Observer Online | Viewpoints | Letters to the Editor

Posted October 28, 2005

Reston is Fine As it Is

To the editor:

I am writing to offer my opinions about the efforts to make Reston a town. I want to stress that I am writing my own viewpoint, and I do not represent the opinions of the Reston Community Center, Fairfax County, its staff or its board members.

My opinions come from having lived in Vienna from age 15 to 21, having lived in Herndon from 1983 to 1997 and having worked for the Reston Community Center, a Fairfax County government agency, from 1983 to the present.

Contrary to RCA assertions, nothing will be gained by Reston becoming a town.

The Reston Citizens Association has not identified how it will pay for town status in any detail. What buildings will they build or occupy at what expense? How will they eliminate so-called "duplicate" positions in Reston Association and RCC? Both have employee protections that would entail costs to eliminate positions or simply shift employee costs for preserved positions. RCA has not identified pay scales of the new mayor, council members, or any associated new administrative positions. What vehicles, supplies and other tangible requirements of governance will they use? If they propose to divert or usurp the tax revenue associated with Small District 5 and some portion of dues paid to RA, they have not said how they will compensate RA or Fairfax County for that. No partial offset of RA dues converted to tax deductions will overcome the difference between current costs and future taxes associated with town status if services remain the same.

And, what services are lacking in Reston? Reston has county-funded schools, a regional library, hospital, police and fire stations, government center for citizen convenience, a locally managed homeless shelter, controlled development that preserves open space and natural beauty, a county funded community center (Southgate), in addition to locally funded and operated community center facilities (RCC) that are the envy of other communities, health/human services offices with space for citizen groups, a model "downtown" renowned for its mixed use character, and no local town amenities match the outdoor facilities RA maintains in quantity or quality. What does becoming a town promise to add? So far as RCA can show, nothing.

For political representation, no elected official is more available to citizens than Cathy Hudgins. If there is a town that has more hearings, task forces, charettes or opportunities for direct citizen participation in their governance, it remains to be demonstrated. RA and RCC Boards give citizens local control. The recent RCC Preference Poll demonstrated two things: People oppose the "town" concept, and so many people like the level of RCC services that they chose not to vote.

From my perspective, the RCA pursuit of "town status" will result in a wealth of new taxes and a poverty of services. It is a project that should end, and these good folks' energies should be redirected. More government in this case is not better government. Given the realities of Reston's superior community assets at present, being a town won't add anything to the community except for another opportunity to vote. Recent history says this is not something Restonians seek.

Leila Gordon

Washington, D.C.