The Connection

Tom Ammazzalorso has lived in the City of Fairfax for almost 20 years and was the past chairman of the City’s Republican Committee. But his candidacy for local mayor is the first time he’s run for office.

He has taught for two decades and currently serves as the Social Studies department chair at Suitland High in Prince George’s County Public Schools. An instructor in the International Baccalaureate program there, he teaches classes in the History of the Americas and in American Government.

Ammazzalorso, 43, holds a M.Ed. in Education Leadership from GMU’s College of Education and Human Development, plus an M.A. in International Commerce and Policy from GMU’s School of Policy, Government and International Affairs. He’s also a 32nd degree, Scottish Rite Freemason of the Valley of Alexandria Scottish Rite in Alexandria, as well as a member of the Shriners International Kena Shrine in Fairfax,

Now, though, he wants to get involved in his City. “The City government has critics,” he said. “But I decided to do something about it, instead of just complaining.”

ONE THING Ammazzalorso is concerned about is future development and the City’s appearance. “What do we want in housing?” he asked. “Do we want 5- to 7-story residential buildings in Fairfax City? Do we want it to look like Fairfax Corner and Merrifield, where the homes come right up to the curb? Or do we want it to look like Fairfax Square, with townhouses and apartments, and Farrcroft, with single-family homes? I’d prefer the latter two. How much development are we going to cram in 6.3 square miles?”

Another one of his campaign issues is transparency in government. “I’m a big fan of audits of the City budget and everything from salaries to positions to the costs of projects and even events. Are they cost beneficial to the City? Are we getting a positive return on our investments?”

Ammazzalorso also wondered if Old Town Square is generating enough foot traffic to “save the downtown businesses. Or are they just coming in and leaving?” Instead, he said, “I would encourage medical offices and plazas to come here. They’d be successful because they’re niche businesses.”

In addition, he said he’d bring in the Mercatus Institute – GMU’s think tank – to examine the challenges that small municipalities face in land use, taxes and finances and then make suggestions for improvement.

So why is Ammazzalorso running for City mayor? He was concerned about the price the City received for a land sale to Loudoun County (See story, “The Two Mayoral Candidates Spar,” Page 6) and had questions he wanted answered. “No one else wanted to bring it up,” he said. “And when my supporters brought this up, I just couldn’t ignore it. Had we gotten all the money we should have for the land, we could have put up Wi-Fi towers at all four corners of the City and made the entire City wireless.”

But there’s more, he said. “Local government wasn’t on my radar for years,” said Ammazzalorso. “But I got upset when friends started losing their businesses here. And as more restaurants started coming in and going out, I became involved in the City’s Republican Committee two years ago. Then I learned about the government spending here and the land deal, and that became my impetus to [run for local office].”

“The other thing that galvanized me happened Dec. 14, 2015,” he continued. “Police found a homeless man who’d dug a 15-foot tunnel and caves in Van Dyck Park and arrested him. I’m the nephew of one of America’s homeless. The person here was living right behind the police station, and the entire City government missed this?”

Ammazzalorso said he was upset that no one noticed. And if he’s elected, he said, “I will walk my town and look for things.” He also wondered if, perhaps, there should be a small unit of micro-housing available if the City has homeless people living here.

Although he works in Maryland and has to do things for his students such as preparing lesson plans and grading homework, he sees his job as a plus. “As a public-school teacher, I’d have more time to meet with people than someone in a 9-to-5 job,” he said. “And as mayor, I’d be out and physically looking around the City for challenges and opportunities. I’d also drop by the businesses and ask residents [how I could help them].”

AMMAZZALORSO also wants high school students to do summer internships with local government. “And there should be more of a relationship between the City and GMU,” he said. “I’m an alumnus of two of their schools and know a lot of people there.”

But he knows the mayor’s job wouldn’t be easy. “I’m the grandson of the mayor of Ossining, N.Y.,” he said. “And my mom told me how he tried for four years to make everyone’s lives better, and all he got was criticism.”

However, said Ammazzalorso, “I’m a problem-solver; that’s what I do for a living. I’d be able to bring residents together and build a relationship with GMU that would serve as a national model of how local governments and their colleges can work together to solve problems. We could use GMU’s intellectual firepower to discover how to do things faster, better and cheaper.”

Basically, he said, “I think people want a fighter and someone so visible that I’ll give them my cell-phone number. I’m not afraid to go against the grain when I have to; I don’t care if people like me. Under me, the City would make decisions based on data, cost analysis, open space and return on investments.”

Looking forward to May 3, Ammazzalorso said, “I want everyone to vote in this election. Get ready to have a mayor who’ll be knocking on your front door to ask you what more could we be doing and what are we doing wrong. Every entrepreneur will be my number-one priority and animal lovers will have an ally in the mayor’s office.”