VB411: Fact or Fiction? Debunking fake news, correcting the record and combating misinformation that might be floating around Virginia Beach. Topics by Category Looking for something specific? Simply click on the category that best matches the topic you'd like to know more about and you'll be presented with a list of related articles. Public SafetyCity ServicesInfrastructureFloodingThe EconomyRules & RegulationsEverything ElseVideo Archive Page Content ISSUE: Tourism spending and how it benefits residentsFACT: Tourism provides more than 13,000 jobs, pays for major public projects and contributes about $56.4 million back to the City's General Fund. This equates to about 10 cents of savings on the Virginia Beach property tax rate.CORRECTING THE RECORD: Virginia Beach has billions of dollars of unfunded pension liabilities.FICTION: The City has a pension obligation of about $4.6 billion to cover its pension needs for city AND school employees. Currently, there is about $3.5 billion in assets in the pension fund. The shortfall is about $1.1 billion – $370 million for the City and $700 million for the schools. ISSUE: The Agricultural Reserve ProgramFACT: The ARP conserves natural resources, and preserves the character and heritage of southern Virginia Beach.ISSUE: Why is it necessary to appeal the assessed value of my vehicle every year? FACT: The appealed value is only valid for one year since the condition of a vehicle, and its resale value, typically changes between inspections.ISSUE: Why Are We Building Another Sports Facility? And Why Has the Cost Increased?FACT: The recently approved Sports Center is being built to attract more of the sports tourism industry in Virginia Beach. The cost increased from $40 million to $68.1 million to account for additional parking and a larger facility than initially contemplated.ISSUE: Why Do I Have to Pay For Parking at The Oceanfront? I’m a Tax-paying Resident, So It Should Be Free!FACT: Parking is an enterprise fund, which means it is self-supporting from the fees it collects. Revenue from real estate or personal property taxes are not used to support Parking Management’s operation. Rather, Virginia Beach uses a “pay as you go” approach to parking. Parking fees apply to the municipal garages, surface lots and on-street parking in our resort area.QUESTION: What Are the Spending Priorities in the Recommended Budget and How Can I Get Involved? FACT: We have provided information about the City’s Operating and Capital Improvement budget proposals in several formats, from short to the complete documents. QUESTION: Is Economic Development a Separate Entity from the City?ANSWER: No, Economic Development (ED) is a City department that serves the residents of Virginia Beach, just like Parks & Recreation, Libraries, Public Utilities or any other department of our municipal government.ISSUE: Hotel Prices During Something in the Water Were Higher Than Normal. Surely, the City Can Do Something to Lower the Costs!FICTION: For the most part, the City has no say over what private businesses charge for goods and services. Contact InformationMiz Information(757) 385-4679mizinfo@vbgov.com757-427-5978 VB411 Current Episode: The 2020 CensusYour browser does not support iframes.