I've made 43 roundtrips on The Tide as a Data Collector (11 on Opening Day), and some additional trips off-duty. (I'm back on-duty this evening.) I've seen plenty of it, and would like to record my observations.
NOTABLES
Among those I've seen onboard are Chesapeake City Councilman & TDCHR Commissioner Cliff Hayes, City of Virginia Beach chief lobbyist Bob Matthias (I explained the passenger counting system to him), City of Virginia Beach Transportation Planning Coordinator Mark Schnaufer, Future of Hampton Roads President Ray Taylor, and The Virginian-Pravda's Debbie Messina. When Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim boarded at Harbor Park on August 20, the passengers gave him a round of applause. Yesterday I ran into HRT President Phillip Shucet as we both alighted at MacArthur Sqaure. (As we'd been sitting in different halves of the train, we didn't spot each other onboard.)
However, special mention goes to the passenger on my train opening night: Reid Greenmun, Chairman of the extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA). Yes, Reid Greenmun rides The Tide! In his habitual arrogance, yesterday on Pilotonline he declared himself an authority on The Tide based on that single trip. (NEWS FLASH: there are some Data Collectors who have been working 6-7 days per week on the trains.)
OPENING MORNING
On August 19, I took the first Cutback Inbound 20 of the morning to Newtown Road Station, arriving at 5:55 A.M. As the bus pulled towards the Station, we could see the place was packed.
Despite the attempt of Virginia News Source to later inflate the figure, there were no more than 20 protesters when I arrived.
My first train was the 6:30 A.M. run that morning. As I waited on the platform for it, a pair of senior ladies spoke to me. One recognized me from St. Gregory's. The other grasped that the objective of the protesters was to keep "a certain element" out of Virginia Beach.
UTILIZATION
By Sunday, August 21, passengers had begun calculating how they could utilize The Tide. They could save money by taking the train into downtown for shopping, entertainment, and Tides games.
Norfolk State University and Old Dominion University students were taking The Tide to MacArthur Center. The former were going NSU Station - MacArthur Square Station. On Saturday a pair of ODU coeds were on the Inbound Route 16 with me, taking it to Fort Norfolk to catch the train.
Last week there was a party in Ingleside. A group of 8 was on my train going there, and they would have certainly driven prior to August 19.
Saturday a family from Portsmouth was sitting behind me. They had drove over to a park and ride, and spoke of enjoying parking on High Street and taking the ferry over. I pointed out to them that the same $3.50 Day Pass would work on both the ferry and train. (Guess what they'll do next time?)
Yesterday I went downtown for an early dinner. I obviously would never do the 75 minute bus ride for dinner alone, but The Tide comes to within two blocks of the restaurant.
ARGUMENTS AGAINST
Let me answer some of the arguments against they have come up.
First, an opponent on opening morning was claiming extending The Tide into Virginia Beach would take money away from public schools. Not only false, but the contrary is true. Under the schools funding formula, all mass transit expenses come out of the City side of the Budget. The redevelopment induced by The Tide would increase the money to schools in outlying years.
Second, people will stop riding once the newness fades away. Reread the Utilization section and you'll see where the repeat customers will come from.
Third, the train's speed. However, the TPO would let you know that at rush hour our interstates roll at 25 mph or under, urban door to door travel is 15 mph, and our bridges and tunnels are under 10 mph. That will only get worse.
Let me point out the Virginia Beach extension, having no street running, would have a much higher average speed than Norfolk.
TICKET VENDING MACHINES (TVMs)
Once fares began being charged, two issues popped up. First, people didn't know how to use the TVMs. Second, they didn't know which farecard to buy.
A smaller version of the Tide Guide program has been launched to help deal with those issues.
HUMOR
With the deluge of people opening weekend, the running joke was repeating the opponents "No one will ride it" mantra.
On a Saturday night train, the ACS system was still stuck on Military Highway Station as we approached the Fort Norfolk Station. I quipped to the off-duty Bus Operator standing next to me "You can transfer to the 23 at either one."
As our Outbound Train turned for Harbor Park with a Tides game that evening, a pair of women launched into a terrible rendition of Take Me Out To The Ballgame. A group of teenage girls responded with (to the same tune) Throw Them Off Of The Tide Train.
One evening we could see westbound 264 backed up as we passed. Passengers began yelling "You should have taken The Tide!"
OPPOSITION
The group that told us "No one will ride it" was left with zero credibility by opening weekend. While no one ever pretended numbers that high were sustainable, it showed that a huge slice of the public is interested in light rail.
In the past week since fares began being charged, ridership has been 1.75 - 3 times the benchmark.
Randy Wright was right. He said if we built a starter line, when people saw it and rode it, they'd embrace it. The regional light rail to be built question was settled on August 19, 2011.
Showing posts with label Messnerism-Greenmunism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Messnerism-Greenmunism. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Suspension Or 2.0
As some of you may know (but most probably don't), I've been hired by Hampton Roads Transit (HRT). Given the conflicts of interest that would present as a blogger, I'm either going to take the blog to suspension or unveil Avenging Archangel 2.0. My conflicts as a HRT employee:
1. Obvious on mass transit writing.
2. Legally, HRT is a corporation held one-seventh by each member city. To blog on local politics would be talking about my employer.
3. HRT has a seat on the TPO.
My duties will begin with light rail launch in the morning, which is why I set this to autopost Thursday evening.
2.0 would be for me to fade into the background, chipping in a post where I can, while giving the front seat to my best friends in the African-American community leadership. I e-mailed them over the weekend, seeking at least two additional posters. (A single poster would always be compared and contrasted with me.) This established platform would continue to advocate for an inclusive Virginia Beach, having a given readership base to build on. I'm not holding my breath on it, as I made similar recruitment pitches in the wake of each of Andrew Jackson's campaigns for the Virginia Beach City Council.
I've been hired to be a Data Collector at HRT, doing manual passenger counts on The Tide. Under Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regulations, manual counts are mandated during the first year of revenue service. (In addition, there are automated systems just inside the train doors.) Everyone at HRT is cognisant of the fact that there has been much speculation about how many will ride The Tide. Having completed my training, let me make it clear to everyone: given the methodology and redundancies in the system, it would be virtually impossible to fudge The Tide ridership numbers. The FTA will be watching, and - given the history of the project - will certainly check it anything appears off.
There have been talks between HRT executives and I over the past few months about me possibly joining the team. They began recruiting me once they learned that my previous place of employment was probably going to close. As HRT needed to add dependable additional staff for light rail launch, it was fairly obvious where to put me. In the interim, I put one project for this blog on ice: a political satire series. On the 13th of each month, I was going to chronicle the Really Evil Taxpayers Against Rational Decisions (RETARD). In fact, in my desk I have a scratch sheet with topics for nine installments of the RETARDs.
It's been a fun run. I had been considering blogging for months, but was finally pushed when no one covered a citizens meeting held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. My one failure was never attracting additional posters, as I never intended to do this all alone indefinitely. While the number of hits on this site has been relatively low, the point is who reads this blog. I've had a virtual who's who cite it back to me. It's been a niche blog, providing information and insights you can't find anywhere else on the Internet.
For we grassroots inclusionists, both status quoers and the extremist VBTA present serious problems. Those of the status quo are usually more subtle. However, I hope others continue to speak out loudly about what the VBTA's sinister agenda really means for Virginia Beach.
Finally, I'd be remiss not to invite you to come ride light rail on launch weekend - and to become repeat customers. Given that the lion's share of my initial duties will be onboard the trains themselves, part of my training had me out riding The Tide. It has the Wow Factor. The bulk of my fellow Data Collectors aren't mass transit advocates, but simply people looking for good work. However, when we rode as part of our training, they were pulling out their smartphones to take video and photos of the run. They were moved.
It may not be over for me, with either a limited role under 2.0 or coming back full bore here later. (Remember that my initial position with HRT sunsets after one year.) In the meantime, I hope I get interest from others to launch 2.0. Regardless, I plan to keep this blog up, allowing it to serve as an archive of past events. Nakemiin.
1. Obvious on mass transit writing.
2. Legally, HRT is a corporation held one-seventh by each member city. To blog on local politics would be talking about my employer.
3. HRT has a seat on the TPO.
My duties will begin with light rail launch in the morning, which is why I set this to autopost Thursday evening.
2.0 would be for me to fade into the background, chipping in a post where I can, while giving the front seat to my best friends in the African-American community leadership. I e-mailed them over the weekend, seeking at least two additional posters. (A single poster would always be compared and contrasted with me.) This established platform would continue to advocate for an inclusive Virginia Beach, having a given readership base to build on. I'm not holding my breath on it, as I made similar recruitment pitches in the wake of each of Andrew Jackson's campaigns for the Virginia Beach City Council.
