Category: <span>Political</span>

Del. Marcus Simon on Your Need to Know

(July 31, 2019) Catherine Read sits down with Del. Marcus Simon (D-53) to talk about how citizens can get involved in affecting policy change at the state and local level of governments.

Simon was introduced to state politics in his first job out of college, as an aid with his predecessor, Del. Jim Scott. Without much knowledge about the inner workings of state government, he got a quick lesson on both how things work, and how quickly things can move in Richmond. While he embraces the concept of citizen legislators, it also means that there is a very short time frame to get things done during their abbreviated legislative session each winter.

One of the aspects of state government that really appeals to Del. Simon is the fact that legislators are very accessible to their constituents. Representatives are able to hear directly from them about their ideas and concerns. There are not a lot of “layers” in state government, meaning there are very few staff people who serve as buffers. When you want to speak to your representative, it is easy to do so. He has personally enjoyed getting to know his constituents, learning about new issues, and advocating on their behalf.

He encourages everyone to participate in the legislative process. One way people can engage is to step forward and take a leadership role in a professional association. When it comes to professional licensing and regulations, the state plays a big role. This is a great way to get involved if they have suggestions for improving things within their industry.

He also recommends scheduling a time to meet with him here in Falls Church, or coming to his office in Richmond during session. He always has time for constituents, and wants to hear about issues that are important to them. Legislators also often attend community meetings such as civic associations, neighborhood community groups or local advocacy groups. If you are interested in having him, or any of his colleagues, speak at a local meeting, simply contact their office to arrange the details. You can find your local representatives at this website, simply plug in your address.

In addition to stepping forward and getting involved, Simon has some advice for younger constituents who are interested in civics. The Virginia General Assembly has a page program geared towards students age 13-14. Teens can apply starting August 1^st for these coveted spots. The students who are selected will move to Richmond during the legislative session. They work in the House and Senate chambers, while also doing schoolwork under the supervision of tutors.

It is a wonderful hands-on learning experience. Del. Simon is always impressed with the young people who come to Richmond, and very much enjoys having them as part of the legislative session. He is continuously impressed at their mock legislative session that they run at the end of each season. It shows just how much they absorb by being present and working in the chamber every day.

Simon encourages all citizens to take action in our democracy. There are elections this fall for every seat in both the House and the Senate, and a lot of work to be done. As a member of the minority party since his election in 2013, Simon is looking toward a future when the Democrats can take back the majority. He knows that if they are able to accomplish this, then there will be real policy change on big issues like gun violence prevention, protecting Medicaid expansion, and criminal justice reform.

As a citizen, if you have an idea for legislation, he encourages you to reach out to your representatives today. They are working on crafting agendas and bills, and need time to gain an understanding of the issue, as well as come up with the most effective wording for the bill itself. Come fall, they will be filing bills with the legislative services office, and want to ensure that they have plenty of time to ensure that the bill is written with the most effective language.

by Rachel Simon

Delegate Karrie Delaney – Inside Scoop

(Aug. 13, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Del. Karrie Delaney (D-67) about her first year serving in the Virginia House of Delegates. They speak about her experiences that led her to run for office, along with the challenges she faces in balancing her life in her new role. They also discuss legislative victories and initiatives.

Del. Delaney first shares with Catherine about her background and what drove her to run for office. Her professional background is as a counselor, helping children in foster care and victims of sexual assault. Early in her career, she recognized the importance of public policy, and how it can have a real affect on peoples’ lives – in both positive and negative ways. When living in Florida, she sought to learn about the inner workings of local government, which led her to eventually winning a seat on the local town council in Melbourne, FL.

After moving to Northern Virginia, Delaney settled down and started her family in Chantilly. Upon the birth of her daughter, she recognized Chantilly as “home” and wanted to get involved and make a positive impact in her new community. She contacted her local Supervisor to share her skill set and learn what opportunities were available, and was soon appointed to the Citizens Corps Council. She then served on the Fairfax County Library Board, where she eventually took over as Chair. Simultaneously, she started to pay attention to her representation in Richmond, and saw that her Delegate’s voting record was out of line with her community’s values.

Following the presidential election in November of 2016, Delaney gave serious thought about running for the House of Delegates. She jumped in the race and unseated Jim LeMunyon, a 4- term incumbent who was first elected in 2009, with a commanding 58% of the vote. It was a monumental year for Democrats, as they picked up 15 news seats and sent 16 freshmen legislators to Richmond. Although they did not achieve a majority, the shakeup sent shock waves through the commonwealth and opened up many doors, such as the expansion of Medicaid, that eventually passed with bi-partisan support.

Upon winning her seat, Delaney was on a roller-coaster ride to get up to speed for the upcoming legislative session. Her biggest surprise when starting in her new role was simply how quickly things move. Following the election, freshmen delegates need to undergo training, hire staff, setup an office, figure out where they will live in Richmond, secure childcare arrangements to accommodate a new schedule and last but certainly not least, draft and submit legislation for the upcoming session.

