Roy J. Baldwin (D)

Education

• BA, political science, University of Nebraska
• JD, George Washington University School of Law

Offices and positions held

• Vienna Board of Architectural Review
• Vienna Town-Business Liaison Committee
• Vienna Volunteer Fire Department Capital Campaign Steering Committee
• Holy Comforter Vestry member, Sunday school teacher & lay minister
• Board of Directors and chairman, Vienna-Tysons Regional Chamber of Commerce, Government Affairs Committee
• Vienna Elementary School PTA Board
• Fairfax Bar Association Circuit Court, Law Library & Lawyer Referral Committee

How would you balance the needs of drivers and mass-transit users in the district? How should the state pay for needed transportation upgrades?

During the last gas crisis we proved we would reduce our use of vehicles in favor of alternatives, such as carpooling, mass transit, bicycles, walking and telecommuting. Government should now do its part to encourage such behavior through major projects such as extending the Metro to Dulles (preferably with a tunnel through Tysons Corner), and bus rapid transit lanes on I-66 to Gainesville, and through inexpensive, quickly attainable projects such as beefing up bus service on major arterials such as Route 50 and Route 123, and painting bike lanes on major streets.

How should development be handled in the district, particularly the less-developed Western portion? What should the district look like in 15 years?

I would not favor development in these less-developed neighborhoods that is more intense than is currently allowed in the county Master Plan, whether residential or commercial, because these neighborhoods are too far from Metro stations and too deficient in infrastructure, such as schools and water and sewer lines. In 15 years, the neighborhoods close to each Metro station should be more built up. The Silver Line Metro should be completed to Reston, and extensive redevelopment should be in full swing, especially around each Metro station (although much less intense than currently proposed). Most of these new buildings will be built to LEED standards to minimize their environmental impact. Traffic on I-66 should not be as congested, due to special express bus lanes running down its median to the Vienna Metro station. Route 123 will no longer be clogged in rush hours because of extensive reliance on shuttle buses and a sharp reduction of parking spaces in Tysons. Thousands of solar collectors will glint from the roofs of new and refurbished houses. Vehicles visible on the roads will be smaller and primarily powered by electricity, natural gas, hydrogen, or compressed air. The district will look much greener because of thousands of trees that should be planted to absorb carbon dioxide. It should be easier to view the district from above because the air will be clearer, because of pollution control measures on plants in the Ohio Valley and an increased reliance on wind and solar power.

How can the state pay for needed improvements to education in Fairfax County?

First, we must compete vigorously for all the federal stimulus dollars that are available in this field. Next, we must ensure that Fairfax County gets its fair share of such aid, which will require a basic change in the formula used to divide up state aid to education. Finally, the Commonwealth should fully fund the Standards of Quality (SOQ), including raising teacher salaries to make them competitive with other area jurisdictions. Frankly, though, in the present budgetary climate, I fear that I will be spending most of my time fighting to protect the programs we already have against budget cuts.

What is the most urgent problem facing your jurisdiction?

Transportation. Northern Virginia is the engine of the Virginia economy, powering prosperity throughout the entire commonwealth. we are quickly approaching a crisis, however, because the simple act of getting to and from work has gone from uncomfortable to unbearable. This is a quality of life issue: People deserve to be able to get home in time to take their children to soccer practice or have a family dinner. We must have an answer, this session, to the question of how to provide Northern Virginia with an adequate source of revenue to fund our legitimate transportation needs.

Why should voters elect you?

My priorities are improving transportation, strengthening our economy and protecting education. I've lived in Vienna and run a business in Oakton for 30 years.

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