Gov. McDonnell kicks off Hampton Roads Visions Regional Day
By Brian Kirwin | Thursday, May 6th, 2010 | Catch-AllI’m at the Chesapeake Conference Center for a huge event of regionalism. Vision Hampton Roads is the impetus, fostering a 5-year economic development strategy to impact job growth and quality of life for Hampton Roads. Gov. Bob McDonnell is the keynote speaker and there is easily 500-600 folks seated for the event and others milling about.
For those regionally interested, the website for the organization is www.visionhamptonroads.com
The odd part of the ceremony is the “Declaration of Interdependence” which is an odd choice for a name. Says some potentially counterproductive things like “disagreement…must not be permitted to impede constructive discussion.” Well, that’s true, but discussion doesn’t impede discussion. Those who disagree LOVE discussion. Anyway…
The Town Crier just announced McDonnell’s arrival. Stay tuned!
UPDATE
Town Crier is engaging in a roll call vote of towns, cities and counties to forgo self-interest and work together for mutual regional goals. Shockingly, every city votes yes with no debate. So much for “discussion.”
Thelma Drake intros the Gov. Standing O for Bobby McD.
McDonnell does a really good walk through history of regional battles of the past and lays a groundwork to cooperate. No teleprompters, and he has a written speech, but rarely glances at it. McDonnell knows the region and the state and is extemporaneously got the crowd in his palm.
Lays out his own goals. Making Virginia the most veteran-friendly state to reward those who pay the unique price of freedom. Still firm on offshore energy. Makes a hard push for modeling and simulation and research and development.
Cites California’s “lousy business climate” in his work of attracting California companies to Virginia. Hey, Arnold!
Which leads to his successful work to create jobs like the successful film production incentives and Governor’s Opportunity Fund. McDonnell says he has more tools than any governor in Virginia history to tell our story and attract companies and jobs to Virginia and expand existing opportunities.
In all, a supportive speech carrying on his “Bob’s for Jobs” campaign mantra, and is prepared to play his leadership part in doing so.
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About the author
The right wants to jeer him. The left wants to censor him. Moderates usually want both. Brian Kirwin is a political consultant and public relations strategist in Virginia Beach with a lightning-rod flair. Brian also serves on the VB Arts & Humanities Commission and frequently appears on Hampton Roads theatrical stages, if only to prove that all actors aren’t liberals. Kirwin’s columns stir up debate and hit the political scene with no punches pulled.
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37 Responses to "Gov. McDonnell kicks off Hampton Roads Visions Regional Day"
So much for objective reporting. Did you wear your rose colored glasses? Fact is, over 80% of economic development is a result of local companies expanding, and frankly needs no impetus from Mr. Sledd or the Lt. Governor on his trips overseas. Since the Governor was elected, our local and regional officials have criss crossed the globe and the nation in search of prospects who may wish to do business in Virginia. Of course, that is just the normal course of business, and while the Governor clearly has a better press operation, the hard work is conducted locally and regionally on a continous basis with great help and support from VDEP.
Mike, I’ve never claimed to be any more objective than you.
Brian ventured out in the light of day?!
Thanks for the report!
Brian: I thought that “Declaration of Interdependence” thing was weird when it came before Williamsburg City Council for approval. I also wonder why Williamsburg so enthusiatically jumps aboard all these Hampton Roads regional initiatives since there’s never anything in them for the Williamsburg area. Williamsburg would do better to think of itself as the easternmost edge of the Richmond area than the westernmost part of Hampton Roads.
Well, from reading the Pilot, apparently you missed the part where the Governor said we were a bit behind the rest of the state, when of course, that is simply not so. In fact, last quarter, we ranked second in the nation in terms of growth in the regional economy, with a 2.9% increase in GRP compared to the average nationwide of a minus 0.9%. Given our success, I guess the so called rescue by Sledd and Bolling is not so popular here; in fact, it seems as is a certain politicalization of the economic development process is occuring just when the creation of the VEDP was paying dividends. Oh well, if there are not problems, I guess we will have to create them to show what a great job we have done when we “solve” them.
