and Oakton Skintelligence massage therapist Rhonda Griffin, client Nina Schultz, make-up artist Marti Wright, master esthetician Mali Amini and Theresa Caputy, owner/aesthetic medical treatment, celebrate recognition by Vienna “Allure” magazine as providing the best facial in the Washington, D.C., area. Skintelligence held a reception for clients and friends on March 1. Classifieds, Page 14 Classifieds, ❖ LocalLocal EstheticianEsthetician Sports, Page 12 ❖ RecognizedRecognized NationallyNationally Wellbeing,Wellbeing, PagePage 1010 Entertainment, Page 8 ❖ Opinion, Page 6 Girl Scouts Visit WellbeingWellbeing The State Capitol Page 10 News, Page 4 Local Leaders Praise Transportation Funding Bill News, Page 3 Photo by Donna Manz/The Connection www.ConnectionNewspapers.comMarch 6-12, 2013 online atVienna/Oakton www.connectionnewspapers.com Connection ❖ March 6-12, 2013 ❖ 1 Moving Sale Ends on March 16th Same Location Since1963 Prices Slashed on Total In-Stock Inventory Under Same Ownership & Management for 48 Years • Oriental Rugs Ongoing Services Fully Available Hand–Knotted 50% OFF Machine–Made 50% OFF • Oriental Rug Cleaning & Restoration in Our On-Premises Plant • Remnants $20 to $200 a Roll • Wall-to-Wall Carpet Cleaning On • Hardwood Flooring Customer Premises Different Styles, Sizes & Finishes $2.00 Sq. 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Locust St. Wed: 9-5, Sat: 10-3 Fire Van Buren Station Street • Dura Ceramic 80% Parkway Sunset Hills 703-471-7120 Road • Tile 80% Herndon www.RobertsCarpet.com 2 ❖ Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ March 6-12, 2013 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Vienna/Oakton Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic News 703-778-9414 or [email protected] Local Leaders Praise Transportation Funding Bill 34th district who was narrowly defeated in State Senator Chap Petersen wants you to curb your enthusiasm. her 2009 reelection bid by Republican Bar- By Victoria Ross bara Comstock. “It contains $300 million The Connection Newspapers for Dulles Rail and a funding mechanism to allow our region to raise funds that stay olitics makes strange bedfellows, here for our transportation priorities— and sometimes estranged ones as something we tried and failed to accomplish well. On Saturday, Feb. 23, the with the 2002 referendum.” P Vanderhye said she was “outraged” that last day of the Virginia General Assembly, state legislators struck a biparti- Ross/The Connection by Victoria Photos some Northern Virginia legislators would san 11th hour deal to pass a comprehen- vote “no” solely based on their pledge to sive transportation funding plan—the first Americans for Tax Reform, the organization long-term plan in 27 years. created by anti-tax crusader Grover Republican Governor Robert McDonnell, Norquist. In the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, who received credit for hammering out the candidates and incumbents solemnly bind “compromise” legislation, declared passage themselves to oppose any and all tax in- of the bill “a historic day in Virginia." creases, and the ATR has the role of pro- “There is a ‘Virginia Way’ of cooperation moting and monitoring the pledge. and problem solving, and we saw it work Since its rollout with the endorsement of again today in Richmond,” McDonnell said President Reagan in 1986, the pledge has in a statement Saturday. become de rigeur for Republicans seeking The proposal, financed largely by higher office. sales and car taxes, is projected to raise Like most Democrats, Petersen staunchly more than $3.5 billion for roads and rails opposes the ATR and its pledge. “The only Sen. Chap Petersen confers on the over five years and nearly $900 million an- pledge I will take is to my wife,” Petersen Senate floor with a colleague in Del. Tim Hugo (R-40) discusses an nually after 2018. Northern Virginia would has said. Richmond on Monday, Feb. 18. Sen. upcoming bill on the House floor get hundreds of millions from the state, in- But his “no” vote on the transportation Dave Marsden (D-37) is sitting to of the Capitol in Richmond on cluding $300 million committed to com- package puts him the same camp as Repub- Petersen’s right. Monday, Feb. 18. plete Metro’s Silver Line extension to Dulles lican Del. Tim Hugo (R-40), who did not International Airport. (R-42) and Del. Vivian Watts (D-39) for the wholesale gas tax and diesel tax con- vote in favor of the governor’s bill “as I do Many local leaders—Republicans and reaching agreement on a funding strategy tain “triggers” that will cause them to rise not believe that it is the right vehicle to Democrats alike—applauded the package that “moves us in the right direction,” if Congress