Steve J. DeBenedittis*
Office Sought: Herndon Mayor
Age: 41
Residence: Four Seasons.
Education: BS, marketing management, Virginia Tech.
Occupation: General manager and personal trainer, One to One Fitness Center.
Web site:http://www.herndonsteve.com
E-mail address: steve@herndonsteve.com
Offices and positions held: Mayor of Herndon, 2006-present; commissioner, Northern Virginia Regional Commission; founding member and chairman, Town Association of Northern Virginia; chairman, Virginia Local Government Coalition on Illegal Aliens; block captain, Four Seasons Neighborhood Watch Program; coach, Herndon Optimist Youth Baseball.
What is the most urgent problem facing your jurisdiction?
The Town of Herndon faces many important opportunities and concerns. Residential overcrowding continues to be a very important concern. We have made great progress over the past two years, and I will continue to work hard to make sure that all residents live in a healthy and safe situation and to keep neighborhoods free of the negative impacts of overcrowding. I agree with the longtime Herndon resident who recently told me that future downtown redevelopment in Herndon will only be successful if our neighborhoods are safe and desirable places to live.
Why should voters elect you?
Voters should reelect me because I have listened to their concerns and achieved the results they desired to improve the quality of life in Herndon.
What steps, if any, should your county take to mitigate the affects of a slowing economy?
Herndon must control taxes and spending to minimize the burden on homeowners. Herndon should continue monitoring vacant houses to ensure nobody is living there without permission and ensure that vacant homes’ exteriors are being maintained.
What is your position on illegal immigration and the affect it has had on your county?
A large presence of illegal aliens has a negative impact on communities so local governments must take appropriate steps, like 287g training, to deal with the Federal Government’s failure to enforce their own immigration laws.
In March, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled the transportation package passed by lawmakers last year unconstitutional, endangering major projects across the region. What steps, if any, should the county, region and state take to address funding issues for transportation projects?
The state has always had the responsibility to fund roads and that responsibility should not be shifted to local governments. By making transportation a higher General Assembly priority, improvements could be made without tax increases.
-- The Washington Post | Submit a correction request.