I've been hired to be a Data Collector at HRT, doing manual passenger counts on The Tide. Under Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regulations, manual counts are mandated during the first year of revenue service. (In addition, there are automated systems just inside the train doors.) Everyone at HRT is cognisant of the fact that there has been much speculation about how many will ride The Tide. Having completed my training, let me make it clear to everyone: given the methodology and redundancies in the system, it would be virtually impossible to fudge The Tide ridership numbers. The FTA will be watching, and - given the history of the project - will certainly check it anything appears off.
There have been talks between HRT executives and I over the past few months about me possibly joining the team. They began recruiting me once they learned that my previous place of employment was probably going to close. As HRT needed to add dependable additional staff for light rail launch, it was fairly obvious where to put me. In the interim, I put one project for this blog on ice: a political satire series. On the 13th of each month, I was going to chronicle the Really Evil Taxpayers Against Rational Decisions (RETARD). In fact, in my desk I have a scratch sheet with topics for nine installments of the RETARDs.
It's been a fun run. I had been considering blogging for months, but was finally pushed when no one covered a citizens meeting held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. My one failure was never attracting additional posters, as I never intended to do this all alone indefinitely. While the number of hits on this site has been relatively low, the point is who reads this blog. I've had a virtual who's who cite it back to me. It's been a niche blog, providing information and insights you can't find anywhere else on the Internet.
For we grassroots inclusionists, both status quoers and the extremist VBTA present serious problems. Those of the status quo are usually more subtle. However, I hope others continue to speak out loudly about what the VBTA's sinister agenda really means for Virginia Beach.
Finally, I'd be remiss not to invite you to come ride light rail on launch weekend - and to become repeat customers. Given that the lion's share of my initial duties will be onboard the trains themselves, part of my training had me out riding The Tide. It has the Wow Factor. The bulk of my fellow Data Collectors aren't mass transit advocates, but simply people looking for good work. However, when we rode as part of our training, they were pulling out their smartphones to take video and photos of the run. They were moved.
It may not be over for me, with either a limited role under 2.0 or coming back full bore here later. (Remember that my initial position with HRT sunsets after one year.) In the meantime, I hope I get interest from others to launch 2.0. Regardless, I plan to keep this blog up, allowing it to serve as an archive of past events. Nakemiin.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
There's A Stench In The Pasture
John Moss did a television interview with WAVY on the pending deal to to build a convention center headquarters hotel in Virginia Beach. On the Republican Party of Virginia Beach's (RPVB) Facebook page, Moss claims his opposition to such an agreement is based on it being in violation of the Republican Creed.
Of course, Moss served for years as Chairman of the extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA). The tiny breakfast cult is dominated by members of The Laughingstock Party-er, Tidewater Libertarian Party (TLP).
That begs the obvious question for Council candidate Moss: if he is so concerned about Republican principles, why didn't he spend the last decade working within the RPVB rather than being figurehead for a clique of faux Libertarians?
Of course, Moss served for years as Chairman of the extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA). The tiny breakfast cult is dominated by members of The Laughingstock Party-er, Tidewater Libertarian Party (TLP).
That begs the obvious question for Council candidate Moss: if he is so concerned about Republican principles, why didn't he spend the last decade working within the RPVB rather than being figurehead for a clique of faux Libertarians?
2011 Redistricting So Far
The Virginia Beach City Council is scheduled to approve a new seven district map for City Council and School Board on August 23. Given what happened at this past Tuesday night's Public Hearing before Council, it's likely to be a map we haven't even seen yet. At this time, I'd like to take a look at issues and events from the process so far.
The first of the meetings was at Green Run High School in June. At that time the City Attorney's Office strongly discouraged any plans other than seven district plans. While other proposals would be accepted, the City wanted to avoid anything that would require a City Charter change. So far we've seen nothing but seven district plans, which might be choking outside of the box thinking.
Another point is the failure to look at alternative voting systems. The debate has pivoted on two questions: how to draw the seven districts, and whether the seven district members should be elected solely within their districts. At the third meeting, I raised the possibility of cumulative voting. It would aid minority representation, while not triggering any of the publicly-stated arguments against a ward system.
Prior to the Chris Felton Plan being submitted on Monday, the source of every plan had been either the Council Liaisons or the NAACP. NAACP1 was the civil rights group's original submission, with NAACP2 drawn to meet objections raised by a quartet of Councilpersons. Those same Councilpersons then drafted another plan, which was sent to the NAACP in search of an endorsement. The "compromise of a compromise" was so watered down from the original intent that no blessing was forthcoming. It has never been officially filed, so it doesn't appear on the Redistricting website.
There is the issue of which should be the minority-majority district, Centerville or Rose Hall? While the Council Liaison plans have been based on Centerville, the NAACP plans are based on Rose Hall. The problem with Centerville is the unstable Asian-American concentrations in the southwest. The stunning difference I saw in first looking at the 2010 Census numbers was the change in the Asian-American concentration map from the 2000 Census. While you could draw Centerville as a minority-majority district today, it is highly questionable as to whether that status could be maintained in subsequent redistrictings. In sharp contrast, the minority numbers in Green Run are sustainable, so Rose Hall should become the minority-majority district in a seven district plan.
The root of many comments during the public meetings so far has been The Northwest Crescent, the Beach's densest minority concentration. It runs roughly from the northwest corner of the Virginia Beach Boulevard/Witchduck Road intersection to the Campus East and Burton Station areas. Along the way it takes in Lake Edward, with decent numbers in the periphery at Cypress Point. From a standpoint of minority representation, that concentration needs to be kept intact on one side of the Bayside - Kempsville line or the other. That forces a curved district line that inevitably will put a neighborhood into a district that a layman would think doesn't make sense. When you also consider the policy implications, it makes more sense to put the concentration in Kempsville District. That gives Vice Mayor Louis Jones the Central Business District. Therefore, you loop the line northward in the west, then dip it southward in the east. That puts parts of historic Kempsville into Bayside District, which has led to some civic league complaints. However, failure to get that line correct would be an obvious red flag when an approved plan is sent to the Justice Department for preclearance.
While I drew 2 of the 7 plans in 2001, I haven't taken a shot this time. The efforts of my good friends in the African-American community leadership were so far ahead that I didn't want to do anything that might undercut them. I've done backseat support for their efforts.
You knew I couldn't resist a chance to attack the extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA), didn't you? While the VBTA has always given lip service towards a ward system, the only VBTAer at any of the five public meetings has been previous Chairman John Moss. At the third meeting he endorsed the NAACP's position as an individual. Then, it's probably better for the cause that the village idiots don't invade the Council Chambers.
A largely status quo plan will almost certainly be adopted on August 23. The two baseline needs are keeping The Northwest Crescent intact and drawing Rose Hall District as a minority-majority district.
The first of the meetings was at Green Run High School in June. At that time the City Attorney's Office strongly discouraged any plans other than seven district plans. While other proposals would be accepted, the City wanted to avoid anything that would require a City Charter change. So far we've seen nothing but seven district plans, which might be choking outside of the box thinking.
Another point is the failure to look at alternative voting systems. The debate has pivoted on two questions: how to draw the seven districts, and whether the seven district members should be elected solely within their districts. At the third meeting, I raised the possibility of cumulative voting. It would aid minority representation, while not triggering any of the publicly-stated arguments against a ward system.
Prior to the Chris Felton Plan being submitted on Monday, the source of every plan had been either the Council Liaisons or the NAACP. NAACP1 was the civil rights group's original submission, with NAACP2 drawn to meet objections raised by a quartet of Councilpersons. Those same Councilpersons then drafted another plan, which was sent to the NAACP in search of an endorsement. The "compromise of a compromise" was so watered down from the original intent that no blessing was forthcoming. It has never been officially filed, so it doesn't appear on the Redistricting website.
There is the issue of which should be the minority-majority district, Centerville or Rose Hall? While the Council Liaison plans have been based on Centerville, the NAACP plans are based on Rose Hall. The problem with Centerville is the unstable Asian-American concentrations in the southwest. The stunning difference I saw in first looking at the 2010 Census numbers was the change in the Asian-American concentration map from the 2000 Census. While you could draw Centerville as a minority-majority district today, it is highly questionable as to whether that status could be maintained in subsequent redistrictings. In sharp contrast, the minority numbers in Green Run are sustainable, so Rose Hall should become the minority-majority district in a seven district plan.
The root of many comments during the public meetings so far has been The Northwest Crescent, the Beach's densest minority concentration. It runs roughly from the northwest corner of the Virginia Beach Boulevard/Witchduck Road intersection to the Campus East and Burton Station areas. Along the way it takes in Lake Edward, with decent numbers in the periphery at Cypress Point. From a standpoint of minority representation, that concentration needs to be kept intact on one side of the Bayside - Kempsville line or the other. That forces a curved district line that inevitably will put a neighborhood into a district that a layman would think doesn't make sense. When you also consider the policy implications, it makes more sense to put the concentration in Kempsville District. That gives Vice Mayor Louis Jones the Central Business District. Therefore, you loop the line northward in the west, then dip it southward in the east. That puts parts of historic Kempsville into Bayside District, which has led to some civic league complaints. However, failure to get that line correct would be an obvious red flag when an approved plan is sent to the Justice Department for preclearance.
