Alexandria Chamber Welcomes New Chair with Bowties and Pearls

28th Mount Vernon Town Meeting, Sat., Jan. 31, 7:45 a.m. at MVHS
Vol. 14 No. 4
Serving Mount Vernon, Lee, and Alexandria
January 28, 2015 50 Cents
Officials Update Lee Residents
Changing Chairs
2014 Alexandria Chamber of Commerce chairman Joseph
Haggerty, left, with 2015 chamber chairman Walter Clarke.
See page 6.
The Storm that Wasn’t
Staff photos/Steve Hunt
By STEVE HUNT
Staff Writer
Lee residents had the opportunity Saturday to hear from the three
state senators and a delegate who
represent the district in the Virginia General Assembly, as well
as from the district supervisor —
all together all in Kingstowne.
Del. Mark Sickles (D-43rd) began the officials’ Legislative Town
Hall Meeting, featuring Sens.
Toddy Puller (D-36th), George
Barker (D-39th) and Adam Ebbin
(D-30th) and Lee Supervisor Jeff
McKay, by announcing that Gov.
Terry McAuliffe (D) has pledged
not to allow any budget cuts for
K-12 and higher education.
And as for Sickles, he had some
big news of his own having just
been appointed to the Appropriations Committee, the panel which
has jurisdiction over all state
spending decisions. His Appropriations assignments include the
Transportation, Higher Education
and Health & Human Resources
subcommittees.
“I want to thank [House] Speaker Howell for his confidence in
appointing me to the Appropriations Committee, a place where
there is a tradition of bipartisanship,” said Sickles in announcing his appointment. “The Commonwealth is facing some tough
budgetary decisions as we work
together with the Governor to lay
the foundations for a ‘new Virginia economy,’ and I look forward
to the challenge.”
Sickles told the packed Thomson
Center in Kingstowne that he will
be the senior Democrat on the
committee.
“It’s exciting for me,” he said.
Sickles said, in the short session
which began Jan. 14, the legislators have learned that “the budget
is in better shape than we thought
it might be, he believes ethics reform will be back on the table after last year’s “was not aggressive
enough for the public,” and that
See Town Meeting Page 10
Incumbents Running; Hyland?
Several Mount Vernon and Lee
incumbents have confirmed to
the Mount Vernon Voice that
they will be seeking re-election
this November, with one notable
omission.
State Sens. Adam Ebbin (D30th) and George Barker (D-39th)
told the Voice following their
town hall meeting in Kingstowne
Saturday that they will be seeking
re-election (although Barker stipulated that he will be “winning”
reelection when asked).
Del. Mark Sickles (D-43rd),
who has been serving in the General Assembly since 2004 and
was just appointed to the House
Appropriations Committee, also
See Incumbents Page 3
Staff photo/Steve Hunt
Speaking, Del. Mark Sickles. Listening, from left, Sup. Jeff McKay, Sen. Adam Ebbin,
Sen. Toddy Puller and Sen. George Barker at Saturday’s Town Meeting in Kingstowne.
Annual Lee Open
House Held Sat.
Pets of the Week
Lee District Supervisor Jeff
McKay, pictured at left, had
a big crowd despite the lousy
weather at his annual Lee Open
House Saturday afternoon at the
Franconia Government Center.
In addition to food prepared by
students from Edison Academy,
the event featured a time to
mingle with the supervisor and
tour the Franconia Museum
across the hall. Artwork from
the Springfield Art Guild was
also on display. Below, Lee
Planning Commissioner James
Migliaccio.
Reggie is a white male guinea
pig; he is probably about
1 year old and arrived at
the shelter just a few days
ago. For more information
about adopting Reggie,
call the AWLA and ask for
information about animal
ID #A063246.
Reggie
Bo Peep is a tan and
white female mix of
Catahoula Leopard Hound
and Pit Bull Terrier. The
shelter staff think she is
about 6 years old. For
more information about
adopting Bo Peep, call
the AWLA and ask for
information about animal
ID #A063219.
Bo Peep
Staff photos/Steve Hunt
Snowball is a male, white
Domestic Shorthair. The
shelter staff thinks he is
about 10 years old. For more
information about adopting
Snowball, call the AWLA and
ask for information about
animal ID #A063244.
Snowball
Rocky is a male black and brown
Dachshund mix believed to be
about 6 years old. For more
information about adopting
Rocky, call the AWLA and ask
for information about animal
ID #A063156.
