Marcus Calabrese Announces Candidacy for Norfolk City Council

It has been ironic that even though Norfolk has perhaps the largest LGBT population of any of the cities of Hampton Roads and is the home to the artsy, trendy and LGBT-friendly Ghent neighborhood - which is the envy of many neighboring cities - other than allowing HR Pride to utilize Town Point Park for the 2011 Out in the Park celebration, the city government has in many ways been less than fully accepting of progressive ideas and a willingness to openly embrace the LGBT community. Even though according to researcher Richard Florida the LGBT community is the "canary in the coal mine" for determining whether or not a city or region is welcoming to the so-called "creative class." As reported by Bearing Drift, Marcus Calabrese, who I have come to know and value through our common membership on the board of directors of HRBOR, believes that continuing to do the same old thing and expecting different results needs to end. Hence the announcement that Marcus has thrown his hat in the ring to run for Norfolk City Council. Here are some highlights on what Marcus would like to accomplish if elected:

Economic development will be a top concern of mine. As a board member of Hampton Roads Business Outreach, a small business owner, and 2010’s youngest honoree of Inside Business’ Top 40 Under 40 I know what it takes to get people back to work. There’s a tremendous amount of talent here in Norfolk but the unemployment for young professionals is double the national average, I know their fears and I know they would rather have a future at home than having to leave Norfolk to pursue their career. I will work to bring new high paying jobs to Norfolk.

Each morning it seems like another embarrassing story about Norfolk’s government appears on the pages of the Virginian Pilot. Whether it is the dismissing of the Superintendent of public schools barely into his term, the paying of an employee for a decade without her showing up for work, Light Rail cost overruns without notice to the taxpayers, or one of the many other front page stories about Norfolk it is time for it to stop. I want to team with the new members of City Council who are making waves fighting for a more responsible and open government.

This race is about choices. The future of our great city is promising; we have much to be proud of and much to build on. But, the past choices that have impeded the future of Norfolk are real and deserve to be brought to light. The people of Norfolk deserve a choice for the future, do we want to continue down this path of missed opportunities or do we want a Norfolk that is prosperous, proud, and prime for a comeback?

Here's some more on Marcus' background:

Marcus Calabrese serves on the Board of Directors of Foodbank Southeastern Virginia, is Chairman of the Child Nutrition Council and Capital Campaign for Community Gifts. He is a member of the Board of Directors for Hampton Roads Business OutReach and is chairman of its Business & Government Relations department. He is also a public relations sponsor with Entrepreneurs Organization of SEVA. He has been awarded the “Safe Harbor” Award 2011 from Children’s Harbor and is a “Top 40 Under 40″ Honoree for 2010 from Inside Business Journal.