By Chris LeMenestrel and Francesca Costantino: Virginia Democracy Forward (VADF), in partnership with a coalition of grassroots groups, has put together the Cross-Grassroots Survey of Virginia Congressional Candidates to identify Democratic primary candidates to support in the 2018 election cycle who will advance a progressive agenda. Click here to view the survey. The survey provides information on the personal story,…
Fairfax County narrows teacher pay gap in new budget rising 5%
By Stephanie Witt Sedgwick: Public school teachers in Fairfax County will receive pay raises averaging 5% following the Board of Supervisors decision on Tuesday to narrow the gap between Fairfax County and neighboring school systems. The school pay hikes were part of a total county budget of $4.29 billion, rising $192 million, or 4.6%, over last year. The spending increases…
Photo Essay: Never give up the fight for gun safety measures
Never give up fighting for gun safety was the message delivered at Tuesday night’s Student Town Hall on Gun Safety that U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11thDistrict) hosted at the Providence Community Center in Fairfax. Connolly spoke about the many common sense gun measures he has supported which failed to pass Congress. He supports limits on assault weapons, expanding background checks,…
Why should we talk to voters?
By Todd Smyth: What is the best way to reach voters? Although hundreds of millions of dollars are spent on political TV and radio ads and mailers, those have no lasting impact on voters as they only go in one direction. “Research shows that almost half of all political ads are completely ignored,” says marketing consultant Matthew Sheffield, in the…
Candidate Question Time: Healthcare
Each week until the Va-10 congressional district Democratic Party primary election on June 12, The Blue View will ask all six candidates to respond to a key question on an important issue in 100 words or less. This week’s question: How should we reform healthcare in this country? Answers below from candidates, in alphabetical order: I believe we must move to a single…
Falls Church veterans’ organizations under investigation
Editor’s Note: Public reports state that two non-profit organizations based in Falls Church are being investigated by the attorneys general in Virginia and New York for apparently overspending on fund-raising and salaries, leaving little for their ostensible mission of aiding distressed veterans. The organizations’ founder and manager, Brian Hampton, a retired Army major, denies wrongdoing. But a look at the…
VA-10 Candidates face off in wide-ranging forum
By Stephanie Witt Sedgwick: The six candidates vying to run for the 10th Congressional District seat met Sunday afternoon in a moderated discussion forum at Colvin Run Elementary School in Vienna, Va. The winner of the June 12th primary will face incumbent Republican Barbara Comstock in November’s Congressional election. The forum was hosted by the Dranesville Democratic Committee and moderated…
Great solar projects are hiding in plain sight all around us
By Joseph Plummer: I was recently asked to sign a petition in favor of 100% renewable energy in Fairfax County . It seemed like a no-brainer. But then I started to think about how to achieve this goal, especially with Earth Day coming up on April 22. The petition encourages the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to adopt a resolution…
Candidate Question Time: Republican tax reform
Each week until the Va-10 congressional district Democratic Party primary election on June 12, The Blue View will ask all six candidates to respond to a key question on an important issue in 100 words or less. This week’s question: What one part of the Republican tax reform act would you repeal? Answers below from candidates, in alphabetical order: The number one thing…
Meet the candidates vying for VA-10 Congressional district nomination
Northern Virginia voters will be faced with a critical choice on June 12 when the Democratic Party primary election for Congressional District VA-10 will be held to determine the party’s candidate in the November 6 general election against Republican incumbent Barbara Comstock. Here are candidate statements for all six Democratic candidates, in alphabetical order. In addition, each week until the…
The cynical logic of voting against the environment
By Brad Swanson: In light of Earth Day on April 22, it is hard for me to enter the mind of a Congress member whose voting score on the environment is barely above zero – especially when her colleagues in neighboring districts have records close to 100%. You know who I am talking about. The League of Conservation Voters, a…
First Person: Gun violence nightmare persists from school to parenthood
By Kenny Bledsoe: Editor’s Note: Remembering the Columbine mass murder of April 20, 1999, on its 19th anniversary. I was in 9th grade when two teenagers donned black trench coats, armed themselves to the teeth, and set about systematically murdering 12 of their classmates and a teacher before killing themselves at Columbine High School in Colorado. Rumors swirled among the students the…
“We Will Not Forget,” say protesters at NRA Vigil
By Stephanie Witt Sedgwick: Dramatic testimony from school shooting survivors drew a larger than usual crowd of a few hundred protesters at the monthly vigil last Saturday outside National Rifle Association headquarters in Fairfax, VA. Jenny Wadhwa, a survivor of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012, likened the tragedy to the Holocaust and vowed, “We will never forget”.…
Civilian Panel Targets Abuse by Fairfax County Police
By Jim O’Connell: Steve Descano goes out night after night looking for trouble. Not trying to start some, he’s trying to resolve it. Descano is a member of the Fairfax County Police Civilian Review Panel, which reviews complaints of abuse or unprofessional conduct by officers. With 1,400 officers in a county of more than a million people where more than…