Rocky
The Hollin Hall Animal Hospital is proud to sponsor the
Animal Welfare League of Alexandria’s Pets of the Week.
For information on adopting this week’s pets go to
www.alexandriaanimals.org. (703) 746-4774
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January 28, 2015
For more information, e-mail
[email protected]
Juveniles Charged in Fire
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department fire investigators
have charged two juveniles with
intentionally setting a fire in the
Mount Vernon area.
Both are charged with burning
a building with intent to commit
a felony and setting fire to any
woods, fences, grasses, etc. of the
Virginia Code.
The charges are connected to a
fire in a basement storage area
in two separate buildings of the
Mount Vernon Square Apartments which occurred around
4:20 a.m. on Dec. 31, the fire and
rescue department reported.
Damage is estimated at $300.
There were no injuries. Both juveniles are being held in the Fairfax
County Juvenile Detention Center.
Two other suspects are still at
large.
— FCFRD report
Hyland Keeping Mum on Run
Incumbents from Page 1
confirmed that he will be running for reelection.
Lee Supervisor Jeff McKay
(D) also confirmed that he will
be seeking reelection, and is in
the process of taking steps to do
that now, but won’t formally announce until March.
State Sen. Toddy Puller (D36th) has announced that she
will not be seeking re-election,
prompting Del. Scott Surovell
(D-44th) to announce that he
will be running for Puller’s open
seat, and Democrat Paul Krizek
to declare for Surovell’s seat.
Mount Vernon Supervisor
Gerry Hyland declined to answer Sunday at United Community Ministries’ Capitol Steps
performance.
Hyland, who is hosting his 28th
Annual Mount Vernon Town
Meeting Saturday, has historically announced his intentions at
the previous town meetings.
A few close friends, and even
his own daughter, Gigi, have told
the Voice they honestly don’t
know what he’s going to do.
Perhaps only his hairdresser
knows for sure.
— Steve Hunt
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January 28, 2015
3
COMMUNITY NOTES
LDACO Meeting on
Aging Water Pipes
Replacement of aging water lines
and emergency repairs of aging pipes
will be the topic of the Lee District
Association of Citizen Organizations
meeting
Wednesday, Jan. 28, 7:30 p.m., at
the Franconia Government Center.
Jeanne Bennett-Bailey, public affairs rep for Fairfax Water, will give
a power point presentation and an-
swer questions about the county water system. She will discuss, among
other topics, how the county water
service decides when pipes in older
neighborhoods need replacing, how
Fairfax Water deals with emergency
water line ruptures, and how adequate
service is provided to infill developments in older neighborhoods. All
Lee District residents are welcome.
The meeting will be held in the Community Room of the Franconia Government Center.
Friends of Library
To Meet at Sherwood
The Friends of Sherwood Regional
Library invite you to attend a meeting
with Supervisor Gerry Hyland and Library Director Sam Clay on Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 7:30 pm. The agenda
for the meeting will be available soon,
and will include sketches of proposed
changes to the second floor and other
news of interest. Free and Open to the
Public. CRIME LOG
The following incidents were report- entered the residence and took property. BURGLARIES
ed by the Mount Vernon District Sta- *Cooper Road 8700 block — Jan. 17.
*Ben Franklin Road 7000 block — Jan.
tion of the Fairfax County Police De- An employee reported someone en21. A resident reported someone entered
partment for the period Jan. 17 — 23. tered the business and took property.
the residence and took property.
*Shawnee Road 5200 block — Jan.
ROBBERIES
LARCENIES
18. A resident reported someone en*North Kings Highway 5900 block *Lamp Post Lane/Stonebridge Road, tered the residence and took property.
— Jan. 22.5:30 p.m. The victim property from vehicle.
UNLAWFUL ENTRY
was walking through a park and ap- *8200 block of Russell Road, mer*Cameron Farms Place 6200 block —
proached by three men. The suspects chandise from business.
assaulted the victim and demanded *2600 block of Arlington Drive, Jan. 16. A resident reported an unknown
person entered a church through an unproperty. Property was taken and the phone from residence.
suspects fled on foot. The victim in- *1600 block of Belle View Boule- secured window. Nothing was taken.
curred non-life threatening injuries. vard, merchandise from business.