No problem a $135,000 incentive from government won’t solve, eh Mike?
Do you mean the reimbursement of the cost of moving public utilities so a $20 M project for the headquarters of a bank could be built? That’s real economic development, not flying to Italy to give a speech in English.
Like you’d forgo a 20 million dollar project because of a $135K expense.
The project was simply not doable unless the City agreed to the movement of the public utilities in the public right of way. That expense is specifically reimbursable through the Economic Development Incentive Program if the program’s criteria are met. We met the criteria so we were eligible for the reimbursement, and as a result, the taxpayers received their money back in the first year of operation. Show me another award that has done that.
Yawn, Mike. If you paid the $135K yourself, the same thing would’ve happened.
I guess I am just a bit surprised to be condemned herein for developing a class A headquarters building that pays more than $130,000 per year more in real estate taxes alone than the previous use, which created or retained over 240 jobs, and which complies with all the criteria for the SGA’s, and which specifically qualified for an award to reimburse the cost of moving public utilities in the public right of way that made the project possible. Only on this site and at a VBTA meeting would a developer be condemned for creating such an increase in the commercial tax base.
Declaration of Interdependence?
“disagreement…must not be permitted to impede constructive discussion.”
Wow,….talk about framing the question and setting participants up to be good compliant sheep.
– “Town Crier is engaging in a roll call vote of towns, cities and counties to forgo self-interest and work together for mutual regional goals. Shockingly, every city votes yes with no debate. So much for “discussion”. -
Let me clear the air here. You CAN pay attention to your self-interest (a healthy thing) AND engage in mutually beneficial cooperation. It is called trade, commerce, and cooperation to take advantage of economies of scale. Anyone that tells you to forego your own interest is nothing but a tyrant in waiting.
I wait with anticipation for a “new” & improved HRTA that passes contitutional muster.
Now, if I can just keep my eyes from rolling back in my head and control the nausea, I’ll be ok.
Hi Guys,
I was there too..Amerigroup Table.
Even though it’s been a challenge to gets all localities to work together, this exercise is a good one. Sometimes the passionate & enthusistic shared commitment of other local electeds trying to face the same problems can be the spark.
The apprearance and participation of Gov McDonnell only serves to try to cement the efforts of Dana Dickens.
I cannot see a downside of trying to get all of the local city & county electeds excited and working together to try to create jobs & opportunity.
Sincerely,
Pam Brown
Pam, there is no downside to what was in that document, because so little of it was substantive.
“We commit to identifying solutions” yadda yadda yadda.
They never mentioned what those solutions are, what problems they solve, who pays for them, and all the rest of those details that get these regional planners in trouble in the first place.
So, what’s the endgame? Does regional education mean a regional school board? Do their transportation solutions require more tax increases, since these folks have been pushing that idea for a decade with no progress at all?
Amorphous regionalism is easy to say “yea” to. It’s when they actually say what their really after that it becomes necessary to “move beyond” dissension and discussion.
Well Pam, I certainly agree with your statement that…”I cannot see a downside of trying to get all of the local city & county electeds excited and working together to try to create jobs & opportunity.” Fact is, much of that occurs everyday in the combined efforts at the Partnership, HREDA, HRT, SPSA, HRSD, and the HRTPO and PDC. The most critical issue for Hampton Roads is transportation, yet the Commonwealth has failed to provide the leadership and the funding necessary to sustain and improve our network. Words go just so far, and now is the time to start replacing the “i’m gonnas” with political leadership on funding for this crucial nexus to jobs and economic opportunity.
My City Council did not discuss the declaration, nor did they vote on it, nor was there any public input – other than MY bringing it up at Open Mic night. That is where I learned directly from Rosemary Wilson and Louis Jones that Donna Morris, Executive Director of the Hampton Roads Partnership lied (in writing) about who are the Virginia Beach city council representatives that have signed on to act as ambassadors for this misguided ‘Declaration of all-appointed regional government’.
