The election is still a year away, but early endorsements for the Providence District Board of Supervisors race are starting to favor School Board member Dalia Palchik.
Earlier this month, Providence District Supervisor Linda Smyth announced that she wouldn’t be running for reelection in 2019, igniting a race between Erika Milena Yalowitz, a Tysons resident and a board member of the Rotunda Condominium Unit Owners Association, and Palchik.
Palchik has been endorsed by retiring Board of Supervisors chair Sharon Bulova, according to a press release by Palchik:
“For the past three years, it has been my great pleasure to work with Dalia Palchik in her role on the Fairfax County School Board. Dalia‘s passion and dedication to things like early childhood education have brought energy and expertise to Fairfax County, but I have been most impressed by her willingness to listen, and work together to get things done. As Fairfax County grows and changes there will be challenges ahead, and Dalia Palchik has the right blend of progressive leadership and pragmatic experience to help the Fairfax County of tomorrow. I am proud to endorse Dalia Palchik for Providence District Supervisor.”
Among Virginia lawmakers, Palchik said she’d been endorsed by Sen. David Marsden (D-37th District), Sen. Barbara Favola (D-31st District), Del. Marcus Simon (D-53rd District), Del. Kathleen Murphy (D-34th District), and Del. Danica Roem (D-13th District).
Leaders of the Democratic caucuses in both the Senate and the House of Delegates, Sen. Dick Saslaw (D-35th District) and Del. Eileen Filler-Corn (D-41st District), have also endorsed Palchik.
It’s still early in the race, but Yalowitz said she’s been focusing on getting endorsements from grassroots community leaders.
“I’m proud to have the endorsement of community leaders like Tania Hossain, who has been President of the Providence District Council, Fairfax Federation, repeated times, as well as of the Fairfax Committee of 100,” said Yalowitz in an email. “Some elected officials have ties and can’t make public their endorsement but community leaders represent grassroots movements and local people. That’s who I care about!”
McKay Running for BoS Chair — “Shortly after current Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova revealed in her monthly newsletter that she will not seek reelection, Lee District Supervisor Jeff McKay announced on Dec. 6 that he is running to succeed her… ‘This campaign is about the future of our community,’ McKay said in explaining why he has decided to run for board chairman. ‘In this time of hateful rhetoric and divisiveness, we need to fight for all families and communities across Fairfax County.'” [Fairfax Times]
Linda Smyth Looks to Final Year on Board — “After nearly two decades of handling some of Fairfax County’s largest and most nettlesome land-use cases, Supervisor Linda Smyth (D-Providence) is ready to let someone else handle the burden. Smyth announced at the board’s Dec. 4 meeting that she would not seek another term next year… Smyth will spend her final year in office tying up a bunch of land-use cases.” [InsideNova]
Stanley Cup Visits McLean Private School — “Students at The Langley School recently ‘Rocked the Red’ when the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup trophy made a stop at the school as part of its victory tour celebrating the Washington Capitals’ 2018 championship win… The experience was made possible by Roger Mody, a Langley parent and co-owner for Monumental Sports & Entertainment, who arranged for the trophy to spend several hours at the school.” [Fairfax Times]
(Updated 11:00 a.m.) Just days after the Providence District Supervisor Linda Smyth announced she wouldn’t be running for reelection next year, at least two candidates have stepped forward in a competitive race to fill that seat.
Along with Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova also announcing her retirement and Supervisor John Cook’s earlier decision not to run, the Providence District race opens up a chance to see new leadership at the county level.
Erika Milena Yalowitz, a Tysons resident, Arlington County court officer and a board member of the Rotunda Condominium Unit Owners Association, formally announced her intention to run for Board of Supervisors in July at a launch event in the Tysons Biergarten. School Board member Dalia Palchik announced on Tuesday (Dec. 4) that she would also be running for the seat.
Both candidates have cited development’s impacts on infrastructure and schools as primary focuses of their campaigns, but there are still differences between the candidates. Yalowitz said her experience in the courts and with neighborhood associations gave her a well-rounded civic background, while Palchik said her experience as a teacher and within the School Board has given her experience in handling the schools as well as planning issues.
