; every business association in the City including the TBA, the Retail Association, the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, the Central Business District Association, the Resort innkeepers, retailers, and restaurants, the Mortgage Bankers association, and V.B. Vision; the V.B. Education Association; the boards of the Sandler Center, the Virginia Aquarium, and the Museum of Contemporaty Art and many more I would add but I am out of space.
Arbitrary Content W/O Any Foundation Must Be Removed!
Mike employs the same mentality as the late Sen Joe McCarthy who was labeled a "sewer rat" . In his typical compulsive style, he promotes hate & intolerance & even labeled a home for the aged as a "broom closet". He has generated 4,000 blogs that are typically mixed with deceptive half truths & many false conclusions. He neglects to reveal that the VB residential tax base is one of the most imbalanced & tax urdened in the nation & has retained an average real estate market share of 84.43% from FY2000-12. The average is 83+% for the last 2 decades. His blogs contain the same sound bites spun a dozen different ways. His goal is to trash John Moss who will be a great candidate & represent the interest of the residential & commercial community
Correct Al, I support Sharrod
Yes Al I do support Prescott Sharrod for a number of reasons but mainly because he understands how important economic development is to keep tax rates as low as possible. Your candidate, John Moss, as President of the moribund VBTA has opposed many economic development initiatives that have contributed to the commercial tax base and which therefore have reduced the real estate taxes that homeowners must pay. For that reason alone I do not support his candidacy and find his constant lecturing about private enterprise curious at best since he has been a public bureaucrat all his life and depends upon his government salary and will depend upon his government retirement forever. His policies would increase our taxes, not decrease them.
Keith's clear take on events says it all!
Mike, Sorry, I see little interest in your growing the tax base. Regretfully, your motives are questionable as you continue to inflate City achievements -"that keep our tax low is non existent". The tax rates are not low as you pretend & despite serving as the primary economic engine in VB, the residential tax burden is further impacted by dwindling disposable income . The average age of 140,000 hms is 25 yrs & in addition to costly annual maintenance, many homes require expensive & major upgrades - HVAC systems, new roofs, siding, storm damage repairs, construction & painting - The residential tax burden has not shifted & our residential tax base average is 84.43% vs 15.57% commercial since FY2000. 970 neighborhoods need MAJOR upgrades!
VBTA influence
Perhaps Al you failed to note that the tax rate has steadily declined from a high of $1.22 to the present $0.89, the lowest in the region. Of course, if the Council followed the advice of the moribund VBTA and cut all economic development activity, our tax rates would soar. The moribund VBTA just can't stand the success of the city having been rated as the 8th best in the nation, and the recent approval of the triple A bond rating, the best available, partially in recognition of the city's exonomic development activities. So Al, you, Moss, Greenmun, Dean, et al. the disastrous members of the moribund VBTA, had you been successful, you would have caused high tax rates, low services, and would have caused our schools and city to suffer.
Yes,and for those who don't
Yes,and for those who don't really know Mike Barrett, it is often a shock (well not really) to hear him lecture the citizens of Virginia Beach that they should roll over and hand over their wallets to Jim Spore, et al by cheerfully accepting higher taxes & fees for no good reason. He will sit on high & look down on the peasants & exclaim we just don't understand whats good for us. We need to spend $1.6BIL for LRT; we need to spend millions for an anchor hotel and The Dome site. It's important that we bleed the taxpayer dry in order for these projects to be built & that taxpayers keep the roughly 83% vs 17% tax burden. If you are tired of your tax money paying welfare to rich developers & care about your neighborhoods, vote for John Moss.
Voters will decide
Yes, Keith and I really do have different perspectives on what makes a livable community, attractive to families, youth, and seniors, which provided extra amentities that add to the quality of life, for the lowest cost possible. Keith buys into the VBTA/John Moss advocacy for extreme enforced austerity; that is, every program and service not required by law to be provided should not be provided. Therefore, they advocate the closure of those things like libraries, recreation centers, museums, performing centers, special programs in schools, and they advocate for the absolute cheapest employees possible. I and others think that is not what our citizens want; further, in the end, homeowners would pay a higher tax rate. Voters will decide.
Let's get this straight.
Per your comments, new development resulted in lower tax rates. But it s/b noted that it also led to higher assessments. Result, higher taxes. Now, the real estate market has been adjusted to more realistic levels. Result, less tax revenue to cover operating expenses. Solution, disguise tax hikes by implementing a trash "fee" that is totally unfair to the majority of citizens. The reduced assessments primarily benefit those living in fancier homes and with higher income than the majority. Their ability to pay is much greater than the majority, yet they'll pay the same "trash tax" amt as others. In addition, those who produce far lesser trash than others also are penalized. Once again, Mr. Barrett's comments are proven false and one-sided.