Former Virginia Port Authority chairman and businessman Jeffrey D. Wassmer held a kickoff event on Wednesday evening with local and state officials such as former Virginia Gov. George Allen, Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. “Tommy” Norment and York-Poquoson Sheriff J.D. “Danny” Diggs, among others. He is seeking the York County Board of Supervisors’ District 4 seat. George S. Hrichak, who currently holds that seat, is not seeking re-election.
“It’s great to see such a great turnout of folks here for Jeff,” Allen said.
More than 35 people showed up at Riverwalk Restaurant in historic Yorktown for appetizers and endorsements.
Wassmer who founded Newport New-based Spectrum, which provides solutions for federal agencies, said his three priorities were preserving and enhancing quality of life, fiscal responsibility and responsive and respectful government.
He said he wanted to preserve the school system, public safety and the community, among other things. With regard to fiscal responsibility he said it was easy to grow programs when the economy is good but hard to scale back when the economy is going downhill.
“Sometimes it’s making those prudent and tough decisions in the good times that are the toughest and that’s what I plan to do — to ensure there is a return on investment for every dollar we spent,” Wassmer said. “If we are going to do something new, tell me how we are going to measure we are successful at it and then a year from now I want you to come back and show me your work and show me how you invested the money and what we got back.”
He said Americans have fought too hard for their liberties and freedoms to have a government take them away.
“I know we need regulations and standardizations, and we need all those kinds of things, but I think we have to be very judicious before we take rights away or impose things on our citizens,” he said.
Allen said Wassmer would be respectful to York County citizens as a supervisor because he has a customer oriented sense and believes in accountability.
“I like what you said about measurements — what gets measured get’s better,” Allen said.
Somers can be reached by phone at 757-298-5176.
