I would urge you to endorse Charlie Hall. 

We need a Supervisor who will not only listen but will hear the residents.  We need a Supervisor who encourages consitutents to get involved in land use planning.  Smyth dismisses our involvement and we often hear a lecture of "how we don't understand or don't see the big picture" after she votes for high density land use application.

Thanks for putting this important candidate, Charlie Hall, before us. 

I have lived in Providence District for many years. Linda Smyth is smug and contemptuous of her constituents who don't agree with her. This attitude is usually associated with issues related to developers who give lots of money to Smyth or her benefactor, Gerry Connolly.  In these cases,  she pits neighbors against each other and uses "the community is split" as a rationalization to vote in favor of the developer.

Linda Smyth's tactics are objectionable and despite her political rhetoric, engages in divisive big-business/special-interest politics.

This is the easiest voting decision I've made since I voted for Chuck Robb against Ollie North in '94!

Definitely Hall over Smyth.

We have a lot of problems that have not been addressed.  The current Board, Linda included, does not do a good job addressing the concerns of average citizens.

If the Board needs more tools to manage development effectively, they should speak out.  Last year, Tim Kaine spoke out.  This Board does not take the initiative on behalf of the public and it hasn't in the 15 years I've lived in Fairfax.  So, the problem is not one person.  I have nothing against Linda, except that she is not an independent voice on the Board of Supervisors.

I would like to see a concerted effort to bring community groups into the planning process.  Make sure that people who work 40 hours a week can have a say in the development that is proposed for their neighborhood.  Forbid developers from pulling their tricks to keep people from knowing what is going on.  The County's process should be designed to encourage citizen participation, not to shut us out.  Unlike the developers, it is not our occupation.  It is only our neighborhoods.

Charlie Hall is a community activist.  He knows the issues.  I think that he will call attention to problems when they come up.  I think that he will work hard to encourage and obtain citizen input.

Hi, I'm Charlie Hall and I'm running for Supervisor in the Providence District of Fairfax County.

This week, to my surprise, my primary challenge against incumbent Linda Smyth received  attention in RaisingKaine.  I am especially grateful to see that attention continuing, and culminating in an eventual endorsement decision.  So, I'm writing to introduce myself, and, for those Democrats who don't focus on County-level politics, to help explain what the fuss is about.

I have a diary posted here, which explains in more detail who I am and what I believe in.  In short, I believe that this primary election is part of a greater debate over what the Democratic Party in Virginia is going to be. I believe my candidacy is the first wave of a reform Democrat movement at the local level, taking on an establishment Democrat wing in Fairfax County that often puts corporate interests ahead of community needs.

I look forward to talking with you in the days ahead.  Meanwhile, you can learn more about me at my campaign website.

Linda Smyth is a cog in a political machine. Gerry Connolly's political machine. Regardless of what you think of Connolly (he's done good things, bad things and a lot of things in between), Providence District needs an elected official who is an independent thinker. A true representative of the people. Linda Smyth is definitely not that.

Since I consider myself a "small d" Democrat, I object to the demeaning manner in which citizens are being treated, especially citizens who hold opinions not shared by Smyth. There is a concerted effort being exerted to discourage involvement by such citizens.

Since Charlie Hall has the courage to stand up to this regime and open up the debate on the future of Providence District, he is the clear choice for those who value such debate as healthy for Providence.

Hiker Joe is right - Linda acts as though she has a constiuency of one -- Gerry Connolly.  No wonder Gerry is so eager to keep her in office.  We need someone who is willing to listen to communities, and I'm convinced that Charlie Hall will.

said on Radio Blog RK in an interview with the esteemed Lowell and Ben that Mrs. Smyth has been conducting community outreach meetings that started only this year due to this being an election year. 

Here is what Mrs. Smyth's record says as indicated by the archived press releases on the Fairfax county website

Lo behold she transforms a community
>May 20, 2004
"James Lee Community Center Set to Reopen"
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news/2004/04151.htm

>OPS!  Mrs. Smyth promotes ANOTHER civic duty
"Supervisor Smyth and Fairfax County Electoral Board To Hold New Voting Machine Demonstration Oct. 13"
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news/2004/04265.htm

October 5, 2004
>Engages the community to volunteer
"Smyth to Sponsor Annual Providence District VolunteerFest"
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news/2004/04289.htm

February 7, 2005
>What!  Mrs. Smyth gives a damn about old people too?
"Providence District Holds Tax Relief Workshops for Seniors
Supervisor Linda Q. Smyth to Host March 18 and April 14 Events"
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news/2005/05016.htm

... WAIT WAIT!  It gets better.
>The non-one dimensional and diversified Mrs. Smyth FINALLY hosts a land use seminar on April 20, 2005 - oh wow ...
"Learn about Land Use and Planning in Fairfax County on May 2 Providence District Sponsoring Seminar Series"
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news/2005/05120.htm

And guess what, like a good government person, Mrs. Smyth keeps repeating her work over and over again into 2007.

