Transportation, Education and Jobs Dominates Sully Candidates Forum

Finding ways to fix the troubled Northern Virginia traffic commute, help fund K-12 classrooms and funnel more good paying jobs into the area dominated a candidate’s forum in Chantilly Thursday night.

The Sully District Council of Citizens Associations hosted the forum at the Sully District Government Center for candidates in House of Delegates and Senate districts which include Sully. All candidates at the forum agreed that finding a way to reduce the area’s grievous commute, rated the worst in the country, was a top priority.

“The commute, the commute, it has come to dominate our lives,” said (R), of Oakton, who is running for a seat in the 34th Senate District against incumbent (D), a Fairfax City attorney. “It has become a daily struggle and we need responsible solutions to build our infrastructure.”

Culipher said she would support an area business tax credit with the money redirected to Northern Virginia transportation projects.

Petersen, whose district includes parts of Centreville, Chantilly, Vienna and Oakton, said his experience in the Senate has helped get things done for his constituents. Petersen said he was proud to support a bill, along with Del. David Bulova, (D) of the 37th House district, to require upgraded safety features at the Pickett Road Tank Farm in Fairfax, the site of several toxic spills and leaks.

“I’m proud of my experience and what I’ve been able to do.” Petersen said. “Virginia is one of the very few states that kept a balanced budget without raising taxes in this economy.

Transportation and jobs are priorities for Sen. Mark Herring (D), who is running for reelection to the 33rd Senate District, which includes parts of Chantilly. He is opposed by Patricia Phillips (R) in a repeat of the 2007 race when he won by taking 56.9 percent of the vote.

Herring noted he was instrumental in securing funding for completion of the overpasses on Route 28 between Interstate 66 and . If reelected, he said he would work to bring more high-tech jobs into the area.

Phillips said she wanted to do more for the area’s small businesses, defend the state’s right to work laws, reduce government regulation and clear up traffic. She said that government needs to get out of the way and let small business generate more jobs.

Del. Ken Plum, of the 36th House District, said one of his priorities was to make sure that area K-12 schools received adequate funding. As the economy has soured, state funding for education has been reduced, throwing more of a financial burden on local school districts who have had to make up the gap. Local governments now account for about 60 percent of school funding, when it should be shared equally with the state, he said. “We’ve got to make sure that we aren’t balancing the budget on the backs of our local governments,” he said.

Plum’s opponent, Hugh Cannon (R), did not attend the forum. The race is a repeat of the 2009 contest which Plum won with 59.9 percent of the vote.