While I drew 2 of the 7 plans in 2001, I haven't taken a shot this time. The efforts of my good friends in the African-American community leadership were so far ahead that I didn't want to do anything that might undercut them. I've done backseat support for their efforts.
You knew I couldn't resist a chance to attack the extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA), didn't you? While the VBTA has always given lip service towards a ward system, the only VBTAer at any of the five public meetings has been previous Chairman John Moss. At the third meeting he endorsed the NAACP's position as an individual. Then, it's probably better for the cause that the village idiots don't invade the Council Chambers.
A largely status quo plan will almost certainly be adopted on August 23. The two baseline needs are keeping The Northwest Crescent intact and drawing Rose Hall District as a minority-majority district.
Friday, August 5, 2011
City Council Goal Setting Workshop
Today the Virginia Beach City Council held a one day Goal Setting Workshop. The 6 1/2 hour meeting was in the Department of Economic Development (DED) Board Room at Town Center.
TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION
Each Councilperson had a prior telephone interview with Facilitator Lyle Sumek. The following issues were brought up in those interviews by at least two Councilpersons:
1. SPSA and Landfill
2. Schools and Funding
3. Process Improvement
4. Pleasure House Point
5. Revenues: Direction for FY 2013
6. Use of Sponsorships
7. State Revenues to the City: Direction
8. Outsourcing: Recreation Centers, Others
9. Dredging/Spoils
10. SGA: Direction
11. Form-Based Code
12. TMDL
13. Williams Center
14. Convention Center Headquarters Hotel
15. Dome site
16. Sand/Beach Replenishment
17. Gambling/Video Gaming
18. City Redistricting
19. Legislative Agenda: Topics
20. Work Session: Discussion Time
21. Confidentiality of Closed Sessions
22. Burton Station
23. Bike/Trail Plan
24. TOD: Direction
STRATEGIC GROWTH AREAS (SGAs)
Things restarted after the lunch break with SGA Office Manager Barry Frankenfield giving a status report on our SGAs. He covered the planned identity for each SGA, the proposed infrastructure projects in them, schedules for upcoming plans, etc.
The Rosemont SGA plan is due to be approved by Council September 13. The final three are scheduled for 2012: Lynnhaven (March), Hilltop (June), and Centerville (December).
For those screaming that this is an attempt to totally redo the city, City Manager Jim Spore pointed out that the SGAs comprise less than 2% of Virginia Beach's land area. 98% would remain as is.
Implementation strategy was questioned. Policy has been to slowly work each SGA that has a plan, as we don't know where a potential private investor may want to redevelop. Louis Jones has long wanted to target 2-3 with our finite resources, and he was joined by Prescott Sherrod.
In addition, consensus now wants to designate Princess Anne Commons a SGA. That is to target resources to the area, hoping we can have quality spinoff development from the new Sentara Princess Anne Hospital.
FY 2013
Fiscal policy is always a discussion point, especially in this recession. It is projected that property assessments will be down 5% in 2012. That would mean a loss of $20 million in Property Tax revenue for the City, on top of the already-expected Budget shortfall for FY 2013 of $50 million. (Big, but we've had worse in recent memory.)
Vice Mayor Louis Jones cautioned against slash and burn, warning we could induce our own local economic problems, and he was echoed by Councilman Glenn Davis. Bob Dyer took the middle ground, stating we'd have to tweak and reprioritize. It was pointed out that bond houses base our rating not only on debt load, but what we're doing on economic development in order that we have future debt service capacity. Jim Spore noted Property Tax revenue has been down about $190 million over the past few years, but we've weathered the storm - in part - due to revenue from investments made in the recent past.
Foreclosures have accounted for 27% of home sales in Virginia Beach during the past year.
THE MR. BILL SHOW
Give Councilman Bill DeSteph enough time to talk and he'll say something stupid. Today was no exception.
First, under discussion of our City debt situation, he started citing statistics from our Federal debt standing. As if Council was responsible for Federal debt. (Hey, he thinks we do New York City land use....)
Second, he not only wants to revoke the May increase of our City's self-imposed debt ceiling, but wants to lower it below the previous figure.
Third, Mayor Will Sessoms spoke of how road construction can be good for the local economy. We not only get new roads out of it, but it creates jobs for locals. DeSteph retorted there was no latter benefit if the international students who come to work here build the roads. Councilman John Uhrin pointed out he'd never heard of the students building roads here.
Fourth, DeSteph wants to cut economic development initiatives based on the recession. I was incredulous: DeSteph's position boils down to the notion that we're so bad off economically that we should stop trying to create new jobs!
Fifth, he brought up City debt again under Governance, which was out of order. He said he was going to keep talking about it even if no one on Council backed him on it. (Yeah, the other ten all know he's out there.)
CITY REDISTRICTING
The Council Liaisons on the issue (Glenn Davis & Louis Jones) claimed that they had a plan (presumably 2C) that would make everyone who has spoken happy.
When I got home, I had to e-mail my good NAACP friends ASAP to let them know what a bunch of happy campers we're suppose to be. First, 2C makes Centerville District minority-majority, while NAACP1 makes Rose Hall District minority-majority. Second, anyone who knows both the Census numbers and civil rights law grasps that Council offering 2C as a reasonable alternative to NAACP1 is disingenuous at best. Third, NAACP1 has two additional districts that are influence districts.
It's disgusting, but the Virginia Beach City Council rejecting inclusion was virtually a foregone conclusion. I plan a post sometime August 10-18 to cover the process more in depth. (That's why I refrained from covering Redistricting in Random Thoughts August 4, 2011, as I already had the post in the pipes.)
VBTA
Things wouldn't be fun unless I threw out a couple nuggets for my favorite whipping boys, the extremist VBTA, to choke on.
First, the percentage of income that the average citizen pays to local government in taxes and fees today is at the same level as 1958.
I can hear the knuckle-draggers yelling, "Where did that come from?!?" MoveOn? Organizing for America? No, it's actually from a report by the conservative Heritage Foundation.
Second, City of Virginia Beach revenue in 2011 is at 2007 levels, with a dip (see: Assessments) expected in 2012. Next time they claim we're on a spending binge....
OTHER
1. Council decided not to include video poker authorization in the 2012 Community Legislative Package. It was noted that what gambling bills that passed the General Assembly in 2011 were all about raising the penalties for illegal gambling, so video poker legislation wouldn't have a snowball's chance in Richmond.
2. The new animal shelter is ahead of schedule. Due to open in January, it may be ready in December.
3. The number of applications for services from the Department of Human Services has doubled in the past five years.
4. The City will look at outsourcing our recreation centers, as it did with municipal golf courses and Sportsplex. However, a couple Councilmen had reservations about the idea.
5. The proposed bike trail in the periphery of the Norfolk Southern Right-Of-Way has been on hold pending completion of the Alternatives Analysis of the Virginia Beach Transit Extension Study. The issue is that LRT and BRT require different widths, so it can't be engineered as such until a transit mode is chosen.
Rather than the initial talk of acquiring additional land where the ROW is too narrow, the preferred option now is to look at diverting the bikes to parallel neighborhood streets in such areas.
6. Michael Jenkins' option on redeveloping the Dome site expires September 30. He either needs everything square by then, or to request another extension from the Virginia Beach Development Authority (VBDA).
7. The Virginia Aquarium Area Plan is scheduled to go to Council on November 8.
8. Two additional Councilmen expressed opposition to the proposed tent city for the homeless.
9. The best joke of the day was by Jim Wood. When Council discussed selling tasteful sponsorships for City facilities and events, Wood suggested "Kellam High School, brought to you by Towne Bank".
TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION
Each Councilperson had a prior telephone interview with Facilitator Lyle Sumek. The following issues were brought up in those interviews by at least two Councilpersons:
1. SPSA and Landfill
2. Schools and Funding
3. Process Improvement
4. Pleasure House Point
5. Revenues: Direction for FY 2013
6. Use of Sponsorships
7. State Revenues to the City: Direction
8. Outsourcing: Recreation Centers, Others
9. Dredging/Spoils
10. SGA: Direction
11. Form-Based Code
12. TMDL
13. Williams Center
14. Convention Center Headquarters Hotel
15. Dome site
16. Sand/Beach Replenishment
17. Gambling/Video Gaming
18. City Redistricting
19. Legislative Agenda: Topics
20. Work Session: Discussion Time
21. Confidentiality of Closed Sessions
22. Burton Station
23. Bike/Trail Plan
24. TOD: Direction
STRATEGIC GROWTH AREAS (SGAs)
Things restarted after the lunch break with SGA Office Manager Barry Frankenfield giving a status report on our SGAs. He covered the planned identity for each SGA, the proposed infrastructure projects in them, schedules for upcoming plans, etc.
The Rosemont SGA plan is due to be approved by Council September 13. The final three are scheduled for 2012: Lynnhaven (March), Hilltop (June), and Centerville (December).