When considering which bills to sponsor, she collaborated with her caucus, while also paying close attention to issues she learned about from her constituents while out knocking on doors. Her first big success, HB 1419 (otherwise known as the “Recess Bill”) gained quite a bit of traction and passed through both the House and Senate with tremendous bi-partisan support. The bill requires local school boards to count unstructured play time toward the minimum instruction hours public schools must meet each year, giving an incentive for the schools to provide more recess time. She worked together across the aisle with her chief co-patron Del. John McGuire (Louisa) who was also passionate about this issue. As a mother of elementary aged school children, Delaney fully understands the importance of this bill and is thrilled to see it signed into law by Gov. Ralph Northam.

Other legislative victories include being a chief co-patron on the Kinship Guardian Assistance Program Bill (HB 1333), carried by Del. Emily Brewer. This bill establishes a KinGAP program to facilitate child placements with relatives and ensure permanency for children for whom adoption or being returned home are not appropriate permanency options. The program provides for assistance to families who take in the children, similar to how the foster care system works. The goal is to keep the welfare of the children in mind, and support the best possible outcomes for them.

Looking ahead to next session, Delaney is very excited to be working on drafting legislation, listening to her constituents, and working at getting the language of her bills to be “just right”. She finds it critical to ensure that her bills are reasonable, accomplish the right thing and do not have an unintended consequences. She places a strong emphasis on working across the aisle to find common ground, while standing strong with her principles. Del. Delaney encourages constituents to reach out to her via email, visit with her during office hours, come to a town hall, or just give her a call to share their ideas.

by Rachel Simon

Rise to Run – Poojitha Tanjore

(June 11, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Poojitha Tanjore, a 16 year old activist and junior at Rock Ridge High School in Ashburn, VA, who is the Northern Virginia Rise to Run pilot hub coordinator. Rise to Run is the first and only nationwide, grassroots and community based organization focused on encouraging progressive high school girls and college aged women to run for public office. Rise to Run brings young women together in their communities and gives them insight into the political process, connects them with mentors, and involves them in local organizing. Through quality, in-person, age appropriate training and on the ground networks, Rise to Run is making electoral politics and political action more accessible to young women of every identity. Poojitha oversees the Northern Virginia chapters, which span from her home county of Loudoun, to Fairfax, Prince William and Arlington counties.

Poojitha has been inspired throughout the course of her life by her great-grandmother, who was forced to marry as a child. Her great-grandmother did not have choices of her own, and her story has inspired Poojitha to take full advantage of her freedoms here in America, to forge her own path and create her own destiny. From a young age, Poojitha understood the power of her voice and her ability to affect change. She shares a funny story with Catherine about the time that her parents thought she was eating too many Maggie noodles. Poojitha gathered her friends, made protest signs, and picketed her parents until they allowed her to continue to eat her favorite noodles whenever she pleased. Thus began her life as a grass roots activist.

At the age of 13, Poojitha was accepted into the prestigious University of Virginia summer enrichment program, where she studied law and participated in a Mock Senate. Her love of public policy was cemented here, and after being voted “Best Senator” in her group, returned to Rock Ridge that year and ran for President of the student government. She very much enjoyed leading her fellow classmates to push for initiatives like free wifi throughout the school system, which she helped to bring to fruition in Loudoun County Public Schools. Poojitha understood that by diving into the issues, overcoming obstacles and working together, she would be able to pave the way for lasting change.

Poojitha learned about Rise To Run through her networks on social media, and immediately reached out to the founder and current Executive Director, Helen Brosnan. Poojitha strongly believes that young girls need to see themselves in their elected officials, so that they too can aspire to rise to those positions down the road. Poojitha founded the Loudon County chapter of Rise to Run, and was soon after followed by Price William and Fairfax Counties. The enthusiasm for the progressive movement is growing, and the desire of young people to engage and affect change is palpable. What she likes the most about this organization is that Rise to Run is giving young people the opportunity to learn and grown at a young age, in addition to giving them space to fail. Everyone needs an opportunity to learn, succeed, and occasionally fall short – it is what growing up is all about. Rise to Run encourages young people to take risks and try new things, and to use their experience to make themselves stronger for the future.

Poojitha will represent Rise to Run at the upcoming Women’s Summit hosted by Network Nova, being held at the Dulles Hyatt on June 23^rd. She will be the opening speaker for a breakout session specially designed for the youth movement. Poojitha strongly believes that young people need to be nurtured so that they have an opportunity to grow, learn and succeed. Poojitha also feels strongly that adults and young people need to partner together to help solve the big problems in the world. The Parkland students have shown us what young people are capable of achieving when taken seriously and with access to resources. Young people have strong and powerful voices and that can be used to move forward positive agendas.

