Blueweeds

VML To Pay City Defense Costs In Water Suit

The insurance provider for the City of Falls Church, the Virginia Municipal League, is obligated to pay the legal defense costs being incurred as a result of the Fairfax Water Authority bringing suit against the City. 

The VML initially denied coverage for the claim.  In protesting the denial, Falls Church brought a motion for summary judgment which was granted on November 3, 2009 by Arlington County Circuit Court Judge Joanne F. Alper.  VML is now obligated to pay legal defense costs being incurred by Falls Church.  The City is collecting those costs and will submit them for payment in the next few days. 

The ruling likely alleviates financial pressure on the City to prematurely settle a claim or artificially limit its defense in a suit which has longterm economic implications for Falls Church taxpayers and regional development and utility management. 

EVENT: CBC Annual Dinner 11/22/2009

Citizens for a Better City, a nonpartisan political action organization which supports the campaigns of qualified school board and city council candidates in Falls Church City, is celebrating its fiftieth (50!) anniversary of community activism. 

The CBC will hold its Annual Meeting and Dinner on Sunday, November 22, 2009 at the Falls Church Community Center.  The meeting will start at 5:00 pm, which will be followed by cocktails, dinner, recognitions and awards. 

The event is open to the public, with tickets to be sold at the door ($20 adult and $6 for children). 

The CBC annual dinner is a milestone event on our city political calender, with incumbent CBC-endorsed candidates and political newcomers given the opportunity to announce their intention to seek endorsement of the organization in the next city elections.  All seven school board members were endorsed by the CBC and six of the seven city council candidates were endorsed.  It is casual community event ... and I understand the food will be particularly good this year.  Well worth the $20 price tag.   

FCNP In Advertising Dispute With FCT Blog

In a statement provided to Blueweeds Tuesday afternoon, the owner-editor of the Falls Church News-Press confirmed his paper has retained legal counsel to determine whether or not the FCT blog has improperly interfered with its agreement with the City of Falls Church to re-publish the weekly FOCUS advertising section. 

The City produces the FOCUS - a comprehensive weekly listing of legal notices, events, and meetings scheduled to take place in the community.  The FCNP has published the FOCUS for the City since 2002.  Publisher rights were awarded by the City after a competitive bid process.  The FCNP publishes the the FOCUS under an agreement with the City for an estimated fee of $57,000 per year; which represents a substantial fee discount from published FCNP advertising rates. 

According to sources, staff bloggers at FCT recently approached city officials and asked for the FOCUS data.  Officials indicated the community data was publicly available in different places on its web site, but the FCT asked for the FOCUS information in a set format for republishing without having to gather and aggregate the information from different places.  The FCT has said it intends to republish the material for free on its community blog.  City officials have not provided the information in an advertisement format, pending a review of its agreement with the FCNP by the city attorney. 

In a November 2, 2009 post by FCT blog staffer George Southern, the FCT questioned the motives of city officials for not providing the material in the format requested:

"... Is it because the Falls Church Times is not “professional” that both the City Schools and City Government have yet to agree to our repeated offers to publish, free of charge, the information for which the City currently pays $50,000-$100,000 annually to have printed in the local “professional” newspaper? I’m referring to the double-page spread called “City Focus” and “Schools Focus.” Most people don’t realize that’s an advertisement paid for by the City. After offering for months, and finally becoming VERY insistent that this City information should not be proprietary, I’ve been accused of being “rude.” Meanwhile, the question rests with City Attorney John Foster, who has to determine whether the City can legally allow the Falls Church Times to publish for free the same information it pays the News-Press to feature. ..." 

The Southern post (comments and format material redacted) can be found here:  Download FCT_GS110209. 

The FCT was started less than a year ago.  FCT refers to itself as an "online newspaper" run by journalists.  It has no employees, and is staffed by a group of unpaid community activists, many of whom were actively involved in the 2008 city election of Nader Baroukh - a candidate endorsed by Council Member David Snyder.  The FCT has covered a number of community events since its inception.  In a post published earlier this week,   Blueweeds disclosed David Snyder helped found the FCT blog, in part, to counter the progressive message of the FCNP.  Snyder had not previously publicly disclosed his connection to the FCT.  The FCT is viewed by many as a conservative blog, not because of partisan political leanings, but because of its consistent editorial opposition to mixed use development, affordable workforce housing, senior housing, spending, taxes, and initiatives by city staff.  The FCNP, which has been lauded as a bastion of liberal journalism, has been the community newspaper of record for Falls Church for more than twenty years.  The FCNP is one of the largest employers in the city, and has won numerous business awards in the region.

