The November 2007 elections feature only two competitive races in Reston — Hunter Mill District supervisor and School Board member. Long-time incumbents Del. Ken Plum and state Sen. Janet Howell face no competition in their re-election bids. Fairfax County Board Chairman Gerry Connolly, who has raised about a zillion dollars (nearly half from developers and friends in Reston and elsewhere seeking favorable land-use rulings), has little more than token opposition. Supervisor Catherine Hudgins, however, faces difficulty in her bid for a third term. The Vienna piece of her district is by no means in her column — and there is unrest in her home base of Reston.
In Reston, the town issue is very much alive and is gaining momentum for several reasons. As property taxes soar (accompanied by the giant sucking sound of Fairfax County gorging itself on our money), folks with more modest homes feel the pinch and are becoming more sensitive to the unfairness of Reston Association (RA) assessments. Lower-priced homes pay the same fees as far more expensive ones. Meanwhile, renters, who make up one-third of Reston’s population, are noticing that RA gives the bulk of voting rights to homeowners, while practically disenfranchising renters. But this lack of fairness and basic democracy have been with Reston from the beginning — when Fairfax County blackmailed founder Robert Simon not to use the Town charter he acquired with his land purchase. So why are they rising to the surface now?
In talking to scores of residents recently, the complaint I hear most often is that people are fed up with the way growth is being managed (or not managed) and the powerlessness of the community to do anything about it. The Fairfax Board of Supervisors’ recent action to raise the ceiling on new residences by thousands of units, ignoring the unanimous objections of Reston’s community organizations, brought home that sense of powerlessness for many Restonians. Many have also caught on to the con game of appointed “advisory” committees, which are little more than cherry-picked folks doing the supervisor’s bidding under the guise of “community input.”
Lack of accountability is often cited by those unhappy with the status quo. And there is confusion about where to go to get things done, and disappointment that the Reston Association isn’t more effective in solving problems. Sometimes the finger is pointed at RA when the problem is not within their purview — e.g., blame for undesirable new density. Other times, the blame may be merited — e.g., taking years to deal with the very exclusive country club siphoning water from Lake Anne (without paying a dime) and impeding residents’ air conditioning.
Creeping, undesirable density is a symbol of our discontent, but when you scratch beneath the surface, there are many more irritants. Overall, a sense of powerlessness (“the county is going to do what it wants anyway”), unresponsiveness (“do you have any idea how long it takes to get action from the county health department?” asked a businessman), and lack of accountability have driven voters to make governance a priority issue in this election. After all, a town would not only bring greater equity and accountability, it would also empower Restonians to make land-use decisions — at little or no added cost.
Hudgins is flatly opposed to self-government for Reston; she won’t even support putting it to a vote. Her position may be motivated by more than a desire to protect her own status and power, but it is hardly the position of a community leader serving the public interest. A true leader would allow citizens to decide the issue themselves. Independent candidate Marie Huhtala is inclined to favor town status for Reston, and if elected will push for a referendum to let the community decide. The other Independent candidates presumably will make their views on incorporation known soon.
While the current surge in support for Reston the Town may not yet reflect the majority needed to carry a referendum, what is the harm in letting the people decide for themselves, after a thorough airing of the proposal? Who’s afraid of democracy? Reston voters can be expected to ask this question to each candidate for supervisor, and they’ll be listening carefully to the answers they get.