Robert Dean (I) – Candidate for Virginia Beach City Council, Rose Hall District
Robert Dean (I), Virginia Beach City Council Rose Hall District
1. Why are you running for office?
I represent a common sense approach to protecting the financial stability of Beach families and businesses, returning to the days of an honest and transparent government. The current Council has a reputation of using our public safety and public education employees as the pawns for tax and fee increases in order to reward lucrative support and subsidies for their favorite developers and campaign contributors. To me, Beach families are customers of government, not government’s ATM machines. As a member of Council, I will focus on being a servant of the citizens, always remaining vigilant to their collective opinions and welfare. My pledge is simple: my vote cannot and will not be bought by any developer on or off the Council, and the Rose Hall District will no longer be for sale. I will be of the people, by the people, and for the people, so help me God.
2. Why should people vote for you?
We need to ensure that our entire business community is on a level playing field. We need to return to the days of capitalism and free enterprise, where our Free Market system is a Fair Market system; where consumers decide who succeeds and who fails, not City Council. Returning to the core responsibilities of government is the only government I will strive to preserve. We have an amazing City workers who perform extremely well in their daily service to our community. Whether it’s picking up our trash, pumping out a backed up sewer system at midnight, or responding to life and death situations such as what our public safety officers do on a daily basis, they are the people who I respect and admire, not Town Center developers or hotel owners who would like to buy my vote. The people are demanding a government they can trust, and I will work to make sure those demands are implemented.
3. What’s your favorite thing about the area you want to represent?
I have lived in my home in the Rose Hall District for 36 years, and currently serve on the board of the Green Run Homes Association, spending the last two years as president. During that time I have met so many wonderful people who work hard to raise their families, send their children to college, pay for dental bills while taking an active part in their children’s lives, such as coaching or supporting Little League or teaching Bible school.
The real treasures of life is the accumulation of friends and the interactions we have with other people. The folks who make up Virginia Beach and selflessly give of themselves to make our community great, is my favorite thing. And those qualities are what I want to help preserve.
4. What is the biggest problem your area is facing, how will you fix it?
Eliminating the backlog of stormwater projects which, if properly maintained, would surely have alleviated the recent severe flooding problems, and inner-city road projects. I will propose an accelerated funding program utilizing ending fund balances leftover from other capital projects, shifting funds away from the Oceanfront and Town Center, and focus on core responsibilities-putting public safety as the number one role of our government. More attention on the the Homefront, less at the Oceanfront.
5. Describe Donald Trump in max 3 words?
A iconoclastic businessman.
6. Describe Hillary Clinton in max 3 words?
On the take.
7. What do you do for a living? Why do you do it?
Retired retail management. When employed, I enjoyed the experience of working closely with the public and responding to their changing demands.
8. You’re going to be marooned on a tropical island for a week, you can only bring 1 thing – what is it?
A water filter.
9. What do you think of Colin Kaepernick?
My mind is occupied on other things of more significance, such as how I will survive on a tropical island. If it wasn’t, I would suggest to Mr. Kaepernick that he visit Parris Island for a few weeks, spend a little time at Camp Lejeune, and then visit a few tropical areas such a Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan with a squad of Force Recon Marines. Might be a good life experience.
10. Would you vote to fund light rail expansion in your area?
I would not vote to expend any tax dollars to fund the construction of light rail in Virginia Beach as it is a project that simply will not work.
11. Will you respect the outcome of the election?
If you’re referring to the results of the light rail referendum (I will personally be voting no), I will follow the decision of the voters completely. In addition, voters can be assured that I will fulfill my promise to perform the required due diligence to make sure Beach taxpayers are not scammed by cost overruns, fabricated ridership and capital cost estimates, and that unlike Hampton Roads Transit, there will only be one set of books.
Lying by government bureaucrats and elected officials needs to stop.
Let’s clean the drains and stop the waste on a choo-choo train.
12. Favorite TV Show?
John Stossel
