My wife's birthday

Today is Kerry's birthday. Won't reveal the age, but I will say that I married a much wiser, smarter, savvier and obviously beautiful woman.

My wife is the foundation of my daily life. Without her, I wouldn't have three wonderful children, serve on Council or be as successful as I have been.

On days like today, I am reminded that our family is the core of our lives. They center us and bring us stability. Of course, family life isn't a bowl of cherries. We all will have ups and downs. But there's nothing better coming home from a long day at work, a business trip or a council meeting and being greeted by hugs and love. And the sounds of the house ... the buzz ... that is in the home can't be replaced by anything else. It's the sound of love.

Happy Birthday Kerry Ann!

Health Care Forum at Mason

Here's something sent to me by Mason's Community Relations folks ... Looks like a great discussion.

Mason is inviting the public to attend an open discussion on health care reform. Join policymakers, health care experts and members of the public to engage in an interactive discussion looking at health care reform options.

Date: Monday, July 27
Time: 4:36 to 6:30 p.m.
Location: Mason-Fairfax Campus, Meese Board Room

Sponsored by Mason's Department of Public and International Affairs, the Concord Coalition and presented by the Virginia Fiscal Advisory Council

The road: George Mason Blvd

Tonight the council tackled one of the most vexing problems facing the City of Fairfax: George Mason Blvd. Ok, maybe it's not that serious, but this is a road that has a life of its own. On the drawing board for more than 15 years, the road opened without fanfare in June.

There is so much history to this project that it could fill hours of a public hearing. The short version is this: The road was conceived of back when the Crestmont neighborhood didn't exist, Mason hadn't blasted off yet on its growth trajectory and there was lots of cut through traffic through the Green Acres neighborhood (full disclosure: I live there).

Well, that's about all people agree on. After that, the road took on a life of its own. Needless to say there was a combustible mix of federal, state and local dollars involved. Lots of commitments made.

Anyhow, the road is open and we have to make the best of difficult situation. And in working on this issue, the Council worked very hard to try and satisfy the desires of most in the community, finding compromise where we could. So this is what was decided:

1. The City will support/fund about $82,000 in landscaping and fencing along the road in the Crestmont neighborhood. Given that the road cuts right through this relatively new neighborhood this is a fair agreement, especially since one could argue that a promise was made at some point by somebody that sound walls would be built.

2. Setting the foundation for a mini/pocket park at the terminus of University Drive and George Mason University. Given our budget situation, we will spend $10,000 to dig up the vacated road, seed it, extend curb and gutter and sidewalks and start planning for a real park.

3. Keeping School Street closed with the extension of curb and gutten along University Drive. Also moving the barricade around and elevating it so people will see it better coming down School Street.

And some may wonder why we aren't/can't do more. The reason is this: VDOT. Even though we have $511,000 left over from the road project, we must follow a set of rules (that I don't get) stating that we can only use a certain percentage on landscaping and additional safety measures.

Anyhow, that's where we are. There's more to this story and I'm happy to chat, but this is the short-version. And the reality is that we are fortunate to move forward on these efforts. At the end of the day, our City will be better for these projects.

Sweets in the Park 2009 - A Big Success

Thanks to the folks who came to the 2nd Annual "Sweets in the Park." This year it benefited Our Daily Bread and we raised $600 and got some new volunteers. Check out pictures here from Facebook. Thanks to Catherine Read for the photos.

"Driving" Money and Rest Stops

When I was a teenager my mom used to give me what she called "driving" money. A few bucks for gas and some snacks. I'd take road trips from my home in Virginia Beach to far off places like Surry County (Camp Chanco) and Richmond.

Fast forward, The Washington Post has three Virginia transportation stories. First there is the editorial about the County wanting more control (and money) over its roads. They chatted a little about the County becoming a City, but like most, realize that is just not going to happen. Then there is a front page story on how the economy has, in its own perverse way, has eased traffic gridlock across the country, except in the DC area. Yes, this is due to the fact that we have better economic conditions and we are very fortunate. But it also can be attributed to the fact that in Northern Virginia and regionally we have not made investments in our transportation infrastructure.

In Fairfax City we recently implemented, like other NoVa localities, a commercial surcharge specifically for transportation. It will allow us, through bonding, to invest $24 million for specific transportation projects. This money will help create smoother traffic patterns and spur economic development. And we are fortunate that as a City, unlike a county, we get money from the state for lane miles traveled. That's a big chunk of Fairfax City taxpayer money coming back home where it belongs.

Now for the final story: the state is closing a bunch of rest stops. These little shelters from the storm of the road are a saving grace for drivers. I've been to most of them, driving on 81, 66, 64 and other roads. Closing these is not smart. Yes, it might save a little money, but it will likely lead to more accidents, sleepy drivers and very upset parents looking for a place for their kids to go.

At the end of the day, if we are to fix our transportation problems it's going to require some more driving money.Does this mean we have to pay a little more? Reorganize spending priorities? Yes to both. But the alternatives are a lot bleaker.

My MJ memory

Ok, I know the coverage has been overkill, but we all have our own memory of the King of Pop. For whatever reason, the memory that sticks out for me is when "Thriller" came out. I wasn't really into the music, but I liked the video of Thriller (MTV back then was really big). So, I'd wait and tape it using this thing called a VCR. I was so excited once I got it taped. I would then watch the video a few times and forgot about it.

But the point of the story is that MJ represented a period in our country of generational changes, very much like today. Now it's the iPhone that your kids know more about than you do; back then it was the VCR. And MJ was part of that - he defined it.

Who will be our MJ of this generation and the next?