It is not clear what, if any, recourse the FCNP may have against the FCT blog and/or the City.  Actions involving newspaper advertising revenue typically focus on allegations of intentional interference with an existing contractual relationship or unfair competition by price fixing - including deluding the market price of a good.  The FCNP is a successful business, with employees, whose revenue is solely from advertising. 

In its statement to Blueweeds, Nick Benton, the owner-editor of the FCNP, stated:

"... my attorney is looking into the matter. The value of the City's placing the Focus pages in the News-Press, at a contractually established considerable discount every week since July 2002, is that we deliver to every one of the approximately 4,500 households in the City of FC every week, and in the event a home delivery is inadvertently missed, there are more than 2,000 copies of the paper also available at dozens of spots around town where residents can pick up copies That goes for what we do just inside the City. Considerably more than 20,000 copies are distributed in and around the City every week, including to many nearby non-residents are also interested and eager to participate in what goes on inside the City. The Focus pages also appear as PDFs on our very well-trafficked web site. ..."

Blueweeds has received hundreds of requests for advertising since it was founded nearly four years ago.  It has been, and will remain, the policy of Blueweeds to not accept paid advertising, in part, because doing so would compete with publishing businesses for limited advertising dollars, and because it believes accepting such advertising will  deleteriously impact real local businesses which are dependent on advertising for revenue.  Blueweeds does not re-publish paid advertisements for free for similar reasons. 

UPDATE:  City officials make the FOCUS publically available in a PDF format on its web site here.  The City editorial guidelines for republishing its publications are here.  It is not known whether or not the FCT blog has sought permission to republish the FOCUS consistent with those guidelines, and if not, why not.   

Note:  In the same post by Southern, the FCT makes reference to myself and this blog, which the FCT consistently refers to as "the mayor's husbands blog," intimating that I have engaged in a conspiracy with the city staff to deny the FCT blog access to public information:

"...  Another spouse – this one belonging to the Mayor – has called us  “faux serious journalists.” Last week he called us “a conservative blog,” which may or may not be a badge of honor, depending on your point of view, but he also  accused us of packing the CBC meeting and refusing to identify ourselves (completely false).

Why should I care what one or two people say? Well, if one of those people is the Mayor’s spouse, I do care.  Frankly, we’re having something of a struggle getting access to information from the City, and when the Mayor’s husband takes pot shots at us, I just think it colors the whole spectrum of our relationship with the City administration. ..." 

Blueweeds supports a diverse, even raucous, online community, but strongly denies FCT's serious, inaccurate, unfair, unfounded, and imprudent allegations of misconduct.  Unsupported allegations of criminal misbehavior are obviously inconsistent with fair editorial policies and should not be tolerated in any public forum.  The FCT seems to have a role to play in our community, giving voice to people and issues not covered elsewhere, but it must do so within the bounds of what is permitted.  Our community would be well served if the FCT evaluated its standards, corrected those which are flawed, and publicly communicated its go-forward editorial policies. 

Falls Church City Votes

I feel a bit like the guy telling his drunk friend to drink a big glass of water before sacking out ... but all you Democrats and friends should go vote Tuesday.  I suspect we are going to have a four year hangover, but you will feel better if you vote. 

I voted absentee over the weekend ... and voted a straight Democratic ticket:  Deeds, Wagner, Shannon, Jim Scott (VA Del.), Tom Clinton (Commissioner of Revenue), Cathy Kaye (Treasurer), and Steve Bittle (Sheriff). 

You can find your polling place by following this useful Virginia SBE link.

UPDATE:  Congratulations Jim, Tom, Cathy, and Steve.  Well done to R ticket (more later).  Falls Church City votes and loves its Democrats.  We just need more people. 

Falls Church City 2009 Election Results

Snyder Connected To FCT Blog

It surprised me to learn recently that our hero, council member Team Dave Snyder, is one of the founders of the conservative FCT blog.  According to sources familar with the startup of the blog, it was Snyder who encouraged campaign workers of his friend Nader Baroukh to create an online group specifically to counteract the progressive message of the Falls Church News-Press and to advocate against the City Center South and Affordable Workforce Housing initiatives.