You can follow Rise to Run online at www.risetorun.org , on twitter @RiseToRun and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/RiseToRun.

by Rachel Simon

Del. Patrick Hope – Medicaid Expansion in Virginia

(June 4, 2018) Catherine Read interviews Delegate Patrick Hope (D-47) of Arlington to discuss the recent passage of the Medicaid Expansion in the Virginia General Assembly, as part of the biennial budget signed by Gov. Ralph Northam. Del. Hope currently sits on the the General Laws, Courts of Justice and Health and Welfare Committees in the House of Delegates, where he is able to lend his professional expertise from his career as a healthcare attorney. Del. Hope also serves on the Joint Commission on Healthcare and the Deeds Commission, which has been tasked with studying and making recommendations on improvements to Virginia’s mental health care delivery system.

Del. Hope was elected to office in 2009, one year before the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, was passed into law. Under the ACA, Washington allows states to open their rolls to people with income up to 138% of the federal poverty level, which is $16,750 for an individual and $28,700 for a family of three. The federal government agrees to pay 90% of the cost of expanding the rolls, totaling approximately $2 billion a year. These are dollars that Virginians have been paying with their federal taxes that will now be returning home. Baked into this year’s proposed budget is a tax on hospitals in Virginia, which is designed to cover the 10% cost that the state will be responsible for.

Since the adoption of the ACA in 2010, Hope has advocated for expanding Medicaid, and bringing these federal tax dollars back to the commonwealth for individuals who fall in the “gap”. This gap exists because as the program works today, Medicaid in Virginia has a very low-income threshold for eligibility – $6900 for a family of three, $9700 for a disabled individual, and able-bodied childless adults are not eligible at all, no matter how poor they are. Therefore, insurance on the ACA marketplace was not accessible to the 300,00+ working poor citizens of Virginia.

Effective January 1, 2019 this will all change. The influx of federal dollars to provide healthcare to those in need will free up money in the biennial state budget to invest in other important initiatives. Teachers will receive a 3% pay raise, all judgeships will be fully funded (and 30 judgeships will be added to cover increase caseloads), and state employees will get a 2% pay raise. Money will also be allocated to improve mental health services, as well as addiction and substance abuse programs throughout the state. Del. Hope points out that these are important investments in our safety net and our future.

The adoption of Medicaid expansion will also be a big boost to the state’s economy. By bringing 300,000+ residents onto the healthcare rolls, we will need to find healthcare “homes” for all of the new patients. More doctors, nurses, support and administrative staff will be needed to accommodate the increase in patients. These will be new, well paying and sustainable jobs that will help drive the economy forward.

In order to bring Republicans on board with adopting Medicaid expansion, there are several provisions that were incorporated into the new law. Work requirements will be imposed on all able-bodied adults age 18-55, to ensure that nobody is getting a benefit without putting effort into finding or training for work. The program is called the Training, Education, Employment and Opportunity Program (TEEOP), and will have to seek approval by the Trump Administration before it can be implemented. Del. Hope praised the bipartisan work in the House of Delegates, who included Medicaid expansion in their original proposed budget, along with the hard work and brave efforts of Sens. Emmett Hangar (Hanover), Frank Wagner (Virginia Beach ) , Jill Holtzman Vogel (Faquier) and A. Benton Chafin, Jr. (Russell) who propelled the Senate to move the budget forward with Medicaid expansion included. There will be much work to be done to get the program off the ground, but passage of the budget was the first step of the process.

by Rachel Simon

Senator Dick Saslaw – Inside Scoop

(May 21, 2018) Catherine Read sits down with Senator Dick Saslaw (D-35), Virginia’s Senate Minority Leader, for a wide-ranging discussion covering the upcoming proposed budget with a potential of Medicaid Expansion, gun violence legislation in the wake of yet another tragic school shooting in Santa Fe, TX, and the prospect of increased funding for both education and transportation.

Budget

The discussion began with Senator Saslaw explaining the biennium budget process in Virginia. Every two years a budget gets introduced, and eventually passed through the General Assembly, then ultimately laid on the Governor’s desk for signature. Virginia will pass a budget that will be effective July 1, 2018-June 30, 2019. The makeup of the Assembly is quite different this year after last November’s blue wave, and the parity achieved in the House of Delegates led to a budget that included expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. This provides relief and hope for the approximately 300,000 low-income Virginians who do not qualify for Medicaid because they earn too much money ($16,000 for an individual), yet cannot afford private insurance.

Through the Affordable Care Act, if Virginia opts into the program, the state will receive funding from the Federal government to cover 90% of the cost to cover these 300,000 individuals. Hard working Virginians have been paying into this program through their federal income tax since the inception of the ACA in 2012, yet because the General Assembly has not opted into the program, Virginia has left money on the table and is essentially funding the other 32 states (plus DC) who have adopted Obamacare (ACA).

By accepting the approximately $3 billion in federal funds, money is freed up for other state initiatives like across the board pay for K-12 teachers and state employees. As of today, the House budget (which includes adoption of Medicaid expansion) does not match the Senate version (which has not adopted the program). Examples of the budget differences include $170 million that would need to be cut from K-12 education and 106 million from higher education. These cuts would be catastrophic for students and teachers across the commonwealth.

