Chris Taylor is a candidate for Virginia Beach City Council. His name will appear on the ballot on Nov. 8, 2022.
10 On Your Side reached out to all of the candidates running in this race. If you do not see a candidate listed with a profile, we did not receive one.
See who is on your ballot by viewing the candidate lists on the Virginia Department of Elections website.
Name: Chris Taylor
Race: Virginia Beach City Council
Website: Chris Taylor for VB City Council
Biography: Chris Taylor is the sixth generation of his family to reside in King’s Grant. He is a graduate of First Colonial High School and Virginia Wesleyan University. Taylor was a student athlete and holds a bachelor of arts degree in business management. He has volunteered and mentored youth in District 8 for over 15 years and was a head basketball coach at Lynnhaven Middle School for six years after college.
Taylor and his wife, Kimberly, are the founders of local restaurant chain Smoothie Stop, which was inspired by his great grandmother Charlotte Ann Berry, who lived to be 105 years of age. Berry encouraged her great grandson to work hard, serve others, and give freely.
Why should residents elect you to City Council?
As a coach and mentor for more than 15 years I understand the art of collaboration and compromise to achieve shared results and get things accomplished. I have proven that you can start with something small. Whether you are part of a staff or within a team, you can collaborate and accomplish positive results. My small business survived the COVID-19 pandemic. It required focus, tough skin, and a keen understanding of budgeting and stewardship to expand our business in 2021.
Working in corporate and small business environments within and surrounding Virginia Beach allows me to understand our workforce from an employee and executive level. My background in corporate and community environments is an asset when our city is craving growth and positive change on both fronts.
What are the top three priorities you would tackle if elected?
- Affordable living: Lowering taxes and finding budget savings for our citizens. I believe through collaboration and compromise on council, we can avoid tax increases on our citizens.
- Public safety: I will support our police, fire, and emergency services and work effectively with their leadership to ensure our personnel have the training, resources, and support necessary to keep our city safe. Virginia Beach is one of the safest cities of its size in our country. As a resident of District 8, I’m committed to preserving a family environment for our neighborhoods and the Shore Drive corridor.
- Education: Our teachers re some of the best in America. As a produce of our public schools I know this first hand. I will support funding for the hiring, recruiting, and training of educators at their recommendation. Our schools are the gateway to opportunity for the youth. I will support our educators and work to establish strong relationships with school administrators and teachers within the district.
What is the most pressing economic issue facing your community, and how would you address it?
Workforce Development. I believe there is an opportunity to collaborate with the public schools, local trade schools, and small business owners to develop programing to ensure our youth are prepared for work. Specifically courses and opportunities with a focus on hospitality management.
What are your community’s biggest infrastructure needs, and how do you plan to fulfill them?
Flooding and sea level rise are the most pressing issues facing our community. I will work with city leaders and city council to address the engineering challenges regarding our current infrastructure and drainage pipes. There is an opportunity to better manage water flow in major storms. We need to continue working to increase our stormwater capacity within the city. I will work hard to establish relationships with local, state, and federal officials to better ensure our city receives the help and resources we need to combat flooding and sea level rise issues.
How is gun violence impacting your community, and how do you plan to address gun violence?
Gun violence is having a minimal impact on the residents of District 8. We should continue to work together as a community to support our Police and City officials who work so hard to keep Virginia Beach safe.