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McLean The Price Of Influence News, Page 3 Partisan Messages In School Board Race News, Page 10 Classifieds, Page 13 Classifieds, ❖ Sports, Page 18 ❖ Entertainment, Page 16 ❖ Opinion, Page 8 McLean Rocks To the Classics News, Page 17 10-27-11 home in Requested Time sensitive material. sensitive Time Attention Postmaster: Attention Violinist Bobby Yang plays with orchestra students from PERMIT #322 PERMIT McLean High School and Longfellow Middle School Thursday, MD Easton, Oct. 20 at McLean High School. Yang and his band joined the PAID U.S. Postage U.S. students to play rock songs with classical arrangements. STD PRSRT Photo by Alex McVeigh/The Connection by Alex McVeigh/The Photo www.ConnectionNewspapers.comOctober 26-November 1, 2011 onlineMcLean Connectionat www.connectionnewspapers.com ❖ October 26 - November 1, 2011 ❖ 1 There’s Never Been a Better Time For a Change… Teachers Say…Get Educated! Did you know? Teachers and Parents Agree on School Board candidates! Did you know that the Fairfax Education Association, Fairfax Zero Tolerance Reform, and the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers, are endorsing the SAME CANDIDATES for School Board? • It’s time for a change that will bring the necessary resources to our neediest students, and provide differentiated support for all FCPS kids, • It’s time for a change that will bring greater sensitivity and a restorative, educational, and therapeutic discipline process to our children, • It’s time for a change that will bring greater professional autonomy for our teachers to start teaching with creativity, and not ‘to the test’. These candidates will bring about change for the better: • Braddock: Megan McLaughlin • Lee: Tamara Derenak Kaufax • Providence: Patty Reed • Dranesville: Louise Epstein • Mason: Sandy Evans • Mt. Vernon: Dan Storck • Hunter Mill: Pat Hynes • At-Large: Lolita Mancheno-Smoak, Steve Stuban Every child, parent, and teacher matters. VOTE ON NOVEMBER 8th ~ SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS MATTER! VOTE FOR THE FCPS BOND REFERENDUM ON NOVEMBER 8TH TO IMPROVE OUR SCHOOLS! 2 ❖ McLean Connection ❖ October 26 - November 1, 2011 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com McLean Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic Election 2011 703-778-9414 or [email protected] Sharon Bulova The Price Chairman of the Board of Supervisors total money raised: $1,016,755 of Influence construction and real estate: $220,426 Photos Contributed Photos People who have Pat Herrity Springfield District business before the total money raised: $198,887 construction and real estate: Board of Supervisors $54,900 contribute to Jeff McKay incumbents. Lee District Democratic Incumbent Republican challenger total money raised: $122,018 Stan Barry Bill Cooper construction and real estate: By Michael Lee Pope $49,517 Connection Newspapers Barry Faces Cooper hy do people give money John Cook to candidates for the Braddock District for County Sheriff WFairfax County Board of total money raised: $216,681 Supervisors? construction and real estate: “People give money in politics to get $46,300 Four-time incumbent Barry faces what they want,” said Stephen Farnsworth, challenger Bill Cooper. communications professor at George Ma- son University. “If they weren’t getting Penny Gross what they want they wouldn’t keep giving Mason District By Alex McVeigh us to do it,” he said. “We would money.” total money raised: $152,558 The Connection still do some services in person, From developers to commercial real es- construction and real estate: but many of them could be tate owners and property management $42,885 airfax County Sheriff done electronically, with no companies, the roster of people who have F Stan Barry (D) will face deputy driving to a location and given money to incumbent members of the Gerry Hyland Republican challenger physically serving.” Board of Supervisors reads like a Planning Mount Vernon District Bill Cooper this November. Barry has been endorsed by Commission docket. It’s all legal in Vir- total money raised: $219,561 The Fairfax County Sheriff’s the Virginia Coalition of Police, ginia, which has no restrictions on who can construction and real estate: Office is responsible for main- the Fairfax County Government give or how much money they can con- $40,743 taining the county’s Adult De- Employees Union, the Fairfax tribute — as long as it’s disclosed. But fol- tention Center, providing court- Coalition of Police and the lowing the money isn’t always easy. house security and serving civil Fairfax County Deputy Sheriff’s “I think what voters are really interested Michael Frey law process. The Fairfax County Coalition, among others. in is transparency,” said Lincolnia Park Sully District Sheriff’s Office is the largest in More information is available Civic Association President Loretta total money raised: $147,237 