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East Side residents say Norfolk budget breaks promises, urge restoration of Military Circle and rec center funding
Summary
Multiple East Side residents and coalition leaders told the Norfolk City Council at an FY2027 budget hearing that the proposed CIP prioritizes downtown and West Side projects — including $72 million for MacArthur Center — while removing previously promised funding for a combined East Side recreation center and library at Military Circle.
East Side residents pressed the Norfolk City Council during a public hearing to restore funding for redevelopment at Military Circle and a promised combined recreation center and library, saying the proposed capital improvement plan shows a pattern of downtown‑focused investment at the expense of historically underserved neighborhoods.
Charlotte Smith Whorley, a resident who described widespread concern about equity in city planning, contrasted what she called a $72,000,000 allocation for MacArthur Center with "$0" for Military Circle and asked the council for "transparency, accountability" and a CIP recalibration that gives the East Side "equal importance, equal urgency."
Kathy O'Hara of the Equity for the Eastside Coalition told council members she and coalition members were "in mourning" over a five‑year CIP that removes the East Side project and channels a majority of FY27 funding toward downtown and the West Side; she said 62.4% of the FY27 CIP is directed to those areas. Several speakers repeated requests that promised line items be restored rather than deferred.
Dustin Wallace, a civic‑league trustee, said redevelopment plans and prior RFPs for Military Circle have repeatedly been promised and then removed from subsequent budgets, and urged the council to return the community center line item so East Side neighborhoods can capture generational investment. "The math ain't mathing," he said, arguing the East Side contributes a large share of city revenue but sees only a small percentage returned.
Speakers from civic leagues and neighborhood coalitions asked the council to add explicit funding for East Ocean View hot‑spots and for a sustained maintenance line, to prioritize sidewalks and stormwater work in affected neighborhoods, and to provide a clear timeline and communication plan tied to any redevelopment commitments.
The hearing transcript records no formal response or decision from council members in this session; speakers asked that the public comment be reflected in budget amendments prior to final adoption.