Republicans have opposed participating in the ACA for the past 6 years because they claim that if the Federal government defaults on its promise to pay for the care, then the state would be stuck carrying the cost. This argument doesn’t hold muster because written into the budget is a “kill switch”, stating that if the feds default, then states can withdraw from the program with no penalty. Additionally, the Supreme Court of the United States has upheld that they cannot mandate states to carry on with the program if the feds renege on their responsibilities. This is why there are 32 states (plus DC) currently participating in the program, including conservative states like Kentucky and Indiana.

The Senate Finance Committee has been meeting regularly to try and hash out details, but if the budget cannot get moved out of committee for a vote on the floor, then Sen. Saslaw stated he will need to utilize the “nuclear option” (discharging the Senate Finance committee), something he does not take lightly and is hoping he does not have to do. If they can get the budget to the floor, he states that they have enough votes (19 Democrats and 2 Republicans) to get the budget passed with Medicaid expansion. The question will be how exactly it will all unfold. Budget amendments have already been negotiated with their counterparts in the House, so should the budget make it to the floor for a vote he anticipates a smooth process thereafter. If the General Assembly does not pass a budget by June 30^th, then the government would shut down, something he says is unacceptable and irresponsible.

Gun Legislation

In the wake of yet another tragic and senseless school massacre in Santa Fe, TX, Senator Dick Saslaw speaks to gun violence prevention bills that have been introduced in Virginia. Unfortunately, none of the measures designed to protect Virginians; from universal background checks to banning bump stocks, passed through the body this year. The GOP are still in control of both the Senate and the House, even though it is a thin majority, and they have the power to make both committee assignments and to control where bills get assigned. For example, if they want a bill to not pass through a certain committee, it might get reassigned to the rules committee (where everything goes to die). He adds that the only solution to ensuring that reasonable measures get passed through the legislature is to vote in a majority of lawmakers who are committed to working on this issue.

Senator Saslaw points to a statistic that he says speaks for itself. The United States has 4.4% of the world population, yet it has 43% of the world’s guns in circulation, not counting military and police. He claims it is pretty simple and obvious, more guns are going to equal more fatalities. The only way to curb the violence is to put common sense measures in place to help protect innocent lives. Catherine adds that it is important to reframe the issue as a public health crisis. If people were dying at this rate from any other cause we would be scrambling as a nation to figure out how to save their lives.

Education and Transportation Funding

In the next segment of the show, Senator Saslaw speaks about funding initiatives for both education and transportation. Relative to education, he explains that funding levels are finally back to where they in 2008, after massive cuts to education during the Great Recession. This, however, does not account for inflation, or the fact that we have far more students enrolled in the system. As previously noted, should the General Assembly pass a budget with Medicaid Expansion, then money is freed up in the General Fund to put towards investments in education.

Across the board pay increases of 3% for K-12 teachers would take effect July 1, 2019, which is a measure that both the Virginia Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers are in favor of. As of today, Virginia ranks 35^th in the nation on teacher pay. If the Northern Virginia region were pulled out of those statistics, Virginia would rank 50^th in the nation. Senator Saslaw believes we can do better for our teachers and students by committing to properly funding our educational system, and bringing the pay to a competitive level so we can both attract and retain talent.

In regards to higher education, the additional funds that are proposed would help lower tuition at the 4-year Universities, as well as make significant improvements to the Community College system. The investment in community colleges would provide critical pathways to well paying careers, for students who are not going to attend a traditional four-year college. There are many careers with thousands of job openings, but not enough people to fill those positions. Today in Virginia, there are 36,000 job openings in cyber security alone. These workforce development plans would yield win-win results for both citizens and employers.

This year, the General Assembly passed a Transportation Funding Bill that fell in line with what the LaHood Commission recommended for funding of Metro improvements and maintenance. Virginia’s share of the commitment includes a budget appropriation of $154 million to go towards the $500 million a year that is needed to keep the system functional. In addition to metro funding, there was money appropriated, mostly through local governments and the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, to fund road construction. Some of that money will be funded through a 1% increase in the hotel occupancy tax (going from 2 to 3%), along with an increase in the Grantor’s Tax from 15 cents per $1000 to 20 cents per $1000.

The original proposal by Senator Saslaw included an increase of the Grantor’s tax to 25 cents per $1000, which was widely supported by the Virginia Association of Realtors. Unfortunately Del. Tim Hugo, who convinced his entire caucus to vote against the increase, derailed this measure. To give an idea of what the difference in the Grantor’s tax meant, on the sale of a $1 million home, the cost would increase by $1000. By not raising the revenue through the Grantor’s Tax, the burden for road construction will be shouldered by localities, which is ironic since the money for road improvements is desperately needed in Del. Hugo’s home district of Clifton/Chantilly.

