Residents from Herndon, Reston and Sterling addressed concerns and lobbied for upcoming General Assembly legislation to state Sen. Janet Howell (R-32) and Del. Tom Rust (R-86) in the Herndon Town Council chambers Jan. 15.
Through the hour and a half meeting, residents brought up concerns dealing with the increase in traffic and resistance to the Rail to Dulles project, to tightening up the state building code to combat overcrowding and opposing a proposed constitutional amendment to restrict the marriage rights of gay and lesbian citizens.
Howell began by describing the legislation she has brought to the General Assembly's 46-day short session adding in the past she has been strongly opposed to open-carry gun laws.
Rust addressed the group saying he had 20 pieces of legislation this session — more than usual.
Of those 20, the primary focus is on transportation and ways to garner additional money for the transportation fund.
One way Rust has proposed to do this is through his Abuser Fees bill.
"The only bill that will generate funds for transportation is the Abuser bill," he said. "That penalizes terrible drivers who will have to pay additional civil fees after their conviction, which will go into the transportation fund."
If passed, Rust said the bill will create $100 million a year for the transportation fund.
TIM KELLER, Herndon resident, questioned Rust and Howell about the transportation solutions, adding he thought more needed to be done with the beltway — north to south — traffic instead of the east to west traffic.
"There are other transportation needs that are more important," said Keller.
As an opponent to the Rail to Dulles project that proposes laying rail from the farthest west station in Vienna to the Dulles airport, Keller asked for Rust and Howell's stance on the project.
The two support the legislation, and Rust added the east to west roads need more assistance because of traffic going into Washington, D.C.
"I support it," said Rust. "But, we cannot build ourselves out of this mess we have here in Northern Virginia."
In addition to working on Rail to Dulles, Rust said they are working to alleviate problems with light rail, HOT lanes and rail that goes down to Fredericksburg.
Rust explained that if things stay on schedule Rail to Dulles should be at Wiehle Avenue by 2011.
Howell said the original Rail to Dulles plan — created 20 years ago — included the roads running north to south but they were taken off and "there is no way to get them on now."
FORMER HERNDON COUNCIL member John De Noyer applauded Rust for the passage last year of a LEED certification bill — environmentally friendly form of construction — and asked Howell to vote for the bill this year at the senate level.
De Noyer also asked that the two vote against the bills pertaining to gay and lesbian marriages because of improper wording.
"The wording says you shouldn't get married if you can't have children," he said about two of the bills, adding he married his current wife well after child-bearing years. "I don't think that language should be included in a constitutional amendment."
Barbara Glaskas also asked Rust and Howell to vote against the two bills.
"I ask you not to support constitutional amendments that could hurt Herndon's gay residents," she said.
Howell said she would not vote in favor of the two bills, adding Virginia is quickly making itself an anti-homosexual state based on legislature — a direction she finds alarming.
"We are the only state in the country that does not offer benefits for a gay spouse," she said.
Rust, at the time of Glaskas comment, remained silent on the topic — the first and only topic he initially did not speak on — and did not respond until later asked by another resident and Glaskas how he planned to vote.
Glaskas pointed out to Rust as a representative of all Herndon residents he was doing a disservice by sitting in silence, adding to vote for the amendment would mean he was promoting discrimination against those he represents.
"I cannot be accused of discrimination," said Rust. "Last year I voted in support of health insurance and I supported housing [for same-sex partners]."
Rust went on to say he and Gov. Mark Warner (D) "have the same status on the marriage amendment," and that he wanted to read through both documents before saying which way he will vote.
CHARLIE WADDELL, Herndon resident, brought up the fact that more teen-drivers are being killed each year, asking Rust and Howell to look into intensifying younger driving laws or raise the driving age to 17 or 18 years old.
Waddell also asked that the two attempt to deal with the issue of overcrowding at the state level.
"I ask that you amend the building code of Virginia like the town of Herndon has done in an attempt to deal with boarding houses," he said.
In response, Rust said he thought the work Herndon had done to remedy the overcrowding had been "progressive and fair" and that there were currently rules in the state code on occupancy and square footage, but "maybe we could work on tightening them up."
After the meeting Rust and Howell met with constituents who came forward to ask individual questions.
Both reiterated residents could look at General Assembly legislation online at http://legis.state.va.us/ and those not present at the meeting, or anyone with questions or concerns, can contact them.
Howell can be reached via email at SenHowell@aol.com or her Richmond Office at 804-698-7532 during session and her district office at 703-709-8283.
Rust can be reached via email at del_trust@house.state.va.us or his Richmond number 804-698-1086 during session and 703-437-9400 anytime.