Mount Vernon Column: Celebrating Donor Awareness Day
Commentary
This upcoming Monday is Donor Awareness Day, created by the Virginia State Legislature in 1997 to celebrate the contributions of organ and tissue donors.
Editorial: Move Forward with Independent Oversight
While FCPD has embraced many critical changes, supervisors need to move forward with oversight.
Last week, the Fairfax County Police Department posted a list and progress report of 202 recommendations made by the Ad Hoc Police Practices Review Commission, each currently labeled as one of: implemented, in progress or under review.
Mount Vernon Column: Proffer and Firearms Reforms
Commentary
In the past two weeks, I reviewed action on my legislation and the state budget. This column covers some of the major bills to pass the state legislature.
Mount Vernon Column: The Veto Update
Commentary
Rejoice! The season of Governor’s vetoes are upon us. With the Democrats picking up enough seats to sustain Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s vetoes, we are finally able to prevent some poorly-considered legislation from becoming law.
Editorial: Money to Treat Addiction, Mental Health Issues
Affordable Care Act could pay for help, better health for 100,000 uninsured people in Virginia with mental illness or addiction issues.
Poor people without health insurance in Virginia are being unnecessarily tortured, in some cases to death, by a General Assembly that refuses to expand Medicaid.
Commentary: Congress Must Act on the Growing Opioid Epidemic
Our nation is in the midst of an exploding opioid epidemic.
Commentary: Progress on Ad Hoc Commission Recommendations
Thoughtfulness and deliberation should not be construed as resistance or foot dragging.
A tremendous amount of progress has already taken place to implement many of these recommendations.
Editorial: Purple State
Nonpartisan redistricting could support the best interests of the population, not the politicians.
Letter: Time to Speak Out for Quality of Life in Fairfax County
To the Editor
Fairfax County is a composite of many things that make the quality of life rich for people living here.
Column: New Funds for the 36th
Commentary
The last week of the 2016 General Assembly session brought a flurry of activity on some of our most difficult bills, along with approval of a state budget. In this column, I will detail highlights in the final budget affecting our area. Next week, I will report on other important budget items. In the near future, I will cover some of the more important legislation that we considered and the fight over the state Supreme Court. I will also let you know about my eight bills the Governor has signed or are awaiting his signature.
Column: Some Final Thoughts on the Budget
Commentary
The General Assembly has adjourned sine die, from the Latin “without day,” meaning without assigning a next day for this session. However, we will meet again on April 20 for the reconvene session where we will spend a day voting on whether or not to sustain the Governor’s vetoes. We can expect at least 20 vetoes, which is a good thing since some of the bills we passed deserve no less.
Column: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
... of the 2016 General Assembly session.
The Virginia General Assembly finished its work for the 2016 legislative session a day early and adjourned a “long” 60-day session where we made progress on many issues but fought bitterly on several others. Because the improving economy has led to increased revenue collections, we were able to invest in critical areas and make a sizable deposit to our Rainy Day Fund without increasing taxes.
Editorial: Homelessness on Its Way Out in Fairfax
Homelessness should be rare, brief and non-recurring; 776 fewer homeless individuals in 2016 than in 2008.
Homelessness is down in Fairfax County in every major category, a fact confirmed on Jan. 28, 2016, the annual Point in Time Count.
Mount Vernon Letter: Mainstream or Extreme?
Letter to the Editor
In the Feb. 25, 2016 Gazette, my letter was published concerning Senator Surovell's opposition to a Senate Bill that if enacted into law would allow all State judges whether active or retired to carry a concealed handgun without requiring them to obtain a permit. In the State Senate, only six senators opposed the Bill.
Mount Vernon Letter: Choose Site C for Outdoor Gym
Letter to the Editor
Gum Springs is poised to receive equipment for an outdoor exercise gym/fitness station, that is welcomed and supported by the community. The eight pieces of equipment were obtained through a grant similar to the grant the National Park Authority obtained for the outdoor exercise gym/fitness station in Anacostia Park.