2023 Virginia Beach Elections: Questions for candidates in Virginia House District 96

Ed. — The following are responses to questions posed by The Independent News to candidates in the election for the new Virginia House District 96 seat. Answers to our questions in this series generally are not edited, aside from obvious punctuation issues, spacing and formatting, or for clarity. Candidates appear in ballot order. Remaining copies of the Sunday, Sept. 24, print edition containing the complete guide may still be available on some of our secondary racks through Sunday, Oct. 22. 

• Please reach John Doucette, the editor, with any questions or concerns via email.

 MICHAEL C. KARSLAKE [R]

• Residence: Alexandria, Virginia Beach
• Age: 69
• Occupation: Owner of Providence Computers, Inc.
• Military Service/Education: BA in music education/vocal, Spring Arbor College, 1976; masters of divinity, Regent University,1990
• Endorsements: Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Mayor Bobby Dyer and state Del. Anne Farrell Tata
• Phone: (757) 447-0615
• Website: mikekarslake.com
• Email: info@mikekarslake.com
• Social media: @mikekarslakefordelegate on Facebook

What are your specific qualifications to serve in the General Assembly? As the founder and owner of Providence Computers for 38 years, I am an experienced entrepreneur affiliated with Business Networks International (BNI), Believers Biz and various churches small groups. I have been a poll volunteer for over 20 years in the Centerville Precinct. My wife Sherry and I have been married for 44 years. We have 2 daughters, Jessica and Keren, who are both married, and we have 4 grandchildren ages 7-16. Our family is truly blessed. 

I am originally from Michigan and became a Christian at the age of 8. My family was devoted to church, to evangelism and to service in the community. Throughout the years I served in various capacities such as Sunday school teacher, Youth director and Choir director.  I have done missions work domestically & abroad, visiting places like China, Egypt, Hong Kong, Italy, and Turkey. I have assisted solar and water well installations in Haiti and Tanzania.

What, to you, is the most important issue facing your district and how will you address it in office? I believe in making energy costs affordable and keeping energy flowing to all sectors of my district. High energy costs result in high inflation for all consumer purchases. We now have a historically high energy demand for our homes, industry, schools and institutions. They each need an uninterrupted flow of power both electrical and natural gas. Families and individuals need to have an affordable power bill not forced up by inflation and excessive costs to develop new forms of electricity. Alternative types of energy production should be developed but their costs should be kept in check by competitive bidding and other efficiencies. I do not support the forced purchase of EVs and the California green energy agenda to eliminate fossil fuel new vehicle sales by 2035. I’m a supporter of wind and solar when they make sense. Let’s keep our families warm in the winter and cool in the summer!

What are your three main legislative priorities?

1. I want to untangle Virginia from California’s vehicle standards which include phasing out sales of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035. Virginia passed a law in 2021 requiring the state’s Air Pollution Control Board to implement a low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle program matching California regulations. I would support 2023’s HB 1378 which the incumbent opposed and the corresponding bills in the Senate.
2. I support Gov. Youngkin’s Operation Bold Blue Line to reduce crime. I would continue funding and look for ways to implement and strengthen the program initiatives. Among others, it works to fix pay and wage compression, supports major recruiting efforts and even looks to other states, supports more training and equipment and helps keep violent offenders behind bars. 
3. I would create and support legislation to strengthen K-12 education in the Commonwealth to include the ability to remove bullies from the classroom. I want to see protection for our teachers and students from threats and violence in the classroom. Restoration of discipline methods and an orderly classroom environment. Increases in teacher pay and benefits. I support parental involvement in all aspects of their students learning process and support new methods of raising reading, writing and math competencies.

How will you help ensure job creation and economic vitality? Virginia is at a historically low unemployment rate of 2.7% however we always need to keep job creation strong. We need to continue to advocate for a strong agricultural sector and the jobs it provides and attract new jobs in construction and manufacturing. We must encourage the entrepreneurial spirit as it creates hundreds of new jobs daily. We need to eliminate annoying regulations, tax and fees which stifle job growth and creation. Government does not create jobs but it can help small businesses to grow and flourish.

How will you support local efforts to address sea level rise and recurrent flooding? Our Hampton Roads area is experiencing the effects of both sinking/subsistence and sea level rise on our coastal and tidal areas. The huge growth of commercial and urban housing and building is creating drainage problems faster than we can seemingly react. Our oldest storm sewers and drainage systems are very challenged. 

I would support infrastructure maintenance and rethinking our water and sea level both on the local and state level. This is a big problem and will need major dollars and planning to move quickly toward results driven solutions. Currently, Gov. Youngkin has advocated investment in conservation and preservation, including $685 million for resiliency and the Chesapeake Bay.

How will you support public education? Please see my answer on Education above.

Do you support access to sexual and reproductive health care for women, including birth control and legal abortion access in Virginia? I believe that motherhood is a sacred process and reproductive health care should be protected. I personally believe that life begins at conception, however as a legislative rule I think that limiting abortions after 15 weeks when a baby can feel pain, with exceptions for rape, incest and saving the life of the mother, would be a proposal most people agree is reasonable. This position aligns with Governor Youngkin’s proposal and according to a recent Gallup survey, nearly 70% of Americans believe abortion should be legal during the first three months of pregnancy. 

Virginia Beach plans to ask the General Assembly to support a new district voting system, either by charter change or general law change. Will you work with the delegation and across party lines to support this? I would support the city in their efforts to implement a new district voting system.