FCT is a self-described "online community newspaper" which purports to have fair and balanced coverage of local events.  It does not currently accept advertisements and its posts are written by volunteers who describe themselves as journalist reporters. 

Snyder has never publically acknowledged his connection with the FCT.  He was not mentioned as one of the founders in an extensive FCNP interview last winter, and the FCT did not acknowledge his relationship with the blog when it did a lengthy, controversial, interview of Snyder last spring.  The interview was conducted by George Bromley, a friend and political allie of Snyder, Baroukh, and Sam Mabry.

FCT has posted articles generally critical of city staff, development initiatives, the majority members of the city council, the city budget process, and economic development initiatives - all favorite targets of Snyder.  FCT blogger George Bromley, who worked with Sam Mabry and campaign workers of Nader Baroukh last summer to try to get several members of the city council and city staff indicted on federal and state civil right violations (allegations which were outright rejected by authorities), has written several posts critical of the city's ongoing litigation with the Fairfax Water Authority.  This also is a favorite criticism of Snyder.  The FCT allowed the Fairfax Water Authority to publish its feed of critical posts ... and the FWA trumpeted the articles as proof that even Fall Church City citizens disagree with the legal strategy of the city. The FCT has also never acknowledged the role its staff blogger George Bromley played in trying to get city officials indicted on civil rights charges last spring. 

A Blaze Of Glory

On Friday I attended the Deeds GOTV rally in Falls Church.  Dressed as a gunslinger.   I shouted a marriage proposal to our mayor from the crowd ... who pretended not to hear me.  Jim Webb gave me an appreciative grin.  Creigh Deeds gave me a goofy smile and a nod.  Gerry Connolly stuttered a startled hello and shook his head with a "just another loon democrat" look in his eye as he walked away.  I would have offered him a glass of cool city water, but, well, you know.  Steve Shannon seemed to be trying to avoid me, but Jody Wagner and I had a (brief) pleasant conversation.  Jody is good people - funny and prettier in person then she is in ads.  Even though I had the commonsense to not bring my (toy) guns to the rally, security still followed me around and asked a bunch of people if they knew me. 

Ah, good times.  Scratch that off the old bucket list. 

But, frankly, it would be much better if the rally had been better.  It was a small turnout.  Less than two hundred people by my very unofficial estimate.  Most were local electeds and campaign workers.

The city police were not aware the rally was being held until just hours before.  Jim Moran was reportedly asked not to attend.  Local electeds were not informed until the last minute, and the local Democratic committee did not send out an email about the event until a few hours before it started.  No offense, but it seemed odd to me our mayor (nonpartisan, not up for re-election) was asked to speak, as was Walter Tejada (not up for re-election), but Mary Margaret Whipple was not invited on stage; and Bob Brink, who was on stage and who has managed to get someone at WaPo mad at him (Really?  No endorsement for Bob Brink?  One of THE best Virginia delegates Bob Brink?), was not asked to say a few words. 

But all was not lost.  There was an after-party.  Where I had the chance to catch up on some inside campaign and city gossip.  And be thankful for the people who vouched for me with security. 

More pics below the fold.

The Tyranny Of Quaint

Approximately thirty very familiar faces showed up for a special meeting of the CBC Thursday night to listen to Council Members Lawrence Webb and Dan Sze discuss an initiative to move city elections from May to November. 

Nearly half of those in attendance were founders-staff of the conservative FCT blog (who, incidentally, voiced opposition to the initiative without identifying their affiliation), members of the local Republican Committee, and/or were campaign workers for Council Members Team Dave Snyder and Nader Baroukh.  The conservative opposition voices teamed with a handful of CBC old guard to oppose a change which they acknowledge would at least double voter turnout and save city taxpayers an estimated $20,000 to $60,000 every local election cycle.  Team Dave Snyder and Council member Hal Lippman were in attendance but did not speak. 

Many of the longtime CBC members, which has as one of its founding principles "Citizen Participation:  Encouragement of residents to register and vote in all elections and to participate fully in public affairs," spoke out against the initiative.  Their concern is that the CBC could not change and would become irrelevant in a November election. 

The discussion around moving elections from May to November has been fastracked in independent towns and cities across Virginia due a state budget cut this year which eliminates state funding for local May elections.  The reality of having to fully fund off-cycle local elections has caused Falls Church City, Fairfax City, Manasses City, Leesburg, Herndon, Vienna, and several other small localities in Virginia to reconsider whether to fully fund May elections themselves or consolidate local elections in state supported off-presidential year November voting cycles. 

