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PAGE 12 | JUNE 1 - 7, 2023
A Penny for Your Thoughts
News of Greater Falls Church By Supervisor Penny Gross
Aircraft noise has plagued area residents for decades, perhaps since the development of National Airport (DCA) as an airline destination in the early 1940s. The airport’s convenient location to Washington, D.C. and Capitol Hill, enhanced now by a Metro stop at the terminal, is designed to serve 15 million passengers annually, but welcomed more than 23 million last year. That’s a lot of airplanes flying over residential neighborhoods during takeoffs and landings, the noisiest part of a flight. So, it’s no wonder that a lot of opposition is being voiced against another congressional attempt to expand the number and distance of flights in and out of DCA. Due to its restricted geography and airspace, the airport limits the number of daily flights and the flight distance to less than 1250 miles. That’s known as the slot and perimeter rule, established by Congress in the 1960s, and long defended by area neighbors and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), which owns and operates both DCA and Dulles International Airport (IAD). Some members of Congress, especially from the American Southwest and the West Coast, want to change the slot and perimeter rule, which would make their frequent trips in and
out of Washington easier and more convenient — for them. Changing the rule also would bring more noise to neighborhoods and could result in the elimination of shorter flights in favor of longer ones. Dulles, now conveniently accessible by Metro’s Silver Line, is designed to accommodate the longer domestic flights, as well as international flights to anywhere on the globe, so a change to DCA’s schedule is unnecessary and indefensible. In fact, the perimeter rule is essential for maintaining a balance between the two airports which, according to a recent study, contribute more than $14 billion annually to the region’s economy, and generate $1.1 billion in state and local taxes. When flights shift away from Dulles, it raises costs for the airport’s airlines and passengers, and upsets the operational and financial balance of the airport system which, in turn, erodes the airports’ contribution to the regional economy. So, while airplane noise may be the most readily noticeable airport issue, it is much more complicated, adding safety, access, and economics to the regional discussion. The region’s congressional delegation has gone on record as opposing the congressional attempt to change
the perimeter and slot rule, and both the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and the Northern Virginia Regional Commission have joined that effort. The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is considering the latest Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization legislation, but no firm schedule for action has been announced. Flights not governed by the slot and perimeter rule are the frequent helicopter missions seen, and heard, across our skies. In Mason District, many of those flights are federal or military and follow I-395 to the Pentagon. Emergency medical flights to INOVA Fairfax and other local hospitals also are not affected, and Fairfax County’s two police helicopters are called out to assist in criminal searches and for missing persons, especially children and the elderly. For more information about the police helicopter flights, log on to www.fairfaxcounty. gov/police/helicopterdivision/ fairfax1. Penny Gross is the Mason District Supervisor, in the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. She may be emailed at mason@fairfaxcounty.gov.
C i t y o f Fa l l s C h u r c h CR IME R EPORT Week of May 22 - 28, 2023
Theft of Vehicle Parts, W Broad St, between 8 AM and 3 PM, May 25, unknown suspect(s) removed all four tires and wheels from a gray Acura Integra.
Drunk in Public, S Washington St, May 23, 10:50 PM, a male, 67, of Falls Church, VA, was arrested for Drunk in Public.
Driving Under the Influence, Wilson Blvd, May 27, 4:50 AM, a male, 54, of Ft Washington, MD, was arrested for Driving Under the Influence.
Drunk in Public, Wilson Blvd, May 24, 1:57 PM, a female, 36, of Annandale, VA, was arrested for Drunk in Public.
Arson/Drunk in Public, S Washington St, May 27, 10:27 PM, a male, 44, of no fixed address, was arrested for Arson and for being Drunk in Public.
Drunk in Public, E Fairfax St, May 24, 7:40 PM, a male, 38, of Alexandria, VA, was arrested for Drunk in Public.
Trespass, W Broad St, May 29, 6:59 AM, a white male, 56, of Washington, DC, was issued a summons for Trespass.
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FALLS CHURCH NEWS-PRESS | FCNP.COM
Senator Dick Saslaw’s
Richmond Report The end of May marks an important time of reflection and remembrance across the country. Memorial Day reminds us of the sacrifices that are made daily to protect our democracy and uphold the values our country was founded on. We must never forget the bravery and courage of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of the freedoms we cherish. As the calendar turns to June, the upcoming primary and general elections become top of mind. As one of the last remaining Democratic strongholds in the South, we need to expand our Democratic majority now more than ever. We are the last southern state where a woman can access the reproductive healthcare she needs, and we are one of the last holding the line on voting accessibility and protecting public education from harmful policies. Over the last two years, Senate Democrats have been playing defense. When we were in the majority, we made significant strides by raising the minimum wage, ending the death penalty, providing historic raises for teachers, and significant funding for education, but that was just the beginning. There is major work yet to be done on gun violence prevention and mental healthcare access. Today, very little stands between Governor Youngkin and his ability to dramatically shift the way Virginia operates. For the last two years, the Senate Democrats have been the only thing preventing Republicans from turning the Commonwealth into Florida. Republicans have tried to break down our caucus, but we have held strong against every attempt. It is imperative we elect candidates this election season who will continue to build on the progress we have made and fight tirelessly against attempts to wind back the clock in Virginia. With the primaries rapidly approaching on June 20, I urge you to get involved to support incumbent candidates. As you may know, the Senate is guaranteed to lose at least 30 percent of its current makeup due to retirements and other career opportunities. As we usher in a new wave of Virginia politicians, it is especially important for us to continue our support of current members who have the trusted experience for Northern Virginia. I have fully endorsed Senators Dave Marsden, George Barker, and Chap
Petersen—all of whom have been legislative titans for our region. They have ensured Northern Virginia has received its fair share of funding and attention over the years. I cannot stress how important their roles have been in shaping the success of our community. Their experience will help guide newly-elected Democrats to success in their first few years in the legislature. I welcome your support of their re-election campaigns and encourage you to vote for them. Early in-person voting is currently underway until June 17 and absentee ballots are available to request until June 9. For more information, you can go to https://www.elections. virginia.gov/. Thanks to the efforts of Democrats in 2020 and 2021, we’ve made the voting process more accessible for everyone. We expanded early voting and simplified absentee ballots, and as a result, more people have been participating in elections. Unfortunately, Republicans have continued to attack the changes we made. From attempts to end absentee voting entirely, to now removing Virginia from a bipartisan voter database, Republicans are targeting accessibility and election safety. In particular, Governor Youngkin’s recent withdrawal from the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) puts our voter rolls at risk for fraudulent activity — which has ironically been a frequent Republican talking point since the 2020 presidential election. It is my expectation and hope that this partisan withdrawal will not affect the coming election. I would be remiss if I did not mention the pending federal debt ceiling crisis. As it stands today, it appears President Biden and House Republicans have come to an agreement to fix the looming disaster. Experts have predicted that, due to Virginia’s high number of federal employees and robust military community, we would be disproportionately affected if Congress were to default on the debt. I am hopeful a compromise will be definitively reached, to avoid catastrophic economic repercussions. As I continue to serve out my final months in office, please continue to reach out with any questions, concerns, or constituent requests. My staff can be reached at district35@senate.virginia.gov.