Column: Concerned? Get Involved
Commentary–WMCCA
Well, what I can say? I’ve got big shoes to fill as WMCCA President Susanne Lee finishes her term this month, but thank goodness Susanne will remain a wise and trusted member of the WMCCA board of directors as immediate past president and chairperson of the Committee on Planning and Zoning. Picking up from Susanne’s last president’s letter, I’d like to reiterate that while WMCCA is not a political body, we are most definitely committed to protecting the quality of our waterways and streams, and preserving the character of our neighborhoods by making sure that our locally elected representatives, developers, citizens, and county agency officials abide by the Potomac Subregion Master Plan and do not embark on actions that hurt our neighborhoods.
Fairfax Letter: Facing an Urgent Threat
Letter to the Editor
On Sept. 27, 2016, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals hears oral arguments on the Clean Power Plan (CPP), the most significant step our country has ever taken to address climate change.
Lorton Letter: Keeping Us Safe
Letter to the Editor
We were reminded two weeks ago that the terrorist threat against our country is still very real. The attacks committed in New York, New Jersey, and Minnesota make me focus on what is being done by our elected leaders to keep us safe.
Lorton Letter: Understanding Cyber Security Challenge
Letter to the Editor
As our dependence on technology increases, so too does our vulnerability to cyber attacks and having our personal information used against us.
Mount Vernon Letter: Pay To Fix Meals Tax Brochure
Letter to the Editor
In my letter to the Gazette two weeks ago, I discussed a brochure sent to Fairfax County residents at the behest of the Board of Supervisors (BOS) discussing the Meals Tax Referendum and pointing out that the brochure only set forth reasons to support the Referendum and no reasons to oppose it.
Alexandria Letter: Memorials’ Purpose
Letter to the Editor
My grandmother and her lady friends used to carry buckets of water and soap to scrub city grime off the pedestal of the Appomattox Statue, a statue now deemed offensive by the politically correct neighbors with whom we dwell in this city.
Mount Vernon Letter: Meals Tax Or Slush Fund?
Letter to the Editor
Recent discussions of the proposed meals tax can be stated as three large problems.
Mount Vernon Letter: Costs of Capital Projects
Letter to the Editor
There are two capital projects in the Mount Vernon District being proposed for the upcoming Bond Referendum.
Mount Vernon Letter: Food for Thought
Letter to the Editor
The meals tax has come forward at this time as a possible way of providing much-needed income to the schools. Broadly speaking, the schools have cut budget for 10 years and held teacher salaries flat through most of that period. (I believe 2016 is the one exception to that trend thanks to the leadership of Karen Garza.) Now Fairfax County schools have larger class sizes and lower paid teachers than surrounding systems.
Alexandria Letter: Re-ignite Civil War?
Letter to the Editor
My family settled in New Kent County, Va., in 1656. More than 100 of my extended family served as Confederate soldiers during the War Between the States; and many of them died in the war — including my own
Alexandria Letter: Much To Learn From the Past
Letter to the Editor
The Alexandria Gazette-Packet coverage of the Appomattox Statue controversy, Sept. 22, 2016, quotes an eloquent statement by Councilman Chapman that the statue where it stands is a "terrific teaching point that we are not all equal yet."
Alexandria Letter: All Deserve Remembrance
Letter to the Editor
I find the City Council’s ill-advised unanimous vote to move the Appomattox statue and the remarks by some councilmembers at the time offensive.
Alexandria Letter: Putting History In Context
Letter to the Editor
Unless people have been living under a rock, it must be clear to our citizens that there is a movement in today’s culture to erase Confederate symbols and history.
Editorial: Independent Police Auditor Marks History
Kudos to Board of Supervisors for unanimous approval of independent police auditor; now on to the Civilian Review Panel.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted to create the position and office of independent police auditor on Tuesday, Sept. 20, creating the first civilian, independent oversight of law enforcement in Fairfax County. The unanimous vote demonstrated the board’s commitment to the ongoing process that began early in 2015 when Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova established the 32-member Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission.
McLean Letter: The Right Choice
Letter to the Editor
I recently read that Congresswoman Barbara Comstock has been endorsed by the Virginia Police Benevolent Association, as well as the local chapter of the Fairfax County Firefighters and Paramedics. This is a significant development because in 2012 the VAPBA endorsed Frank Wolf’s Democratic opponent. I’m thrilled that our local emergency responders recognize that, even though she’s only been a Congresswoman for two years, Barbara has made a real impact in our community and she deserves their endorsement.