Virginia Beach U Pay: The mayor
has been a frequent advocate of
adding a four-year public university
in Virginia Beach, and now the
General Assembly is considering
a study of the idea. I’m
not sure it’s the most important
issue we're facing. With Regent
University, Virginia Wesleyan College,
Old Dominion University, Norfolk
State University, will adding a
fifth college to the Norfolk/Virginia
Beach area be worth the cost?
Or is this, like I suspect,
the latest chapter of intercity
ego flexing? This “Norfolk
has this, so we want one too” attitude
usually results in one thing
-- the taxpayer pays more. Spending
money building more of what we
already have leaves little to
invest in the industries of tomorrow.
Our mayor’s metropolitan
myopia about Norfolk is shortsighted.
Duplicating jobs, colleges and
economic development from a few
miles away has a very limited
return. In the larger scheme
of things, we wind up shuffling
cards in the same deck. Improving
Virginia Beach over the next
20 or 50 years is not about bringing
more of Norfolk to Virginia Beach.
It’s about nurturing Virginia
Beach’s own human capital
to create our own future, while
making our city the most attractive
city in which to do business.
I’m not convinced that
adding a fifth university adds
anything more than expensive
buildings. Better grab your wallet!