Redistricting

In the final segment of the show Senator Dick Saslaw discusses his positions on redistricting, which is slated to happen in Virginia in 2021. Gerrymandering and redistricting has been a hot topic of late, with several cases currently being heard in both federal and state courts. Senator Saslaw fully supports an independent commission to redraw the districts, but wants to make sure that when that commission is formed, it is truly impartial. The members of the General Assembly currently draw their own districts, and would need to pass a constitutional amendment to change that process. In order for an independent commission to be effective for the 2021 redistricting, legislators would have to pass a constitutional amendment in the 2019 session, then again in 2020, because a constitutional amendment requires that it pass twice, with an intervening election and a change of legislative body in between votes.

If a ruling comes down from the Supreme Court in the Wisconsin case of Gill vs. Whitford, which was heard last fall, then the landscape of how districts are to be drawn could dramatically change not just in Wisconsin, but nationwide. The “test” for congressional district is that it must be “compact and continuous”. Recent years have seen politicians use big data to draw themselves ideal boundaries, designed to keep themselves in power. That is why Senator Saslaw supports non-partisan redistricting, to make the process more fair and transparent. Stay tuned to the headlines to better understand where things might be headed in Virginia for the 2021 redrawing of districts.

by Rachel Simon

Dan Lagana – Fairfax County Democratic Committee

(Apr. 30, 2018) Catherine Read speaks with Fairfax County Democratic Committee Chairman Dan Lagana. Ninety days into his term, Lagana speaks about the upcoming primary elections, the grass roots effects of the Democratic blue wave washing over the commonwealth, and gerrymandering. He notes that his job as FCDC chair is to get Democrats elected to offices throughout the county – from Supervisors to School Board to Sheriffs to the Soil and Water Council in Fairfax County.

Although some of these offices that are up for election are non-partisan, Lagana notes that the candidates can still seek party endorsements, and the party can harness its resources and organizing power to help elect like-minded candidates. Lagana spoke in detail about the election of school board at-large member Karen Keys-Gamarra, which took place in the late summer of 2017. Karen sought FCDC’s endorsement for an oddly timed special election, and by having her campaign work collaboratively with FCDC, they were able to work together to prevail. Catherine also brought up the question of the municipal elections in May – asking Dan what his thoughts were on this process. Dan believes that all elections should be in November, as it front and center on everyone’s mind, and the turnout is likely to be higher.

Following the 2016 election of President Donald Trump, local democratic committees across the country saw a rise in participation and membership. On a local level, grass-roots disrupter groups like Network Nova and Win Virginia gained a lot of traction by bringing in people who had never before been involved in the political landscape. This helped usher in a blue wave last November, as Democrats picked up 15 seats in the House of Delegates. Lagana believes that FCDC has welcomed these newcomers with open arms, and promotes that more participation in the political process can only make us stronger as a county, state and nation. He shares that he has been working hard to make FCDC an inclusive environment, where everyone has a voice and a seat at the table.

As chair of the FCDC, Lagana reiterates that it is his job to help elect Democratic candidates to office in Fairfax County. As for how the districts are drawn, from the Supervisors to the Congressional districts, he thinks that there is much work to be done in Virginia on making it a more fair process. When the party in power is the one drawing these districts, the outcome is fairly predictable – that party will do whatever it takes to stay in power and protect incumbents. Lagana looks to states that have implemented a bi-partisan process for re-drawing districts for ideas. Although not perfect, states like Arizona have made strides to improve how it can be accomplished.

As for gerrymandering cases making their way through the court system, in Wisconsin lawyers for the case of Gill vs. Whitford are currently awaiting a decision to see if the Supreme Court will hear the case. This will be a telling sign, and have an impact on gerrymandering cases throughout the country. The fact that SCOTUS has opted to not hear the Pennsylvania case where the districts have been re-drawn, may be an indicator that they do not want to get involved. Lagana notes, however, that in order for things to change there must be a change to the law, or some sort of test, to show that the districts are fair. Without this, he is convinced that it will be business as usual.

In the final segment of the show Catherine speak with Lagana about the upcoming primaries in the 10^th Congressional District. There are 6 primary candidates vying to go up against Rep. Barbara Comstock, who is thought to be vulnerable this year. The 10^th district is routinely listed by the Cook political report as one of the most competitive races in the nation in 2018. There are 49 Fairfax County precincts inside the 10^th District, and Lagana invites all eligible voters to take some time getting the know the candidates, and be sure to get to the polls on June 12, 2018 for the primary. There will be many opportunities to meet these candidates at local forums, including the Democratic Business Council of Northern Virginia (DemBiz) forum, on Friday May 4^th at Maggiano’s in Tysons Corner. Lagana notes that the 10^th District spans a large geographic area, from the wealthy inner suburbs of McLean all the way out to the West Virginia border in Clark County. It will be important for everyone to participate in the primary process so their voices are heard and counted.

