Good Jobs and a Vibrant Economy
National unemployment has hit nightmare proportions and the 2020 pandemic and shutdown has put many businesses on the brink of closure and bankruptcy.
As Virginia restarts its economy, we must make sure businesses are ready to do business and hire employees. Councilman Berlucchi made sure that grant programs for businesses and workers were funded, education funds were secure, and people could get back to work safely.
Supporting Teachers, Families and Education
Councilman Berlucchi’s commitment is to ensure that every child in our city has access to the high-quality public education they deserve. In 2020, Councilman Berlucchi successfully fought to restore millions of dollars in education funding that had been cut from the school budget and offset deep cuts to education from the state government.
Councilman Berlucchi is a champion for the partnership between Virginia Beach families and teachers that gives all students the opportunity to fulfill their full potential. Councilman Berlucchi will work to fully fund our schools and make sure teachers are paid fairly and have the tools they need for success.
“I am committed to the safety, health and welfare of not only our public school students, but also to each and every employee of our public school system, while assuring that they have the tools they need and the compensation they deserve.”
~ Councilman Michael Berlucchi
Public Safety
One of Councilman Berlucchi’s very first votes was to substantially improve the decades-long problem of unfair salary compression of police and fire professionals.
Virginia Beach is one of the safest communities in the country. We have the best trained public safety employees in the nation and they deserve protection in their salaries, benefits and workman compensation needs. Councilman Berlucchi will always protect those who protect all of us.
Protecting our Environment
Virginia Beach is a beautiful city from our shorelines to our rural communities.
Agriculture is a strong pillar of our local and state economy. Agribusiness and agri-tourism are markets Virginia Beach should expand and grow. Today’s uncertain economic times make the agricultural supply chain even more important.
Councilman Berlucchi believes we should promote all efforts to keep our bay and beaches clean and protect the Atlantic coast from anything that could destroy our tourism economy or coastal ecosystem. He led the Council effort to support offshore wind clean energy.
Combating Flooding & Sea Level Rise
People who live in Virginia Beach should not live in fear that their homes will flood. Representing the neighborhoods that were hit hardest by Hurricane Matthew is a responsibility Michael does not take lightly. Councilman Berlucchi successfully fought for the highest funding levels in Virginia Beach history for flood mitigation.
Sea Level Rise, Wind Tides and recurrent flooding will be a challenge throughout our future. We must be vigilant and fund both the short term fixes for neighborhoods and waterways, but also keep a focus on long-term solutions.
Inclusion
Michael Berlucchi believes Virginia Beach should be a City of inclusion, where every person is treated with the dignity and respect we all deserve. His City Council service demonstrates his commitment to those principles. A divided city does not prosper. Our economic recovering will rely on Virginia Beach being an attractive, open, welcoming and safe city for everyone.
Councilman Berlucchi helped restore funding for important efforts to help shape a more equitable community, such as those recommended by the Disparity Study.
He was a leader in the successful effort to ban the harmful practice of conversion therapy in Virginia and to stop discrimination against Virginians because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. He supported increased funding for education, including funding for full-day kindergarten in every elementary school so that every student has access to opportunity. He is an outspoken leader for equity and the opportunity for all people to achieve their highest potential.
Mental Health Reform
We are experiencing a mental health crisis in America and the impacts are felt right here in Virginia Beach. We must improve the access and delivery of mental health services and end the stigma associated with mental health.
Councilman Michael Berlucchi successfully lobbied for state increases in funding for mental health services with unanimous City Council support.
Berlucchi has been a longtime advocate for improved mental health. During the 2020 pandemic, he advocated for public awareness to the impacts on mental health from realities of stay-at-home orders, business closures, financial distress and the impacts of the disruption of school services for children has on Virginia Beach families.