“This is a new era, I think we need a new vision,” said Dalia. “[We need to be] addressing needs of schools and kids. Land is tight… we have a lot of wealth as well as a lot of poverty.”
“She’s good as a school board member, but I feel I would be better at governing,” said Yalowitz. “I worked with the Fairfax County government from a human services perspective, and now as a court officer I have an understanding of issues about criminal justice.”
Yalowitz said her experiences with the Rotunda Condominium Unit Owners Association have given her experience in land use issues and working with the Tysons Partnership.
But Palchik said her experience on the School Board has given her broad exposure to the inner workings of Fairfax county government. Last night, Palchik spoke to Tysons Reporter after serving as the school board liaison to the Planning Commission.
“We are looking at the policy on the planning commission… regarding the ‘One Fairfax’ policy on how we handle schools through planning lenses,” said Palchik. “I don’t know that other members have direct experience in land use.”
Palchik said the gains of Tysons aren’t making their way to other parts of the district
“In our county, in Providence, we’re starting to see resegregation,” said Palchik. “We’re trying to figure out how to address that. Socioeconomic and racial resegregation are happening in Providence. How do we ensure that mixed income housing is affordable?”
Meanwhile, Yalowitz is part of the new population of the ever-growing Tysons, which she said gives her a unique insight over Palchik into the local infrastructure needs.
“I get the issue of density,” said Yalowitz. “I get the issue of growth, and the needs we are looking at for the future. Our schools are overcrowded. Our roads are overcrowded. I believe we can do better, I believe we can continue building for the future.”
Both candidates highlighted the need for Fairfax County to gain greater independence from state control, though over different issues. Yalowitz said Fairfax needs to gain greater control over it’s roads to be able to swiftly and reliably react to the infrastructure demands brought on by new development.
“Most of the roads in Fairfax are controlled by VDOT and we have no control,” said Yalowitz. “We make a bike lane and those lanes can be repainted by the state. Arlington doesn’t have that problem. Arlington owns most of its roads. We need to work with the state to change that. Tysons needs more autonomy.”
Palchik, meanwhile, said the Providence District could be a leader in renewable energy if it could free itself from state control.
“We have to work with the state to be more energy efficient,” said Palchik. “We’re limited in Virginia on what [localities] can do for solar energy, but we need to be more forward thinking with our carbon footprint.”
Whoever is elected to fill Smyth’s seat, Planning Commissioner Phillip Niedzielski-Eichner said in an email to Tysons Reporter that managing how the new development in Tysons impacts the Providence district will be the biggest challenge.
“Tysons development will continue apace toward becoming a full-blown urban center and Supervisor Smyth’s successor must continue to press for diversity and creativity in building design, adequate public facilities to support a growing resident population, affordable housing units dispersed among high-density developments, open space for recreation and enjoyment, and a pedestrian-friendly infrastructure such as sidewalks, walkways across the broad thoroughfares and street lighting.”
Tysons Reporter also reached out to Edythe Kelleher, a former member of the Vienna Town Council, who, sources say, is considering a run for Board of Supervisors. But Kelleher said she was not prepared to comment.
Fairfax Supervisor Linda Smyth, whose Providence district includes Tysons, announced at a Board of Supervisors meeting earlier today (Tuesday) that she will not be running for reelection.
At the meeting, Smyth said she will be retiring next year.
“It’s truly been a pleasure to work with all of you, but this will be my last term in office. I will retire at the end of next year. But, I suspect this will be a busy year in Providence. We may have a lot of land use to finish up, so I am apologizing in advance for everything that may need to get done next year and asking for your patience with all of it.”
Fellow local officials were quick to share their thanks and congratulations to Smyth.
Congratulations to Supervisor Linda Smyth (Providence District) on announcing her retirement at today’s Board meeting. Thank you for your years of dedication and service to Fairfax County.