Will Sessoms, a banker who drank the regionalist koolaid signed this worthless non-binding document – he is a guy that spent over $600,000 to buy the Mayor’s seat in Virginia Beach – and has no mandate to speak for the majority of Virginia beach citizens being as 61% of the voters wanted someone other than Banker Sessoms as our mayor.
What the history of “regionalism” is actual is for Tidewater is a tale of political corruption, cronyism, and a lot of misguided folks in expensive suits repeating deceptive talking points they are provided by a business lobby seeking to rob the public purse to enrich themselves.
Pathetic.
Notice this event was scheduled during the work day – and the room was filed with highly paid business folks – while the majority of our region’s citizens were at work – hoping we can earn enough to pay our ever rising government taxes, fees, and, if the taxpayer subsized Hampton Roads Partnership business lobby gets their way – tolls everywhere with the majority of the proceeds being misdirected to pay for the Port of Virignia’s $4 Billion Dollar bridge tunnel to move port trucks that are not yet here, because they are planned to flood our highway system because the all-appointed Virginia Port Authority wants to expand their operations.
Translation: any city that wants to work with its neighbors to create a more prosperous area, to create the most efficient and effective service delivery system, and to enhance our natural and environmental assets, deserves the hardy condemnation of the VBTA and the Libertarian party. Fortunately, they represent less than 16% of the voters, and with posts like the one above, that should soon be down to less than 10%. MJB sends!
Some are making the same mistake many Germans made in the 19th Century. The argument then was that Germans needed to choose between civil liberties and German unification, and that the latter was preferable.
To the central point Reid rants past, Future of Hampton Roads’ idea of an unelected metro council that would assume many – if not most – current local government functions smacks of tyranny. Do they actually believe the public would stand for THAT?!? There are much more democratic paths to greater regional cooperation that are available:
1. Consolidating the number of local governments below the current 17. I argued at a FHR forum about 4 years ago that the inherent problem we have with regional agencies is that the votes are splintered too many ways for anyone to try to effectively steer the ship. If localities could consolidate while keeping their current number of votes, the megalocalities could turn the rudder.
2. If you want to eventually move towards a regional government, there are democratic examples like the former Metro Toronto.
The HRP/FHR axiom of “Regionalism requires us to curb democracy” only plays into the hands of nutcases like Reid and his VBTA, usually killing further moves towards authentic and inclusive Regionalism.
Henry, give your name calling a rest. It is rude, wrong, and … boring.
As to your point of usurping the power of the electorate by planned abuses inflicted upon the citizens from all-appointed regional governace, yes, that is what is going on with Future Hampton Roads, The Hampton Roards Partnership, the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, and a long list of other business lobbies that are pushing this non-democratic power grab. One need only study our recent “regional history” to reflect upon business lobby’s regional YES Campaign that was rejected by our region’s voters by a two to one margin opposing the regional business lobby “plan”.
Mike, I simply point out that the PROCESS used by the regionalists is dishonest and deceptive. This whole staged event pretends to claim that all of the local governments supoort signing a “Declaration of Interdependence” – that is simply FALSE.
Mike, the TRUTH is that Will Sessoms took it upon himself to decide to sign that non-binding paper – and without any VOTE or discussion be the elected body that represents the 435,000 citizens living in Virginia Beach. Futher, Donna Morris, the Hampton Roads Partnership lied, in writing, to the Virignia Beach City Council about the role that Councilwoman Rosemary Wilson and Vioe Mayor Louis Jones have in regard to this effort. I know because they told me so when I brought this matter before my City Council for discussion.
There wasn’t any public hearing in Virginia Beach before Townes Banker Will Sessoms took it upon himself to sign that paper. The citizens living in Virignia Beach we not asked if they agreed with such a “Declaration of Interdependence”.
Frankly, this is one on the many problem with the “regionalists” running amuck in Tidewater – they sneak around the established local government structure and try to create another layer of government – but it is all-appointed government that is unaccountable to voters.
I would imagine the politically minded folks that frequent Bearing Drift agree that the regionalist’s goal of creating government that doesn’t require elections is a bad idea.