LARCENIES
The suspects were described as black *8400 block of Frye Road, beverage
*5500 block of Cherokee Avenue,
males in their 20s and between 5 feet 6 from business.
inches and 5 feet 8 inches tall.
*7500 block of Republic Court, wal- property from vehicle.
*7600 block of Gresham Street, wallet
*Fort Hunt Road 6600 block — Jan. let from business.
from
vehicle.
20. 4:30 p.m. The victim was walk- *9300 block of Allwood Court, prop*5900 block of Highdale Circle, proping along a path and was approached erty from residence.
by two men. The suspects assaulted *4400 block of Flinstone Road, prop- erty from residence.
*6200 block of Higham Drive, jewelry
the victim, took property and fled. erty from residence.
The victim incurred non-life threaten- *7900 block of Janna Lee Avenue, from residence.
*7500 block of Hogarth Street, jewing injuries. The first suspect was de- cash from vehicle.
scribed as white, in his teens, around *7400 block of Mount Vernon Square elry from residence.
*5800 block of Kingstowne Boule5 feet 7 inches tall, with a thin build Center, merchandise from business.
and wearing a dark coat. The second *1800 block of Old Richmond High- vard, merchandise from business.
*5900 block of Kingstowne Boulesuspect was described as a Hispanic or way, license plates from vehicle.
vard,
merchandise from business.
black male in his teens, around 5 feet 7 *5900 block of Richmond Highway,
*5800 block of Kingstowne Bouleinches tall, with a thin build and wear- property from business.
ing a dark hoodie.
*6200 block of Richmond Highway, vard, merchandise from business.
*7200 block of Little River Turnpike,
*Colony Court 4500 block — Jan. merchandise from business.
19. 12:01 a.m. While walking the *7900 block of Richmond Highway, merchandise from business.
*6200 block of Masefield Court, livictim was approached by four men. merchandise from business.
The suspects assaulted the victim *8400 block of Eureka Court, license cense plates from vehicle.
*6400 block of Springfield Plaza, merand demanded property. The suspects plates from vehicle.
took property and fled. The victims *6300 block of Richmond Highway, chandise from business.
*6400 block of Brandon Avenue,
incurred non-life threatening injuries. property from vehicle.
property
from vehicle.
The suspects were described as black *6700 block of Richmond Highway,
*6600 block of Springfield Mall, mermales of unknown age.
merchandise from business.
*8100 block of Richmond Highway, chandise from business.
*6700 block of Springfield Mall, cash
BURGLARIES
phone from vehicle.
*8200 block of Richmond Highway, from business.
*6600 block of Frontier Drive, mer*Buckman Road 4200 block — Jan. bicycle from business.
chandise from business.
22. A resident reported someone en*6600 block of Loisdale Road, mertered the residence and took property. STOLEN VEHICLES
chandise from business.
*Duffield Lane 1800 block — Jan.
22. A resident reported someone en- *8500 block of Richmond Highway, *6300 block of Springfield Mall, merchandise from business.
tered the residence and took property. 2007 Toyota Corolla.
*Richmond Highway 8500 block — *5900 block of Richmond Highway, *7700 block of Telegraph Road, beverage from business.
Jan. 22. An employee reported some- 2008 GMC Acadia.
one entered the business and took *6000 block of Shaffer Drive, 2008 STOLEN VEHICLES
property.
Ford F150.
*Phillips Drive 2400 block — Jan. *6400 block of Richmond Highway, 6700 block of Commerce Street, 2014
Nissan Sentra.
19. A resident reported someone en- 2003 Lincoln Towncar.
6800 block of Meteor Place, Lexus
tered the residence and took property.
The following incidents were report- GS350.
*Central Park Circle 7900 block — ed by the Franconia District Station of 7800 block of Stovall Court, 2004
Honda Accord.
Jan. 18. A resident reported someone the FCPD.
4
January 28, 2015
RICHMOND REPORTS
Economy and Budgeting
Top Dems’ 2015 Agenda
By Sen. ADAM EBBIN
(D-30th)
Last week, my fellow Democratic Senators and I unveiled
our 2015 legislative priorities,
an “Opportunity Agenda,”
which focuses on six core principles. They are Economic Security; Voter Access and Participation; Equality; Education for
a Brighter Future; Restoration
of Faith in Government; and
Leading Healthier and Safer
Lives.
When I spoke at our news conference, I invited our Republican colleagues to partner with
us in support of these core Virginia values.
