Norfolk Sheriff? Or Norfolk Mayor? Or both Mayor and head jailer?
Virginia law says no.
§
15.2-1534. Certain officers not to hold more than one office.
A.
Pursuant to Article VII, Section 6 of the Constitution of Virginia,
no person holding the office of treasurer, sheriff, attorney for the
Commonwealth, clerk of the circuit court, commissioner of the
revenue, supervisor, councilman, mayor, board chairman, or other
member of the governing body of any locality shall hold more than one
such office at the same time.
But exceptions proliferate. Here, a few.
A person
can
serve simultaneously as an assistant attorney for the Commonwealth in the
City of Winchester and Frederick County;
A
person can serve simultaneously as a part-time assistant attorney for
the Commonwealth in more than one locality with the consent of the
respective attorneys for the Commonwealth and the Compensation Board
in accordance with procedures adopted by the Compensation Board.
A stroke of the pen can alter legislation, elections, taxes.
A
stroke of the pen revised Norfolk's city charter. The term of the mayor changed from four years to two years, 2014 to 2016. But just for one cycle. It reverts to four years in 2016.
A
stroke of the pen tweaked Portsmouth's charter. Now Portsmouth city council members can run for the office of mayor without resigning their city council
seat.
A
stroke of the pen cost Portsmouth $500,000 in tax revenue.
So
don't think it's improbable, nor discounted.
The
election for Norfolk mayor is May 3, 2016. Too early to mount resistance, but not too early to question it.
In
many instances, appearances of a conflict of interest, rather than
a blatant violation of the law, strains our patience with politicians.
Examples
abound.
As
Norfolk Vice Mayor, Anthony Burfoot was hired as the deputy City
Treasurer. He conducted business as vice mayor while conducting business as a government employee. This arrangement was challenged. City Attorney Bernard Pishko defused the accusation.
In
Portsmouth, City Council member Mark Whitaker's wife, Dr. Ingrid P.
Whitaker, is a member of the Portsmouth Public Schools board. The connubial connection looks fishy. But does this cozy couple violate the conflict of interest law?
In Norfolk, City Council member Tommy Smiegel, a school system employee, is currently the Principal of the
Academy for Discovery at Lakewood, a Norfolk Public Schools program for children, according to his website.
Smiegel's
wife
Shannon, according
to his website, is
a Norfolk Public School’s Elementary School Counselor.
Norfolk City Council approves the school system's budget, including salaries and benefits.
Norfolk City Council approves the school system's budget, including salaries and benefits.
Conflict? Or an appearance of a conflict?
The question: Do these
elected officials or their family directly benefit? If yes, conflict. If no, still keep vigilant.
McCabe, ebullient, said he wants more transparency in the city, he
wants to improve the city's schools...
He wants to be mayor.
He wants to be mayor.
What do you think?