If you would like to support the FCDC, they are holding their biggest annual event, the Jefferson/Obama dinner this Sunday May 6^th at the McLean Hilton in Tysons Corner. Registration is open to all, and Lagana encourages people to come hear what is happening across the county and help raise funds to support the critical job of helping to get out the vote. Special guest will be Senator Tim Kaine, who is up for reelection this year, along with Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax. FCDC will be tipping its hat to the blue wave election of 2017 by having newly elected Democratic Delegates introducing the keynote speakers.

by Catherine Read

So Lim – Challenges of May Municipal Elections in Virginia

(April 18, 2018) Catherine Read, a former candidate for Fairfax City Council in 2012, talks with first time candidate So Lim about some of the challenges of running in a May election for local office. The walk list candidates use to determine whose door to knock on is based on who has voted in that election previously. Local elections – also called municipal elections – have notoriously low voter turnouts. Many towns and cities have moved their elections from May to November to capitalize on the higher voter turnout for major statewide and federal elections. Fairfax City is not one of them.

Two current Fairfax City Council Members, Jeff Greenfield and Ellie Schmidt, announced that they would not be seeking re-election this year. This has left two open seats on the six person City Council. There are now eight candidates on the ballot for those six seats and the six candidates receiving the most votes on May 1st will make up the 2018-2020 Council in Fairfax City. For the first time in the city’s history, there are two Asian Americans on the ballot: So Lim and Sang Yi. There is a substantial community of Asian Americans in Fairfax City, most are Korean Americans. Since incorporating as a city in 1961, there has been almost no diversity on the council. Mayor David Meyer, a former Council Member who is running unopposed, holds a Mayoral position that has been exclusively held by white men since the city was founded.

So Lim has found that people care about very local issues: traffic, housing density, redevelopment projects and the downtown economy in Fairfax City. She has branched out beyond those who have previously voted in a May election for City Council and has started to talk with others in the city who aren’t aware there is a May election. Fairfax City has a high median income and a high level of education among the residents who live there. It’s perplexing as to why this population of people is not civically engaged in determining who will set their tax rate, fund their schools and pave their roads. So further discovered that there are over 300 registered Asian American voters in the City and only 20 have ever voted in the City Council election previously.

They discuss the City’s relationship with George Mason University, where Catherine is a 1984 alumna, and consider ways to better engage the thousands of students who live just outside the Fairfax City border. These ideas include bike sharing, better sidewalks, and businesses that appeal to college students. Catherine points out that many city voters were here long before Mason became the largest university in Virginia (by enrollment) and that having a “commuter school” in the 1970s and 1980s is vastly different than suddenly finding you are a “college town” within a matter of 20 years.

Catherine and So discuss affordable housing in the context of providing a variety of housing stock that allows everyone who is currently here to remain here – like senior citizens who want to age in place in homes more appropriate to their space requirements, income, and mobility. Students who want to remain in the area after graduating from Mason find it difficult to find housing they can afford. Families with children are drawn to our residential neighborhoods – many of which have parks nearby – but have trouble affording them. There are numerous redevelopment projects in various stages of completion in the city that will provide more townhouses, condos and apartments but affordability is still an issue and traffic concerns make many of these projects unwelcome by city residents.

In discussing ways in which to tap into the rich diversity of Fairfax City’s residents, So Lim proposes an international festival in the city that will bring people together. Catherine shares information about the annual International Showcase organized by the Centreville Immigration Forum that does exactly that. Now in it’s 8th year, the International Showcase is a celebration of the culture, music and food of the many ethnic communities represented in the Centreville area. Creating opportunities for a richer community connection and fostering cross cultural appreciation is something former Mayor Scott Silverthorne attempted to do when he brought Walter Tejada, Chair of the Arlington Board, to the city for a forum on diversity in 2013. While the forum was well attended, there was no advancement of the ideas brought by Walter Tejada.

So Lim is a local business owner. She started her insurance business nearly 20 years ago when her youngest child was only 4 months old. Fairfax City has been a good place to grow her business to quadruple its original size. She’s lived with her husband Mark Hardy in Farrcroft since 2001, her sons attended Fairfax City schools, and she is the former President of the Korean American Association of Greater Washington. While successful in these ventures, she’s not been involved politically in the City. As a political neophyte, she’s navigating her way through this process. So enjoys talking to people at their doors and she’s interested in what they have to say about what they love – and don’t love – about Fairfax City. She’s hoping that voters will give her an opportunity to bring a fresh perspective to council decision making, the future visioning of the city and some experience in building healthy businesses.

More information can be found about So Lim at www.SoLimForCityCouncil.com Election day is May 1st.

by Rachel Simon

Fairfax for All Coalition – Inside Scoop

(Mar. 12, 2018) Catherine Read speaks with community activists who are part of the Fairfax for All Coalition. These representatives are from local civic advocacy organizations that focus on supporting the immigrant community in Northern Virginia. Catherine speaks with Sookyung Oh of NAKASEC, Allie Boldt of Demos and Michelle LaRue of CASA Virginia. They all share important information about the work that they are doing every day to make our communities strong and safe for all residents.

