AGE: 57
FAMILY: Wife, Julia; sons Nathan, Stuart and Connor
CAMPAIGN MAILING ADDRESS: 9840 Main Street, Suite 200, Fairfax, VA 22031
CAMPAIGN PHONE: 703-349-1276
E-MAIL: marsdennet@gmail.com
WEBSITE: www.marsdenfordelegate.com
OCCUPATION: Juvenile Justice Consultant
EMPLOYMENT: Development Services Group, Inc.
EDUCATION: Randolph-Macon College
QUALIFICATIONS: Chief Deputy, Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice, 2000-2001; Acting Director, Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice, 2001-2002; Member, State Juvenile Justice Advisory Group, 2001-2002; Member, Comprehensive Services Act State Planning and Management Team, 2001-2002; President, Virginia Juvenile Justice Association, 1989-1992; President, Virginia Council on Juvenile Detention, 1992-1997; President and Member, West*Lynch Foundation, 1985-1995; Member, Advisory Board, Northern Virginia Literacy Council; President, Board of Directors, Enterprise Schools, 1988 ; Virginia Juvenile Justice Association, Best Administrator
KEY ENDORSEMENTS: Gov. Mark Warner (D); Del. Jim Dillard (R-41); Fairfax County Chairman Gerry Connolly (D); Fairfax County Supervisor Sharon Bulova (D-Braddock); Fairfax County Sheriff Stan Barry; Kate Hanley, former Chairwoman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; Sen. Toddy Puller (D-36); Sen. Richard Saslaw (D-35); Fairfax County School Board Member Ilryong Moon (at large); Del. Vivan Watts (D-39); Del. Brian Moran (D-35); Greater Washington Board of Trade; Virginia Teachers Association; Northern Virginia Association of Realtors; Virginia League of Conservation Voters; Virginia AFL-CIO
1. What is your top public service accomplishment?
During my 17 years as Superintendent of the Fairfax County Juvenile Detention Center, none of the inmates under my watch ever escaped from the facility, or were seriously injured.
2. What sets you apart from other candidate in this race?
There are two important differences between my opponent and me. The first is that I am a moderate, while my opponent is from the extreme
wing of his party. Even incumbent Republican Jim Dillard has joined
Democratic Gov. Mark Warner in supporting me because I have a proven history of working across party lines.
The second is that that my opponent is so extreme he'd sacrifice Fairfax County's schools and roads to his ideological agenda. He even opposes Gov. Warner's bipartisan budget reform that was such a boost to Fairfax County. He also wants to repeal the extra $51 million it brought home to our schools. Unlike my opponent, I believe that reducing gridlock and protecting our schools should always come before partisan considerations.
3. What is the one thing you promise not to do if elected?
I will not pledge my vote away to extreme national interest groups like my opponent has done.
4. What is the biggest issue facing your district?
The most important issue in this district is preventing the spread of youth gangs. I have developed an eight-point plan to crack down on gangs that is based on my 31 years of experience in juvenile justice. Full text of the plan is available at www.marsdenfordelegate.com.
5. Is there any additional legislation in regard to abortion that you would support? Would you make any changes to the current laws and regulations about abortion in Virginia?
I do not think that any changes to our current laws are necessary.
6. In Virginia, local governments have limited control of revenue and taxing authority. Should they have more? Less? What changes would you propose?
Local governments should have the freedom to lower our property taxes by finding alternative sources of revenue from visitors and tourists.
7. In Northern Virginia, property taxes have increased dramatically in recent years. What role should the state play in this?
The state should provide immediate relief to local property tax payers by doing two things:
First, the state should give counties the ability to provide targeted property tax relief to retired homeowners.
Second, the state must live up to its obligations to provide counties with adequate funding for education and public safety. Currently, Fairfax County receives far fewer education and law enforcement dollars than it should, and the shortfall is passed directly to property-tax payers.
8. What do believe the role of the state should be in determining the status of same-sex couples in Virginia?
I am not interested in changing the definition of marriage, but I believe that people should be free to enter into contracts that provide for important matters, such as end-of-life decisions.
9. What are your views about public-private partnerships and other mechanisms to privatize Virginia's highway system? What are the caveats you would identify as we move forward with this process?
I support public-private partnerships to improve our highway system, but taxpayers cannot get shortchanged. If elected, I will make sure that that investors, not taxpayers, assume the risk for these projects.
10. Do you believe that illegal immigration is a problem in Virginia? If so, why, and what should be done?
There is no question — we have an illegal immigration problem that is contributing to the threat of youth gangs. I have no tolerance for people who come here illegally and commit crimes. To respond, I have developed an eight-point plan to combat youth gangs and illegal immigration that will better equip law enforcement to crack down on gang leaders and provide better information-sharing between local and federal law enforcement.
My first priority is to enter into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that will prioritize deportation of illegal families with children convicted of youth gang activity. The entire text of my plan is available at www.marsdenfordelegate.com.