Mr. Hall, on your radio interview why would you tell the RK audience that Mrs. Smyth only started her public outreach this year?

RM

There's deception and then there's just plain distortion, and it seems Ronita Moni is engaged in one or the other, as evidence by the very unfortunate, unsubstantiated attack on his integrity.

Clearly Mr. Hall's remarks were a reference to outreach on transit-oriented development - in no remarks here or otherwise that I'm aware of has he in any way implied that Linda never has meetings.  Of course she does.  Just not ones until very recently that really gave much voice to the community on development, in stark contrast to the community meetings Charlie has helped organize.

When I listend to the blog radio interview, I heard Charlie say that he got involved because of MetroWest, consitent with what I've heard him say in person.  Unless we listened to different audio files, RM's assertion that he said he wasn't involved with MetroWest is either another attempt to distort his words or evidence that she "mis-hears" what he says.  Either way it's unfortunate that someone with such a poor grasp on the facts dives into a baseless accusation of deception.

Disagree with Mr. Hall if you like, that's everyone's right.  But to distort his words and make false accusations is the kind of tired old political tricks that are making Providence Democrats, and Democrats across Fairfax, yearn for the breath of fresh air, honesty and public service that Charlie represents.

I forgot to mention the cherry on top ... on your RK Radio Blog you mention that you were not involved in the MetroWest development but looks like you were (at least with some parts of it) as you also sponsored a land use and planning seminar on June 21 with Mrs. Smyth ...

Quote from the press release:
"The seminar series is sponsored by the Providence District Supervisor's Office in partnership with the Fairfax Coalition for Smarter Growth, FairGrowth and the Sierra Club." 
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news/2005/05159.htm

Mr. Hall as the founder of FairGrowth, how can you not remember that you sponsored a community event with Mrs. Smyth?  Furthermore, you mention that you held three community meetings that attracted over 1,000 people.  How many of them were with Mrs. Smyth?  Maybe, for the record you should now start saying that you hosted 4 community meetings.  What were the deliverables of your community meetings?

I am a voter in Providence District.  I have a big mouth and I live in a household with four other voters.  I would appreciate your responses, especially since I have not decided whom to vote for.

RM

That was quite an attack.

There is a HUGE difference between conducting an "educational" seminar untied to any controvery or proposal, and calling citizens together to collectively discuss a mammoth re-zoning in their midst.  Linda did not do the latter at MetroWest, or at Wedderburn (we called our own meeting at the local school).  Nor did she advise Merrifield citizens of the impending move of the Lamb Center to their neighborhood -- they found out from the newspapers.

The three Town Halls that Charlie helped put on generated a massive response.  Here is a list of articles covering just the first one (links all available at www.FairGrowth.org):

"Fairfax Board: - 'Let Them Eat Condos'" - Examiner Editorial

"Disgruntled Homeowners Decry Dense Housing" - Washington Post 

"FairGrowthapalooza" - Fairfax Connection 

"Citizens Sound Off On Intense Growth" - Fairfax Times

"What Type of County Do People Want?" - Connection Editorial

The "deliverable" was the Citizens' Agenda, which is now part of Charlie Hall's central message to voters:

  "Work on Citizens' Agenda Begins," Fairfax/Vienna Times, 10/4/06

  - "Setting Growth Agenda - Citizens meet to develop new growth management strategy," Fairfax Connection, 10/6/04

- "Civic Groups Put Forward Citizens' Agenda," Sun Gazette, 10/6/06

I hope you will take a look at www.FairGrowth.org -- there is a lot of serious work going on by citizens, and Charlie has been at the center of it all for a long time.

For four years I've been personally fighting Linda Smyth in the halls of the Planning Commission building in Fairfax.  Recently, SAIC leveraged Smyth's pro-developer position to raze a natural reserve in Tysons Corner, home to several unique animals and assorted wildlife.  In it's place is the massive Lincoln Property development complex, ironically titled "Tysons Reserve".  While HUNDREDS of homeowners came out in droves to speak in protest to the Commission, on camera Smyth pressed the Commission to approve the rezoning and development of nearly 1,000 new housing units with NO concessions for widening Gallows Road, providing additional funding for schools that will have to accomidate hundreds of additional children, or even consider increasing water pressure which is now at the legal minimum for residents along the Gallows Road corridor. 

In short, the poster that said Smyth is a "cog in the political machine" is correct.  Smyth makes dumb decisions that help no one in Providence District, hurt the environment, and worsen the quality of living for those who live in her district. 

To boot, I've met Charlie Hall (Smyth has failed to reach out to our community once in four years), shown him the physical manifestations of Smyth's handiwork personally, and have received Charlie's pledge to work with ours and surrounding communities to restore the healthy living balance in our neighborhood.  I for one endorse Charlie Hall .  Wish those of us in Providence good luck!!