RIP ... Michael Jackson

Kudos to the Fourth Team

Just about everybody knows the City has the best Independence Day Celebration around. But it just doesn't happen. Led by Mike McCarty our parks and recreation director and his staff and this year's Chairman of the Independence Day Celebration Committee, Beverly Myers, we had an outstanding parade and evening show. Kudos to all the volunteers who put in the hours to have it go off without a hitch.

And to our Fire Department. During the parade there was a medical emergency that the crew on the truck riding in the parade responded to, took care of then got back on the truck and continued along the parade route. They were seamless, professional and have gotten rave reviews for their performance - as they should.

Thanks to all. Now let's start planning for next year.

Pop-Pop's Birthday

Herman Forrest "Bulldog" Drummond Jr. was born today. If he were alive he would have been 91 years young. He died in February 2006. The General Assembly passed a resolution in his honor.

My Pop-Pop was basically my father, having pretty much raised me after my father left my mom and I when I was 2. He was - and still is - an inspiration to me. A former FBI agent of 23 years, number 13 on the Newport News Police Department, a boxer, professional football player, noted professor and teacher ... he lived a great life.

What I remember about him is his warmth, compassion and the love he shared for me, my mother and his wife of more than 50 years, my Nanny. Each day I ask myself: What would Pop-Pop do?

I have so many fond memories of him. One that I think of each day as I play with my children is one that scares the daylights out of Kerry ...

Pop-Pop would always take me on his trips to see friends, colleagues and relatives. Traveling the back roads of Tidewater, he would put me on his lap while driving at a pretty good clip. Even though I was only 3, 4 or 5 he had me take command of the steering wheel, with his hands right beneath mine to make sure that I didn't lose complete control.

To this day, I clearly remember him letting me steer our way across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel to visit my relatives on the Eastern Shore. Here was me, a little 4-year-old guiding a 1970s model Chevy across a narrow span of road. Scary, no. I had my Pop-Pop there the whole time. He was instilling in me confidence and determination. It's a gift I am so thankful for.

Happy Birthday, Pop-Pop. We all love you and miss you.

Thanks Harmons for the photos of the fam

Earth Straws and The Electeds

Two quick things ...

1. Just got back from the Metro Silver Diner here in the City of Fairfax. Terrific food, great atmosphere and they have Earth straws. What are earth straws you ask? Well, they are straws that are made from recycled paper and cardboard. They aren't plastic and they are biodegradable. And oh yeah, they're great for even the thick milkshakes they have.


2. As you know, I'm in a band - The Electeds. It's me, the Mayor (Rob Lederer), two members of Council (Steve Stombres and Dave Meyer, two Commissioners of Revenue (Fairfax's Page Johnson and Fauqier County's Ross D'Urso) and our special lead guitarist Jack Hillman.

We played last night at Fairfax High School before and after the fireworks (which were just awesome, BTW). Click here to take a look and hear some tunes. Thanks to Catherine Read for taping this for history.

The City of Fairfax is the one and only

This morning there was yet another story in the Washington Post (front page, too), about Fairfax County considering changing its name to the City of Fairfax or some variation. It's not going to happen, at least not in my lifetime or that of my children.

For one thing, as my good friend state Sen. Chap Petersen said, "We had it first."

Indeed we did. The City of Fairfax is a special and unique place that the County could only wish to be. That's not a slight to the County, it's just reality.

We're 6.3 square miles, have about 23,000 residents, have the lowest tax burden on residents and businesses in the Northern Virginia region, have festivals and events that no other locality can match, provide the highest quality of services (think trash pick-up and recycling) and we were just named by Forbes.com the third best place in the country to live.

Who can top that?

Underlying the County's desire to become a City is this: They need more money for their transportation system. I certainly feel their pain and understand their frustration. To explain this in more detail read Chap's post on this here. We face some of the same issues when it comes to transportation. That's why in the City I sponsored the motion for additional transportation investments, which will provide about $24 million in new road and infrastructure improvements.

There is a simple fix to this though: Change the Byrd Act, which was enacted in the 1930s. This legislation created the modern transportation system in Virginia that we all know and loathe. It stated that the state would be responsible for maintaining all of the roads with the exception of incorporated cities (there weren't many back then). However, there were two exceptions: Arlington County and Princess Anne County (now the City of Virginia Beach, my hometown). Don't why these entities were excluded, but they were. And they had responsibility to maintain their own roads.

Hence, here's what I would do if I were in the County: Abandon all of this nonsense about becoming a City. It's just not realistic. Instead, I would focus on amending the Byrd Act and have Fairfax County join the ranks of Arlington County in having the ability to maintain its own roads, and to a large degree, its own destiny.

I give credit to County leaders to addressing this issue head-on. They have some significant funding issues, many of which are due to the state's antiquated way of funding transportation. Just about all localities have some gripes about it. Having said that, going to the "nuclear option" of pursuing City status and moving to DEFCON 5 on the sliding scale of frustration with the Commonwealth is not the way to go. Just trying to get it done will create more problems than it solves, including having an ultimate WWF-style throwdown with the General Assembly and not to mention creating unnecessary tension amongst localities in Northern Virginia and across the state.

So, at the end of the day, I hope this whole thing blows over like a nice breeze on a summer day: Rustles the leaves a little (gives reporters something to write about, I know I was once one), cools things off (or heats things up a little, starting a conversation) and leaves no lasting damage unlike a hard 50-MPH gust (I consider Chairman Bulova and the Board of Sups in the County friends).

On a lighter note, kudos to my good friends Armistice Turtura and Commissioner of Revenue Page Johnson for their great quotes in the Post this morning. Read em' here.