In the first segment, Catherine interviews Sookyung Oh, the DC Area Director of NAKASEC (National Korean American Service Education Consortium). NAKASEC began its work in Virginia five years ago, and current programs are centered on immigrant rights, civic engagement, and parent and youth organizing. NAKASEC VA’s work is focused on the most vulnerable community members, including low-income, recent immigrants, limited English proficient, undocumented, youth, women, and seniors. It is a nonprofit aimed at building an inclusive community by creating economic opportunities for all, breaking down barriers and bringing people together.

NAKASEC took on two big legislative priorities this year. The first was advocating in Richmond at the General Assembly for a Driver’s Privilege Card for all, including undocumented immigrants. This would extend driving privileges to anyone who has been tested, trained and insured. Unfortunately this bill got killed in committee and never made it to the floor for a vote. Their second legislative goal was to extend in-state tuition to all eligible students who graduated from a Virginia high school. Currently DACA recipients are eligible for in-state tuition, but only after a full year after being granted DACA status. This bill would have loosened the strict requirements and opened up the doors for many more students to pursue a college degree at an affordable price. This initiative was also killed before getting to the floor for a vote. NAKASEC will continue to advocate for these benefits in the coming years.

In the second segment Catherine speaks with Michelle La Rue from CASA Virginia and Allie Boldt of Demos. CASA is an immigrant rights organization that aims to organize, advocate for and expand opportunities for Latino and immigrant populations in our local communities. Demos is a non-partisan, national public policy organization working for an America where everyone has an equal say in our democracy and an equal chance in our economy.

Boldt spoke about the fact that being an undocumented immigrant is not a crime, it is a civil offense similar to not paying taxes. Civil immigration enforcement is separate from the criminal law system. Demos focuses on pressing Fairfax County to end all unnecessary and unconstitutional collaboration with ICE. Boldt would like to see the end of the over-criminalizing of the immigrant community. She was pleased to see that Sheriff Stacey Kinkaid has agreed to stop honoring ICE requests to detain someone past their scheduled release date, and would like to see the Juvenile Detention Centers follow suit.

LaRue shared that CASA is intent on protecting confidential and sensitive information about community members. They aim for local officials to guard this data, instead of freely sharing information with ICE officials. This includes personal contact information and immigration/citizen status. She would also like to limit ICE agent’s access to county facilities like jails, schools and other public facilities. Another goal is to end the practice of arresting immigrants and bringing them into custody on misdemeanor charges, when other citizens would simply be released.

The cumulative effects of the practices that CASA and Demos are aiming to eliminate actually have the result of making our communities less safe. Both organizations claim that the current policies of Virginia law enforcement’s unconstitutional collaboration with ICE breed mistrust and fear that endangers the safety, health and well-being of the entire community. Extensive research shows that, compared to counties that cooperate with ICE, counties that refuse to honor detainers have statistically lower crime rates, stronger economies and put less strain on social and mental health assistance programs. This is because there is greater trust and cooperation between the police and the communities when people do not fear being deported.

In addition to NAKASEC, Demos and CASA, the Fairfax for All Coalition is comprised of La Collectiva, DMV Sanctuary Congregation Network, and ACLU People Power. They are working together to move the needle on regulations at individual agencies and departments like the Sheriff’s Office and Police Department, as well as through countywide ordinance. The Fairfax for All Coalition has provided Fairfax officials with the resources to update their regulations and pass an ordinance. Both Boldt and LaRue note that if these issues are important to you, than you should not hesitate in making your voice heard. Reach out to your Supervisor and share your stories, experiences and opinions. The next opportunity to speak publicly about this will be on April 3^rd at the Public Safety meeting held by Sheriff Kinkaid. Check the CASA website and facebook page for more information as the date approaches.

by Catherine Read

Mustard Seed – Laila Ibrahim

(March 2018) We don’t get to pick how big our good gets to be, but each of us picks if we gonna do some good right where we are.”– Mattie Freedman

One of my favorite passages from this remarkable book.

Mustard Seed is a sequel to Ibrahim’s Yellow Crocus, and as historical fiction goes, it’s outstanding. The narrative of both books unfolds in Virginia. And the author captures so vividly the lives of slaves both before the Civil War and the injustices done to them afterward.

While attending a session at the SXSW Education conference today on Black Education in America, the very wise Dr. Howard Fuller of Marquette University made this observation: “There is a difference between being liberated and being free.” It sent a shiver up my spine for how it perfectly captured the story of Mustard Seed.

In the 1850s, Mattie escapes Fair Oaks Plantation with her daughter Jordon to join her husband Emanuel and their son Samuel who earlier escaped to the free state of Ohio. Returning to Virginia in 1868 to extricate her newly “freed” cousin Sarah from the plantation, Mattie and her family experience some of the most egregious oppressions of Reconstruction. Slavery did not end with the Emancipation Proclamation. Slavery transformed into mass incarceration. As evident in Virginia today as it is in many other parts of the United States.

