| Peace
on Earth, and ... |
| Santa Claus came early for the Democratic Party this year.
He gave them Trent Lott. Santa delivered Sen. Lott in a pretty
Christmas package: sharkskin suit, $75 hair cut and his foot
in his mouth. |
| The Democrats didn't have to do a thing. The Republicans
are completing the Christmas gift by probably ousting the
senator after he€by most accounts€delivered racist comments
during Strom Thurman's 100th birthday celebration. |
| Who said there's no Santa Claus? |
| But for us mere mortals, there are other Christmas gifts
to wish for. |
| The old song may go, "All I want for Christmas is my two
front teeth," but that rather traditional holiday wish should
not be enough for Northern Virginians. Rather, we in Fairfax
and Loudoun counties and in Herndon and Reston should be asking
Santa, "All I want for Christmas is ..." |
| Gov. Warner to backtrack and open up the DMV offices to
their old schedules, locations and staffing to avoid all-day
waits to process simple vehicle documents; |
| A re-vote on the sales tax increase to fix Northern Virginia
roads. We simply think that those who voted "no" to the increase
were misinformed, misdirected and missed the point of the
tax; |
| A new governance for Reston in which residents could vote
for a mayor, a council and other officials to better run their
"city;" |
| Peace on Earth; |
| A moratorium on any more development in Herndon, Loudoun
County, and other places to allow roads, schools, fire and
police departments, and social services to catch up with this
already over-developed area; |
| More money and better goals for education in the state.
Money for teachers and buildings and goals for class size,
discipline and curriculum; |
| A skatepark for Reston, someplace, ANY place; |
| A cultural arts center in Herndon, already approved, that
will allow a wide-range of activities, from performing and
visual arts, to community activities and meetings, to a facility
that truly celebrates the diversity of life in this area; |
| Synchronized traffic signals; |
| Peace on Earth; |
| The enforcement of Herndon speed limits; |
| Ditto in Fairfax and Loudoun counties; |
| Drivers who actually know how to drive and follow traffic
laws; |
| A change in the state constitution allowing the governor
to run for two consecutive terms; |
| "Dark Sky" street lights for Reston. Some in Herndon and
Sterling wouldn't hurt, either; |
| Companies that would actually repave the roads after they
dig them up to bury cable; |
| Peace on Earth; |
| A professional curling team for Northern Virginia; |
| Less dependence on personal property taxes to finance
the counties' programs. It's estimated that the assessed value
on homes this coming year will rise another 14 percent, meaning
your property taxes will rise 14 percent; |
| The end to tolls on the Dulles Toll Road. Of course, we
would then have to change the name to the Dulles Free Road.
Now that has a nice ring to it; |
| An above-grade crossing at Route 606 and Route 28 to help
prevent accidents at the most dangerous intersection in the
county; |
| And, of course, peace on Earth. |
| And that's Our Town this week. |
