March 27, 2014
6
SunGazette ON THE WEB: www.insidenova.com ON FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/sungazettenews ON TWITTER: @sungazettenews @sungazettespts
Newsroom SCOTT McCAFFREY Managing editor (703) 738-2532 smccaffrey@sungazette.net DAVE FACINOLI Sports editor (703) 738-2533 dfacinoli@sungazette.net BRIAN TROMPETER Senior staff writer (703) 738-2534 btrompeter@sungazette.net ALEXANDRA MURRAY Copy editor amurray@sungazette.net
Advertising LINDA HERNANDEZ Fairfax retail sales (703) 738-2524 lhernandez@sungazette.net SHARON KASH Fairfax real estate sales (703) 738-2521 skash@sungazette.net DEBBIE MARTIN Arlington retail sales (703) 738-2523 dmartin@sungazette.net VICKY MASHAW Arlington real estate sales (571) 333-6272 vmashaw@sungazette.net Classified Advertising (703) 771-8831 tfields@sungazette.net Legal Advertising (703) 771-8831
Art Department BILL GETLEIN (703) 738-2537 CHRIS ALLISON, MELANIE LIVINGSTON, LIBBY PINNER (703) 771-8830
BRUCE POTTER Chief operating officer Northern Virginia Media Services bpotter@sungazette.net (571) 333-1538
www.insidenova.com
BUSINESS & MAILING ADDRESS: 6704 Old McLean Village Dr., McLean, Va. 22101
Sun Gazette
MAIN TELEPHONE: (703) 738-2520
FAX: (703) 738-2530
ADVERTISING E-MAIL: ads@sungazette.net
WEB SITE: www.sungazette.net
Subscriptions outside our circulation area are available. For information, e-mail chill@sungazette.net
© 2014 HPR-Hemlock LLC All advertising and editorial matter is fully protected and cannot be reproduced in any manner without permission from the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to reject advertising for any reason.
Opinion Our View: Must State Budget Be Delayed So Long? They may end up being wrong, but those who pay attention to the legislative process in Richmond are suggesting that local residents buckle up – it could be months before the General Assembly and governor can work out a budget plan that is palatable to all sides. The only absolute deadline is July 1, which is the start of the commonwealth’s fiscal year. Theoretically, a biennal budget needs to be in place by then, or Virginia risks looking like the federal government, with its patchwork of continuing resolutions papering over the fact that legislators frequently fail in their most basic duty: approving a spending plan. We have been down this road before in Virginia, when legislators of the two houses and two parties can’t get their work done during the regular session, and must return again and again to Richmond to work it out. On rare occasions, and this may be one, winter has turned to spring and spring has approached summer before a budget was adopted. The hard truth is this: When this type of brinksmanship has been played
in the past, the budget that ended up winning approval was one that could have been adopted months earlier, had only legislators (and the governor of the day) gotten down to business and knocked off the posturing. What relevance does the budget infighting this year have for typical Virginians? In one sense, not much; their worlds will not come crumbling down if budget season extends to May or June. But for local governments across the commonwealth, and for those agencies (both governmental and nonprofit) that are trying to plan for their own future, the degree of indecision in Richmond can have a significant negative effect. They are left trying to guess what level of state funding will come to them as part of the budget process, a guessing game at best. The big sticking issue this year is Medicaid expansion, and the two sides appear to be digging in their heels. We have a suggestion: Why not skip all that and come up with the compromise that we all expect will emanate before the new fiscal year starts, thus allowing legislators to wrap things up
and come home? That hope notwithstanding, we tend to agree with the experts: This could be a session that runs on and on until the final days of the existing fiscal year. Sigh.
Nifty 50 for Reston Most Northern Virginians have at least a vague familiarity of the history of Reston. Established by, and named after, Robert E. Simon (RES-ton, get it?), the “new town” was emblematic of some progressive thinking in urban/ suburban planning in the 1960s. Hard to believe for some of us who have been around a while, but early next month brings a celebration not only of the community’s 50th anniversary, but of the 100th birthday of its founder, who is still going strong. Reston was not an unqualified success in its initial years (Simon was forced out when financial results didn’t live up to expectations), but it provided a blueprint for those seeking new thinking about neighborhood living. For that alone, it’s an anniversary worth celebrating.
Many Seniors are in Need of County Tax Breaks Editor: Just wondering which “local government” you were referencing in your March 20 editorial “Nix the Tax Rebates.” I am not aware of an area in Northern Virginia that allows a homeowner to have “a halfmillion dollars or more in assets (not counting the house) and a household income that is the envy of most Americans….” in order to qualify. The asset and income requirements
in Fairfax County for senior or disabled home owners to qualify for real estate tax exemption allow for no more than $340,000 in assets not including the home. For 100percent exemption, income cannot be over $52,000. Income from $52,001-$62,000 qualifies for 50 percent exemption and income from $62,001-$72,000 qualifies for 25-percent exemption. As for the editorial comment, “one may not be rich by local standards, but does one
really need a tax break?” Yes, some do need a tax break. For a homeowner on a fixed income, it can make the difference in their ability to remain in their home. For an assessed value of about $500,000 Fairfax County real estate taxes are approximately $500 a month. While that might be chump change to you, it’s a sizable amount for some seniors. Betsy Needham Vienna
Paper Right to Stand Up Against Attorney General’s Action Editor: The Sun Gazette is worthy of high praise for publishing Jan Childress’s ludicrous letter [“The Voters Have Spoken: Time for Others to Get Over It,” Feb. 6] concerning Attorney General Mark Herring’s refusal
to defend the commonwealth’s laws. The letter underscored Secretary of State John Kerry’s assertion about freedom of speech (made in Berlin last February): “In America, you have a right to be stupid – if you want to be.”
In this particular case, stupid by supporting elected officials who subvert standing laws based on personal or political expedience. R. Blankenship Fairfax County
Attorney General Did Right Thing on the Issue of Marriage Editor: The Sun Gazette recently critcized Attorney General Mark Herring for not defending the state’s constitutional prohibition on same-sex marriage, saying “it’s the obligation of [his] office to defend it.” You speak of this as though it’s a matter of Herring being able to defend the law, but merely refusing to do so. I don’t believe
that’s the case. Defending a law, or a constitutional provision, involves presenting valid arguments, based in reason and law, as to why the plaintiff’s arguments are wrong. If Mark Herring has no such arguments to
give, because he believes all the arguments in favor of the prohibition are flawed, then what would you have him do? Harlan Messinger Arlington
The Sun Gazette’s Web site has moved to the regional www.insidenova.com site, but never fear – you will find the same news and commentary from the same local staff as always. Go to www.insidenova.com/news/fairfax and it will all be there for you!