ELECTION 2023: Two Republicans vie for Tuckahoe District supervisor's nomination
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Editor's note: This is the first in a series of article profiling candidates for local elected office. It features the two Republican candidates for the Tuckahoe District supervisor's seat. A subsequent article will feature the two Democratic candidates for the seat.
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With the looming retirement of longtime Tuckahoe District Supervisor Pat O’Bannon, fellow Republicans Greg Baka and Craig Suro are preparing to compete in a June primary election to determine who will run to replace her as the party’s nominee for the seat on the Henrico Board of Supervisors.
Greg Baka
O’Bannon has endorsed Baka, who currently serves as the Tuckahoe commissioner, to replace her.
“I’m wholeheartedly throwing all my support to Greg,” she previously told the Citizen. “He is probably the most honest person I know, besides my husband. Greg works hard and he knows what the citizens are thinking.”
In addition to serving on the Henrico Board of Zoning Appeals and the Henrico Recreation and Parks Advisory Commission, Baka has consulted on several local government projects. The University of Richmond graduate believes his knowledge of local government and Henrico County specifically make him ideally qualified to the position of supervisor.
“I wanted to run for Tuckahoe supervisor to build upon my past experience and to have another opportunity to serve the people of the Tuckahoe district,” he said.
His main priority would be to maintain the county’s fiscally conservative budgeting approach that provides quality services and low taxes, he said. Baka is proud of the county for maintaining balanced tax collections and having an AAA bond-rating.
With recent spikes in real estate assessments, Baka hopes to provide taxpayers with some tax relief, which he said should be done in budget hearings by the current board.
His other priorities would include recruitment and retention of public safety officials and expanding the limits of the Real Estate Advantage Program (REAP), which provides deductions in property taxes for senior citizens who meet age, income and net worth requirements.
Baka has been a strong supporter of the recent bond referendum and the projects it is financing, which include rebuilding Quioccasin Middle School, renovating Firehouse 17 and extending Tuckahoe Creek Park, he said. His children graduated from Henrico County public schools, according to his campaign website.
His planning commission work also has involved negotiating conditions and proffers for how Regency mall would redevelop, he said.
If elected, Baka said he would continue engagement processes implemented by O’Bannon, he said. Her community meetings have been vital in getting public feedback before planning cases go to public hearings, he said.
“This allows public to participate in the process, have their voice heard, allows the developer applicants to modify or adjust plans if needed to accommodate public feedback,” he said.
Craig Suro
Shortly before Baka officially announced his campaign, Craig Suro (a local entrepreneur and former emergency preparedness coordinator under Lt. Gov. John Hager) announced his candidacy for the seat. Suro he was inspired to run by his father’s death last year, which he said caused him to realize that he had unintentionally followed his father’s path into civil service.
Suro, who graduated with a degree in business administration from Clemson University, sees the biggest issues in Henrico as economics and schools, he said. He praised county officials for their work throughout the past year as assessments and interest rates increased during uncertain economic conditions.
For businesses, Suro said he wants to “cut red tape” that has had unintended consequences resulting in inefficiencies. He believes better communication can alleviate this issue, he said.
“Henrico is one of the best counties for businesses to deal with, it’s just keeping that up,” he said.
The county also does a wonderful job with education, Suro said, but he would prioritize helping address continued challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, including scheduling changes and mental health challenges. J.R. Tucker High School has adapted especially well, he said.
“The school board, they're gonna have to come up with some solutions to the pressure on the teachers and the students,” he said. “I don’t have the answer to that.”
His children attend local private schools Collegiate School and Trinity Episcopal School, he said. Suro himself attended Collegiate School after being enrolled in Tuckahoe schools growing up, which his mother chose despite economic uncertainty at times, he said.
Suro wants to improve affordable housing for first-time homebuyers. Along with inflation across the country there is high demand for affordable housing in Henrico, he said. Although there isn’t a one ideal solution on revitalizing the existing housing inventory, Suro hopes to continue the current board’s development and consider potential solutions such as building more modular homes, he said.
Henrico is a leader in parks, too, and Suro is excited about the possibility of continuing that trend. He also would continue to reinvest in Henrico through infrastructure, which is important to the county’s long-term future, he said.
“We've got to have a long-term plan,” he said. “And that's one of my platforms, is how do you look forward to the next 10, 20, 30 years for this county? Continue to reinvest in ourselves through infrastructure.”
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Virginia Department of Elections – Citizen Portal