does not authorize the state to address Virginia’s transportation needs. as a “win” for Northern Virginia. Bulova said. collect sales tax on Internet purchases, Now is not the time to increase taxes on Supervisor John Cook (R-Braddock) said But State Senator Chap Petersen (D-34) which analysts say is unlikely to happen Virginia’s hard-working families. While I he was “thrilled” at the additional funding put the brakes on the cross-party celebrat- before the Jan. 1, 2015 “trigger date.” If disagree with the bill’s approach, I appreci- for Northern Virginia. ing. In a series of scathing comments and Congress does not act on the legislation by ate my colleagues’ efforts to solve our trans- “Money in this bill will also help finish posts on his blog OxRoadSouth, Petersen that date, the tax will jump from 3.5 per- portation needs,” Hugo said. the Dulles Rail project, alleviate congested called the bill “the train wreck that was the cent to 5.1 percent, increasing the gas tax roads and ensure existing infrastructure is final compromise on HB 2313,” and said it to 17.85-cents-per-gallon. AMERICANS FOR TAX REFORM ap- properly maintained,” Cook said. He added may be unconstitutional as well. ❖ For Northern Virginia taxpayers, that plauded Hugo and 18 other Virginia law- that he’s spoken with numerous voters in “If you like discriminatory taxes against means they are likely to be paying more in makers—including Comstock, Scott town halls and neighborhood meetings, and Northern Virginia, then you might like this gas taxes after Jan. 1, 2015, than they are Lingamfelter (R-31), Robert G. Marshall (R- one of the top concerns has been the dete- bill. I think it’s a terrible policy,” Petersen now. 13) and David Ramadan (R-87) for “stand- riorating condition of Fairfax County’s roads said in an email on Tuesday. ❖ The local hotel tax increases 3 percent. ing firm” against “a $6.1 billion tax increase. and increased congestion. The bill provides new revenues for trans- Revenue from the Northern Virginia-spe- … These lawmakers serve as an example of “With this bill, we’re one step closer to portation through increased taxes and user cific taxes will be locally controlled, through what legislative leadership looks like,” the significant improvement in these areas,” he fees that, in many cases, are higher for tax- the Northern Virginia Transportation Au- ATR said in a statement released Saturday. said. payers in Northern Virginia than other parts thority. Petersen said he’s unfazed by any false of the state. For example, under the new Petersen said that’s not enough to turn a comparisons to those in the ATR camp, and SHARON BULOVA, the Democratic chair- bill, the sales tax rises from 5 to 6 percent bad bill into a better deal. stands by his opposition to the bill based man of the Fairfax County Board of Super- only in Northern Virginia and Hampton He described the final deal as “a grotesque on what he calls the bill’s “lack of vision,” visors, said the bill was a “great step toward Roads, and to 5.3 percent everywhere else combination of tax cuts, tax rebates, tax the inequities to Northern Virginians and addressing the transportation challenges we in the state. increases, new taxes, old taxes which are what he believes is the bill’s ultimate fail- face in Fairfax County and the Northern ❖ There’s also a new 0.25 percent sales phased out (and then reappear elsewhere), ure to solve the state’s transportation prob- Virginia region.” tax on homes in Northern Virginia. That regional alliances … special projects, and lems. Del. Scott Surovell and Sen. Adam Bulova was instrumental in creating the means an additional transfer tax of $1,250 exceptions to all of the above.” Ebbins were the only other Northern Vir- Urban Crescent Coalition—a group of 54 on the sale of a $500,000 home, on top of He asked his Republican colleagues: “Did ginia Democrats to vote against the bill. mayors and county chairs of the state’s 46 capital gains tax. you have to rewrite the entire code book, “The method for raising these funds is most populous regions stretching from ❖ Virginia’s car tax rises from 3 percent so you could use the fake ‘but we’re cutting complicated, contradictory and will even- Northern Virginia to Richmond and Hamp- to 4.3 percent, meaning a new $30,000 car taxes too!’ line on gullible voters?” tually create ‘two Virginias’—with differing ton Roads. For months, the coalition has or truck will come with a $1,290 tax bill. He conceded the bill will raise millions tax rates and, ultimately, differing levels of been lobbying top commonwealth leaders ❖ The 17.5-cents-per-gallon tax on gaso- for transit, including new support for Rail support from Richmond,” Petersen said.