An integral part of building
a stronger economy is making
sure that hardworking Virginians receive an honest day’s
pay for an honest day’s work.
In 2013, 113,000 Virginian’s
earned the minimum wage of
just $7.25 per hour. If the minimum wage was indexed to inflation, it would be more than
$10.50 per hour today. That
is why I co-sponsored Sen.
David Marsden’s bill to give
hardworking Virginians a raise.
Unfortunately, the bill failed on
a party line vote in the Commerce and Labor committee.
Much of the focus this session so far has been on the budget. One budget amendment I
submitted is for smart investments in support of Community Health Centers (CHC’s),
non-profit organizations that
provide primary medical care
in addition to dental and behavioral services to those in need.
Neighborhood Health is one
CHC with branches in Alexandria, Arlington, and Mount
Vernon that provide services
to low-income residents who
would otherwise go without
healthcare. My proposal would
provide state grants to match
private, foundation, and federal
funding. Supporting great organizations like Neighborhood
See Ebbin Page 10
By Del. SCOTT SUROVELL
(D-44th)
The first 10 days of the General
Assembly session are usually
slow, but were full of surprises
this year.
First, while on my way to
Gov.Terry McAuliffe’s State of
the Commonwealth Address, I
learned that Sen. Toddy Puller
had announced her retirement.
After digesting the shock and
speaking to Toddy, I walked into
the House of Delegates chamber
to hear the governor’s address. Most of the first week was focused on organizing committees, passing non-controversial
bills developed over the summer
and putting the finishing touches
on our own bills.
I introduced several bills that
I did not cover in my prior columns. First, I introduced legislation prohibiting a Virginia
employer with more than 15
employees from either discriminating against or firing a woman
because she is pregnant. This issue, as it is addressed in federal
law, is currently pending before
the U.S. Supreme Court. However, Maryland adopted similar
legislation last year and nothing
prohibits Virginia from strengthening its own laws.
Second, I introduced a bill to
bring some “sunlight” to the
State Corporation Commission (SCC), a state agency with
broad regulatory power over
many industries. Recently, the
SCC issued comments criticizing President Barack Obama’s
proposed carbon dioxide, greenhouse gas regulations. The SCC
is not subject to the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) so no
one can learn from the public record the information, people and
other influences that led to the
SCC’s conclusions. I introduced
legislation requiring the SCC
to provide complete disclosure
of records and communications
any time they issue agency comments on public policy matters.
Third, a fellow attorney told
me about his client who had
been involuntarily committed
for mental health treatment. The
client owned large stockpiles of
ammunition. State law prohibits
people who have been ordered
into mental health treatment
See Surovell Page 10
The First 10 Days of Bills
OPINION
What We Think
By Mary Paden
Are you ready for some snow?
Steven Yokel
No address
“No I am not giving an address
because I am homeless and I don’t
know if I will have a place to stay
tonight. I will try to get into Rising
Hope but they can only take the
first 24 people in line.”
Jim Courtney
Sherwood Hall
“I am always ready for snow
with my four-wheel drive truck.”
Horace Johnson
Bucknell
“Yeah, I’m like a little kid
with snow. I want it.”
Bill Billard
Telegraph Road
“I have got my shopping done so
I guess I am ready. It looks like it
might snow in a couple hours.”
Chris Smith
Huntington
“No. I don’t like snow.
Mentally I am never ready.”
Erin Bauer
Beacon Hill
“Physically we are ready
but mentally? Never.”
Publishers: Marlene Miller, Steve Hunt
Editor: Marlene Miller
Writer, Photographer: Steve Hunt
7946 Fort Hunt Road,
Alexandria, VA 22308
Phone: (703) 360-0080
[email protected]
www.mountvernonvoice.com
Contributors
Michael Castleberry
Mary Paden
Nicholas Lindsey
Paginator
Jo Deckert
January 28, 2015
5
In photo left, keynote speaker U.S. Sen. Tim
Kaine (D-VA). Above, John Potter, President
and CEO of the Metropolitan Washington
Airports Authority, addressed the crowd
in the historic terminal at Washington
Reagan National Airport, right.
Alexandria Chamber
Welcomes New Chair
with Bowties and Pearls
U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-11th)
spoke with attendees.
