Although Gerry Connolly, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors has the ability to reach out to Democrats and Republicans alike to get things done, to me, it seems absurd for anyone to call him a "Republican". It is difficult to think of a democratic cause that he has not supported. Gerry has been involved in so many democratic causes that I barely know where to begin. He has been recognized by the Fairfax Federation of Citizens Associations for his authorship of the County's Value Engineering program that has saved taxpayers millions of dollars, and by the Fairfax Firefighters for his role in improving public safety. He has also been recognized for his leadership on a number of issues including reducing gang membership by 50%, for which he was named Boys' & Girls' Clubs "2006 Man of the Year".
I have chosen 3 Democratic causes that Gerry supports to elaborate but there are more. The first is Affordable Housing. As housing prices rose, Gerry preserved and added to the County's existing stock of affordable housing by allocating a penny/dollar of the real estate tax to preserve affordable housing units for the many people (i.e., teachers, police, firefighters, County workers, etc.) who work in Fairfax, but cannot afford to live in it. This situation causes us all to suffer from the sprawl and traffic congestion that results as workers are forced to live farther and farther from their jobs. In 2005 Gerry received an award from Catholics for Housing as the "outstanding political leader".
Another example of a Democratic cause Gerry supports is Traffic Congestion Management. All of us who live in metropolitan regions, especially those enjoying booming economies, must contend with congested roadways and frustrating commutes. Surveys of residents continue to show that we prefer to transport by car. Gerry has fought to offer county residents choices such as Hot Lanes, extending Metro, and teleworking. Gerry launched the program that enables almost a quarter of the County's workers to telework. In 2000, Gerry received the "Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Scull Award", the region's highest award for leadership, for his work on promoting telework/telecommuting throughout the Metropolitan Washington Region. In 2005, he was named "Outstanding Local Elected Official of the Year" by the Virginia Transit Association. In 2006, he was named "Outstanding Local Official in the United States" by the American Public Transit Association. BTW he supports the tunnel through Tysons Corner, yet another Dem cause.
The third Democratic cause that Gerry supports is The Environment from water to air quality and everything in between. Fairfax County has developed a 20 year comprehensive environmental plan to protect, conserve and enhance the environment and it is interwoven into all government decisions, as is the commitment to provide the necessary resources to protect the environment. This plan is a model for localities around the country. Other environmental awards that Gerry has received are an environmental achievement award from the Hunter Mill Defense League in 2002 and the "Trail fest" award for his role as "father" of the 40-mile-long Cross-County Trail by Fairfax Trails and Streams.
I could go on to other Democratic causes such as Education, but I want to address another matter. That is the disappointment I feel in fellow Democrats that create inappropriate buzz on the blogs. While sometimes attacks are part of the primary process, Gerry Connolly is not in a primary and there is no reason for cursing and innuendo. We, as Democrats, should work together. No candidate can be all things to all people and compromise is part of life. But baseless, personal attacks are inappropriate and accomplish nothing. If you have an issue you want to be heard, Gerry is open to a true two-way conversation. Try writing to him, not about him.
If he wants to continue with sprawl, he is going to pay a price for it.
Save Fairfax.
Were you at the 6/4 "staff meeting" where 500 citizens were not allowed to speak and Gerry characterized a motion to allow a subsequent public hearing as "a seductive motion with a different agenda?"
By the way, I have never heard anyone call Connolly a secret Republican, although Gerry himself uses such attacks to try to discredit his opponents all the time. See here and here