New Transportation Projects at GMU/CUE Study

This is my weekly column that runs on Patch.com. This week I focused on two transportation projects that could have an impact on the City. Since I wrote it we have had a council meeting and on CUE we are asking for a new plan that is less a of "wish list" and more accurately relates to the Council's vision for the bus system, which is for it to be primarily used for rush hour service.

Mason also said at the Council meeting that their projects don't have any funding identified with them, but they are still looking 4 to 5 years down the road to get started. I'll be writing more about this later as I think there are some issues - like their desire to build a bridge/fly-over 123 - that give me pause. Then again, this is a state/County decision since it's their land, but I'm hoping we will have input and be able to have an impact on the final outcome.

New Transit, Transportation Projects Could Change Fairfax City
http://fairfaxcity.patch.com/articles/new-transit-transportation-projects-could-change-fairfax-city

Editor's Note: Fairfax City council members are considering two university-city transportation projects that would have long-term implications on city traffic, business and other quality of life issues. Here's what councilman Daniel Drummond wrote on the subject:

"It's time to start thinking of transit and infrastructure projects less in political terms and more as a set of strategic investments, as fundamental to the speed and scope of our economic recovery as they are to the emerging shape of the economy, society, and communities of the future."

These words weren't written or spoken by a president, governor or any politician. They are from "The Great Reset," a book describing the economy we live in now and how we can prosper in the post-economic crisis era.

This book is relevant to two major transportation initiatives–George Mason University's road network expansion and the CUE bus system's six-year capital improvement plan (2011-2016).

Author and University of Toronto professor Richard Florida tells political leaders to view infrastructure investment as a business proposition where the benefits must outweigh the costs. He cites the 1950s construction of the U.S. highway systems as an example. In 2009 dollars that project would cost about $610 billion, a lot of money for sure. But just think of how many times over that investment has paid off when you consider the economic development that came from the project.

Beside the Holiday Inns, McDonald's and other trappings of highway travel, the highways created new centers of economic activity around the country and opened up once-remote and depressed regions to more prosperous economic opportunities. While there were negatives that came about as a result of the highway system's expansion–more air pollution and suburban sprawl to name two–the overall benefits still outweighed the costs.

Now in the City of Fairfax we find ourselves facing two projects that could alter our own economy.

The first is Mason's proposed expanded road network. By 2012 the university wants to build an east-west connection that links the main campus, Chain Bridge Road (Route 123) and Braddock Road through the western portion of the campus.

In concept, I understand their needs. The university is growing by leaps and bounds. However, the road network will need to provide significant benefits to the city, especially adjacent neighborhoods, and not create increased traffic back-ups along Route 123. At the same time, I'm not a fan of options that have Mason traffic completely bypassing the city, which would hurt local businesses who depend on the university students, staff and visitors.

I see there being an opportunity to do what Florida argues, which is to harness the power of a university community for the benefit of a locality by generating increased economic activity. The new road network, in this case, could be a positive for the city.

The second is the future of the CUE bus system. This is one of the best local bus systems in the country and it provides "Cadillac" service. With our hybrid buses, plentiful routes and great customer service, we have set the bar very high. But it's come at a price as the city provides an annual subsidy of about a million dollars.

I think it's worth it, especially when you consider how many people rely on the service as their only method of transportation. The CUE bus system is an investment in our economic development strategy. Started as a collaboration between the city and Mason, the service thrives. According to city data, in 2009 more than 300,000 trips were taken by Mason students and faculty while more than 710,000 trips were taken by non-Mason riders.

As the university and city grow, the CUE Transit Development Plan will help define the bus system in the future. Key things the City Council and staff are looking at include the possibility of taking over the current Mason shuttle service to the Vienna Metro around 2012 or sooner, as well as increasing frequency of bus stops in the evening as soon as 2011 and expanded weekend service by 2015.

Based on various surveys as shown in the plan presented by city staff, it looks as though riders use CUE most during the rush hours. Hence, reducing the wait time for a bus in the evening hours is a good economic investment as more people either work late (and know that they won't have to wait an hour for a bus) or have a flexible schedule that allows them to come in later, but work later in the evening.

Even with all of the changes in our economy, the city will still retain its small town feel and charm by encouraging development that's the right size and scale for our community. But we will still want to take advantages of economic opportunities afforded us by having Mason so close and a local transit system that attracts new residents and families. I think it's a balance we can achieve.