I expect that Mr. Barrett supports a PROCESS that empowers himself and other non-elected members of the “business community” to govern be means of a complex collection of all-appointing (SPSA, for example) regional decision making bodies that usurp the power of the voters – because the voters keep rejecting Mr. Barrett’s agenda.
Wait…don’t tell me…Reid wants a referendum on the “Declaration of Interdependence”?
Henry, do you oppose having each City Council place the matter on their agenda, soliciting input from the citizens, discussing the matter, and going on the record to vote on the matter of agreeing to sign a “Declaration of Interdependence”?
“Interdependence” is a word used to describe where the same actors will get together and generate more hot air about their common set of principles and goals but won’t or can’t take the next step to become “Interoperable”.
As in all bureaucracies all of the HRxxx organizations expend a great deal of effort and budget to feed their own and look for weakness or expose scandals of their competitors in hopes that their budgets will keep increasing and so that one of them can eventually claim “regional domination”. The ones who are feeding at the public trough should be wrung out with a “zero-based” budgeting approach where the public will finally get a chance to functionally determine what they really do and how effective they are.
As far as the “Declaration of Interdependence”, unless there are some actionable goals and commitments that are binding between the organizations who agree to become “Interoperable”, it will be nothing other than a sexy sound bite in future speeches that will be given at expensive dinners and seminars about “regionalism” that are paid for by the public.
No, Reid, I don’t oppose it at all.
What really irks me here is watching you get your panties in a wad over a non-binding fluff document. What did it actually change? Aren’t there bigger fish to be fried?
I’m beginning to wonder how many of you read the Declaration. (This isn’t directed at those of you who were there.) It has no legal standing. It doesn’t formally bind anybody to anything. It doesn’t create a master government. It doesn’t cost anything. If anything, it acknowledges right at the top that Hampton Roads communities will continue to agree to disagree.
What it is is a symbolic gesture that a lot of people are happy to see. What it does say is that there are things that connect us all in this region that can’t be dealt with on a piecemeal basis. Intercity and interstate highways, for example. Public transportation. Air and water quality. This declaration merely say we’ll try to work together on things that touch us all rather than go off in sixteen different, costly and possibly conflicting directions. This is such a no-brainer that it doesn’t require an act of God or referendum.
It’s a given that anything that has even the hint of regional cooperation seems destined to raise the hackles of the VBTA crowd. That’s okay. They certainly have a right to their opinions. But their lack of success at the ballot box tells us how far removed they are not only from what most citizens want, but also from the demographic destiny of this region.
I wouldn’t make too much of the governor’s speech at Regional Day, either. It had all the markings of a cut-and-paste job. For some reason, for example, he completely overlooked every single institution of higher learning on the Peninsula when he mentioned the “region’s” higher ed assets. It was noticeable, too, that he’s pared back on his drill-baby-drill stance to mere acknowledgement of “Virginia’s offshore resources.” (Even The Economist magazine points out how our governor is the one offshore drilling holdout who just doesn’t get it.)
Chris, the YES Campaign lost in glorious fashion at the ballot box – after spending over $2.5M on their campaign. So … that “ballot box” isn’t really a strong endorsement of “regionalism”, now is it?
Chris, when did Mike Barrett put his name of the ballot – or Art Collins? Or Ray Taylor. Or Jim Oliver? At least Dana Dickens did win an election. But then, so did Robert Dean and John Moss – both were city council representatives.
Yes, I read the document – that is why I didn’t make that big a deal out of it – because it is a non-binding fluff thing – but the PROCESS used for how it came to be SIGNED was far from legitimate – and THAT is the point I am objecting to. The lies related to this event made by Donna Morris the Executive Director of the taxpayer subsidized Hampton Roads Partnership – made to the City Council of Virginia Beach – THAT is disturbing as well.
The business lobby’s endless effort to usurp the power of the citizens at the ballot box SHOUL worry EVERYONE – except those in the business lobby that are behind this scheme for grapping political power away from local governments and away from the public input process.
Chris, given your role with the HRCCE I would expect that YOU would join WITH ME in my objection to the lack of public involvement in the PROCESS used for having this document signed by Banker Will Sessoms who was elected with only 39% of the vote – AFTER he spent over $600K of special interest money and make many campaign promises he simply broke once he was elected as Mayor of Virginia Beach.