KELLY K. CONVIRS-FOWLER [D]

• Residence: Mears Corner, Virginia Beach 
• Age: 42
• Occupation: Delegate and Real Estate Broker
• Military Service/Education: Bachelor’s degree in psychology and criminal justice, Virginia Wesleyan University; master’s degree in education, Old Dominion University 
• Endorsements: Virginia Education Association, Freedom Virginia and Planned Parenthood 
• Phone: (407) 619-5566
• Website: delegatefowler.com 
• Email: manager@delegatefowler.com 
• Campaign Social Media: @delegatefowler on Facebook, Instagram and X, formerly Twitter

What are your specific qualifications to serve in the General Assembly? I have been a lifelong resident of Virginia Beach and have proudly represented our city in the Virginia House of Delegates since 2018. 

As your delegate, I’m guided by my firm belief that the role of a public servant is to improve the lives of her constituents. 

I have fought and won numerous battles, including expanding Medicaid to 550,000 Virginians, protecting reproductive freedom, and lowering the cost of prescription drugs. I currently serve on the House Finance Committee and the House Privileges and Elections Committee, where I fight to strengthen the economy for everyday Virginians and protect voting rights. 

I’m running for re-election to continue serving our community and fighting so that hardworking Virginia Beach families like mine can thrive.

What, to you, is the most important issue facing your district and how will you address it in office? Lowering costs and raising wages for the people of Virginia Beach and fighting for working class Virginians is my top priority. From lowering prescription prices to opposing tax cuts for corporations, I’ve been proud to stand up for working families and will continue to do so as we work to grow and diversify our local economy. 

What are your three main legislative priorities? As a former educator and mom of three, defending and promoting the highest standard of public education in the Commonwealth is at top of mind for me heading into next session. There are many education issues, from raising teacher pay to keeping politics out of the classroom, that I would like to tackle. But in particular, we need to comprehensively address the lasting effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on our education system. 

A study we commissioned found a multitude of issues stemming from the pandemic, including declining academic achievement, rising mental health challenges, and high numbers of teachers leaving the profession. We need a long-term task force that can assess the disparities created from the pandemic. For the sake of our kids, we need to address these and other challenges before it’s too late.

How will you help ensure job creation and economic vitality? We need to do more to stimulate and diversify our local economy. Virginia Beach has skilled workers but few jobs for them after they graduate or leave the service. We need to study what skills people are coming out of school and the military with and begin attracting those types of industries so that we retain top talent and grow our economy.

–How will you support local efforts to address sea level rise and recurrent flooding? The state’s imminent withdrawal from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative is a short sighted decision that will no doubt negatively impact the people of Virginia Beach. 

We all know flooding is a real issue that we can’t just wish away, and without those funds, we’ll be left to face the consequences of increased flooding disasters or shift the burden to local municipalities. I will work with the state and our local governments to secure necessary funding where possible, but I sincerely hope the governor reconsiders the withdrawal.

How will you support public education?

• Create a task force to focus on identifying the educational impacts from Covid-19 from varying age groups across the Commonwealth, then plan a path forward focused on closing all educational gaps in public education due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.
• Comprehensively address the issue of teacher retention, including but not limited to raising teacher pay above the national average. 
• Ensure our standards of learning are consistent with fact and history through a professional and not political process. 

Do you support access to sexual and reproductive health care for women, including birth control and legal abortion access in Virginia? In 2020, we passed comprehensive reform that removed medically unnecessary barriers to reproductive healthcare in Virginia while still keeping in place limited restrictions on when and under what circumstances abortion is legal. 

What remains is a system that protects the right to an abortion and gives women, families, and doctors the freedom to make decisions about reproductive healthcare. After speaking with voters in my district and with the fall of Roe last year, I believe this balance of common sense protections and limitations are what the voters support. 

Virginia Beach plans to ask the General Assembly to support a new district voting system, either by charter change or general law change. Will you work with the delegation and across party lines to support this? Yes — I have been a steadfast proponent for changes to our district voting systems to make them fairer and more representative of the citizens of Virginia Beach. 

NICHOLAS S. OLENIK [I]

• Residence: Brigadoon, Virginia Beach
• Age: 41
• Occupation: Retired
• Military Service/Education: High school graduate
• Phone: (757) 287-1597
• Website: olenik.us
• Email: nolenik@gmail.com
• Social Media: @nso23464 on X, formerly Twitter

What are your specific qualifications to serve in the General Assembly? I’m of age and live in the district. 

What, to you, is the most important issue facing your district and how will you address it in office? I feel the biggest issue facing not only our district, but the entire Commonwealth is cost of living. I will lower each constituent’s tax burden through fiscally conservative tax code reform.

What are your three main legislative priorities? Mental health, tax reform and term limits.

How will you help ensure job creation and economic vitality? By lowering the small business tax burden, we can ensure the growth of new and existing small businesses and also create new jobs by attracting new businesses to Virginia.

How will you support local efforts to address sea level rise and recurrent flooding? Plant more native vegetation to absorb the rain fall and stop building on our wetlands and drainage fields.

How will you support public education? Student centered funding.

Do you support access to sexual and reproductive health care for women, including birth control and legal abortion access in Virginia? Yes, I support access for women’s sexual and reproductive health care.

Virginia Beach plans to ask the General Assembly to support a new district voting system, either by charter change or general law change. Will you work with the delegation and across party lines to support this? Yes, but it has to be through charter change because we are a Dillon Rule state.

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