Alexandria Chamber president
and CEO John Long
Business leaders were decked out in bow ties and pearls for the
Alexandria Chamber of Commerce’s 2015 Chairman’s Community
Reception Thursday at the Historic Terminal A of Washington
Reagan National Airport. The lively evening of food and networking
was held to welcome the chamber’s new chairman, Walter Clarke,
vice president of Burke & Herbert Bank. U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (DVA), U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-8th), and member of the Alexandria
City Council attended the event, as did special guest John Potter,
President & CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
From left, former Alexandria mayor Kerry Donley, ACT for
Alexandria executive director John Porter, Dr. Tammy Mann,
president and CEO of The Campagna Center, and Mary Lee
Anderson, executive director of Senior Services of Alexandria.
6
Staff photos/Steve Hunt
January 28, 2015
Walter Clarke, in white dinner jacket, with his wife, Kellye, left, and mother Gracie Clarke,
and family members, from left, cousin Joseph Jenkins and his wife, Louise Diaz-Jenkins,
sister Rita Clarke, sister Emily Clarke and brother Thomas Clarke.
The Johnny Artis Band
Alexandria Town Crier Benjamin Fiore-Walker
with Allen and Marisa Schirmer.
David Levine, exec. dir., Good
Shepherd Housing and Edythe
Kelleher, exec. dir., the SFDC.
Friends of UCM Present 23rd Capitol Steps Fundraiser
In photo above left, Friends of UCM President and UCM board member Suzy Coffey, left, presented a check to UCM Board Chair Gigi Hyland, right, and
UCM executive director Nichelle Mitchem. In photo above right, event co-chairs Sandy Doyle and Janis Surovell, right. Not pictured co-chair Margaret Murphy.
In photos above, from left, the leaders of France, Greece and Germany; The Capitol Steps recounted humorous
historical events that occurred since its founding in 1981; Tea Party Republicans seeking to impeach Obama.
The Friends of UCM hosted its 23rd annual performance of The Capitol Steps Sunday at the Knights of Columbus Hall raising a recordbreaking more than $72,000 to help fund United Community Ministries’ programs to help low-income families and individuals living in
the Richmond Highway corridor achieve financial stability. UCM executive director NIchelle Mitchem and board president Gigi Hyland
noted that UCM’s life-changing programs play an important role in stabilizing the lives of more than 10,000 of the community’s most
vulnerable members. It was also noted that due to the huge success of this year’s event, the location of the next performance will be
on Nov. 8 at the much larger U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria. More information: www.ucmagency.org.
Staff photos/Steve Hunt
A sold-out crowd enjoyed the Capitol
Steps performance, which included a skit
suggesting not changing the name of the
Washington NFL football team, only the logo
to a Redskin potato.
January 28, 2015
7
Lady Majors Top Lee, 56–51
MV Junior Deja King goes for a basket.
Above left, MV
Junior Deja King
takes a shot.
Above, Junior
Elisa Solomon
takes the ball
down the court.
MV head coach Courtney Coffer
instructs his players.
MV Junior Canise Ray controls the ball.
The Mount Vernon girls varsity basketball team beat Lee High School
56-51 last Friday night at home. Junior Elisa Solomon was high scorer
for the Lady Majors with 18 points including two 3-pointers.
Photos/Nicholas Lindsey
8
January 28, 2015
MV Senior Denisha White moves down the court with the ball.
ENTERTAINMENT
SUBSCRIBE TO THE
Do Not Miss Seeing ‘Leviathan’ MOUNT VERNON
BY MICHAEL CASTLEBERRY
Contributing Writer
Among the Oscar-nominated
films is the Russian entrant
Leviathan, both a giant of a film
at well over two hours as well as
being based on a classic managainst-the-system theme. But
this is no Mr. Smith Goes To
Washington or even one of those
Rambo films where he is the only
one left standing in the end. It is a
gripping look at a broken system
where things do not work the way
they are supposed to work. That’s
a theme that isn’t specific to Russia but this film presents a story
that is harrowing in the sheer intensity of the barriers an individual faces in a system that is broken
and corrupt.
Kolya lives with his wife Lilya
and son Roma in the northern
extremes along the Barents Sea,
a cold body of water well above
Norway, Sweden, Finland, and
Russia, just below the Artic
Circle. One can feel the cold
just writing those words. It is a
tough place to live and it takes
very strong individuals to survive. Kolya is a mechanic and
it takes all of his efforts, along
with his wife and son, to live. The
film’s conflict comes with his
being told by the local government that all of his property has
been seized for ‘public/private’
use. And that there is nothing he
can do about it.
