Voting rights
Re “Voting referendum” (Your Views, Sept. 14): The recent letter to the editor recounting the recent history of Virginia Beach’s election system left out the key role state Del. Kelly Convirs-Fowler has played in reducing our voting rights.
In 2021, without consulting Virginia Beach city leaders or citizens, she co-sponsored the bill that disallows at-large voting in districts, eliminating six of the 11 votes for City Council and School Board our citizens have always enjoyed. Now she is among those leading the effort to take away three more of those votes with the 10-1 voting system, leaving Virginia Beach voters with the least number of votes possible, two votes out of 11 every four years. This totally disenfranchises voters from any meaningful participation in their city and school governing bodies, as it takes six votes to pass anything.
If Convirs-Fowler gets her way, every two years half of our more than 300,000 voters will not get to vote for City Council or School Board. The 7-3-1 alternative guarantees participation in every election, with more than twice the number of votes than the 10-1 system affords. If the right to vote and participate in city elections matter, 7-3-1 is the far superior choice.
Linwood Branch, former City Council member and Every Vote Counts PAC, Virginia Beach
Library access
Re “Va. Beach schools, library halt partnership” (A1, Sept. 29): Until recently, every student in the Virginia Beach school system had an automatic library card if they had a student ID number. The school system decided to end this practice without public notice or an opportunity by the students, parents or anyone else to influence this decision.
Our library’s policy is to require parents to sign-off on a minor’s request for a library card. So, in effect, the school system is requiring students and their parents to jump through at least one unnecessary hoop to get library access. The reason given by the school system was not only vague but troubling. According to The Pilot’s story, the school district said the partnership was ended because many of the library’s digital resources overlapped with resources the schools could provide and the resources “were not widely used.”
The schools’ comments seemed to make little sense, raising questions such as: Why would the school system not strongly encourage its students to expand their library access as a matter of policy? Wouldn’t getting kids into the habit of library access be an incredible benefit to them as they grow up?
If the decision of the school system doesn’t have a political or ideological base, then it is merely ill-advised. If it does, all of us, no matter our beliefs, will lose based on that decision. The schools have a duty to encourage well-read graduates.
Robert J. Gilson, Friends of the Library in Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach
Del. Anne Ferrell Tata
Attack Del. Anne Ferrell Tata and she’s not apt to punch back. Instead, you’re likely to get an invitation to stop by her office. This level-headed and grace-filled approach to public service is just one of the reasons Tata has been such an effective legislator in Richmond. A champion for our military families and for those who cannot advocate for themselves, Tata has won a half-dozen awards for her transformational work. Plus, since she was first elected four years ago, she has helped deliver about $9 billion in tax relief.
I have known her for nearly 25 years. Her tagline — family, faith, freedom — is no empty motto; it reflects who she is. Tata takes her job seriously, but she can laugh at herself. She is that rare public servant who really understands serving. I wish we had 100 like her in Richmond. I hope you’ll join me in giving Tata your vote in the 99th House District.
Jodie Berndt, Virginia Beach
