This is an op-ed by Frank Sullivan of Chantilly. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.

In the Nov. 8 General Election, a meals tax ballot question will ask Fairfax Country voters to allow the Board of Supervisors to impose an additional tax on prepared foods. Below are six reasons why voters should vote (Vote No) against the imposition of this meals tax:

1. The tax on prepared foods in the county will increase to 10 percent, a 4-percent meals tax plus the current 6-percent state sales tax. This tax will not only apply to what one purchases in restaurants, but to all prepared foods and beverages regardless of where purchased (grocery stores, restaurants, lunchrooms, cafeterias taverns, coffee shops, cafes, delis, food trucks, etc.).

2. The ballot question leads one to believe the meals tax will reduce the dependency on real estate taxes. The facts are the Board recently approved a property tax increase of $1.13 per $100 which represents an increase of 6 percent to the average homeowner. This now represents an increase of 26 percent over 5 years. The average annual Real Estate tax bill will increase $304, this on top of the $185 increase from last year. Over the last two years, the Board also has voted to increase stormwater taxes, sewer service charges, and youth athletic fees all the while voting to raise their own pay by 27 percent. If anyone believes the meals tax will provide property tax relief, recall that the Board promised to eliminate the Car Tax (i.e., personal property tax) — we are still paying the Car Tax. Enough is enough on more taxes.

3. While there are exceptions to the meals tax, the exceptions will only apply to very few living in the country. This is a regressive tax that will impact the hard working middle class and those that can least afford it, including minorities and senior citizens.

4. The Board would have voters believe that a portion of the meals tax revenue will be used for capital improvements and property tax relief and that the majority of the revenue would lead to higher teacher pay and funding for school classrooms. The truth is this revenue can go to various fund, including what the county budget generically calls ‘county services’. The Board also has shown it cannot be trusted to apply any of this revenue to property tax relief (again remember the Car Tax relief).

5. The Board would have voters believe the country budget still suffers the impacts of sequestration. Supervisor Pat Herrity (Springfield) has identified areas of the budget that could be cut such as developer proffers and the $1 million earmarked for the Supervisors’ offices ($100,000 each) but has been ignored by the Board. If this were a responsible Board they would be willing to set priorities and address its fiscal issues, including conducting a review of the County’s spending and a review of the budget for waste before raising taxes once again

6. Once this tax is passed, there is no guarantee that this tax will not increase.

Please join the Fairfax Families Against the Food Tax by voting NO to the meals tax question on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Frank W. Sullivan

Something on your mind? Send opinion letters to [email protected]. Reston Now reserves the right to edit letters for clarity.

This is a commentary by Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.

When Captain John Smith and other Englishmen made their way to the new land of Virginia in 1607, they found a richness of natural beauty and resources unmatched in any place else they had been.

John Smith’s visit around the natural estuary that we now call the Chesapeake Bay highlighted the wealth of forests, wildlife and sea life the new land offered. Little wonder that it became such an inviting place to settle and establish cities and factories. Fast forward to the turn of this century and the Chesapeake Bay had in many places become a dead zone without the ability to sustain life in its waters. Most of its riches had been stripped away.

Fortunately, citizens concerned about environmental issues rallied together mostly under the auspices of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to work and lobby for the kind of actions necessary to save and restore the Bay. In 2010, the six Bay states, along with the federal government and the District of Columbia, began a renewed effort to restore the health of the Bay and the rivers and streams that flow into it through a Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint. Read More

This is an op-ed by Reston resident Terry Maynard. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.

On Monday, the Fairfax County Department of Transportation (FCDOT) and Reston Network Analysis Group (RNAG) once again offered several proposals that would create a transportation tax service district (TSD) for the Reston Metro transit station areas (TSAs) along the Dulles Corridor that would add to the tax bills of Restonians living there.

At the meeting, FCDOT detailed three TSD tax rate options: $0.017/$100 assessed valuation, $0.20/$100 assessed valuation, and $0.27/$100 assessed valuation to be paid for 40 years largely based on mindless comparisons with Tysons.

Ostensibly, these funds would close a $350 million “gap” in funding new and improved streets and intersections throughout the TSAs to accommodate the traffic added there by new high-density development.

Read More

This is a commentary by Del. Ken Plum, who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.

My parents knew of my interest in politics and government from the time I started school. I do not remember their specific reaction in the early 1970s when I told them I was going beyond working for other candidates and was going to run for the state legislature myself.

I do quite clearly remember my mother’s question after the 1972 break-in at Democratic Headquarters in the Watergate and the ensuing scandal that led to President Nixon’s resignation. She asked if I was sure that I wanted to be in politics, a profession that was not too highly regarded.

My answer was straightforward: now more than ever! I explained to her my belief that if honest people did not want to get involved in politics then the running of government would be left to the scoundrels and crooks. I did not want that to happen.

