The idea that there is “no new money” is nothing but a myth perpetuated by those determined to reduce their personal exposure to the cost of maintaining the American way of life.

By CHRIS BONNEY

IT HAS BECOME a given in government funding conversations: “There’s no new money.” Whether talking about national defense, education, human services or, closer to home, deteriorating sewer lines and transportation, the assumption that there’s no new money to pay for things that Americans look to government to provide has become so pervasive that it’s accorded the respect of a truth.

In fact, nothing could be further from reality. In good times and bad, Americans have always stepped up for the things they believe in. When our parents and grandparents came home from two World Wars, instead of whining about hard times and the deprivations of war, they agreed to the most ambitious investments in public education, infrastructure, science and technology in our nation’s history.

The idea that there is “no new money” is nothing but a myth perpetuated by those determined to reduce their personal exposure to the cost of maintaining the American way of life.

This is not a recent phenomenon, but rather the resurgence of an extremist point of view that goes back more than 100 years. It’s not surprising that the movement has resurfaced to take advantage of this volatile time in history. What is surprising, however, is the extent to which the movement’s impact has influenced elected representatives at all levels of government.

Curious about the impact of the tea party and similar movements on local revenue initiatives, the International City/ County Management Association reviewed hundreds of local tax measures, bond issues and referenda from 2010 and 2011. Its findings were surprising. Rather than suffering blistering defeat at the hands of angry taxpayers, fully three-quarters of these initiatives were approved by voters.

Even Hampton Roads’ own congressman, Scott Rigell, who rode into office on the shoulders of tea partiers, recently conceded that tax increases will be necessary to resolve the nation’s budget challenges.

The analysis found three conditions present in successful revenue initiatives:

• A clear explanation of need and priority.
• High citizen trust in the local government or agency sponsoring the initiative.
• Voter access to accurate and timely information that enabled them to make informed decisions.

The analysis shows that taxpayers are willing to pay to get the services they expect government to provide so long as reasonable assurances are made. Elected leaders in Virginia localities, fearful of voter backlash but also mindful of the increased financial demands on localities, can take confidence from the results. And they may lead boldly and confidently if they do a good job explaining and justifying the needs.

As we have throughout history, Americans are willing to take responsibility for maintaining and updating government at the local, state and national levels. Let’s get past the idea that “there is no new money” and get on with building the future.

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Chris Bonney is an independent marketing researcher and board member of the Hampton Roads Center for Civic Engagement.

August 23rd, 2011 | 48 Comments

Last weekend, Norfolk’s Tide light rail line opened to big crowds and lots of excitement in a state that has never before seen modern light rail technology in action. But the project was overbudget and the subject of years of controversy. What was once supposed to be a $232 million line had ballooned in cost to $318.5 million and in the process taken down political leaders who had supported it. Perceived mismanagement delayed consideration of extensions into nearby Virginia Beach. And the scheme’s implementation flaws emboldened conservative activists insistant on playing up the poor performance of government.

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Monday, September 26, 2011 · 11:30 am

The City of Virginia Beach invites the public to a second round of meetings that are integral to developing a master plan for the Lynnhaven Strategic Growth Area (SGA), one of eight urban SGAs identified in the city’s Comprehensive Plan.  As part of a weeklong design charette, the public is invited to an open house on Wednesday, Oct. 5, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., to view the work in progress and to talk with the design team as it explores various future urban design scenarios for the SGA.  The open house will be in the pavilion at London Bridge Baptist Church, 2460 Potters Road.  A public meeting is also planned for Thursday, Oct. 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the church gymnasium.

In early September, the City of Virginia Beach held the first round of public meetings to receive broad public input on the SGA’s strengths, weaknesses and opportunities.  These meetings were facilitated by Urban Design Associates and resulted in a set of draft design principles and potential boundary expansions for the Lynnhaven SGA.  The purpose of the October design charette is to refine these principles into future design alternatives for the SGA and obtain more specific public input.

For more information on the Lynnhaven SGA Master Plan, contact Jeryl Phillips in the Planning Department at (757) 385-4621 or visit www.VBgov.com/lynnhaven.

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Inside Business, August 12, 2011

In an effort to establish tomorrow’s leaders and enhance the quality of life in their city, young professionals in Norfolk have stepped up to take the reins from the “old boys’ club” – or at least help them steer.

The Generation Norfolk project, headed by Meredith Badali and Jesse Scaccia, young residents of the city, came out of discussions by a Greater Norfolk Corporation subcommittee called “Brain Drain.”

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BY Bill Reed

A GROUP OF prominent Virginia Beach businessmen advocates a quick, no-frills strategy to ease Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel traffic during peak hours and holidays.

Why? Because the crossing has become a serious obstacle to tourism and commercial interests in South Hampton Roads.

The plan is aimed at lessening 100,000 vehicles-per-day HRBT congestion until the state can finance a third Hampton Roads tunnel, add more lanes to existing approach bridges or build a tunnel connection linking Interstate 564 with the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel.

The cost of any of the options ranges in the billions and could take two decades to complete, state highway officials say.

The group, headed by Beach businessman Jerry McDonald, includes Bruce Thompson, a Beach developer and hotelier, and Frank Reidy, an engineer and philanthropist who heads the Center of Bioelectrics at Old Dominion University.

Financed by the businessmen at a cost of $150,000, the four-month study was conducted by Iteris Inc., a California traffic-management engineering consulting firm. It cites aggressive and fearful drivers as the chief reasons for tunnel backups. Structural, environmental and signage issues are listed as contributing factors.

To combat backups, the consultants recommend:

1. Easing the closed-in effect, which scares some drivers entering the tunnel, by removing ceiling tiles and painting the surface black.

2. Installing LED lighting inside the tunnel and using a plastic shade to filter sunlight at the entrances to ease the transition from bright to dark.

3. Painting tunnel walls with soothing illustrations of dolphins or water scenes to ease driver angst.

4. Installing electronic signs inside and outside the tunnel to advise motorists of traffic conditions.

5. Limiting heavy truck traffic to nonpeak hours. In addition, Navy and shipyard officials would be asked to stagger work hours at the Norfolk base and the Newport News shipbuilding facility.

Reidy, in a July 21 presentation to the Virginia Beach Hotel-Motel Association, said the recommended changes could save tunnel users $6 million a year in fuel and travel time and increase vehicle speeds inside the tunnel to 45 mph from 32 mph. The estimated cost of the changes: $8.5 million.