‘Toxic cleanse’

As many disappointed Virginia Beach residents know, Pharrell Williams recently canceled plans to hold another Something in the Water festival — the unifying, popular and wildly successful answer to previous Oceanfront gatherings that were marred by violence and unrest. He did so despite his love for his hometown, but in the face of what he characterized as a city “run by — and with toxic energy.” Days later, The Virginian-Pilot published an editorial saying “city officials would do well to look inward.”

Voters will have the opportunity to “detox” by electing local leadership that is of a different stripe. I am advocating for Laura Wood Habr as treasurer of Virginia Beach.

Williams’ letter urged the “gatekeepers” to think about the citizens, “and no longer view the idea of human rights for all as a controversial idea.” Putting the citizens and human rights first are hallmarks of Habr’s character. But how do such values apply in this elected position?

Habr, a successful small business owner herself, is acutely aware of the challenges of our business community, including recovery from pandemic losses. She is concerned with the most vulnerable among us, and, unlike the incumbent treasurer, would not automatically default to foreclosure for those struggling with tax payments. (Consequently, Habr’s campaign is not subsidized by a large contribution from an auction company, as is the case with her opponent.)

In these frustrating and heated political times, it is easy to feel we can’t make a difference, much less at the local level. But you can, and your vote this election season can be part of that “toxic cleanse.”

Maggie Brydges, Virginia Beach