— Supervisor Pat Herrity (@PatHerrity) December 4, 2018
Supervisor Smyth has been a valued colleague on the Board of Supervisors. Her meticulous work on land use and transportation issues have resulted in tremendous progress to revitalization & redevelopment areas of the county such as Tysons and Merrifield. https://t.co/fDR1LLrzGQ
— Sharon Bulova (@SharonBulova) December 4, 2018
Smyth was elected in 2003, then reelected in 2007 and 2011. Smyth’s district includes Tysons and Merrifield, both of which have seen substantial development since she was first elected.
Smyth’s announcement is part of a shakeup on the Board of Supervisors. Supervisor John Cook (R) from the Braddock District announced that he would not be running for election again.
The Washington Post reports that Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Sharon Bulova (D) and Hunter Mill’s Supervisor Catherine Hudgins (D) are also deciding whether or not to run again. The Hunter Mill district includes Vienna and Reston.
For residents of the corner of McLean inside the 10th Congressional District, last night’s election saw Jennifer Wexton (D) oust Barbara Comstock (R). But for the rest of the area, incumbents will be returning to office.
Not only did Wexton win in Fairfax County, but the Dranesville District heavily favored Wexton by 3,592 votes.
It was an active race, with 73 percent of voters casting ballots across the Dranesville District. Even before election day, the 10th District race saw an unusually high number of absentee ballots.
Comstock won the seat in 2014 after replacing Congressman Frank Wolf (R), who’d held the seat for over 30 years. Wexton will be the first Democrat representing the 10th Congressional District since 1981.
But while McLean saw high turnout in the competitive race, the Tysons area voter turnout was lower than the countywide average.
Countywide voter turnout was 69.8 percent, but the Tysons precinct only reported 58.7 percent voter turnout. At the nearby Magarity and Rotonda precincts, voter turnout was 66 and 64.7 percent respectively.
In the 8th Congressional District, incumbent Don Beyer (D) handily beat challenger Thomas Oh (R), winning 76.3 percent of the vote.
It was a similar story in the 11th Congressional District, where incumbent Gerald Connolly (D) defeated challengers Jeff Dove (R) and Stevan Porter (L) with 71.1 percent of the vote.
In the statewide race, Sen. Tim Kaine (D) won a 15-point victory over Republican Corey Stewart.
Two constitutional amendments allowing tax exemptions and the public safety bonds request were also approved.
Photo via Facebook
Voting Underway in Fairfax County — Fairfax County has compiled a list of five things its more than 700,000 registered voters should know before heading out the door and to polling stations this morning. [Fairfax County]
Undeveloped Estate Now For Sale — “An undeveloped property in McLean is on the market for $5.7 million, rivaling some of the community’s high-end mansions on the market. The Maple Hill estate has nearly four acres of land through a gated entrance.” [Patch]
N. Va. Homes Selling Near Asking Price — “Homes across Northern Virginia are selling for between 98 and 99 percent of original listing price, suggesting sellers and their agents are pricing appropriately and buyers are not haggling too much.” [InsideNova]
Marshall Football Game Moved — Marshall High School’s senior night and football game against Wakefield has been moved from Friday to tonight (Thursday) due to expected heavy rain on Friday. [Twitter, Twitter]
Tysons Ritz to Offer Free Election Day Cocktail — “A complimentary cocktail, called Where the Left and Right Meet (Jack Daniels, California mulled wine reduction, lemon juice, simple syrup), will be served to all guests wearing an ‘I Voted’ sticker.” [Eater]
What $3.5 Million Buys in McLean — “The amenities range from spa-like baths, a sauna, media room, bar area to an elevator and room for a pool and tennis court. The bedrooms themselves could be considered highlights too. Among the choosings are a master suite with a sitting room and balcony and a lower level suite with a separate entrance.” [Patch]
Early voting, which started on Oct. 13, has increased this year across Virginia and particularly in one Fairfax County race.