She would probably ask me the same question today and for good reason. While some will dismiss my views as partisan, I want to make clear that my concern here is with Donald Trump, an individual who was able to bully his way to the Republican nomination for President. Read More

This is an opinion column by Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.

A brief trip to the Shenandoah National Park and the Skyline Drive which Jane and I took recently with two of our grandchildren brought back a flood of memories.

Our stay-over was at Skyland Lodge, where in the summer of 1959 I was cashier at the dining room and in the summer of 1960 I was room clerk. We spent the night in a unit that was next door to the Canyon unit, where my Mother was maid for both those summers. Employees who lived as we did in the Shenandoah Valley stayed in employee housing for our six-day work week since the distance home was too great to commute daily.

My second summer there I shared a room in Trout Cabin with the student minister who worked as a regular employee during the week and conducted a worship service on Sunday.

Living atop the Blue Ridge Mountains was a treat for me. For one thing it was a lot cooler, and we did not have air conditioning at home. Being there daily allowed me to appreciate the mountain in all its moods from cloud shrouded to clear views of the Valley below. But my most lasting memory came from my conversations and debates with my roommate. Read More

This is an op-ed by Reston resident Ed Abbott. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.

In the next week or so, a Reston Association committee will select a consultant to review and evaluate the purchase and overrun expenses related to the Tetra office property, now known as the Lake House. The consultant will review, analyze and make recommendations to the Board on processes to prevent the recurrence of such a fiasco.

One of the steps in the consultant’s review will be to wade through the public record. The record is extensive and includes documents on the RA and Fairfax County websites as well articles in Reston Now and the Connection.

As the record shows, RA made numerous mistakes over the course of about two years. It is useful to enumerate those mistakes to remind everyone what a dismal job RA did in purchasing and managing the Tetra renovation. It might also provide some guidance to RA’s independent review consultant.

Let’s start with the $2.6 million price paid for the property. In reality, paid for two properties; one real and the other hypothetical. The real was the building as an office. That cost $1.3 million. The hypothetical, a restaurant, would cost an additional $1.35 million. The prices were based on a January 2015 appraisal for the property. RA requested that the appraiser include the restaurant. Read More

This is a commentary by Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.

In the week that I was in Chicago for the annual Legislative Summit of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), there was a record 100 people shot in the city in less than a week. According to data kept by the Chicago Tribune, there had been by that time 2,514 shooting victims–about 800 more than at the same time last year.

Between the Friday afternoon after I had arrived and the next Thursday morning, at least 99 people were shot in the city — 24 of them fatally. Among the wounded was a 10-year-old boy who was shot in the back.

Although I was in the city, I had no direct or personal knowledge of what was going on. I was downtown in the McCormick Convention Center part of the city, and I saw no violence and heard no police sirens. What I knew came from reading the newspaper. The experience reminded me that although most of us fortunately live outside areas of violence, we can never be sure of when our sense of safety can be shattered and the next instance of gun violence can happen in or near our community.

Who would have thought that a record for mass murders would be set in Virginia in 2007 when 32 people were killed and 17 wounded on a college campus? That record was broken in 2016 in an Orlando, Florida, nightclub when a gunman killed 49 people and wounded 53. Mass murders that for most of our history did not take place are becoming too frequent. But beyond the mass murders there are more than 33,000 gun deaths and more than 130,000 people shot per year in this country.

According to the organization Americans for Responsible Solutions, Americans are 25 times more likely to be murdered with a gun than people in other developed countries like ours. They report that from 2005-2015 71 Americans were killed by terrorist attacks on U.S. soil while 301,797 were killed by gun violence during the same period. Their shocking statistics show that since the Sandy Hook tragedy in 2012 a child under 12 has been killed by intentional or accidental gunfire every other day. More than 50 gun suicides occur on average every day in our country making guns the most common and lethal means of suicide.

We cannot let these numbers become the norm for our country nor can we let ourselves become desensitized to the public health menace that gun violence has become. That is why I and others participate in an End Gun Violence Vigil at the headquarters of the National Rifle Association (NRA) on the 14th of every month to keep in the public mind the role that gun manufacturers and others play with their campaign contributions and lobbying in defeating commonsense gun safety laws.

I hope that gun violence becomes a major issue in the current presidential and congressional campaigns. I will be introducing a universal background check bill in the next session of the General Assembly.

It’s the last week of August. Surely you are savoring every last minute with your Fairfax County Public Schools students, catching fireflies and making s’mores and wishing summer would never end.

Or, you may be wincing at your brown lawn and frantically scrambling for child care as camp is gone and school does not start until the day after Labor Day, a full week into September this year.