About this column:Fairfax City Councilman Dan Drummond writes the weekly column "Corner Of" for Patch.com about life and workings of local government in the City of Fairfax. He and his wife, Kerry, and three children live in the Green Acres neighborhood. In addition to serving on council, Dan is the director of public relations at the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Dan coaches Fairfax Little League t-ball (Go Cubs!), represents the city on the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Board of Directors and is on the Board of Trustees for the Barter Theater, Virginia's state theater. Follow him on his blog and website at www.councilmandan.com, on Twitter (@councilmandan) and on Facebook.

Economic Development Announcements in the City

As I've said before, I'm positive about the economy in our City. We seem to be weathering the storm (and it's still raining) better than most. Our economic development department just passed along some updates on what businesses are coming and going. Clearly, businesses are still finding the City a desirable place to locate a business. Here are some highlights.

· Fairfax Circle Shopping Center is undergoing the final phase of renovation. New tenants scheduled to open in the completed space include:
(1) Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen; (2) Pho Deluxe; and (3) Seoul Fashion.
· Also at Fairfax Circle, the 7-11 convenience store currently located on Old Lee Highway. As a part of the redevelopment, the 7-11 will move to a more prominent location on Fairfax Boulevard and the former stand-alone location will subsequently become available for lease by a new tenant.
· New York Deli & Grill is scheduled to open in Stryker’s Square located on Old Pickett Road.
· Navy Federal Credit Union has relocated from next to the Boston Market at the Kmart Shopping Center, across the street into a larger space in Jermantown Square. Encore Hair Salon will fill the vacancy left by the NFCU.
· Goodwill is scheduled to move into retail space at Main Street Center in November 2010.
· Ooh la Lara, a children’s retailer, has recently opened in the historic downtown in the Shoppes at Main Street.

One not so happy note is that WJFK is leaving the City. We wish them well.

· CBS Radio is planning to move the studios and offices of 106.7 WJFK (currently located at 10800 Main Street) to Lanham, MD. The move to Prince George’s County will allow WJFK to be housed with other DC market radio stations owned by CBS. The move is scheduled for summer 2011.

Upcoming Events in the City

Now that the school year is in full swing so are a bunch of activities in the City of Fairfax. Just this week we have:

Irish Folk Festival to be Held in Old Town Fairfax 9/25

Document Shredding Offered 9/25

Recycle Electronics at Electric Sundays 9/26

FHS Homecoming Parade 9/24

Fairfax High School Celebrates 75th Anniversary at Homecoming 9/24

Check out the City website at www.FairfaxVA.gov for more information.

Of course, on October 9 is the Fall Festival in downtown Fairfax. And on October 17 is Sweets in the Park to benefit the Lamb Center. This year it's at Providence Park from 2-4 p.m.

What People are Thinking: We're Stuck in Neutral

One of the great benefits being on Council is that I get the opportunity to hear - a lot - from average people about their concerns, worries, hopes, dreams and fears. Obviously when we campaign we door knock and talk with people. But even after the hoopla of the campaign is over, we are back at it listening to our constituents.

Both during and since the campaign I have been hearing from constituents - most of whom have steady jobs, a nice house and a good feeling about their own personal situation - that they are just tired and mad. They are tired that the economy is stuck in neutral and mad that it seems nothing can be done about it. And this is coming from people who live in an area where unemployment is around 6 percent and is one of the wealthiest in the country.

Yet, they are tired and mad. In fact, this is the mood of America. It's why you are seeing tea party candidates rack up wins, why both Democrats and Republicans striking a populist tone and why, come November, we will likely see many incumbents thrown out of office. And it may have nothing to do with them personally, it's just that they are, well, an incumbent and in the voters' mind, part of the problem.

Even at the local level in the City of Fairfax where people generally have a positive view of their government, people are still upset. They feel frustrated. I actually think that's why we saw the low turnout this past May election.

From what I'm hearing people want to have their old economy back. This "new normal" isn't fun. And even if you are fine economically, you are still exposed to a media that is reporting the bleakness of our situation. So you can't really be happy if you know your fellow neighbor or American in Des Moines doesn't have a job. We don't want to gloat when others aren't doing well; that's not what Americans do. We typically want to be all in this together, for good or bad.

So here we are, with economists telling us the recession has ended in June 2009 and a feeling of pessimism sweeping the country. As I've written before, I'm personally optimistic about both the country and especially the City of Fairfax. Yet, I totally understand the fears and frustrations people have. And I would have to agree with them that, overall, our economy is stuck in neutral.

Question is: What will fix it?

I'm not an economist, but from what I read I sense that two things will help move the country forward: The first is certainty of policies and regulations. No matter one's political views, it's fair to say there has been a lot of change in Washington and it would be nice to take a breather. For instance, the healthcare law's first set of regulations are 4,000 pages. That's a lot for the business community - who create the bulk of the jobs we have - to digest.

