Rosemary A. Wilson is a candidate for Virginia Beach City Council – District 5. Her name will appear on the ballot on November 5, 2024.
Wilson, an incumbent in District 5, is running against L. G. Shaw III for Virginia Beach City Council.
The first day of in-person early voting at your local registrar’s office for this election is Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. Click here to see who is on your ballot.
10 On Your Side reached out to all of the candidates running in this race, with a request for a bio and a list of questions to answer. If you do not see the candidate listed with a profile, we did not receive one.
Name: Rosemary Wilson
Website: www.rosemarywilson.org
Biography: Rosemary Wilson grew up in a Navy family and is a graduate of Bayside High School and a summa cum laude graduate of Old Dominion University. She is a former teacher and a realtor with Howard Hanna Real Estate. Rosemary served on the Virginia Beach School Board as Vice-Chair and was first elected to City Council in 2000. Rosemary was part of the team that protected NAS Oceana from closure, saving many thousands of jobs and strengthening our partnership with the military. Rosemary has been recognized with countless awards and one of the most influential women in Virginia and for achievements in business. She is also a fellow of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at UVA and the Civic Leadership Institute at ODU. She has also served as Chair of the Virginia Municipal League and co-chair of Cycle for Survival to support cancer research.
Why are you running for this office?
I offer leadership that delivers. We preserved Rudee Loop for a public park and stopped development of hotels or apartments there. We strengthened our partnership with NAS Oceana and we welcome the next generation of aircraft to Virginia Beach. The military is our family, and I am proud to be one of the Councilmembers who worked to save NAS Oceana from closure. Now is not the time for the untried and untested. I am running to deliver for the people of Virginia Beach.
What is the top challenge facing Virginia Beach, and how would you address it?
Virginia Beach’s economic future is our challenge with affordability on the top of everyone’s minds, and we need to continue to attract businesses and jobs to Virginia Beach. Keeping our city safe and our schools the best anywhere are vitally important, and I’ve fully funded our schools and teacher raises as well as revamped our employee pay scales to attract and retain our best. We’ve done all this while keeping our tax rate the lowest in the region, lowering it even further this year.
What is your view on preserving agricultural land while also addressing the affordable housing crisis?
I’ve been a strong supporter of the Agricultural Reserve Program, which protects rural lands from development and I oppose allowing development in the rural south of our city. Workforce housing is a crucial need in Virginia Beach, and I have supported growth in strategic areas along the 264 corridor so that it aligns with easy access to transportation.
How do you view Virginia Beach’s continued growth strategy? What would you change?
Our focus is not on population growth as much as it is on economic growth. We’ve invested in technology with the overseas broadband cables coming into Virginia Beach and large employers like Amazon investing in our city and Stihl announcing a major expansion. I think we are moving in the right direction with businesses growing in Virginia Beach and generating jobs, and the business tax revenue will help keep residential taxes down.
What is your view on changing the operational model of the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center?
The partnership with the city and the Aquarium Foundation continues to be strong, and I know the partnership will be even stronger. I don’t see any change in the operational model on the horizon. I know the Council and the city will work with the Foundation to seek state and federal funding for needed upgrades to the facilities. We will initiate a structural engineering study to assess the condition of the largest tanks to determine the cost and timing of repairs or replacements.
What is your view on taking money from individuals who will likely have business before the city?
Campaign contributions are disclosed to the public online so everyone knows the supporters of every campaign. Transparency and disclosure are key components to campaign finance, and I always cast my vote according to what is best for constituents and the people of Virginia Beach.
How will you still value constituents with whom you disagree with?
Constituents and even Councilmembers disagree on specific issues sometimes multiple times in one meeting. It’s what makes our system work. We can disagree without being disagreeable and come to a compromise that works for everyone. It’s one of the best parts of being an elected official – hearing all sides and making a decision that everyone can feel that they had a role in forming.