The mayor, council members and city staff went on a fence-mending tour of Stihl Inc.'s campus Wednesday, a response to this spring's hubbub over the machinery and tools tax.
Nobody mentioned the 90-percent business tax increase that the City Council approved in May and then reversed when Stihl, Virginia Beach's largest manufacturer, complained.
But the issue is far from closed. Just hours after the tour, it came up as the candidates for mayor tussled in their first public forum of the campaign.
Challengers John Moss and Will Sessoms hammered Mayor Meyera Oberndorf for initially backing the tax increase and being unaware of its effect on Stihl.
"If I was mayor, that would never have been put on the table," Sessoms told members of the Tidewater Bicycle Association, holding up a newspaper clipping about the tax's impact on Stihl.
Moss, who frequently attends budget hearings as a representative of the Virginia Beach Taxpayer Alliance, said he warned the City Council about increasing the machinery and tools tax from $1 per $100 of assessed value to $1.90.
"They don't listen," Moss said.
Oberndorf said the city staff told her and other council members that the companies affected by the increase were consulted and accepted it.
Stihl officials said they were not contacted by Beach staff.
"I did say it was a mistake, and I apologize," Oberndorf said. "I think it should be refreshing to have somebody in public office who says it was a mistake, and it was rectified."
Council members had discussed raising the business tax to lessen the burden of home-owners, who contribute to the bulk of the city's revenues, she said.
And in the end, the tax remained the same, Oberndorf noted.
The process prompted questions about leadership on the City Council, Moss said.
"I think it does raise a competency issue and that they don't hold anybody accountable," Moss said.
Challengers have seized on the issue to tout their credentials and draw contrasts between themselves and Oberndorf, a five-term incumbent.
Sessoms, a bank president, is running on his business background. Moss' message has been to cut spending and reduce taxes.
Scott Taylor, a political newcomer, didn't mention Stihl at the Wednesday forum, but he agreed that the issue is fair game.
The case with Stihl, Taylor said, shows how elected officials don't listen to the people who live and work in Virginia Beach.
"It was a poor decision," Taylor said.