The second thing is time. That's right, time. Just like dieting or paying down debt, time is what we need. The economic mess we're in wasn't created overnight and no single presidential administration is to blame. The excess that built up in the economic system, including all of the debt, is still being wrung out. And it will take time for companies to feel certain about hiring and for consumers to feel certain about spending and investing.

The economy is tough. No doubt about it. And people are tired and frustrated. They don't want to be stuck in neutral. I agree. We need to put the economy in drive.

New Column on Patch.com

As many of you know, there is a new news source for the City of Fairfax: Patch.com. This is hyper-local news, meaning that these folks cover anything and everything that matters in the City of Fairfax.

I was fortunate to be asked to write a weekly column. And today the first one was published: http://fairfaxcity.patch.com/articles/drummond-why-im-optimistic-about-living-in-fairfax-city.

I've also included it below. Let me know what you think.

Why I'm Optimistic About Living in Fairfax City

Introduction to Councilman Dan Drummond's weekly column. Email whitney@patch.com if you'd like a column of your own.

Technically, the recession has ended. That's what a group of economists say. In fact, the recession ended in June 2009. Unfortunately, you probably aren't feeling the recovery–even if you have a job, your savings are intact and your home isn't underwater.

And that's actually where most people in the Northern Virginia region find themselves. With unemployment in the Fairfax City area around 6 percent and home sales seeing an uptick, people should be more optimistic and feel a little warmth after the economic deep freeze the country has been in. My guess is that most people aren't though. People are probably still somewhat pessimistic about the country's future.

Take a look at Talking Points Memo's poll track. It shows the president with approval ratings around 45 percent and a majority of Americans feeling that the country is heading in the wrong direction. Yet, in your neighborhood–be it Green Acres, Farrcroft, Mosby Woods or Old Lee Hills–you still have your home, your job and your local government still delivers the services you expect and deserve.

Here in the City of Fairfax we have the lowest tax rate in Northern Virginia. And we have the overall lowest tax burden, too. At the same time, we deliver the highest quality services–trash and recycling pick up, nationally-recognized parks and the CUE bus system are just a few of the highlights that make the city stand out.

On top of all this, the city enjoys the highest bond ratings either Moody's or Standard & Poor's offers, which means that should we want, we can borrow money to pay for public needs at the lowest possible interest rate.

People and businesses want to invest here and have a relationship with the city. Take for instance the Sherwood Community Center. The city received a $5 million gift from the Sherwood family to build the community center at Van Dyck Park. The project is now $1 million under budget and expected to open on time in spring 2011.

Then there is the development going on in the city. We have the largest pipeline of projects in the city's history. Look around and you will see that the vision of having the right size and scale development in the city is coming to realization.

The point is this: While our country may be facing significant challenges, the City of Fairfax is faring better than most during these times when, understandably, the general mood of our fellow citizens is sour.

Could things be better here? Certainly, and the mayor and council as well as city staff continue to strive to make life better for everyone. It's certainly why I'm on council.

At the same time we need to take a step back and realize that we are quite fortunate to live where we live, hope for the best and look forward to a day when our fellow citizens will have the same sense of optimism that I have about the City of Fairfax.

About this column:Fairfax City Councilman Dan Drummond writes the weekly column "Corner Of" for Patch.com about life and workings of local government in the City of Fairfax. He and his wife, Kerry, and three children live in the Green Acres neighborhood. In addition to serving on council, Dan is the director of public relations at the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Dan coaches Fairfax Little League t-ball (Go Cubs!), represents the city on the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Board of Directors and is on the Board of Trustees for the Barter Theater, Virginia's state theater.Follow him on his blog and website at www.councilmandan.com, on Twitter (@councilmandan) and on Facebook.

Remembering September 11th

Last night I had the great honor of participating with my colleagues on the Council and the Fairfax City community in our Patriot Day ceremony. Established after September 11th, 2001 to honor those who died and those who serve, it is a very moving ceremony where we pray, reflect and thank those men and women on our own fire and police departments for their service, going down the line and shaking each person's hand.

September 11th was a pivotal moment in our country's history, stripping away much of the innocence that remained of this young country. We were thrust into situations we didn't ask for. We were - and still are - hated by those who love freedom and our way of life. And this ceremony - on the grounds of what is perhaps the most beautiful City Hall there is in this country - reminds us of this. It also reminds us that we have so much to be thankful for and that we must never forget September 11th, not just because of the tragedy that unfolded and loss of life, but that it brought focus and clarity to what was truly important: our freedom in this country.