There were moments in this book that made me want to scream out loud. It truly touched a raw nerve after a floor speech by Del. Nick Freitas (R-Culpeper) on Friday, March 2nd, that threw the House of Delegates into chaos. In his remarks are the historic echoes of enraged white men – as if it was transferred genetically from one generation in Virginia to the next.

Today, I watched on YouTube as three African American Delegates stood on the floor of that same House chamber and addressed Delegate Freitas’s remarks. Delegates Luke Torian, Delores Quinn and Lamont Bagby pushed back. As they should. Because the story of what happened in Richmond in the past few days is not so different from the story this book tells. Racism, oppression and injustice is woven in the fabric of Virginia’s culture.

“We realize that we live in a ugly political moment. So while we were offended, we were not surprised,” Bagby said. “It should embarrass every member of this body that we have allowed such rhetoric to enter these chambers. Bringing up a very painful past to make a political point is disgusting and poisonous.”

Our history does not have to define our future. However, ignorance of our history most assuredly allows past wrongs to go unacknowledged and ignorance to be perpetuated by future generations. Historical fiction has a place in education when it is based on thorough research and grounded in factual and verifiable accounts. You feel what the characters are going through, not just absorbing a recounting of events.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who can read and everyone who considers themselves a Virginian.

by Catherine Read

Community Healthcare in Virginia – Dr. Basim Khan of Neighborhood Health

(Feb 19, 2018) Catherine Read talks with Dr. Basim Khan, Executive Director of Neighborhood Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) located in Northern Virginia. Neighborhood Health was started in an apartment complex by nurses from the Alexandria Health Department back in 1997, becoming an FQHC in 2004. In their first year as a clinic, they saw 1,500 patients and in their 20th year they saw 18,000 patients through their 12 clinics located in Alexandria, Arlington and Fairfax County.

Neighborhood Health provides an integrated medical home to community residents regardless of their ability to pay. Their goal is high quality healthcare that is affordable and accessible to everyone in the community. Their clinics provide Family Practice/Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Women’s Health, Behavioral Health Counseling and include health screenings, cancer screenings, on-site lab services, immunizations, mental health screenings, dental services and a pharmacy program. They provide language interpreters (sometimes via phone), offer sliding scales to patients who may have high deductibles for their health insurance plan, and provide medications to patients less expensively than through retail pharmacies. Community health centers provide primary healthcare to over 300,000 people in Virginia and to 27 million patients in the U.S. Providing high quality primary care delivers better health outcomes for patients and helps to drive down overall costs.

Dr. Kahn talks about how Neighborhood Health strives to serve as a patient advocate in a really “complicated health system.” In talking about issues of equity and social determinants of health, he points out that our healthcare and social services spending in this country is comparable to other developed nations, but we spend far more on healthcare and far less on social safety net services. Social determinants of health include factors such as education levels, income, the zip codes we live in, the type of housing and employment we have, and our access to adequate healthy food. Working to provide better equity in healthcare outcomes includes Neighborhood Health’s strong partnerships with other local agencies, non-profits and service providers. They work closely with local Community Services Boards to help patients get mental health services and case management when needed. They work with Departments of Health and Human Services that also provide employment assistance, and help with issues of aging and disability. This is the “community” in community health services that treat the whole patient through providing social services that impact health outcomes.

Neighborhood Health continues to expand their services, meeting patients where they are in the community. They currently work with Alexandria City Schools to provide dental care to low income students in 8 elementary school through a mobile bus that provides the services right on school grounds. That includes routine cleanings, x-rays, and fillings as needed. Catherine Read pointed out that this is an example of the type of partnership that is at the core of the Community School model – a model of education we don’t currently have in Virginia. Providing needed services to students through the school impacts educational and health outcomes for many students who lack access to things as basic as food, clothing, dental and healthcare, school supplies and tutoring.

Dr. Khan addresses public health issues such as the opioid crisis and how the trend of medicalizing so many issues has resulted in the over prescribing of pain medications. The epidemic of chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and cancer are tied to social determinants, yet we seem to lack the political will to prioritize key things that need to be addressed, such as affordable housing, which impact health.

In the last segment, Medicaid Expansion in Virginia is addressed and what the impact would be on the patients Neighborhood Health serves. The most immediate impact would be the ability to refer patients to local specialists instead of having the University of Virginia as the only option. There are substantive discussions taking place during the 2018 Legislative Session in Richmond that have both parties negotiating terms that now include a “work requirement” proffered by the Trump Administration as an option states can elect to mandate. At the time of broadcast, Medicaid Expansion was still very much up in the air with the future outcome very uncertain.

For more information about Neighborhood Health visit www.NeighborhoodHealthVA.org, follow them on Twitter @NeighborhoodHth or on Facebook, or call their main number for assistance at 703-535-5568.