The Candidates Speak At Crestwood Elementary

The Springfield Civic Association hosted a candidates forum on Tuesday, Sept. 20 at Crestwood Elementary School in central Springfield. The event, which was attended by about 30 Springfield residents, is a tradition in the community.

The speakers made short opening statements and answered questions from the 30 SCA members in attendance. 

The speakers were:

• Virginia State Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw (D-35) and his Republican opponent Robert Sarvis.
• Delegate Vivian Watts (D-39) Fairfax County Board Chair Sharon Bulova (D) and Independent opponent Will Radle
• Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay

Virginia's 35th Senate District

Republican Robert Sarvis of Annandale has $15,400 on-hand in his bid to outseat Virginia Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw.

"I have felt for a long time that I am not getting effective representation in Richmond and I have not had someone to vote for who reflects the things that I believe in," said Sarvis. "When you're talking about jobs and the economy, we are talking about many ways in which government regulation creates perverse incentives, which creates excessive risk taking and has led to the problems we have in our economy today."

Saslaw, who took office in 1980, has $726,289 on-hand, and took the microphone with confidence. "You know, I must be doing something right, because two newspapers have said that I'm the most effective legislator in Richmond," he said. "I'm the Majority Leader in the Virginia Senate. I didn't get to be majority leader by being ineffective. I made a lot of things happen and I prevented a lot of bad things from happening… When you take a look at some of the bills that I've killed… we'd look like Mississippi if they passed, and that's what happens if his party gets control of the State Senate."
Saslaw disputed that the state was overregulated for businesses.

"Virginia is the best state to do business in seven of the last nine years. How badly overregulated could it be?" he said. 

39th House District

Incumbent Democrat Del. Vivian Watts is facing Green Party candidate Dimitris Kolazas for Virginia's 39th District seat. Watts faced the audience alone, as Kolazas did not attend. "There is no construction money for our local transportation needs," she said, and asked the audience to attend a public information meeting for HOT lanes on Interstate 95 on September 28 at the Waterford in Springfield. 

Fairfax County Chairman

Independent won the coin toss, but let his Democratic opponent, Fairfax County Board Chair Sharon Bulova speak first. Republican challenger Spike Williams did not attend. 

Bulova, who took office in 2009, is leading in fundraising with $179,922 in the bank. "All of the Fortune 500 companies that have moved their headquarters in the United States during the past five years have moved those headquarters to Fairfax County," she said, and cited Northrop Grumman's decision to relocate to Falls Church last year. "The DC Council just went nuts putting stuff on the table - tax breaks and incentives and all kinds of stuff. Maryland was doing the same thing…In Virginia, it was between Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax County. Arlington was putting stuff on the table and so was Alexandria. Fairfax County did not put any money on the table. What Fairfax County put on the table was our quality of life.

"I can tell you that we have another company right now that's interested in relocating. 'Company X' that is interested in coming to Fairfax County. It sure would be nice to be able to announce that prior to Nov. 8," Bulova said. 

Radle, who has $10 in the bank, spoke broadly. "My goal is to instill confidence. We've heard of the party of hope and change. The only thing that comes from hope is confidence and we have every right to possess it," he said. "When Sharon Bulova first was elected to the Board of Supervisors I was 15 years old, going through a difficult time losing my father to cancer. And I'm here because we can bring solutions."  

When asked how he would recruit businesses if elected, Radle answered that he would become well acquainted with Gerry Gordon, president and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority.   

Lee District Supervisor

Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay is running unopposed for his second term. "The proudest achievement of this board in the last four ears has been the work we've done on the County budget. It's been fair, it's been inclusive, it's been a national model," he said. In Springfield, "We've torn down all of the blighted buildings on Old Keene Mill Road ad we've replanned and rezoned Springfield Mall into something we can be proud of again in the future."