In any case, this is almost certainly the last year FCPS will begin after Labor Day. After decades of following the “Kings Dominon Rule,” the Virginia law that mandates school begin after Labor Day, FCPS Superintendent Karen Garza has drafted a 2017-18 calendar that has school starting on Aug. 28, 2017. Students will also get out a week earlier in June of 2018

Garza previously said this change is being made to provide more instructional time before winter break; enhanced flexibility to help students and school staff members meet college application deadlines; and to end the school year earlier in June.

The FCPS School Board is expected to give final approval when it votes on the change in the fall.

FCPS was able to make the change to the calendar due to Code of Virginia 22.1-79.1, which allows local Boards of Education to waive the state requirement to begin schools after Labor Day if a district is closed an average of eight days per year during five of the past 10 years due to weather conditions, energy shortages, power failures, or other emergencies.

FCPS qualified for the waiver because, during five of the past 10 years, the district has averaged 8.4 days missed due to weather conditions and other events.

Based upon this current average of missed days, the waiver option will continue at least through the 2019-20 school year, FCPS said.

Photo: Karen Garza/file photo

This is a commentary by Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of reston Now.

“Our Nation is at risk,” thus began a report on schools given to President Ronald Reagan in 1983. “…We report to the American people that while we can take justifiable pride in what our schools and colleges have historically accomplished and contributed to the United States and the well-being of its people, the educational foundations of our society are presently being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity that threatens our very future as a Nation and a people.

“What was unimaginable a generation ago has begun to occur–others are matching and surpassing our educational attainments.” (A Nation at Risk, U.S. Department of Education, 1983)

At a meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) two weeks ago, I heard a similar report from its Study Group on International Comparisons in Education: “The bad news is most state education systems are falling dangerously behind the world in a number of international comparisons and on our own National Assessment of Educational Progress, leaving the United States overwhelmingly underprepared to succeed in the 21st century economy.” (No Time to Lose: How to Build a World-Class System State by State, NCSL, August, 2016)

The Nation at Risk report led to numerous reforms, from high stakes standardized testing, charter schools, standards of learning, common core and others, many of which have themselves already been reformed. I question the accuracy of another report that predicts doom for our public schools.

That there is an unacceptable level of disparity in achievement among groups of students is undeniable. That our goals for our students may be greater than they can sometimes achieve may be true. That our schools do an incredibly wonderful job for most students has been my experience.

What I hope will not happen with this most recent report is that legislators will not jump in with both feet with the latest and greatest ideas they have about reforming schools, lay down unrealistic and inflexible regulations, or assume somehow that the private sector can do a better job than public schools.

Instead, I hope that citizens, advocates, and business representatives will make clear our expectations for our schools and give educators the responsibility to meet those goals with full accountability. Read More

There is a rare empty storefront on Reston Town Center’s Market Street.

PR Barbers recently packed up its styling tools from 11944 Market St. (next to Bow Tie Cinemas) and moved to a more compact spot near RTC’s pavilion.

That leaves a vacant space for now. No permits have been filed and Reston Now does not yet know of a lease signed for the space.

There are several other empty storefronts at the other end of Market Street, where an AT&T Store and Brighton Collectibles used to be housed. That space is being cleared out for redevelopment of that block into an office tower with first-floor retail.

Since no construction start date has been announced, RTC is letting pop-up shops do temporary business there.  A sustainable textiles store, Living Threads, recently opened, and more pop-up shops are expected soon.

Meanwhile, what should go in the PR Barbers’ space? Tell us in the comments.

This is an op-ed from Vienna resident Jason V. Morgan. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.

Something on your mind? Send an opinion to [email protected]. Reston Now reserves the right to make edits to accepted submissions.

Dear Editor,

I am writing because there was a major misrepresentation of Fairfax County’s budget in the August 4, 2016, commentary submitted by Claude Andersen (Director of Operations, Clyde’s Restaurant Group).

Mr. Anderson opposes the upcoming meals tax referendum, but he is providing very bad information to justify his position. Mr. Andersen erroneously claims that the Fairfax County budget has increased by almost $1 BILLION since 2012.

However, the nominal growth since 2012 is only $442.1-474.8 MILLION, depending on whether one looks at FY2012/FY2016 or FY2013/FY2017. And in inflation-adjusted terms, the growth is only $265.1-298.4 MILLION (2016 dollars). Read More

With paid parking set to go into effect at Reston Town Center on Sept. 12, Reston Now last week asked readers to name some of their favorite restaurants located elsewhere in Reston.

We got 80 comments on that post (and more than 100 on the Reston Now Facebook page), with many great suggestions. Here are some of the spots readers gave lots of mention:

• Cafesano (South Lakes Village Center)
• Red’s Table (South Lakes Village Center)
• Glory Days (North Point Village Center; Fox Mill Shopping Center)
• Gregorio’s Trattoria (North Point Shopping Center)
• Kalypso’s (Lake Anne Plaza)
• Ariake (Hunters Woods Village Center)
• La Ong (Fox Mill Shopping Center)
• Cafe Montmartre (Lake Anne Plaza)
• Silver Diner (Reston)
• Amphora (Herndon)
• A Taste of the World (Herndon)

Which brings us to this weekend’s discussion: Where to go for a drink?