Even in the United States there
are allowances for public seizures of property that is not being maintained or behind in taxes.
Property can be taken (for compensation) when there is a greater
public good. But in the Russia
of Leviathan that’s not the way
it works. For him there is no recourse. He seeks the aide of an
old friend, Dima, an attorney
living in Moscow, as soon as he
finds out that his assets are being
taken simply because they can be
confiscated. Whatever ‘rights’ an individual
has remain quite murky in this
tale of government/private entrepreneur thievery and it’s not
a pretty picture. His choices are
to accept the loss of everything
he has lived and worked for or to
try and find a way to fight back. It
is one man against a system of
corruption of historical proportions. The odds are definitely
stacked against him.
The struggle is set against the
most beautiful of settings, a
coastal area of unsurpassed beauty. But the beauty on the surfaces
masks the difficulty of life there
MOVIE TALK
and serves as a metaphor for the
ugliness that exists under the
guise of ‘government.’ Even
when you see his side in the unjust way he’s being treated, there
seems no clear outlet for a resolution since the cards are so stacked
against him. It is truly one man
against a system that allows
abuse as it looks the other way.
The film is not political per se
nor is it anti-Russian. It is simply presenting, in large and small
ways, the manner in which a system of bribes and payoffs and corruption has taken hold with such
force that there is no counterbalance. You see this in the proforma way in which his legal ap-
VOICE
peals are dismissed, his questions
go unanswered, etc. They do it
that way because they can. He
will not be allowed due process
because the decision has already
been made by those who wield
the power. It’s his bad luck.
His neighbors see what is going on but they are powerless to
help. And it’s clear that they’re
glad that it isn’t happening to
them. And this film of aching
beauty also captures the dissolution of individuals and families,
abandoned building, and whale
carcasses on the shore. As beautiful as it is there is something
dying at the heart of it all.
It would not do to offer hints
at how this film ends but suffice
it to say that it has to be one of
the great Russian films and one
of the best films of this year, foreign or otherwise. The contrast of
the serene beauty and the deadly
corruption at the core is something the viewer is not allowed
See Movie Talk Page 10
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January 28, 2015
9
R ICHMOND R EPORTS
‘Opportunity Agenda’ Focuses on Dems’ Core Values
Ebbin from Page 4
Health will bring down medical
costs by increasing access to preventative care.
I introduced multiple pieces of
legislation to address tax disparities that would bring in more
revenue. One would to be levy
an excise tax on e-cigarettes at a
lower amount than tobacco cigarettes. The second would reduce
the tax preference for yachts val- of poaching proceeds fund terror- Vernon Government Center
ued at over $100,000.
ist networks like al-Shabaab. My (2511 Parkers Lane) with SenaI have also introduced a bill to bill aims to close the loophole and tor Toddy Puller and Delegate
outlaw the import and sale of expand the penalties for dealing Scott Surovell
ivory and rhinoceros horns. While with those who break the law.
• Alexandria: Saturday, Feb.14,
it is illegal under federal law to
Please join my colleagues and 2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m., at the
transport ivory and rhinoceros
me for a legislative town hall Charles Houston Recreation
horns across state lines, there is
meeting this winter.
Center (905 Wythe St.)
a loophole regarding trade within
with Delegate Rob Krupicka
states. The ivory black market is • Mt. Vernon: Saturday, Feb.14,
a global security issue, as many 10:30 a.m. – Noon, at the Mount
Take my online survey at www.
AdamEbbin.com/Survey. You can
also email me at [email protected]. I am active on
Twitter @AdamEbbin and Facebook at www.facebook.com/EbbinCampaign. You can sign up for
my weekly email updates at www.
AdamEbbin.com.
It is my continued honor to represent the citizens of the 30th
Senate District.
Surovell from Page 4
from possessing a firearm, but
they are still allowed to possess
unlimited amounts of ammunition. My bill would prohibit that.
I also introduced a study resolution requesting Virginia’s nonpartisan government auditor to
conduct a study addressing methods to stabilize and improve our
transportation revenue sources.