For those screaming that this is an attempt to totally redo the city, City Manager Jim Spore pointed out that the SGAs comprise less than 2% of Virginia Beach's land area. 98% would remain as is.
Implementation strategy was questioned. Policy has been to slowly work each SGA that has a plan, as we don't know where a potential private investor may want to redevelop. Louis Jones has long wanted to target 2-3 with our finite resources, and he was joined by Prescott Sherrod.
In addition, consensus now wants to designate Princess Anne Commons a SGA. That is to target resources to the area, hoping we can have quality spinoff development from the new Sentara Princess Anne Hospital.
FY 2013
Fiscal policy is always a discussion point, especially in this recession. It is projected that property assessments will be down 5% in 2012. That would mean a loss of $20 million in Property Tax revenue for the City, on top of the already-expected Budget shortfall for FY 2013 of $50 million. (Big, but we've had worse in recent memory.)
Vice Mayor Louis Jones cautioned against slash and burn, warning we could induce our own local economic problems, and he was echoed by Councilman Glenn Davis. Bob Dyer took the middle ground, stating we'd have to tweak and reprioritize. It was pointed out that bond houses base our rating not only on debt load, but what we're doing on economic development in order that we have future debt service capacity. Jim Spore noted Property Tax revenue has been down about $190 million over the past few years, but we've weathered the storm - in part - due to revenue from investments made in the recent past.
Foreclosures have accounted for 27% of home sales in Virginia Beach during the past year.
THE MR. BILL SHOW
Give Councilman Bill DeSteph enough time to talk and he'll say something stupid. Today was no exception.
First, under discussion of our City debt situation, he started citing statistics from our Federal debt standing. As if Council was responsible for Federal debt. (Hey, he thinks we do New York City land use....)
Second, he not only wants to revoke the May increase of our City's self-imposed debt ceiling, but wants to lower it below the previous figure.
Third, Mayor Will Sessoms spoke of how road construction can be good for the local economy. We not only get new roads out of it, but it creates jobs for locals. DeSteph retorted there was no latter benefit if the international students who come to work here build the roads. Councilman John Uhrin pointed out he'd never heard of the students building roads here.
Fourth, DeSteph wants to cut economic development initiatives based on the recession. I was incredulous: DeSteph's position boils down to the notion that we're so bad off economically that we should stop trying to create new jobs!
Fifth, he brought up City debt again under Governance, which was out of order. He said he was going to keep talking about it even if no one on Council backed him on it. (Yeah, the other ten all know he's out there.)
CITY REDISTRICTING
The Council Liaisons on the issue (Glenn Davis & Louis Jones) claimed that they had a plan (presumably 2C) that would make everyone who has spoken happy.
When I got home, I had to e-mail my good NAACP friends ASAP to let them know what a bunch of happy campers we're suppose to be. First, 2C makes Centerville District minority-majority, while NAACP1 makes Rose Hall District minority-majority. Second, anyone who knows both the Census numbers and civil rights law grasps that Council offering 2C as a reasonable alternative to NAACP1 is disingenuous at best. Third, NAACP1 has two additional districts that are influence districts.
It's disgusting, but the Virginia Beach City Council rejecting inclusion was virtually a foregone conclusion. I plan a post sometime August 10-18 to cover the process more in depth. (That's why I refrained from covering Redistricting in Random Thoughts August 4, 2011, as I already had the post in the pipes.)
VBTA
Things wouldn't be fun unless I threw out a couple nuggets for my favorite whipping boys, the extremist VBTA, to choke on.
First, the percentage of income that the average citizen pays to local government in taxes and fees today is at the same level as 1958.
I can hear the knuckle-draggers yelling, "Where did that come from?!?" MoveOn? Organizing for America? No, it's actually from a report by the conservative Heritage Foundation.
Second, City of Virginia Beach revenue in 2011 is at 2007 levels, with a dip (see: Assessments) expected in 2012. Next time they claim we're on a spending binge....
OTHER
1. Council decided not to include video poker authorization in the 2012 Community Legislative Package. It was noted that what gambling bills that passed the General Assembly in 2011 were all about raising the penalties for illegal gambling, so video poker legislation wouldn't have a snowball's chance in Richmond.
2. The new animal shelter is ahead of schedule. Due to open in January, it may be ready in December.
3. The number of applications for services from the Department of Human Services has doubled in the past five years.
4. The City will look at outsourcing our recreation centers, as it did with municipal golf courses and Sportsplex. However, a couple Councilmen had reservations about the idea.
5. The proposed bike trail in the periphery of the Norfolk Southern Right-Of-Way has been on hold pending completion of the Alternatives Analysis of the Virginia Beach Transit Extension Study. The issue is that LRT and BRT require different widths, so it can't be engineered as such until a transit mode is chosen.
Rather than the initial talk of acquiring additional land where the ROW is too narrow, the preferred option now is to look at diverting the bikes to parallel neighborhood streets in such areas.
6. Michael Jenkins' option on redeveloping the Dome site expires September 30. He either needs everything square by then, or to request another extension from the Virginia Beach Development Authority (VBDA).
7. The Virginia Aquarium Area Plan is scheduled to go to Council on November 8.
8. Two additional Councilmen expressed opposition to the proposed tent city for the homeless.
9. The best joke of the day was by Jim Wood. When Council discussed selling tasteful sponsorships for City facilities and events, Wood suggested "Kellam High School, brought to you by Towne Bank".
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Random Thoughts August 4, 2011
1. The City of Norfolk has a Department of Parks & Urban Forestry. Isn't "Urban Forestry" an oxymoron?
2. When will the agreement on an entertainment complex for the Dome site be completed? We've been on the cusp of closing the deal for months.
3. Who files at the 11th hour for this November's Virginia Beach City Council special election should be interesting. When perennial candidate John Moss first announced, I couldn't have imagined he'd be in a position to still be taken seriously at this point.
4. Meyera Oberndorf is being recruited by the Demonrats to run for the 7th Senate District seat this November. Anyone who has worked a General Assembly race before (and I've done a few) knows standing up a credible campaign just 90 days out from Election Day is virtually impossible.
Therefore, the only rational reason I can see for her running is to boost voter turnout on the west side of Virginia Beach (7th District), which would help a status quo Council candidate but hurt John Moss.
5. My best wishes to the new Republic of South Sudan. Now if they would change the country name to disassociate themselves from the thugs who rule in Khartoum. Maybe a beautiful name in one of the indigenous languages.
6. With zero units constructed through Virginia Beach's Workforce Housing Program, how long until the City takes more forceful measures to get the units built?
7. With Southwest Airlines buying AirTran, and closing their Newport News station next Spring, what - if any - of the Newport News AirTran flights become Norfolk Southwest flights? Conventional wisdom is that Atlanta service is a given, but do we also get Boston and New York - LaGuardia?
8. In his latest blog post, even Bob O'Connor had to admit that Virginia Beach light rail is inevitable. How long before other Kool-Aid chuggers catch on, and end their futile resistance?
9. How much longer can the European Union keep putting out national financial crisis after national financial crisis in the euro zone?
10. Hampton Roads Center for Civic Engagement (HRCCE) Executive Director (and former City of Virginia Beach staffer) Betsy McBride has moved back to her native Idaho. That led a mid-level City staffer to joke about potato farming. Glad to know I'm not the only one who has quipped about that.
11. What has the Hampton Roads Partnership been doing since the Declaration of Interdependence?
12. Sweating our way through this Summer, only a Flat Earther could continue to deny climate change.
13. The teahadists burned any credibility they had in opposing the raising of the Federal debt ceiling. If they had taken time to notice, everyone in the mainstream knew it was necessary, with the arguments being over what conditions to attach to it. The tea baggers would have triggered a second Great Depression with a Federal debt default.
14. Speaking of such, in a comment on the blog Bearing Drift, Reid Greenmun called raising the Federal debt ceiling "insane". If the Chairman of the extremist VBTA wants to see what is actually insane, all he has to do is look in the mirror.
15. Suffolk has yet to decide on a final proposed option on how to replace Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) bus service come January 1. Stay tuned, as this one could get entertaining before it's over. (Entertaining, unless you're a Suffolk bus rider.)
16. The jockeying is on over the vacant Chief Communications Officer's position at HRT, with its $100k+ annual salary. Two applicants have already spoke to me about the job.
17. In picking up sports from the British, why did cricket have to eclipse soccer in India? With the country having as large a population (read: talent base) as it does, it could have had a great men's national soccer team. (In Asia, even friggin' North Korea has a much better team.)
18. So far, picking a candidate to support in the Republican Presidential field is a case of choosing the lesser of evils. (Yes, I still wish Mike Huckabee was running.)
19. Since the Chilean miners rescue, it seems like the only big story out of South America has been the health of Venezuelan President Huge Chavez. Damn quiet. Then, is quiet preferable?
2. When will the agreement on an entertainment complex for the Dome site be completed? We've been on the cusp of closing the deal for months.