In every one of the Tysons area congressional districts, the Virginia Public Access Project reports that absentee ballots cast have increased significantly compared to ballots cast in 2017. Most of that increase is marginal in the 8th and 11th Districts, but in the 10th District absentee ballots from Fairfax County have increased 125 percent.
In just under two weeks, on Election Day, all voters locally and across the state will have a say in Virginia’s U.S. Senate race between incumbent Tim Kaine (D), Corey Stewart (R) and Matt Waters (L).
In Tysons Reporter’s coverage area, northern parts of McLean will get to participate in the hotly contested 10th Congressional District race between incumbent Barbara Comstock (R) and Jennifer Wexton (D).
In Virginia’s 8th Congressional District, which includes parts of McLean and Falls Church, incumbent Don Beyer (D) is running against Thomas Oh (R).
For voters in Virginia’s 11th Congressional District, which covers Vienna and Tysons, incumbent Gerald Connolly (D) is running against Jeff Dove Jr. (R) and Stevan Porter (L).
Also on the ballot are two proposed constitutional amendments regarding tax exemptions. The first asks whether a county, city or town should be allowed to offer partial tax exemption or properties that are subject to recurring flooding, provided resiliency improvements have been made on the property.
The second asks whether the spouses of a veteran with a complete disability should be eligible to maintain their property tax exemption if they move to another state.
Finally, a bond referendum asks if Fairfax County should be authorized to raise $182,000,000 to renovate or build new public safety buildings.
The polling locations in Fairfax are grouped by their Supervisor District, as outlined below.
- Dranesville District: McLean
- Providence District: Tysons, Merrifield, parts of Falls Church
- Hunter Mill District: Vienna, Wolf Trap
(10/26) Absentee Voting Update: This morning we'll surpass 40,000 absentee ballots cast. Still have 20,000+ mail-in ballots that need to be returned (hurry!) Two more Saturdays for in-person voting 10/27 and 11/3, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at all 10 locations. https://t.co/T95E9h5Bf6 pic.twitter.com/k3KOZiMi6V
— Fairfax County Votes (@fairfaxvotes) October 26, 2018
👉🗳 About 20,000 mail-in absentee ballots haven't been returned yet, so get yours in the mail ASAP – mail delivery can take several days. If ballots arrive AFTER 7 p.m. on Nov. 6 they won't be counted. https://t.co/SRRmMqbZHj
— Fairfax County Government 🇺🇸 (@fairfaxcounty) October 26, 2018
File photo
The following article excerpt is from our content sharing partner, FairfaxNews.com.
Election Day is still more than six weeks away, but if you want to vote right now, many of you can do that.
In-person absentee voting started Monday at the county’s Government Center in Fairfax. On October 13 it will expand to nine additional locations. You can also vote by mail right now.
Voting by absentee ballot could save you lots of time because there are lots of registered voters in Fairfax County – almost 700,000. And turnout is elected to be heavy on Election Day.
Twenty things that make you eligible to vote early
- Student attending college or university outside of locality of residence in Virginia
- Spouse of student attending college or university outside locality of residence in Virginia
- Business outside County/City of residence on Election Day
- Personal business or vacation outside County/City of residence on Election Day
- I am working and commuting to/from home for 11 or more hours between 6:00 AM and 7:00 PM on Election Day
- I am a first responder (member of law enforcement, firefighter, emergency technician, search and rescue)
- My disability or illness
- I am primarily and personally responsible for the care of a disabled/ill family member confined at home
- My pregnancy
- Confined, awaiting trial
- Confined, convicted of a misdemeanor
- An electoral board member, registrar, officer of election, or custodian of voting equipment
- I have a religious obligation
- Active Duty Merchant Marine or Armed Forces
- Spouse or dependent living with a member of Active Duty Merchant Marine or Armed Forces
- Temporarily residing outside of U.S.
- Temporarily residing outside of U.S. for employment or spouse or dependent residing with employee
- Authorized representative of candidate or party serving inside the polling place
- Granted a protective order issued by or under the authority of a court of competent jurisdiction.
>> Read more at FairfaxNews.com