This event is being marketed as if all 17 local city governments agree to the document Will Sessoms signed. But … by what PROCESS did that document get signed?
How were the citizens included in the process? Dis each city government vote? I know for a fact that my city government did not – in fact, until i brough the matter to their attention, many of my city’s elected representatives knew NOTHING about this declaration.
So … it it all a BIG LIE – or, a BIG CON, or … what?
If we want to know how the 1.7M citizens feel about regional governace – then lets put THAT on a regional ballot and find out. But this?
This is a illegitimate PROCESS – and any reasonable citizen should be concerned about this.
Not because the document is binding – but because of the false impression it seeks to make.
Reid,
Neither Moss nor Dean has won an election since 1992. The transportation referendum was in 2002. Once again, you VBTAers are SO busy refighting yesterday’s battles that you’re clueless on how we’ll move forward tomorrow and beyond.
Have to love Chris refering to the “demographic destiny of this region.” As many know, I’ve lived that issue since 2001. I’ve run a slew of scenarios through my head over and over, like the WOPR computer in the movie “War Games”. Anyone who believes that the VBTA’s political agenda is either executable or desirable should be tossed into a padded room! On one level Mike Barrett is absolutely correct in calling the VBTA “dinosaurs”: they are political activists that time has passed by, with any chance of success by them now extinct. Their fossils belong in a museum.
In short, greater regional integration is a demographic inevitability. The VBTA is swimming against The Tide of history, and rational residents who care about the future and their children’s well-being should throw the VBTA and their ilk to the sharks.
Back to the “Declaration of Interdependence”, it was a 1 1/2 day media story. That’s it. Nothing had really changed on Saturday based on Thursday’s events. Anyone having objections is wasting valuable gunpowder shooting at this one.
“Their fossils belong in a museum.”
In the Richard Maddox wing perhaps?
Brian,
Actually, the Virginia Beach Redevelopment & Housing Authority (VBR&HA) Wing.
That wing was never built. The Maddox wing had a cot for ya.
Henry, okay … we get it – you are fine with telling lies to advance your agenda. AS to thisa comment you made, “…rational residents who care about the future and their children’s well-being should throw the VBTA and their ilk to the sharks.”
What children have you brought into this world and raised?
Reid,
Where in my 3:20 A.M. comment did I “lie(s)”? I didn’t. Once again, you scream about “lies”, then offer no facts to refute them.
Henry, you tell a lot of lies when you try to advance your agenda. To claim otherwise would be to add one more to the list. My comment here was about the fact that Donna Morris, the Executive Director of the taxpayer subsidized Hampton Roads Partnership lied to the Virginia Beach City Council about Councilwoman Wilson and Vice Mayor Jones and their role as ambassadors for this regional scam the HRP is foisting off on the media. You made the point that you didn’t feel any of this was any big deal. I simply pointed out that I understand WHY you would feel that way, given your track record about your willingness to spread lies to advance your agenda.
Reid,
I never said it didn’t matter. What I said was that a non-binding document was insignificant, thus unworthy of wasting gunpowder on.
Speaking of process, you’re the proverbial boy crying “Wolf!” here. Given that the VBTA complains about process on virtually everything, your protests here draw largely yawns.
Odd, you know this … how? Ohhh, this is another one of your make up “facts”, right?
Thank you for proving my point so well.
Reid, how about next year’s report to the communities be in the evening in conjunction with a baseball game at Harbor Park? Eat hotdogs; share a beverage. And we could have a symbolic first pitch by the Governor or some other dignitary.
Reid,
Anyone who follows Virginia Beach local politics knows the VBTA has attacked process on virtually every public meeting in the past 4 1/2 years. I don’t have to make up a well-known fact.
It speaks volumes about your desperation that you try to deny the obvious. Kind of like the time you tried to deny making comments that appear verbatim in then-MPO Minutes….
Trying to change the subject Henry? Typical.
Missy – FANtastatic idea!!!
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