The discussion at the CBC meeting had good detail around the administration of such a change, but the policy reasons cited against moving the elections were painfully predictable and unpersuasive.

Several speakers spoke passionately about the delightful weather we have in the spring, and how pleasant it is to have quiet, thoughtful, local elections outside of the noise of the raucous November season.  They talked about how we have always had May elections.  Several expressed concern unqualified November voters would be ignorant of local issues and spoil the nonpartisan spirit of city elections.  Others offered concern that city voters would have to stand in long lines in the cold fall weather.  There was angst about ballots filling up a whole page with city elections names stuck in an undignified corner.

The discussion reminded me a lot of other issues which the city has bungled.  The shire villagers, or at least those gentle giant souls that show up at these type of meetings, love their quaint.  Damn they love their quaint.  Our boutique cost-city-taxpayers-$8.00-every-time- someone-rides-national-disgrace GEORGE bus system boondoggle is an example.  Our please-fire-people-but-do-not-cut-the-children's-city-taxpayer-funded-Halloween-party is  another.  Our ongoing shameful please-do-not-build-mixed-use-buildings-which-fund-our-city-services-and-bring-in-undesirable-children debate is still another. 

I could go on.  And some might say I have already. 

Falls Church City has managed to create a closed election system by creating a status quo which suits both stealth conservatives and the progressive establishment majority.  They have done so by disenfranchising arguably the most educated and active voter base in the state.  Our community has nearly 80 percent turnout in November elections ... and as low as 11 percent turnout in May elections.  The reason is simple ... our local candidates are unknown and un-moored to any political values which residents can trust.  So our educated and active voter base stays home rather than try to guess at whether or not the person who just knocked on their door, or who they read some ad about, is a good candidate or not.

There are unanswered questions about the initiative to move local elections to November which need to be addressed.  But facts are stubborn things.  The fact that our educated and active citizen voters do not participate in local elections means important decisions which impact our day-to-day lives in the community are being made by a small, odd, pairing of self-dealing interests who are very satisfied with suppressing your vote and self-dealing local politics under the anything but benign tyranny of pleasant weather, short lines, old traditions, and simple ballots.

Democratic GOTV Rally In Falls Church (10/30/09)

Democratic political stars are turning out Friday, October 30, 2009, at the Falls Church City campaign office for a get out the vote rally for Creigh Deeds and the Democratic ticket.  

Creigh Deeds, Jody Wagner, and Steve Shannon will be there, along with Sen. Mark Warner, Sen. Jim Webb, US Rep. Jim Moran, Gov. Tim Kaine and a host of other representatives, supporters and activists. 

When:    Friday October 30th 3:30 PM
Where:   Falls Church Campaign Office. 360 South Washington St., Falls Church, VA 22046

 

 

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VIDEO: New Media Emerges

Glenn Beck Killed Our Pet. We Think.

Our family guinea pig, Furry, passed away a few days ago.  She was the subject of one of my favorite posts from a few years back. There were some kid tears and a quiet backyard burial.  The vet was unclear on the cause of death, but we believe she caught a glimpse of the Glenn Beck program and just gave up on this world.

Furry was a good progressive.  Her caged French life partner, Oui Oui, has become a noticeably fat man hater since Furry left us. 

The Blueweeds post "The Pigs On Fox" from April 24, 2007 is reprized here in her honor:

The Pigs On Fox.  Man it felt good to write that headline.

The family guinea pig has been a little under the weather lately with some scratching and fur loss.  "Daddy, Furry has sensitive skin just like me." 

Which occasioned a trip to our vet.  And here I need to paint a picture:  a middle aged man loading a little pink carrying case with a quivering, peeing, gnawed on guinea pig into the passenger seat of an air conditioned Mercedes for a trip to the "exotics specialist" vet who is going to charge me some multiple of what it would cost to buy a whole herd of new pigs.  For those of you tempted to stop reading here to post your silly comment ... whatever.  Being a hero to my sweetie: priceless.

Our vet is smart, funny, gorgeous (in-a-non-mayor-way-if-you-like-that-sort-of-thing), very conservative daughter of a far right wing former congressman.  Another image:  Me, the town liberal, standing in front of this competent woman professional with my pink case, a squealing pig, tufts of animal hair floating about, and smelling distinctly of desperation and urine.  No wonder Republicans hate us. 