We actually collect less in gas taxes today than we did in 2007 due
to more energy-efficient, highermileage cars, shorter commutes,
fewer drivers and less travel. Gas
tax revenue is declining. Virginia
is still at least $100 billion short
in transportation funds over the
next 20 years and projects like the
Yellow Line Metro extension will
not be cheap. My bill was tabled
mainly because committee members said we were not ready for
more transportation funding discussions. I also presented three constitutional amendments. One would
repeal the ban on marriage equality. The second amendment would
allow a two-term governor – that
is only common sense.
The third amendment would remove the requirement that voters
been my mentor and partner for
six sessions. Mount Vernon, Lee
and Virginia’s veterans could not
ask for a more ardent advocate.
After talking with my family and
business partners, I announced
last week that I will be running to
replace her in the State Senate. I
hope I can count on the community’s support as I embark on a
new challenge.
In the meantime, please make
sure you go online and complete
my constituent survey at www.
scottsurovell.org/survey.
Thank you for the honor of serving you.
Protection for Pregnant Women Among Bills Offered
provide a social security number
when registering to vote. The
General Assembly could still require the number or the last four
digits by statute, but this requirement does not belong in the Constitution. The entire social security number is no longer necessary
and having a database of six million social security numbers at the
State Board of Elections presents
an excellent computer hacker target. All three of my amendments
were taken under advisement until all amendments are heard.
On Martin Luther King, Jr.
Day, the gun rights lobby came
to Richmond along with firearm
safety advocates. I gave a floor
speech that pointed out that signs
on sticks, vuvuzellas, sirens, and
even helium balloons are prohibited inside the General Assembly
Building, while Bushmaster Assault Rifles, AK-47’s and semiautomatic pistols are allowed –
even in the balcony of the House
of Delegates chamber if you have
a concealed weapon permit. You
can watch my speech on my
You Tube channel. This needs to
change.
Finally, I wrote about Sen. Puller’s retirement last week. She has
Officials Brief Lee Residents on Assembly
Town Meeting from Page 1
sexual assault on college campuses will be addressed in light of the
now-discredited Rolling Stone article last fall.
Sickles also noted that legislators will be busy modifying Virginia Code to reflect the new reality of legal same-sex marriage in
the Commonwealth.
“It’s not going to be the most
contentious session ever,” he
commented.
Regarding Joe Morrissey, the
delegate who had been caught
up in a sex scandal, and more recently charged with four felonies
related to perjury and forgery after resigning from the House and
winning back his seat in a special
election, Sickles described the
situation as “highly embarrassing” for the General Assembly.
With only five weeks to go in the
session, Sickles is not sure whether any action to expel Morrissey
will be attempted, a delegate who
is currently spending the night in
jail and serving in the House during the day.
10
“Stay tuned on that,” Sickles
said.
Puller, who announced earlier
this month that she will be retiring at the end of her term after
serving 23 years in the Virginia
General Assembly, spoke from
experience when she commented
that the “short session always
starts out with a bang.”
Despite this being her last session, Puller vowed that she will
be continuing her duties as senator until next January when her
successor is sworn in. Looking
back, Puller is pleased to be able
to see her two decades of work to
improve the 27 miles of the Route
1 corridor in Fairfax and Prince
William counties coming to fruition.
She is also pleased that the recently concluded multimodal
transit study recommended extending the Metro Yellow Line
to Hybla Valley from Huntington
and constructing bus rapid transit
to Prince William.
As an aside, Puller commented
that the district was most recent-
January 28, 2015
ly redrawn to include a handful
of precincts in Stafford County
where she admitted to not knowing the residents there very well.
“That’s fine,” she said. “None of
them are Democrats anyway.”
Puller, who first assumed office
in the senate in 2000, is leaving
the Senate at a time when its conviviality is not what it once was.
“It’s not as friendly a place as it
was when I was first elected,” she
said. “It’s less collegial — more
like Congress.”
In addition to Route 1, Puller
has also been a strong advocate
for veterans and commented that
she is proud that there will be two
new veterans care centers — one
in the Hampton Roads area, and
one in Prince William, which has
donated 35 acres for the 140-bed
facility funded primarily with
federal money, with Virginia
kicking in a percentage.
Barker dubbed Sickles “the King
of Kingstowne” and lightheartedly commented that “it takes three
senators to do the job of one delegate,” noting that all five of the
elected officials on the panel have
a positive working relationship.
“You have to have hand-in-glove
on these types of issues,” Barker
said.