3. Who files at the 11th hour for this November's Virginia Beach City Council special election should be interesting. When perennial candidate John Moss first announced, I couldn't have imagined he'd be in a position to still be taken seriously at this point.
4. Meyera Oberndorf is being recruited by the Demonrats to run for the 7th Senate District seat this November. Anyone who has worked a General Assembly race before (and I've done a few) knows standing up a credible campaign just 90 days out from Election Day is virtually impossible.
Therefore, the only rational reason I can see for her running is to boost voter turnout on the west side of Virginia Beach (7th District), which would help a status quo Council candidate but hurt John Moss.
5. My best wishes to the new Republic of South Sudan. Now if they would change the country name to disassociate themselves from the thugs who rule in Khartoum. Maybe a beautiful name in one of the indigenous languages.
6. With zero units constructed through Virginia Beach's Workforce Housing Program, how long until the City takes more forceful measures to get the units built?
7. With Southwest Airlines buying AirTran, and closing their Newport News station next Spring, what - if any - of the Newport News AirTran flights become Norfolk Southwest flights? Conventional wisdom is that Atlanta service is a given, but do we also get Boston and New York - LaGuardia?
8. In his latest blog post, even Bob O'Connor had to admit that Virginia Beach light rail is inevitable. How long before other Kool-Aid chuggers catch on, and end their futile resistance?
9. How much longer can the European Union keep putting out national financial crisis after national financial crisis in the euro zone?
10. Hampton Roads Center for Civic Engagement (HRCCE) Executive Director (and former City of Virginia Beach staffer) Betsy McBride has moved back to her native Idaho. That led a mid-level City staffer to joke about potato farming. Glad to know I'm not the only one who has quipped about that.
11. What has the Hampton Roads Partnership been doing since the Declaration of Interdependence?
12. Sweating our way through this Summer, only a Flat Earther could continue to deny climate change.
13. The teahadists burned any credibility they had in opposing the raising of the Federal debt ceiling. If they had taken time to notice, everyone in the mainstream knew it was necessary, with the arguments being over what conditions to attach to it. The tea baggers would have triggered a second Great Depression with a Federal debt default.
14. Speaking of such, in a comment on the blog Bearing Drift, Reid Greenmun called raising the Federal debt ceiling "insane". If the Chairman of the extremist VBTA wants to see what is actually insane, all he has to do is look in the mirror.
15. Suffolk has yet to decide on a final proposed option on how to replace Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) bus service come January 1. Stay tuned, as this one could get entertaining before it's over. (Entertaining, unless you're a Suffolk bus rider.)
16. The jockeying is on over the vacant Chief Communications Officer's position at HRT, with its $100k+ annual salary. Two applicants have already spoke to me about the job.
17. In picking up sports from the British, why did cricket have to eclipse soccer in India? With the country having as large a population (read: talent base) as it does, it could have had a great men's national soccer team. (In Asia, even friggin' North Korea has a much better team.)
18. So far, picking a candidate to support in the Republican Presidential field is a case of choosing the lesser of evils. (Yes, I still wish Mike Huckabee was running.)
19. Since the Chilean miners rescue, it seems like the only big story out of South America has been the health of Venezuelan President Huge Chavez. Damn quiet. Then, is quiet preferable?
Monday, August 1, 2011
Calling The Fringe Right's Big Lie
You get the usual garbage from the fringe right: mass transit is a waste of money, we should do roads only, etc.
Let me put the issue in perspective: if you took every non-light rail cent of government money in HRT's FY 2011 Budget and plowed it into roads instead, it wouldn't be enough to build two lane miles of interstate. Fact.
On the other hand, Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) moves over 50,000 people every weekday with that money. So you decide: which is the more cost-effective option? It's pretty simple.
Let me put the issue in perspective: if you took every non-light rail cent of government money in HRT's FY 2011 Budget and plowed it into roads instead, it wouldn't be enough to build two lane miles of interstate. Fact.
On the other hand, Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) moves over 50,000 people every weekday with that money. So you decide: which is the more cost-effective option? It's pretty simple.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
TDCHR July 28, 2011
This afternoon there was a fairly uneventful meeting of the Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads (TDCHR), the governing board of Hampton Roads Transit (HRT).
Obviously the August 19 launch of light rail service was talked about. The final figure for the actual cost of construction will be given at the August TDCHR meeting. However, this month's report has it on a track to come in significantly below the $338 million cost to complete figure.
HRT ended FY 2011 more than $1.8 million under Budget.
Ridership in May, 2011 was up over May, 2010.
Hits on HRT's website have hit an all-time high. A record for a month was set in May, 2011, only to have June come in about 50,000 hits above that figure.
Finally, Henry Ryto was awarded HRT's President's Coin for his 38 months of service as Chairman of what's now the Transit Riders Advisory Committee (TRAC). Ryto becomes the first person ever to win the agency's top honor based on duty performed as a non-employee. (Every other winner has been an employee.) Robert Dean and Reid Greenmun won't sleep for a few days.
Obviously the August 19 launch of light rail service was talked about. The final figure for the actual cost of construction will be given at the August TDCHR meeting. However, this month's report has it on a track to come in significantly below the $338 million cost to complete figure.
HRT ended FY 2011 more than $1.8 million under Budget.
Ridership in May, 2011 was up over May, 2010.
Hits on HRT's website have hit an all-time high. A record for a month was set in May, 2011, only to have June come in about 50,000 hits above that figure.
Finally, Henry Ryto was awarded HRT's President's Coin for his 38 months of service as Chairman of what's now the Transit Riders Advisory Committee (TRAC). Ryto becomes the first person ever to win the agency's top honor based on duty performed as a non-employee. (Every other winner has been an employee.) Robert Dean and Reid Greenmun won't sleep for a few days.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Greenmun Named VBTA Chairman
Reid Greenmun has been named Chairman of the extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA). John Moss stepped down from the post, in part wanting to try to distance himself from the nutcases prior to his latest City Council run. (Too late for that, John.)
Two very serious problems with that. First, Reid is the biggest political extremist in Virginia Beach. He regularly takes personal positions that are even to the right of the VBTA. Therefore, expect the VBTA to become even more radical. Second, the guy has zero grasp of reality. He habitually floats proposals that are either blatantly illegal or politically DOA.
Reid's political roots in Virginia Beach are every bit as fringe as the VBTA. He worked on Mike Arsuaga's 2000 Mayoral campaign, and was Barbara Messner's sidekick in the 31st Street park movement. Greenmun drafted the By-Laws that Messner wanted for the original 31st Street group. When they were voted down, both Greenmun and Messner left the original group, unable to accept majority rule.
It reminds me of the Spanish Civil War. With the Republicans about to lose the war, the Stalinists staged a coup. If they were going to lose, at least they wanted to go down ideologically pure. The VBTA will go down the tubes in a similar manner.
The bottom line: Greenmun's promotion ensures the demise of the VBTA
Two very serious problems with that. First, Reid is the biggest political extremist in Virginia Beach. He regularly takes personal positions that are even to the right of the VBTA. Therefore, expect the VBTA to become even more radical. Second, the guy has zero grasp of reality. He habitually floats proposals that are either blatantly illegal or politically DOA.
Reid's political roots in Virginia Beach are every bit as fringe as the VBTA. He worked on Mike Arsuaga's 2000 Mayoral campaign, and was Barbara Messner's sidekick in the 31st Street park movement. Greenmun drafted the By-Laws that Messner wanted for the original 31st Street group. When they were voted down, both Greenmun and Messner left the original group, unable to accept majority rule.
It reminds me of the Spanish Civil War. With the Republicans about to lose the war, the Stalinists staged a coup. If they were going to lose, at least they wanted to go down ideologically pure. The VBTA will go down the tubes in a similar manner.
The bottom line: Greenmun's promotion ensures the demise of the VBTA
Sunday, July 24, 2011
The Map Endorsement By Moss
As I previously reported, John Moss endorsed the NAACP's positions on both a ward system as well as their original proposed map for redrawing Virginia Beach's City Council districts. Moss' argument centered on economic lines, that the map did the best job (of the then-four) of putting similar neighborhoods together.
Moss' rationale hits at a fundamental point: Virginia Beach is no longer the homogeneous suburb that some on the fringe right (including insane Reid Greenmun) pretend it is. The only way you could start to get to the fringe right's "great suburban utopia" is to go wild with a Redevelopment Authority and level thousands of multifamily dwelling units, replacing them with single family detached homes. Not only does the fringe right staunchly oppose a Redevelopment Authority, but Virginia's current eminent domain law leaves such a strategy virtually impossible. The fringe right's only electoral hope then is to district off Virginia Beach's distinctly suburban areas, conceding the others. Moss apparently has figured that out.
Status quoers have a similar problem, but not quite as big. There are sectors of voters they shouldn't be able to win. They cling to the arcane at-large voting system, believing they can win a majority of the whole if they throw enough money at it. That won't necessarily work, as last year's Council At-Large field results show. (Bill DeSteph came in 2nd, with John Moss 3rd.)