While “technically” there are no standalone bars according to Virginia law (only restaurants that serve alcohol), there are places in Reston, Herndon and nearby areas that are more popular for cocktails/beer/wine than for their meals.

Weekend parking will remain free at town center, so many drinking spots will see see do a brisk business. But what about a weekday drink? “Monday Night Football” viewing? Let us know where you will grab a pint if you want to park for free come September.

Photo: Beer taps at Red’s Table

This is a commentary by Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.

The 2010 US Census recorded slightly more than 8 million people living in Virginia. That means that the legislature drawing boundaries for the 100-member House of Delegates had to divide the state into districts that each included 80,000 persons, give or take a percentage or two.

Legislative districts may be geographically small in urban and suburban communities, but several counties large in rural areas. The intent of the constitutional requirement for redistricting is to make districts as equal as possible in the number of persons residing in them without regard to the land mass on which they live.

The process of redistricting becomes complicated and very political, however, as incumbent legislators attempt to draw lines around those persons most supportive of them; that process is commonly referred to as “gerrymandering.” I and others have attempted to take politics out of the process to create fairer districts through formation of a commission that would draw lines independent of any consideration of where incumbent legislators live.

With a neutral party drawing lines, “voters would pick their legislator rather than legislators picking their voters,” as advocates of redistricting reform maintain. The effort toward a fairer process will continue in federal courts and in the legislature.

Persons who live in districts are referred to as constituents of the district’s legislator. On average, about half of constituents are registered to vote. Some people are too young, not yet a citizen, or have not bothered to register to vote, but they are represented in the legislature. Legislators vary in opinions and attitude as to whether they represent all the persons in their district, those who register to vote, or those who actually vote. I believe I have a responsibility to represent all the people who live in my district as best as I can.

Constituencies however can go beyond legislative boundaries. My passion for education issues, for example, results in people from throughout the Commonwealth asking me for support and assistance. Read More

With the news this week that paid parking — with a complicated app-based system and even more complicated Bluetooth validation — will take effect at Reston Town Center Sept. 12, dozens of Restonians say that’s it for them at RTC.

Here are some comments from Reston Now’s Facebook page:

“I live 5 minutes away from RTC but ever since they got rid of the outdoor parking, I think I have visited there 4 times, and all of those were to see movies. … I have found other places to dine or shop. I will still go to the movies there occasionally but they pretty much lost me as a frequent visitor.”

“The whole idea of an app for parking at a nearby shopping center is just deflating. So much for spontaneity. I don’t need one more account/password to manage in my life. I’d rather spend my money on gas driving farther & parking with no hassle.”

“I will be shopping and dining at RTC less because of this! We are within a 20 minute drive of 3 major malls. I think this is a foolish move on the management of RTC!”

So let’s talk about Reston’s best places outside of RTC (I have my own personal triumvirate of dining awesomeness at South Lakes Village Center and Hunters Woods Village Center).

Without Reston Town Center in your personal mix, where will you spend your dining dollars in Reston/Herndon/Vienna and nearby?

This is a commentary from Del. Ken Plum (D), who represents Reston in Virginia’s House of Delegates. It does not reflect the opinion of Reston Now.

Ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was already being hotly debated in the Virginia General Assembly when I became a member of the House of Delegates in 1978.

A hearing on ratification ended with twelve of twenty members of the committee voting against ratification; they were dubbed “the dirty dozen” by the primarily women supporters of the amendment. The vote caused such a rowdy protest by advocates that the police actually carried some of the women from the room.

As a new member of the House of Delegates who ran on a platform supporting ratification of the ERA, I decided to take a new approach. I wanted to show that the ERA was in keeping with Virginia’s history. If I could show that Thomas Jefferson would support it if he were alive today, the Assembly would likely ratify it or so I reasoned. I wrote to Professor Dumas Malone, author of the six-volume definitive biography of Thomas Jefferson, and asked him if Jefferson were alive in today’s modern society is it not the case that he would support the ERA.

Professor Malone did not take the bait; he refused as a historian to speculate on the future. My plan failed, and Virginia has still not ratified the ERA, despite our repeated attempts to have it do so.

While Virginia is home to the greatest spokespersons for human rights with George Mason’s Declaration of Rights, Thomas Jefferson’s Statute for Religious Freedom and James Madison’s Bill of Rights, the Commonwealth has been among the slowest of the states in embracing any expansion of the scope of human rights beyond their limited 18th century definition. Read More