Virginia, with more than 600 at www.fairfaxsheriff.com. Prencipe. “We really want to understand construction and real estate: employees. who is donating. And when campaign con- $35,473 COOPER served with the tributions are made under entities that BARRY was elected in 1999, Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office aren’t transparent. It raises questions for John Foust and is completing his third term since 1988 until his retirement us.” Dranesville District in office. He has been a mem- as a lieutenant in March of this Take an entity known as Tysons West total money raised: $222,106 ber of the sheriff’s office for the year. During his time with the Assemblage LLC. The limited liability com- construction and real estate: past 32 years. Barry said over office, he worked in court se- pany is a group of commercial real-estate $34,784 his past three terms, he has en- curity, the Adult Detention Cen- developers who own land near the new acted a number of programs ter and the Criminal Justice Tysons West Metro station. Providence Dis- that save the county money. Academy. trict Supervisor Linda Smyth said that she Linda Smyth “We save the county millions He said if elected, one of his did not accept campaign contributions Providence District each year with labor programs first priorities would be to en- when the plan for Tysons Corner was be- total money raised: $139,765 that we created and are staffed force the more than 4,000 out- ing crafted. But now that the only pend- construction and real estate: by inmates,” Barry said. “We standing warrants in the county. ing business before the Board of Supervi- $14,250 restructured our training and “I would work in partnership sors is a series of rezoning decisions, all staffing to save the county more with the Fairfax County Police bets are off. Catherine Hudgins than a million dollars a year in Department to get these 4,000 “What is going on at Tysons,” explained Hunter Mill overtime costs. We have had criminals off the streets,” he Smyth, “is that there are small land own- total money raised: $59,341 our budget reduced as a result said. “Because of budget issues, ers who consolidate and set up a partner- construction and real estate: of the recession and still re- we’ll also work with the FBI, ship.” $3,625 turned $1.5 million this year, [Immigration and Customs En- 2008 to 2011 campaign finance information from the and $2.5 million last year by forcement], the U.S. Marshals CAMPAIGN FINANCE RECORDS show Virginia Public Access Project being very strict with spend- and combine resources to make the limited liability company has given ing.” it budget neutral.” $5,000 to Supervisor Smyth and $30,000 to Chair- the White House and Beyond. She says it’s unethical Barry says one of his goals if Cooper says he would make woman Sharon Bulova. Smyth accepted the money, for members of the Board of Supervisors to take elected for another term would it a goal to increase cooperation but says her vote is not for sale. money from people who have pending or future busi- be to further save money by with the Fairfax County Police “They do not get any special favors from me,” said ness in the county. electronically serving certain Department to make sure re Smyth. “Let me put it that way.” “On the face of it, it’s unethical,” said Tolchin. “They kinds of civil process. “We have Some argue that money does buy influence, or at are paying in effect to get a certain decision.” the technology to do it, we just See Barry vs. Cooper, least access. Sue Tolchin is author of Pinstripe Pa- need to get the courts to allow Page 6 tronage: Political Favoritism from the Clubhouse to See Campaign Financing, Page 6 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com McLean Connection ❖ October 26 - November 1, 2011 ❖ 3 News School Bond Facts, Figures he $252 million school bond referendum What is a bond? is on the ballot Nov. 8. Historically, school The sale of municipal bonds is a form of long-term Tbonds have a high passage rate in Fairfax borrowing that spreads the cost of major capital im- County. Each year, the School Board and provements over the years facilities are used. This staff members work with the community to develop method of financing ensures that current and future an updated five-year capital improvement program users help pay for the improvements. (CIP) for schools. To develop the CIP, the school system looks at Why are bonds needed? changes in expected enrollment, academic programs The building and renovation of schools are not fi- and facility conditions to determine priorities for new nanced through the school system’s operating funds, construction, renovations and other capital projects. but through bonds. Bonds are similar to someone ob- During the school year, approximately 175,000 stu- taining a mortgage on a residence to spread the cost dents use FCPS facilities daily for academic and ex- of home-buying over a number of years.