The only way to accurately reflect the growing variety in voting patterns is to change our electoral system. What alternative you go to will also have significant policy implications in outlying years.
Moss' rationale hits at a fundamental point: Virginia Beach is no longer the homogeneous suburb that some on the fringe right (including insane Reid Greenmun) pretend it is. The only way you could start to get to the fringe right's "great suburban utopia" is to go wild with a Redevelopment Authority and level thousands of multifamily dwelling units, replacing them with single family detached homes. Not only does the fringe right staunchly oppose a Redevelopment Authority, but Virginia's current eminent domain law leaves such a strategy virtually impossible. The fringe right's only electoral hope then is to district off Virginia Beach's distinctly suburban areas, conceding the others. Moss apparently has figured that out.
Status quoers have a similar problem, but not quite as big. There are sectors of voters they shouldn't be able to win. They cling to the arcane at-large voting system, believing they can win a majority of the whole if they throw enough money at it. That won't necessarily work, as last year's Council At-Large field results show. (Bill DeSteph came in 2nd, with John Moss 3rd.)
The only way to accurately reflect the growing variety in voting patterns is to change our electoral system. What alternative you go to will also have significant policy implications in outlying years.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Envision Virginia Beach 2040 Public Meeting
On Friday morning Envision Virginia Beach 2040 held a large public meeting at the Town Center Westin Hotel. Any member of the public could participate, provided you sent in your RSVP by the previous Friday.
The centerpiece was a Presentation by John Martin, President and CEO of the Southern Institute of Research. A demographer by profession, he covered occurring trends. That was followed by Questions & Answers, then breakouts at individual tables. Everyone then regrouped for a closing session.
Some bigger facts from Martin's Presentation:
1. The United States was 75% White in 1975, but will be only 25% White by 2090.
2. The Earth faces resource (particularly water and food) challenges, but is tackling them through our vastly improving technology.
3. 83% of Generation Y sleep with their cell phone on, and 75% of them use social media.
4. 800 million people worldwide engage in urban agriculture, producing 15%-20% of the food supply.
5. 80% of the world's population lives in urban areas.
Some trends that strike home at Virginia Beach:
1. Our population should reach 540,000 by 2040.
2. In the next twenty years, our White population will shrink by 9%, while our minority population will grow by 57%.
3. By 2040, Virginia Beach will be minority-majority.
4. Senior citizens will double as a percentage of our population, and 1 in 4 of them won't have a driver's license.
5. The growing number of households led by single people will require smaller and cheaper housing units.
Martin told the story of the Royal Calcutta Golf Club. When the British colonized India, they wanted to play golf, so they built the club (which still exists today). One problem: monkeys inhabited the course, and would come down and move golf balls, changing the lie. First they tried to trap the monkeys and move them, and then put nets along the fairways. Nothing worked. Therefore, a simple ground rule was implemented, "Play the ball where the monkey dropped it." The point: fighting the monkeys was futile, so the British would need to adapt. In the same vein, we need to adapt to our conditions today.
I didn't spot any members of the extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA) in attendance. That's too bad, as they would have heard John Martin explain that building a regional light rail network is a no-brainer, including the Virginia Beach extension.
Envision Virginia Beach 2040 is a committee appointed by the Virginia Beach City Council, seeking to draft a 30 year road map for our City. Their report is scheduled to go to Council in the Spring of 2012.
The Presentation Martin made was taped, and it is planned to put it as streaming video on the City's website.
The centerpiece was a Presentation by John Martin, President and CEO of the Southern Institute of Research. A demographer by profession, he covered occurring trends. That was followed by Questions & Answers, then breakouts at individual tables. Everyone then regrouped for a closing session.
Some bigger facts from Martin's Presentation:
1. The United States was 75% White in 1975, but will be only 25% White by 2090.
2. The Earth faces resource (particularly water and food) challenges, but is tackling them through our vastly improving technology.
3. 83% of Generation Y sleep with their cell phone on, and 75% of them use social media.
4. 800 million people worldwide engage in urban agriculture, producing 15%-20% of the food supply.
5. 80% of the world's population lives in urban areas.
Some trends that strike home at Virginia Beach:
1. Our population should reach 540,000 by 2040.
2. In the next twenty years, our White population will shrink by 9%, while our minority population will grow by 57%.
3. By 2040, Virginia Beach will be minority-majority.
4. Senior citizens will double as a percentage of our population, and 1 in 4 of them won't have a driver's license.
5. The growing number of households led by single people will require smaller and cheaper housing units.
Martin told the story of the Royal Calcutta Golf Club. When the British colonized India, they wanted to play golf, so they built the club (which still exists today). One problem: monkeys inhabited the course, and would come down and move golf balls, changing the lie. First they tried to trap the monkeys and move them, and then put nets along the fairways. Nothing worked. Therefore, a simple ground rule was implemented, "Play the ball where the monkey dropped it." The point: fighting the monkeys was futile, so the British would need to adapt. In the same vein, we need to adapt to our conditions today.
I didn't spot any members of the extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA) in attendance. That's too bad, as they would have heard John Martin explain that building a regional light rail network is a no-brainer, including the Virginia Beach extension.
Envision Virginia Beach 2040 is a committee appointed by the Virginia Beach City Council, seeking to draft a 30 year road map for our City. Their report is scheduled to go to Council in the Spring of 2012.
The Presentation Martin made was taped, and it is planned to put it as streaming video on the City's website.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
The Sherrod Appointment
As most of you now know, on Tuesday Prescott Sherrod was appointed to Rita Sweet Bellitto's vacant seat on the Virginia Beach City Council. The appointment has created a political firestorm and spawned conspiracy theories. I'll offer my look at it, while you can chime in under Comments.
I know Prescott Sherrod. I've served with him on Light Rail Now's Transportation Technical Advisory Committee, which he's been Chairman of. He strikes me as a nice, well-meaning guy. However, conventional wisdom is that he can't win the remaining three years on Bellitto's term in the November special election.
While Carl Wright's comment afterwards may have been coarse, it struck at a fundamental truth: the Virginia Beach City Council can't cite the Sherrod appointment as evidence that they've suddenly embraced inclusion. That would be as transparent a hoax as "Gorbachev is ill in the Crimea". Prescott Sherrod is a business community figure, not an African-American community leadership figure.
One of the theories floating in the African-American community is that Council made the appointment knowing Sherrod can't win in November, as the expected low voter turnout favors Republicans. Council pretends to be inclusive, knowing Sherrod will be replaced by a White Republican come New Year's. Conversely, Tanya Bullock wasn't appointed since, as a Republican incumbent, she could have easily won in November.
Like the Germans carelessly wheeling too vulnerably before Paris in 1914, status quoers are leaving their flank exposed. The fringe right has seemingly noticed. On Tuesday, Bill DeSteph voted against the Sherrod appointment; on Thursday, John Moss endorsed the African-American community leadership's new Council districts map and their position on a ward system. With Barack Obama at the top of the ballot that will have the 2012 City Council election, and thus a high minority turnout anticipated, this could have huge ramifications for the 2012 regular Council election.
Virginia Beach was 21.2% minority at the 1990 Census, 30.5% minority at the 2000 Census, and 35.5% minority at the 2010 Census. There were fewer Whites living in Virginia Beach in 2010 than in 1990. A look at the 2010 Census numbers will show you that Virginia Beach will easily surpass 40% minority by the 2020 Census. The status quoers who think they can continue to reject inclusion are whistling in the graveyard. Fundamental structural change in how Virginia Beach is governed is coming, one way or another, whether you like it or not.
I know Prescott Sherrod. I've served with him on Light Rail Now's Transportation Technical Advisory Committee, which he's been Chairman of. He strikes me as a nice, well-meaning guy. However, conventional wisdom is that he can't win the remaining three years on Bellitto's term in the November special election.
While Carl Wright's comment afterwards may have been coarse, it struck at a fundamental truth: the Virginia Beach City Council can't cite the Sherrod appointment as evidence that they've suddenly embraced inclusion. That would be as transparent a hoax as "Gorbachev is ill in the Crimea". Prescott Sherrod is a business community figure, not an African-American community leadership figure.
One of the theories floating in the African-American community is that Council made the appointment knowing Sherrod can't win in November, as the expected low voter turnout favors Republicans. Council pretends to be inclusive, knowing Sherrod will be replaced by a White Republican come New Year's. Conversely, Tanya Bullock wasn't appointed since, as a Republican incumbent, she could have easily won in November.
Like the Germans carelessly wheeling too vulnerably before Paris in 1914, status quoers are leaving their flank exposed. The fringe right has seemingly noticed. On Tuesday, Bill DeSteph voted against the Sherrod appointment; on Thursday, John Moss endorsed the African-American community leadership's new Council districts map and their position on a ward system. With Barack Obama at the top of the ballot that will have the 2012 City Council election, and thus a high minority turnout anticipated, this could have huge ramifications for the 2012 regular Council election.
