The Connection

Incumbent Springfield Supervisor

Town of residence: Clifton, VA

Age: 55

Family: wife Nancy, son Sean, daughter Valeria:

Education: BS Accounting from Virginia Tech, West Springfield High School graduate

Offices held, dates: Springfield District Supervisor – 2008 to present

Occupation and relevant experience: Chief Financial Officer at a local government contractor. Active in the business, sports and civic communities. Received the President’s Award and the Community Service Award from NVTC and the Chairman’s Award from the Fairfax County Chamber.

Community involvement: Having spent his entire life here, Pat has a unique understanding of Northern Virginia and its needs. First as a business, sports and community leader and now as a Supervisor, Pat has actively led efforts to implement solutions to neighborhood problems.

Website: http://www.patherrity.org/

Email address: patrick.herrity@fairfaxcounty.gov

Twitter handle: @PatHerrity

Name three favorite endorsements: NOVABIZPAC (Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce), Northern Virginia Association of Realtors, the Police Benevolent Association/Fraternal Order of Police.

QUESTIONS:

What is one issue that defines your call to serve, why does it matter, and how will you tackle it?

From the kitchen table growing up, to my time as a business and community leader to my years as a Supervisor – identifying and implementing common sense transportation solutions has been one of my passions. It impacts our quality of life, the cost to do business here and our very health. Some of the ways I have been tackling it:

I was active in promoting telework, a Northern crossing of the Potomac and the 495 Express Lanes early in my business career. I led the effort to open the I­-66 ramps at Monument Drive and Stringfellow Road during non-­HOV hours and the use of the I-­66 shoulder lanes anytime it is congested. I am actively supporting an Express Lanes solution that will provide congestion relief and transportation choices – carpool, bus, paid express trip or free trip in less congested lanes. I initiated the effort to reclassify the Fairfax County Parkway from a secondary road to a primary road to receive a higher priority when it comes to maintenance and construction funding. I believe we need to focus our transportation resources where they will best reduce the congestion that impacts our lives daily.

What distinguishes you from your opponent(s) and why should voters choose you?

I have served on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for 8 years and throughout that entire time I have done everything I can to assist constituents who have issues and am dedicated finding solutions to their problems.

More than half of the county budget is devoted to the local school system. A significant budget gap looms for the next budget cycle, both for FCPS and Fairfax County. What are the top county priorities and how will you assure funding and manage the budget? What ideas do you have for increasing revenue? Name two areas/items you would cut or reduce.

Our priorities should be schools, public safety, and a safety net for those that truly need it. In order to fund the quality services our residents expect we need to grow our commercial tax base and relieve the tax burden on our homeowners. We currently have an 18% commercial vacancy rate and we are losing high paying jobs. We need to leverage the region’s assets and grow our economy and attract high paying jobs to the County. Our schools are the number one reason businesses locate here and we need to address their funding concerns. I have long been an advocate for year round budget committee meetings and joint budget committee meetings with the School Board. We need to tackle these issues head on and throughout the year, not just when it is time to review the budget. As for budget reductions, I have listed numerous ideas in the Herrity Reports (on my website) including outsourcing, focusing resources on those in need, implementing private sector practices and metrics (like reducing space requirements), and addressing our pension issues.

How many hours a week of outside employment do you anticipate while serving on the Board of Supervisors?

The hours I spend as a CFO varies depending on what is going on in my Supervisor’s office. My CFO role has been invaluable to me as a Supervisor and keeps me firmly grounded in the realities our residents and businesses deal with every day.

UPDATED to reflect a corrected email for Supervisor Patrick Herrity.