Don Weeks (I) – Candidate for Virginia Beach Mayor
A.M. “Don” Weeks (I), running for Virginia Beach Mayor
1. Why are you running for office?
I love the Beach. It has been a great place to live and raise my four children. However, I am concerned about its future. Current leadership is focused on large-scale, expensive development at the expense of meeting the needs of citizens. That reality needs to change. I want a chance at doing just that.
I believe taxpayers want to invest where we get the greatest return on our monies. Good schools are a powerful economic development force. We need to maintain, even improve their quality. Raising class sizes and delaying building improvements, which has happened, is unacceptable. My desire is to put children first — over light rail, hotels and an arena. My desire is to attract better paying jobs and institute realistic, affordable transportation improvements. My vision involves a city that operates on the tenets of transparency, integrity and economy. I believe the citizens of Virginia Beach deserve better.
2. Why should people vote for you?
I am a lifelong resident of Virginia Beach. I am a graduate of Kempsville High School and Old Dominion University.
I believe that Virginia Beach needs a common-sense approach to protecting taxpayers and improving life for all of the beach’s residents. While true service to community must include a high level of personal accountability, openness, honesty, and transparency have gone missing from the public sphere in Virginia Beach. My strongest wish is to serve Virginia Beach by introducing a new era of openness by eliminating and correcting the scandals of the past to set our town on a new path toward honest, trustworthy governance.
I served on the Virginia Beach City Council in 1998, where I strongly opposed backroom, sweetheart deals, and supported the Boardwalk Restoration Program and NAS Oceana. In addition to serving on the Virginia Beach City Council, I’ve led and served in a wide variety of civic and business organizations, including Habitat for Humanity South Hampton Roads, CHKD, and Blankets for the Homeless. It is the drive to serve my hometown that has led me run for Mayor.
3. What’s your favorite thing about the area you want to represent?
I love Virginia Beach. This is my hometown and I have many, many cherished friends and family members here. I want to represent the people of Virginia Beach and ensure a the very best community for all who live here..
4. What is the biggest problem your area is facing, how will you fix it?
The biggest problem that Virginia Beach is facing is the issue of needs over wants. Our current mayor and many on Council are disconnected from the needs of the citizens. Funding private development has taken priority over caring for our schools, our first responders, and our infrastructure. Our current mayor caters to developers while citizen concerns fall on deaf ears.
I plan to address it by reviewing the budget and redirecting funds to care for school funding and infrastructure shortages. My desire is to work with the citizens of Virginia Beach to establish an open, transparent government that meets the needs of its citizens first.
5. Describe Donald Trump in max 3 words?
Human Molotov Cocktail
6. Describe Hillary Clinton in max 3 words?
Dishonest Corrupt Politician
7. What do you do for a living? Why do you do it?
I have been a local builder of affordable, sustainable housing for over 20 years. I became familiar with home construction sites at an early age when my father frequently took me and my brothers to his job as a builder. I was about 11 years old when my Dad put a hammer in my hand and started teaching me the trade. I can tell you, as teenagers, we were not crazy about spending our weekends this way, but it all paid off and I’m glad my Dad had the foresight that he did. My father really instilled in me the desire to help families find a well-built home that they could afford. It is what put me on the path to building and to working with outstanding organizations like Habitat for Humanity.
8. You’re going to be marooned on a tropical island for a week, you can only bring 1 thing – what is it?
I am going to cheat a little here-the one thing I would bring would be my family. Besides, after this exhausting campaign season, a vacation sounds pretty nice!
9. What do you think of Colin Kaepernick?
While he may be exercising his first amendment right, I believe that he is disrespecting our country, our military members, and our flag.
10. Would you vote to fund light rail expansion in your area?
I oppose this tremendous capital investment because I believe the cost far outweighs the benefits our city will realize.
11. Will you respect the outcome of the election?
I believe that the people’s voice is their vote. If there is a clear winner and loser, I will not only accept the outcome, but support the voters with their choice.
12. Favorite TV Show?
The Beverly Hillbillies