Virginia Beach was 21.2% minority at the 1990 Census, 30.5% minority at the 2000 Census, and 35.5% minority at the 2010 Census. There were fewer Whites living in Virginia Beach in 2010 than in 1990. A look at the 2010 Census numbers will show you that Virginia Beach will easily surpass 40% minority by the 2020 Census. The status quoers who think they can continue to reject inclusion are whistling in the graveyard. Fundamental structural change in how Virginia Beach is governed is coming, one way or another, whether you like it or not.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Offer Again in 2011
I'll repeat an offer I made in 2008: any candidates in this year's Virginia Beach City Council special election (to fill the seat being vacated by Rita Sweet Bellitto) who would like to go bus riding, I'll be your tour guide and take you out to see what actually goes on out on Hampton Roads Transit's (HRT) buses. I guarantee you that you won't see any of the extremist VBTA's fictitious "empty buses". (In fact, the one I came home on yesterday afternoon, I had to squeeze into a small seat in the rear.)
Scott Taylor took up my offer in 2008. Will anyone in 2011?
If interested, let me know. As I'm scheduled to be placed on layoff from my current job on July 4 (the business location is closing), I'll probably have plenty of free time mid-Summer.
Scott Taylor took up my offer in 2008. Will anyone in 2011?
If interested, let me know. As I'm scheduled to be placed on layoff from my current job on July 4 (the business location is closing), I'll probably have plenty of free time mid-Summer.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Rita Sweet Bellitto Vacancy Candidate Questionaire
If you haven't seen it yet, posted below is the candidate questionnaire for the seat on the Virginia Beach City Council being vacated by Rita Sweet Bellitto.
What struck me are two glaring omissions. First, no specific question on transportation, despite that being a regular Top Priority coming out of Council Retreats. Second, nothing on the ongoing City Redistricting process, which will be one the hot button issues the interim appointee has to deal with.
Two questions caught my attention. On Question #10, does the City government think they have simply a public relations problem? While the City is handling that matter much better than 10-12 years ago, there are other measures they could take but aren't. In addition, I want to see John Moss' answer to Question #14. How does he reconcile trying to grow the economy with the draconian steps his extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA) wants the City to take, which would inevitably send investment elsewhere?
What struck me are two glaring omissions. First, no specific question on transportation, despite that being a regular Top Priority coming out of Council Retreats. Second, nothing on the ongoing City Redistricting process, which will be one the hot button issues the interim appointee has to deal with.
Two questions caught my attention. On Question #10, does the City government think they have simply a public relations problem? While the City is handling that matter much better than 10-12 years ago, there are other measures they could take but aren't. In addition, I want to see John Moss' answer to Question #14. How does he reconcile trying to grow the economy with the draconian steps his extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA) wants the City to take, which would inevitably send investment elsewhere?
Saturday, May 28, 2011
TDCHR May 26, 2011
Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads (TDCHR) meetings normally run about an hour. Thursday's went about 130 minutes, featuring a stormy debate around the fare verification & security services for The Tide contract.
You all want the light rail news. The Tide's maintenance facility is down to the punch list phase. Communications systems are on the ground. Systems integration testing will be completed by mid-June. Phase 1 of the Military Highway park and ride will be done by the second week of June, with the others done by July. The revenue service launch date will be announced by June 15, probably on June 9. It will be a date "in the near future".
Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) is $1.33 million under Budget for FY 2011. A plethora of bus maintenance issues during the past month cut into the surplus. In addition, the Budget for FY 2012 was passed.
Ridership for FY 2011 is up 4.6% over FY 2010, and ridership in April, 2011 was 3.3% greater than in April, 2010.
Four contracts were awarded on Thursday. Three were routine: for The Tide marketing campaign surrounding revenue service launch, Phase 2 of the Military Highway park and ride (which involved a four party land swap), and repairs on Elizabeth River Ferry II.
The fare verification & security contract sparked a broader debate about the fairness in awarding Tide contracts in general. Staff will now prepare a report on contract awards. After a heated discussion, the contract was awarded on a 7-3-1 vote.
For the buffoons in the extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA) who have tried to make issues of both fare verification and safety on the trains, Top Guard Security will now be patrolling them. Shut the hell up!
You all want the light rail news. The Tide's maintenance facility is down to the punch list phase. Communications systems are on the ground. Systems integration testing will be completed by mid-June. Phase 1 of the Military Highway park and ride will be done by the second week of June, with the others done by July. The revenue service launch date will be announced by June 15, probably on June 9. It will be a date "in the near future".
Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) is $1.33 million under Budget for FY 2011. A plethora of bus maintenance issues during the past month cut into the surplus. In addition, the Budget for FY 2012 was passed.
Ridership for FY 2011 is up 4.6% over FY 2010, and ridership in April, 2011 was 3.3% greater than in April, 2010.
Four contracts were awarded on Thursday. Three were routine: for The Tide marketing campaign surrounding revenue service launch, Phase 2 of the Military Highway park and ride (which involved a four party land swap), and repairs on Elizabeth River Ferry II.
The fare verification & security contract sparked a broader debate about the fairness in awarding Tide contracts in general. Staff will now prepare a report on contract awards. After a heated discussion, the contract was awarded on a 7-3-1 vote.
For the buffoons in the extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA) who have tried to make issues of both fare verification and safety on the trains, Top Guard Security will now be patrolling them. Shut the hell up!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
They're Coming To Take Them Away
64% agreed that Napoleon XIV's They're Coming To Take Me Away should be the theme song of the extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA). 35% chose Red Rider's Lunatic Fringe, while no one voted for Steve Miller's Lost In Space.
The new poll question: does the Virginia Beach city government care about the average resident?
The new poll question: does the Virginia Beach city government care about the average resident?
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Top 10 Reasons I'm Glad The Rapture Didn't Happen
Protestant preacher of heresy Harold Camping claimed The Rapture would happen at 6 P.M. this evening, but it didn't. While I was waiting for the hour to come, I drafted my Top 10 list of why I'm glad it didn't happen:
10. I want to see Zoe Saldana in Colombiana.
9. I don't want the world to come to an end having never married. (I still hope to meet a good African-American woman out on the buses.)
8. I want to see what challenges the Demonrats mount for General Assembly seats in Virginia Beach in 2011.
7. I want to hear the warped "logic" the Virginia Beach City Council espouses in defending the obscene at-large voting system. (I don't know whether I'll laugh or scoff more.)
6. I want to see an agreement for building an entertainment venue at the Dome site and read its details.
5. I didn't want the world to come to an end with the UFL's Virginia Destroyers having never played a game.
4. I want to see the tantrums VBTAers throw when John Moss isn't appointed to Rita Sweet Bellitto's vacant City Council seat.
3. I want to find out exactly which Virginia Beach City Councilman Virginia News Source is accusing of sexual misconduct.
2. I'm having too much fun laughing at the joke that is Protestantism. After this red herring, maybe more people will see it for what it is.
1. I want to ride Norfolk's light rail starter line before the world comes to an end.
10. I want to see Zoe Saldana in Colombiana.
9. I don't want the world to come to an end having never married. (I still hope to meet a good African-American woman out on the buses.)
8. I want to see what challenges the Demonrats mount for General Assembly seats in Virginia Beach in 2011.
7. I want to hear the warped "logic" the Virginia Beach City Council espouses in defending the obscene at-large voting system. (I don't know whether I'll laugh or scoff more.)
6. I want to see an agreement for building an entertainment venue at the Dome site and read its details.
5. I didn't want the world to come to an end with the UFL's Virginia Destroyers having never played a game.
4. I want to see the tantrums VBTAers throw when John Moss isn't appointed to Rita Sweet Bellitto's vacant City Council seat.
3. I want to find out exactly which Virginia Beach City Councilman Virginia News Source is accusing of sexual misconduct.
2. I'm having too much fun laughing at the joke that is Protestantism. After this red herring, maybe more people will see it for what it is.
1. I want to ride Norfolk's light rail starter line before the world comes to an end.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
7th Annual HRACRE Property Tour
Today the Hampton Roads Association for Commercial Real Estate (HRACRE) held their 7th annual property tour. Participants boarded a double decker motor coach at Virginia Beach's Town Center for the five stop tour that focused on Transit-Oriented Development (TOD).
The first stop was 31Ocean. Catching even the organizers off-guard, PHR/Gold Key prepared a special welcome for the tour. The group was taken to the 31st Street Hilton's Sky Bar for desserts and drinks. (No, I didn't. I can't stand the taste of rum.) There on the rooftop, Bruce Thompson gave a talk on what he was doing in the area, pointing to his nearby projects at 34th Street and across Pacific Avenue. He related it back to the City's vision for the Resort Area. For those who have tried to portray Bruce as entirely self-serving, he offered to partner with other developers to get projects done, and even offered to aid projects PHR/Gold Key wasn't even involved in. As a parting gift, tour participants were given passes for themselves and a guest to return to Sky Bar during the 2011 season.