On the Virginia and northern
Virginia economies, Barker noted that the federal government’s
budget sequestration of 2013 is
still having a negative impact
and commented that Virginia’s
economy continued to decline
even as the national economy was
improving — a rarity in the commonwealth.
Barker, who has expertise in
health care matters, said Medicaid
expansion will not be addressed
during this session, adding that,
however, McAuliffe has been taking action that he has the authority to do to make health care more
accessible for Virginians, such as
those 20,000 residents with mental health issues who will now be
eligible for assistance.
Barker said be believes that the
General Assembly is on the right
track with striving to be able to
See Town Meeting Page 11
MOVIE TALK
Don’t Miss
‘Leviathan’
Movie Talk from Page 9
to forget. The contrasts are
everywhere. It is the beautiful
land where bad things can happen and where one person is
powerless to effect change. It
would wrong to assume that
this is a model of Russian life
since it’s only a film but it is
in a tradition of many films
about Russia were power and
position rule This is a moving, beautiful film and, since
it is playing in few locations,
you’ll want to remember so
you can see it even if you don’t
do it before it takes home the
Foreign Film Oscar! (which
it well could!). But remember
the name — Leviathan — and
don’t forget it. You would be
missing a beautiful and rare
story of universal significance. Don’t let that happen!
Town Meeting Informs on Issues
Town Meeting from Page 10
provide Virginians with mental
health issues treatment up front,
before they deteriorate into crisis.
And for those in crisis, Barker
said the situation is better as no
one today is turned away for lack
of a bed — which was not the
case in the past.
But, he added, “we still have a
long way to go.”
Ebbin discussed a few issues including ethics reform, describing
last year’s legislation as “underwhelming. I don’t think we got it
right.”
For example, he said tangible
gifts were limited by a dollar amount, but not by the total
number of gifts a legislator could
receive. Also, regarding intangible gifts, such as trips and dinners, in the new legislation being
considered, it can only be travel
approved for the benefit of the
commonwealth, like promoting
commerce or to educate the official on a particular issue.
Other things Ebbin mentioned
included taxing e-cigarettes at a
lower rate than tobacco cigarettes,
securing a $400,000 matching
grant for neighborhood health
centers such as the one on Richmond Highway, gun law reform
to include making it illegal to
carry a gun while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and lowering the penalty for possession of
small amounts of marijuana
McKay noted that Fairfax County is the only county which develops a legislative package for
its representatives in the General
Assembly and has made its two
top priorities transportation and
education funding.
McKay said the county is now
seeking to get more of its fair
share in transportation dollars for
secondary roads.
Regarding education, McKay
said that “we do a terrible job in
Virginia” in funding K-12 educa-
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Staff photos/Steve Hunt
State Sen. Toddy Puller (D-36th) addressed the crowd at what was
her last Legislative Town Hall Meeting in Kingstowne as a state
senator on Saturday. Beside her is state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-30th).
tion and pointed out that in Fairfax County 70 percent of Fairfax
County Public Schools funding is
paid for by the county — and ultimately homeowners — compared
with 50-50 in some regions and
even 70-30 in more rural regions.
McKay said the legislators in
Richmond need to understand
the needs of all the schools in the
FCPS system, some which in Lee
District have huge student poverty rates, up to 90 percent.
He said he understands the state’s
budgetary predicament, and that
is one reason why Richmond
should grant counties more taxing authority, such as on hotels,
meals and other items, stressing
that he is not advocating actually
using all of them, but just having
the authority to “let us choose.”
McKay also stated that local
governments should have more
land use authority and that “it’s
important to make sure the legislators understand the consequences of what they’re doing.”
And, McKay was obviously
proud to be able to announce that
the Springfield area in his district
is the fast-growing section of the
county — and that includes Tysons, which is number two, and
that the Richmond Highway corridor is number three.
With his formal remarks concluded, Sickles took the opportunity
before the question and answer
session with the public to ask him
what was probably most on the
minds of the Lee residents.
When is the new Wegmans on
Telegraph Road opening?
“June,” replied McKay.
Residents then asked the elected
officials questions on a wide variety of topics ranging from FCPS
audits, voter IDs, signage for the
proposed renaming of a portion
of Richmond Highway through
Fort Belvoir for former U.S. Rep.
Jim Moran (D-8th), the status of
the phases for the newly-opened
Springfield Town Center, and veterans homelessness.
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January 28, 2015