Its silence on Riddick speaks volumes about Norfolk council

It's not you, Tommy. It's them.

Look, someone has to assure City Councilman Tommy Smigiel that he shouldn't take it personally. Guess I'll have to do it.

So what if he is the only member of that governing body who wants to stand up and denounce Councilman Paul Riddick's long history of not paying taxes?

Lack of courage on Norfolk's City Council? Color me unsurprised.

It's not just Norfolk, either. Over in Virginia Beach, a councilman was once shunned after he tried to get the city to refrain from public-private partnerships with convicted felons.

Then, as now, the indifference of the majority says more about those gutless politicians than it does about the lone wolf baying at the moon.

According to a story by Harry Minium in Tuesday's Pilot, Smigiel has tried to drum up support for a move to censure Riddick, who is being sued by the feds for about $246,000 in back taxes.

Frankly, the flaccid "no comments" and "I don't want to pass judgment on my colleague" reactions to Smigiel are sickening shows of cowardice. Ever wonder how things have gone so wrong recently in Norfolk? Look no farther than the city's sapless leaders.

Fact is, most on the Norfolk City Council seem to fear Riddick. No one's quicker to play the race card than the man from Ward 4, and these trembling milquetoasts wilt at the prospect of being called racists. Or crackers. Or rednecks. Terms hurled in the past at those who displeased Riddick.

Then again, many on the council are just being true to their nature. They're politicians, after all. They may need Riddick sometime, so why aggravate the volatile man?

No one expects the mayor to take the lead on something like this, but newcomer Andy Protogyrou's "I'm not going to put my ethical or moral beliefs on somebody I sit next to" is profoundly disappointing.

Protogyrou is a lawyer - OK, so is the mayor - so surely he knows the difference between ethical obligations and legal ones.

Paying taxes isn't something most of us do out of a sense of moral duty. We pay them because if we don't, we'll be slapped with interest, penalties, loss of wages, liens against our property or jail time.

Expressing outrage at an elected official who didn't contribute his fair share isn't passing moral judgment. It's telling a person in a position of public trust that they are wrong.

Finally, there's the reaction of Councilman Barclay Winn, who responded to Smigiel's request with a resigned "I'm not sure what that would accomplish."

Well, I am.

A strong, unanimous denunciation of Riddick would set a terrific tone. It would isolate the resident scofflaw, which might hasten his resignation. It would also demonstrate revulsion for individuals who don't pay their taxes, making it more palatable when the city pursues ordinary tax delinquents who don't hold public office.

Finally, it would send a clear message to the voters of Ward 4 that they're being represented by someone who is becoming a pariah.

Whom are we kidding? That won't happen.

Still, Tommy Smigiel needs to stay strong as he embarks on this lonely crusade. It isn't easy being the only person on the council with courage.

News researcher Maureen Watts contributed to this column.

Kerry Dougherty, 757-446-2306, kerry.dougherty@cox.net