There was then the bus ride into Norfolk, which produced a couple nuggets. First, while the City of Norfolk is hoping for an earlier launch, Tide revenue service will probably begin in September or October. That's due to safety system testing. Second, the City of Norfolk Staffer pushed St. Paul's Quadrant, redevelopment plans that (at least publicly) had appeared to be on the back burner. (St. Paul's Quadrant also came up later at MacArthur Square.) Norfolk's current downtown is 93 acres, while St. Paul's Quadrant would add an additional 110 acres.
The second stop was Fort Norfolk Plaza, one block west of the western terminus of the light rail starter line. It's the first medical office building "of scale" built in the periphery of Norfolk General Hospital in 50 years. It's already about 90% leased, as it offers competitive rates and amenities that the older buildings in the neighborhood don't. We met on the unleased 2nd Floor. Looking across Plum Point Park towards the Elizabeth River, I thought, "For us, that's beautiful; for the VBTA, it's a conspiracy."
The third stop was the Wells Fargo Center, where we met in a Willcox Savage conference room on the 22nd Floor. (You could see the rail line going west to Fort Norfolk.) The site for the building was chosen based on the neighboring Monticello Station, and having light rail right there was greatly helping leasing of the 121 apartments. There's a 1st Floor restaurant, Bite, that some were crowing about. (Memo to self: check it out for breakfast once the adjacent train is running.)
The fourth stop was MacArthur Square, where City of Norfolk Staff spoke to us. First, Norfolk is looking at placemaking around the station: the Slover Library diagonally southwest, a mural was planned for the post office wall facing the station, and the MacArthur Memorial is going to raze the existing theater and build a new $6 million facility facing MacArthur Square. (The current one has its back to it.) Second, TOD overlays are being prepared for all light rail stations. Noted were that there will be bicycle parking requirements in construction of new buildings, and that any such new buildings will be required to be a minimum 30 feet in height.
The final stop was Virginia Beach's Newtown Strategic Growth Area (SGA). (Actually, the meeting was in a hotel on the Norfolk side of Newtown Road.) SGA Office Manager Barry Frankenfield gave a brief overview of Beach SGA policy, covered some of the particulars in Newtown's seven subareas, and made a sales pitch to work with developers who want to come in and make the vision a reality.
However, Frankenfield made one statement that deserves bold print: the primary public spending in the SGAs will be roads and stormwater. That's it. For those knuckle-draggers who have tried to portray the SGAs as never-ending money pits, the City of Virginia Beach will simply cover transportation and stormwater.
My thanks to HRACRE for being allowed to go on the tour as a guest. Not only was it informative, but that was a nice box lunch and the beer was a pleasant surprise (I do like Coors Light.). For the extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA) regularly portraying the business community as the enemy (real conservatives are pro-business), HRACRE welcoming some grassroots activists onto their bus tour shows forward-looking forces can work together.
The first stop was 31Ocean. Catching even the organizers off-guard, PHR/Gold Key prepared a special welcome for the tour. The group was taken to the 31st Street Hilton's Sky Bar for desserts and drinks. (No, I didn't. I can't stand the taste of rum.) There on the rooftop, Bruce Thompson gave a talk on what he was doing in the area, pointing to his nearby projects at 34th Street and across Pacific Avenue. He related it back to the City's vision for the Resort Area. For those who have tried to portray Bruce as entirely self-serving, he offered to partner with other developers to get projects done, and even offered to aid projects PHR/Gold Key wasn't even involved in. As a parting gift, tour participants were given passes for themselves and a guest to return to Sky Bar during the 2011 season.
There was then the bus ride into Norfolk, which produced a couple nuggets. First, while the City of Norfolk is hoping for an earlier launch, Tide revenue service will probably begin in September or October. That's due to safety system testing. Second, the City of Norfolk Staffer pushed St. Paul's Quadrant, redevelopment plans that (at least publicly) had appeared to be on the back burner. (St. Paul's Quadrant also came up later at MacArthur Square.) Norfolk's current downtown is 93 acres, while St. Paul's Quadrant would add an additional 110 acres.
The second stop was Fort Norfolk Plaza, one block west of the western terminus of the light rail starter line. It's the first medical office building "of scale" built in the periphery of Norfolk General Hospital in 50 years. It's already about 90% leased, as it offers competitive rates and amenities that the older buildings in the neighborhood don't. We met on the unleased 2nd Floor. Looking across Plum Point Park towards the Elizabeth River, I thought, "For us, that's beautiful; for the VBTA, it's a conspiracy."
The third stop was the Wells Fargo Center, where we met in a Willcox Savage conference room on the 22nd Floor. (You could see the rail line going west to Fort Norfolk.) The site for the building was chosen based on the neighboring Monticello Station, and having light rail right there was greatly helping leasing of the 121 apartments. There's a 1st Floor restaurant, Bite, that some were crowing about. (Memo to self: check it out for breakfast once the adjacent train is running.)
The fourth stop was MacArthur Square, where City of Norfolk Staff spoke to us. First, Norfolk is looking at placemaking around the station: the Slover Library diagonally southwest, a mural was planned for the post office wall facing the station, and the MacArthur Memorial is going to raze the existing theater and build a new $6 million facility facing MacArthur Square. (The current one has its back to it.) Second, TOD overlays are being prepared for all light rail stations. Noted were that there will be bicycle parking requirements in construction of new buildings, and that any such new buildings will be required to be a minimum 30 feet in height.
The final stop was Virginia Beach's Newtown Strategic Growth Area (SGA). (Actually, the meeting was in a hotel on the Norfolk side of Newtown Road.) SGA Office Manager Barry Frankenfield gave a brief overview of Beach SGA policy, covered some of the particulars in Newtown's seven subareas, and made a sales pitch to work with developers who want to come in and make the vision a reality.
However, Frankenfield made one statement that deserves bold print: the primary public spending in the SGAs will be roads and stormwater. That's it. For those knuckle-draggers who have tried to portray the SGAs as never-ending money pits, the City of Virginia Beach will simply cover transportation and stormwater.
My thanks to HRACRE for being allowed to go on the tour as a guest. Not only was it informative, but that was a nice box lunch and the beer was a pleasant surprise (I do like Coors Light.). For the extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA) regularly portraying the business community as the enemy (real conservatives are pro-business), HRACRE welcoming some grassroots activists onto their bus tour shows forward-looking forces can work together.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
84% Want Economic And Military Sanctions
84% want economic and military sanctions against Pakistan for harboring Osama bin Laden, 16% want no sanctions, and 0% want economic or military sanctions alone.
The new poll question: what should be the theme song of the extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA)? I give you a choice between Lost In Space by Steve Miller, Lunatic Fringe by Red Rider, and They're Coming To Take Me Away by Napoleon XIV.
The new poll question: what should be the theme song of the extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA)? I give you a choice between Lost In Space by Steve Miller, Lunatic Fringe by Red Rider, and They're Coming To Take Me Away by Napoleon XIV.
Friday, April 1, 2011
The VBTA Calls For A Referendum On Sanity
April 1 saw the extremist Virginia Beach Taxpayers Alliance (VBTA) call for a referendum on sanity, wanting it excluded from public policy.
"To espouse sanity is to attack Beach families", said VBTA Maximum Leader Robert Dean. He went on, "Only I know what's in the best interest of Virginia Beach, and everyone knows I've gone off the deep end."
"Every Statement and position of the VBTA is utterly insane", stated VBTA Chairman John Moss. "We believe you can make massive cuts in the City Budget with no negative consequences, the city can simply stop growing, 100% of surface transportation could and should be by automobile, the state should spend $3 billion on roads without building a single new road, etc."
"Sanity is a conspiracy by the Chamber of Commerce, for Virginia Beach Vision, with the consent of Light Rail Now", claimed VBTA Vice Chairman/Chairman of No Transportation Reid Greenmun. Wiping his running hair dye away, he continued, "The taxpayers want insanity! Sanity is corruption imposed on us by a few influential business lobbies."
The VBTA hopes for a November, 2011 referendum to eradicate sanity.
"To espouse sanity is to attack Beach families", said VBTA Maximum Leader Robert Dean. He went on, "Only I know what's in the best interest of Virginia Beach, and everyone knows I've gone off the deep end."
"Every Statement and position of the VBTA is utterly insane", stated VBTA Chairman John Moss. "We believe you can make massive cuts in the City Budget with no negative consequences, the city can simply stop growing, 100% of surface transportation could and should be by automobile, the state should spend $3 billion on roads without building a single new road, etc."
"Sanity is a conspiracy by the Chamber of Commerce, for Virginia Beach Vision, with the consent of Light Rail Now", claimed VBTA Vice Chairman/Chairman of No Transportation Reid Greenmun. Wiping his running hair dye away, he continued, "The taxpayers want insanity! Sanity is corruption imposed on us by a few influential business lobbies."
The VBTA hopes for a November, 2011 referendum to eradicate sanity.
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