Elections 2012

The Democratic candidates for county board last night listed affordable housing, school overcrowding, strategic planning, planning for more density, and livability and sustainability as the major problems facing the county. Although each of the five candidates came up with a different top issue, it was hard for them to sound different in a room full of Democrats.

However, they did their dead-level best to distinguish themselves from one another without throwing elbows or otherwise cutting each other down during the Arlington County Democratic Committee candidate forum at George Mason University’s Founders Hall on Fairfax Drive.

The candidates did more to highlight their strengths rather than criticize opponents’ weaknesses.

Terron Sims, II, highlighted his experience in Iraq working with community leaders there; Kim Klingler spoke of her work as a first responder and volunteer; Libby Garvey spoke of her 15 years on the school board; Peter Fallon highlighted his years on the county’s Planning Commission; and Melissa Bondi focused on her years of volunteer work at many levels in the county.

They each had opening and closing remarks and answered six questions, taken from an audience of over 300 people.

The five candidates (Elmer Lowe, Sr., the former sixth candidate, has dropped out of the race) are running to secure the party’s nomination through a two-day caucus to be held later this month. The Arlington County Board is one member short as Barbara Favola stepped down at the start of the year in order to fill the Virginia Senate seat that she won in November. The special election for the county board seat is scheduled for March. Green Party candidate Audrey Clement is the only other announced candidate in the race.

“It’s good to have opposition. It’s good to have debate,” said Carl “Cliff” Clifford, but he hopes the party will avoid the tension that arose during the primary battle between Democrats Jaime Areizaga-Soto and Barbara Favola, who were running to win the party nomination for Virginia’s 31st Senate seat last year.

Stephanie Clifford, a former candidate for the House of Delegates, and wife of Cliff, said, “We’re still all friends here.”

After the meeting Wednesday night, Robert Schaaf, a retired Army organist and part-time ski instructor, said he was still uncertain for whom he would vote, but he was leaning toward Garvey, Klingler and Sims.  

“I’ve got to think a lot of this through,” he said.

The Questions

How do you promote affordable housing for families?