by Kerry Dougherty

I’ve been asked a number of times why I rarely write about local matters anymore. Particularly, why I don’t write much about Virginia Beach. After all, as a newspaper columnist I made my bones by skewering the corrupt and indescribably stupid “dancing bears” on the city council.

I’ve got to admit it was fun. They provided endless material.

Why stop now?

Here’s why: it’s fruitless. I’m tired of it. I’ve thrown in the proverbial towel.

The faces on the local government change, their party affiliations change,  but their feckless policies remain the same.

This council, like the ones that went before, is a rudderless ship of fools. It matters not the political make-up of the members, they follow the same tax-and-waste path of their predecessors. They shell out hundreds of thousands of dollars for worthless “studies” that simply confirm that spending more money will have marvelous results. Frequently a developer waves a shiny object in front of them, the obedient city staff canoodles with the developer before informing the politicians that the project is magnificent and will “pay for itself.” 

Next thing you know, the mindless members vote YES!

Taxes go up, the project flames out and they blame miserly taxpayers for forcing them to cut corners on the cockamamie scheme. If only they’d sent more money, it would have been a smashing success.

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