There is one simple question Rosemary Wilson can’t answer.

Intelligently, that is.

This one: You’re already on Virginia Beach City Council with one year left in your term as an at-large member. Why the heck are you trying to switch seats?

A voter who asked her this a week ago shared her nonsensical reply with me.

That’s a good question to ask. Because of the revolving door of having 3 different councilmen in 6 months, I felt it needed my experience. The district councilman influences heavily the decisions of the district. There are 3 major revenue streams coming into the district with the 2 billion dollar resort, Oceana, and the trans Atlantic cables coming in experience was needed. The appointee has said he was only interim. Thank you for the opportunity to explain.

Explain? Is that what she did here?

The woman has been running for five months and THIS is all she’s got? Pathetic.

The Beach seat hasn’t suffered from a revolving door. It suffered from too much stability for 12 long years when it was occupied by a crony councilman who served as a slobbering lapdog for developers.

That awful politician lost his seat in a four-way race - more than 67 percent of voters cast ballots against him - to a candidate who was ultimately disqualified due to a residency issue.

When the courts booted the winner, the city council appointed a retired lawyer and mediator, Guy Tower, to fill the slot until November’s election.

Rosemary Wilson quickly announced that she wanted the seat.

My theory is that the cronies got together and reckoned that if Wilson took that Beach post, the poodles on council would obediently appoint one of the crony-approved also-rans from the last election to fill Wilson’s at-large vacancy.

Cute, huh?

But Guy Tower monkeyed up their plans by announcing that he had decided to run for the seat to which he’d been appointed.

Notice that in her explanation, Wilson wrote: “The appointee has said he was only interim.” 

She seems to imply that Tower is not running. Or that he’s a liar. Nice try, but Tower had every right to change his mind and launch a campaign.

Perfectly legal, ethical and understandable.

Of course, when she was elected three years ago, Wilson promised to serve a four-year term as an at-large council member.

Her abrupt decision is cynical, manipulative and ought to be illegal.

In fact, there will be a public hearing at tonight’s city council meeting to discuss a “Resign to Run” requirement rule that should be added to the city charter. It would require council members to tender their resignations 10 days prior to filing paperwork to run in a different district.

If the measure passes, it will be known - here at least - as Rosemary’s Baby.

As it is, expecting her colleagues on council to appoint a new at-large member if Wilson wins in the Beach district is blatantly undemocratic. And if a special election is scheduled to fill her vacancy, taxpayers will have to foot the bill for her chicanery.

A colossal waste of money..

Everywhere she goes, Wilson should be pressed on the real reason she’s trying to switch seats. More importantly, she needs to be asked who encouraged her to try this stunt. 

I emailed her yesterday with several questions.  

So far, crickets.

UPDATE: Rosemary Wilson responded by email this morning saying that in her response to that curious voter she “only meant to imply that I took Mr. Tower at his word.  He gave no indication that he was interested in running (at the time of his appointment)…Of course he has the right to run, but I think I will do a better job. “ She said she heard from former members of city council after she announced that she was running. Not before. kd