Opinion

Opinion

Subscribe

Column: A Still Very-Relevant Master Plan

A lot has happened since West Montgomery County Citizens Association’s last General Meeting in May. It has been part of several Circuit Court hearings over the summer on the Brickyard Road School site.

Letter: Unfair Tolls

I am against increasing the tolls on the Dulles Toll Road; particularly the plans proposed to use those tolls to finance Metro's Silver Line. It is unfair and appears to be targeted at a particular segment of people who happen to commute daily on the Toll Road or businesses that employ folks in the area.

Editorial: Be Prepared: What's on the Ballot?

Early voting (technically voting absentee-in-person) is already underway in Virginia, so you can go out and vote this week.

Letter: Supporting Albo’s Position

After watching the video of President Obama’s “You didn’t build that” harangue, I (as did most Americans) came to a very different conclusion than did Delegate Dave Albo’s detractors.

Letter: To Feel Better About 1040

I see in the Aug. 30 addition of the Springfield Connection (“‘Somebody Else’ Didn't Come”) that Dave Albo received his marching orders from the Karl Rove propaganda machine and has weighed in on the presidential election. Typically, while regurgitating a stock campaign line based on a distorted quote taken out of context, he managed to lard things up with a basic load of self-promotion.

Letter: Land Preservation Success

You often don’t hear stories of government actually working well, so I thought people would enjoy hearing about Virginia’s great successes in land preservation.

Letter: Volunteer to Monitor Streams

How can too much water be a bad thing? Why does the EPA want Fairfax County to control storm water? Come see for yourselves: join your neighbors at one of the many quarterly stream monitoring events around the county.

Letter: State Vs County on Transportation

When I read my colleague Supervisor John Cook’s Sept. 13 Connection column advocating that Fairfax County take over state roads, I wondered how our taxpayers would feel about accepting a $150 million per year unfunded mandate from the state. That would be a slap in the face given everything that the County has done to balance its budget and provide for our residents during difficult budget years.

Vote Now

How to Register, Vote, Vote Early.

Changes in Virginia's voter identification rules are causing confusion in many quarters, and some voters might be tempted to stay home rather than deal with a difficult situation. Slow down, there are alternatives, including a current utility bill, bank statement, government check or paycheck indicating the name and address of the voter.

Letter: No ‘Anti-defense’ Candidate

In his latest column [“Who is Running to Represent You?,” Reston Connection, Sept. 19-25, 2012] John Lovaas notes disdainfully that Chris Perkins is a defense lobbyist—as if he's the only retired colonel in this town.

Letter: Plenty of Potential for Voter Fraud

It is hard to tell from Delegate Plum's piece ["Voter Fraud at the Highest Levels," Reston Connection, Sept. 19-25, 2012] whether or not he supports Governor McDonnell's Justice Department-approved Voter ID law, whereby a Voter ID Card is sent to every registered voter (easy to vote, hard to cheat). He sees no voter fraud in Virginia and warns us, instead, to beware "fraudulent-like [sic] statements by politicians." Beware, indeed!

Editorial: How to Register, Vote, Vote Early

Don't sweat voter ID; voter registration card, current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or government check with name, address of voter will work.

Changes in Virginia's voter identification rules are causing confusion in many quarters, and some voters might be tempted to stay home rather than deal with a difficult situation. What about your 92-year-old mother who hasn't driven in almost a decade? Do you need to schlep her to the DMV to get her a photo ID before November?

Letter: BRAC History Is Important

On Sept. 12, five West End Civic Associations hosted a candidate forum focused on West End issues, which was attended by all of the candidates running for City Council. These same civic associations invited the mayoral candidates to participate in a similar forum but Mayor Euille’s campaign staff explained, he is way too busy to spend an evening with the voters of the West End.

Letter: BRAC Questions Still Unanswered

Thank you for Michael Lee Pope’s excellent article, “The BRAC Five” in the Sept. 20 issue. I’m delighted to see the BRAC 133 disaster brought back to life after vanishing from the public eye many months ago. I figured Mayor Euille and his council cronies had pulled the wool over our eyes once again.

Letter: Not Voting Has Own Message

Henry M. Covert ("Why Not Compulsory Voting?", Sept. 19) argues, "Just as licenses are required to drive on public and private roadways residents should be required to vote or face a fine."