My reputation now clearly at issue I offer a diagnosis:  "Tree pollen has been bad.  Probably has skin allergies."  "Hmmm.  Not likely,"  says the only trained animal doctor in the room. "Guinea pigs are native to the rain forest ... they're almost never allergic to trees."  "Are you sure?" I countered, pointing to the bare spots on the animal, "We've been rubbing her pretty hard against the bark."  Polite chuckle. 

"Sometimes the condition is related to stress.  Have you changed anything in her environment lately?"  asks the doctor.  "Well," says I, "We did move her cage into a different room recently.  I think she's been sneaking peeks at Fox News."  Genuine laughter. 

UPDATE:  I'm sure it's a coincidence, but Furry has been doing much better during this "Turn Off TV" week at school.  Damn those people at Fox. 

 

Poll: Virginia Gubernatorial Race Now "A Toss Up."

Just a quick link to the latest Rasmussen Poll (09/17/09) which calls the Virginia gubernatorial race "now a toss up."  McDonnell 48% - Deeds 46%. 

Voters are concerned about the McDonnell thesis and the growing evidence of his very conservative views.  Voters seem to be still getting to know Creigh Deeds.  The recent polls are generally good for Democrats, but not enough to call a consistent trend. 

Promoting: "Half the Sky"

If you are going to read one book this year, make it Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn.  It is a an extraordinarily clear and comprehensive statement of the costs – economic, social and moral – of the oppression and mistreatment of women around the world. 

 

For those of us interested in economic development issues, Kristof and WuDunn also make the best case I have seen that poor countries that allow half of their human talent to be wasted are very likely to stay poor.  No amount of official, big ticket aid is going to overcome the costs of oppressing women.  On the other hand, it really doesn’t take much external support to unlock the incredible power that women can bring to an economy.

 

Probably the best point that Kristof and WuDunn make is that we cannot dismiss the mistreatment of women as merely a local “cultural” matter that is unchangeable and must be accepted.  Slavery existed as an open and accepted institution for thousands of years before a few 18^th century Britons decided that it had to stop.  We don’t have to accept awful circumstances just because they have always been awful.

 

Read the book.  Be inspired.  Make a difference.  http://www.halftheskymovement.org/. 

VIDEO: Wanna Feel Guilty About Not Volunteering?

This guy can have a job here at The Weed anytime. 

New Poll: Race Tightens. McDonnell Thesis Driving Negatives.

New poll from the nonpartisan Clarus Research Group shows the Virginia gubernatorial race has tighten considerably.  Deeds base is emerging.  Poll shows McDonnell lead has been cut in half statewide (from 10% to 5%), with Deeds leading in NoVa.  The McDonnell thesis remains important to Virginia voters and is driving his negatives.  Two other polls, the first series of polls since the thesis flap, are due out later this week.  Looks like Democrats are not ready to concede a statewide sweep to the outrageously conservative ticket the RPV has offered up. 

AG McDonnell Used Office To Improperly Intervene In Falls Church Property Dispute

As Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Republican Bob McDonnell tried unsuccessfully to intervene in a private church property dispute on behalf of a conservative breakaway congregation involved in litigation over ownership of the historic Falls Church Episcopal.  Falls Church City is named after the church which was founded in 1732 and which boasts George Washington and other Founding Fathers as past members.

After existing for nearly three hundred years as an Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Virginia, in 2007 the increasingly conservative Falls Church CANA congregation broke ties with The Episcopal Church over its decision recognize the ordination of women and gays.  Falls Church CANA has since aligned itself with the orthodox Church of Nigeria, which does not accept women or gays as full participating members, and has retained possession of the historic church property.  The Falls Church CANA congregation is closely associated with several controversial conservative political action groups, Bush administration officials, the recruitment of Sarah Palin and the mysterious Family organization which advocates a policy of elite political-religious fundamentalism similar to the policies McDonnell espoused in his thesis. 

Blueweeds has followed the property dispute for several years. Readers will note the author is a member of the continuing congregation of the The Falls Church - Episcopal. 

In 2008 the church property dispute was being litigated in a trial court in Fairfax County.  Leaders at Falls Church CANA lobbied Attorney General McDonnell to use the force of his office to assist the conservative congregation in retaining ownership of the property. 

