David Bulova Running For House Of Delegates In 11th District: Profile

FAIRFAX, VA — David Bulova is a 54-year-old, married father of three, who works as an Environmental Planner. He's also seeking re-election to the Virginia House of Delegates.

A Democrat, Bulova is running against Republican challenger Almira Mohammed for the open 11th District seat, which represents Fairfax, Fairfax City, Fair Oaks and Oakton. This will be the first general election under the recently redrawn General Assembly districts. During the 2023 legislative session, Bulova was the delegate representing the old 37th District.

Election Day is Nov. 7 in Fairfax County, where registered voters will be casting ballots for candidates running for open seats on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and School Board races. In Fairfax County, candidates are running to be chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, sheriff, commonwealth's attorney, and clerk of the court, as well directors on the Soil and Water Conversation District. Voters will also be choosing who will represent them in the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates.

The first absentee ballots for the General Election will be mailed on Friday, Sept. 22, which is also when early voting begins. Early voting will continue through Nov. 4, which is three days before Election Day. More information about about how to register to vote, vote early, request an absentee ballot and find your polling place in Fairfax City and Fairfax County is available online.

Patch invited each of the candidates running in the 11th District race to fill out a questionnaire about their campaigns. Patch does not edit the responses of candidates to its election questionnaire. The following are Bulova's responses.

Name

David Bulova

Position sought

Delegate, 11th Virginia House District

Age (at the time of election)

54

Campaign Website

www.davidbulova.com

Family: Names, ages and any pertinent detail you wish to share.

Married to Gretchen with three children, Alex, Josette, and Grayson. Alex and Josette are graduates from Fairfax County Public Schools and Grayson is a 10th grader at Robinson Secondary.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

My wife Gretchen is the Director of the Office of Historic Alexandria, which is part of the City of Alexandria government.

Education

BA, Government, College of William and Mary; Master of Public Administration, Virginia Tech.

Occupation - Please include years of experience

Senior Environmental Planner, WSP Environment & Infrastructure. Total of 32 years in the environmental and water resources planning profession.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Member, House of Delegates, 37th District (2006-Present); Director, Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District (2003-2005).

Why are you seeking elective office?

Virginia is a wonderful place. It is where I grew up and it is where I am raising my own family. I deeply care about the people in my community and believe it is important to make decisions that take the long-view so that future generations will enjoy an even better quality of life. This includes investing in education, workforce development, housing affordability, transportation, and our environment. I enjoy working with others to solve problems and seek common ground. But even when that it not possible, everyone should have an opportunity to to be heard during the decision-making process. Finally, I want to create an economy that rewards hard work and unleashes everyone's creative potential.

The single most pressing issue facing the 11th District is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

There are a number pressing issues facing voters, with two key areas being post-COVID learning recovery and housing affordability. As a Fairfax County Public Schools parent, I know firsthand the importance of quality public education. I was a chief co-patron of the Virginia Literacy Act in 2022, which is designed to address learning loss by improving literacy outcomes among students. My primary focus moving forward is to ensure that this program is adequately funded.

The skyrocketing cost of housing squeezes budgets and often forces working families to make long commutes. As a budget conferee, I was proud to significantly increase funding to the Virginia Housing Trust Fund, which leverages public and private funding to preserve and create affordable housing. This past year, I also increased the Livable Home Tax Credit, which is designed to help older adults and people with mobility issues stay in their homes. As a member of the Housing Commission, I am actively working with stakeholders to introduce legislation during the 2024 General Assembly.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Education is the best investment we can make as a community. A recent Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) study highlighted the extent to which Virginia underfunds our public schools. In addition, the current funding structure does not recognize the complexities of systems like FCPS. As a result, our residents make up the difference in the form of higher property taxes. I am excited that JLARC has established a roadmap for fully funding our schools and look forward to fully implementing its recommendations.

A healthy environment is fundamental to our quality of life and a robust economy. I will continue to lead efforts to keep our drinking water safe and restore the Chesapeake Bay.

Workforce development is critical to keeping Virginia competitive, especially as automation increases. I have prioritized making our economy more resilient by investing in high-speed internet and securing funding for Virginia's International Trade Plan. Moving forward, I will also continue to focus on expanding career and technical training.

Finally, I have long supported campaign finance reform. Virginia's current system allows for unlimited campaign contributions, which undercuts trust in our system and serves as a barrier for ordinary Virginians to run for office. In 2022, I passed a law requiring audits of campaign finances and in 2024 I commit to introducing a bill to limit campaign contributions.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have loved representing my community in the House since first being elected in 2005 and have successfully passed over 140 pieces of legislation. In 2020, I was the chief patron of the Early Childhood Care and Education Act, which expanded access to early childhood education. In 2022, I passed legislation creating the Resilient Virginia Revolving Loan Fund, which helps public and private property owners protect themselves against the impacts of climate change. Both bills were passed on a bi-partisan basis. In the House, I sit on the General Laws (which I chaired during the 2000 and 2001 sessions), Appropriations, and Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources committees. I also serve on the Chesapeake Bay Commission, State Water Commission, Virginia Housing Commission, and Early Childhood Care and Education Commission.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

The most important thing is your family. Even when things are hectic, make the time to share the adventure of life and do fun things together.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I love public service! Gretchen and I served as co-chairs of our National Night Out crime prevention program and are active in Scouts. I currently serve on the board of Brain Injury Services, coached youth sports, and previously chaired the Fairfax County Consumer Protection Commission.

Finally, my most important job is to actively listen and make it easy for constituents to share their thoughts and ideas. I work to make this possible through my annual town hall event, informal coffee hours, and annual constituent survey.