Nine years later with an economic downturn continuing people seem to have forgotten September 11th as a time of unity. I must say that this is somewhat understandable on it face. The unemployment rate and lack of optimism has people turning inward - tucking in their horns, so to speak. People are thinking about themselves first and worrying about their families, as they should be.

Yet, it seems that if we take a step back - and especially in the context of remembering September 11th - we still have it pretty good compared to the rest of the world. Yes, we certainly have our challenges. But the principles and values that make this country great are still secure. We can still speak our minds. We can still practice our religion. We have a social net that helps those in need. We are still largely free to do as we please, except where community norms and laws disallow actions that may harm others.

On September 11th 2001 I was coming back to work as a reporter for The Washington Times. It was my second day back from paternity leave after the birth of Sadie Ann just two weeks prior. I was on 395 when the plane hit the Pentagon. I immediately got off the highway and raced to the scene. From then on I was reporting full time, staying on site for weeks and covering the aftermath for months. I will never forget. I will never forget the heroics of the rescue personnel, the shocked faces of military men and women racing to save their colleagues and of course, the crowds that gathered nearby to observe, to pray and to mourn.

My most vivid memory - and one that still chokes me up - is coming home after a day of covering the tragedy's aftermath (I believe it was September 13th) and watching Winston Marsalsis play his trumpet on a television program honoring the fallen and our heroes. I was sitting on the couch holding Sadie in my arms, looking down at her and thinking how blessed I was to have her, to be alive and to be in this country. I still am blessed. And so are all Americans.

URGENT: Woody's Opens This Saturday

Not a day too soon, our beloved Woody's ice cream shop reopens this Saturday, September 11 at its new location on North Street behind the old TT Reynolds and Auld Shebeen. H/T to Kathy Hackshaw for reporting this oh so wonderful news.

Selling ABC Stores: Raises Taxes on Businesses, Communities ... But "It's not a tax increase"

In keeping with my local focus, I typically don't comment on too many state issues here. However, Governor McDonnell's proposal to increase taxes on alcohol in his effort to privatize state ABC stores is just a bad idea. It's going to raise the cost of doing business for restaurants, bars and anyone who enjoys a drink now and then. This is on top of the already bad idea to even sell the stores.

With two stores in the City (Fairfax Court/Courthouse Plaza), the City has a vested interest in this on the most parochial of levels. On top of this, I understand that Giant and Safeway stores are not included in the Governor's plan. So essentially, the plan could potentially shut down the two stores in the City and not include two chains that have (or have had) a presence in the City and Northern Virginia.

Back to the taxes...In this morning's Post, the Governor is quoted as saying a 2.5 percent tax on restaurants on bars and $17.50 excise tax on a gallon of alcohol is "not a tax increase." Uh? How is that the case?

By the way, DC and Maryland has an excise tax of - get this - $1.50 a gallon. Other states average excise tax is $5. So we would be a high tax state in this case and certainly the cost will be passed along to customers of stores and restaurants. This tax could certainly reduce the number of people drinks have because they won't be able to afford it. The margarita you now enjoy for say $5 could jump to $8 or more based on my back of the napkin calculations for how these taxes trickle down.

The Governor states that the funds he is raising through the tax isn't an increase because the sale of the stores offsets the increases in taxes. The funds raised by the package of taxes is about $260 million that is making up the lost profit and taxes from sales of the stores. The one-time sale of the stores is supposed to generate $458 million for transportation. That still doesn't make sense though, especially in the long-term when the Governor is out of office and businesses have to continue to pay the tax, which inevitablly would increase (remember the axiom that once something is taxed it rarely is ever "untaxed").

Another concern I personally have would be the proliferation of stores. According to the Governor's recommendation, there could more than 1,000 stores selling liquor. I'm not advocating prohibition, but I do believe we have a balanced system in the Commonwealth. People and businesses can get high quality liquour at more than 330 stores across Virginia. This doesn't even include the restaurants and bars that then sell drinks. This is on top of the 6,600 stores that sell beer and wine. Seems to me that's enough spots to indulge.

Look, I appreciate the Governor trying to be innovative and find transportation funds without a general tax increase. But this isn't the way to go. Similar to the VRS "holiday" where the state punted and didn't put in $600 million into the state's retirement system, this proposal will cause more problems later.

So, let's thank everyone for their hard work, shelve the plan and find another way to fund transportation without it being on the backs of small businesses, restaurants, bars, customers and local governments.