Attorney General McDonnell obliged by filing an extraordinary Motion to Intervene the Commonwealth of Virginia on behalf of the Falls Church CANA congregation.  One of the issues disputed in the trial was the constitutionality of the so-called Virginia Division Statute (Virginia Code section 57-9).  The statute is a Reconstruction Era law passed after the Civil War which was designed to prevent Northern interests from taking Virginia church property as war reparations.  Virginia Attorney Generals routinely file amicus, or friend of the court, briefs in lawsuits where the constitutionality of a state law is at issue.  A Motion to Intervene, however, expresses a specific interest in the outcome of the disputed property and seeks to make the intervening interest a party to the underlying disputed property. 

Trial watchers were astounded by Attorney General McDonnell's willingness to take sides with a particular party in a private civil matter.  The unusually brutal language McDonnell used in the Commonwealth's brief went far beyond a neutral explanation of the history of a state law.  McDonnell went out of his way to ridicule the position of The Episcopal Church and bluntly opined in favor of the policies and positions of the conservative breakaway congregation. 

In the response to McDonnell's motion, the lawyers for the Episcopal interests pointed out no Attorney General in the history of Virginia had ever attempted to intervene on behalf of a party in a private civil matter.  They underscored the impropriety of Attorney General McDonnell intervening on behalf of the conservation congregation rather than representing the interests of the Commonwealth of Virginia.  The lawyers also made the point that McDonnell seeking to intervene in the dispute, rather than filing an amicus brief, was highly improper because the state lacked any right to or interest in the disputed church property. 

"... [the Commonwealth of Virginia] lacks any interest in the outcome of the litigation because government should never assert an interest in which party prevails in church property litigation ..." p. 3.  [Emphasis in original]. 

Further, the lawyers noted McDonnell had already taken the extraordinary step of siding the Commonwealth with the legal interests of the Falls Church CANA (see p. 3 fn. 1). 

As expected, the Fairfax trail court upheld the constitutionality of the Virginia Division Statute (trial courts almost never rule state laws unconstitutional).  The issue is currently on appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court and may reach the US Supreme Court.  The trial court did not, however, allow McDonnell to intervene the Commonwealth on behalf of the conservative congregation.  The court admonished McDonnell for his attempt to take sides with the conservative church congregation and issued an Order denying the defering McDonnell's Motion to Intervene.  (Note:  McDonnell later revised and renewed his request, and, after the trial, the Court granted leave to intervene on the narrower grounds and declined to rule on the "broader grounds" on which McDonnell had sought to align the Commonwealth and the CANA congregation.  See comments below).  The Falls Church CANA congregation, in contrast, lauded McDonnell with prayer services, public statements from leadership, and expressions of appreciation for his willingness to intervene on their behalf. 

McDonnell's actions in the Falls Church property dispute are consistent with the policies he articulated his controversial political thesis.  McDonnell's willingness, even eagerness, to use the powers of public office to advance the interests of a conservative church in a private property dispute, and to intervene in a religious matter which has divided a close knit Falls Church community,  should be disquieting to all people of faith irrespective of political views. 

Home Invasion Crimes Spike In West End Of Falls Church

There has been a sharp increase in home invasion crimes reported in the west end of Falls Church, according to city officials.  Neighbors are forming watch groups and police are helping residents in the neighborhoods around Shreve Road monitor suspicious activity.  The crimes reportedly show a pattern of unusual boldness, with break ins occurring during the day while residents leave their homes on errands or other brief trips. 

Let's be careful out there. 

McDonnell Talking Points Reinforce Issues With Gender Discrimination

The Star City Harbinger has published a Bob McDonnell campaign email which provides thirty "talking points" supporters should use when writing letters to local editors in support of the campaign.  The local Republican Committee Chair who circulated the instructions warned writers "...not to copy/paste these talking points word for word. . . [w]e would love to get as many letters placed as possible so if you have friends you know of that would be interested in writing letters please feel free to get them involved in this project–however I ask that you please do not forward this e-mail around from me...”

The suggested talking points seek to downplay or dismiss questions raised by women who are concerned about the implications of McDonnell's thesis in which McDonnell castigates working women as unnecessarily needing "self-actualization" outside the home and being "detrimental" to traditional family values.  In the thesis, McDonnell also expressed his belief the Republican Party was ordained by God and it should seek to use government and other levers of society to "punish" people whom the GOP believes "threaten traditional families." 

The McDonnell campaign is largely refusing to talk about the issues raised by the candidate's thesis.  Supporters maintain the questions raised are irrelevant and that voters have already indicated they do not care about McDonnell's past beliefs. 

Yet there has been no clear data on what the impact really is of the McDonnell thesis or the series of mistakes his campaign has made since Labor Day.  The release of instructions from the campaign on how to deflect criticism of the issue belays the "get over it" bravado of Republican Party of Virginia true believers.   

Still, the GOP talking points memo does provide more unintentionally funny insight into the mediocre political minds which so often try to influence statewide elections.

For instance, the McDonnell campaign is trying to convince its supporters to write public letters saying the beliefs of the candidate do not really matter because they were expressed "before the Berlin wall fell."  Trust me my friends, progressives would like nothing better than to dismiss the whole Reagan Era. 

But my favorite is the McDonnell campaign asking its stealth letter writers to publicly assure Virginia voters McDonnell will not perpetuate discrimination against women because:

"... Bob supports hiring and promoting people solely on merit and ability, regardless of race, creed, religion, national origin or sexual orientation. That was his policy at the AG’s office. ..." 

Which is funny, because McDonnell neglects to say he will not discriminate in hiring or promoting based on gender.  Which, of course, is exactly why so many women have questions about the beliefs and policies of Bob McDonnell.

Forget Magic Office Buildings

There is a really important article in today's Washington Post ("Region's Office Space Vacancies Soaring" by V. Dion Haynes)  regarding office building vacancies in the metro area. 

 

For many years (if not decades) the development discussion in Falls Church City has been infected by what I like to call the "magic office building syndrome".  This is the belief that the only type of development we should have in the City is 100% commercial office buildings that would shower us with revenue without imposing any costs.  Further, we can easily get such offices built in the City just by concentrating and "wanting" them hard enough -- without regard to the dictates of the market.  All we need is a pair of ruby slippers.

 

I never understood why the people who thought this way believed that the City had real potential for office buildings to begin with.  (i) We aren't in D.C., (ii) nonetheless, our land (and therefore rents) are a lot higher than in outer suburbia, and (iii) our commercial areas are not within walking distance of a metro station.  Why build an office building here and not in D.C. or Ballston or Manassas?

 

A couple of key points made in the article, that in addition to competition from the trend in subleasing:

 

   "... The recession has changed how office buildings are built and sold.

In the boom days, developers would build on spec, certain they'd have tenants by the time the projects were finished. Now banks are requiring developers to have a portion of the building leased ahead of time.

Before, building managers could get top-scale rates on leases. Now many are cutting rents for buildings with the most amenities from more than $60 a square foot to $50 and below, often to draw federal agencies that are limited in what they can spend. Moreover, many are offering three or so months of free rent and kicking in thousands of dollars for build-out costs. ..."

At any rate, hopefully articles like the one noted above will dampen -- if not extinguish -- the view that office buildings are the only worthwhile development model for the City.

Schools Letting Us Eat Cake Again

More on the 2009 Falls Church Fall Festival in a minute.  Before we get there, let me say how odd it was to see city school officials handing out a 1000 free cupcakes (to celebrate the 60th anniversary of our public school system). 

You might remember the controversial school budget request from a few months ago.  While surrounding jurisdictions froze salaries and cut school positions, our school officials proposed a $30 million dollar budget out of a $64 million total budget; representing a nearly unprecedented tipping of the city-to-school funding ratio in favor of the schools.  The school budget included a half step salary increase for every school employee (which was in addition to another half step increase to be provided with federal stimulus money).  While the city manager cut seven city positions, froze city salaries, and proposed the first real dollar reduction in city costs in a generation, the schools ate through a $1 million dollar reserve fund and marshalled forces to angrily refuse a city council request to cut a meager $170,000 from its $30 million dollar request.  School officials failed to acknowledge fundamental weaknesses in their budget process (e.g., the school budget is devised before the city is put together ... which forces the city to budget with whatever the schools leave the rest of the city) or to consider simple operational efficiencies (e.g., sharing finance, information systems, and human resource personnel with the city rather than having city taxpayers pay for both). 

"Not a dime to spare from our school budget!" yelled school officials.  And the city council caved.  Setting the stage for a knee weakening city budget disaster next spring. 

Watching school officials hand out a 1000 free cupcakes left a bad taste in more than a few mouths.  The schools continue to find funding for the oddest things and manage to display those treasures in the most peculiar of circumstances. 

VIDEO: Number 37.