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Dawn of a new day
With a little more than a month to go before Election Day, one thing has become crystal clear -- Fairfax County is a far different place than it was a decade ago.
While tried-and-true subjects like taxes, traffic and teacher pay remain part of the pre-election dialogue, they now share time with illegal immigration, gang-related crime and affordable housing. If nothing else, that's a sure sign that Fairfax has made the transition from suburban outpost to urban center.
It's also a sign that Fairfax officials can no longer apply a cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all approach to each corner of the county. Last time we checked, residents of Springfield and Great Falls were grappling with a distinctly different set of issues. While Springfield is focused on revitalizing its aging neighborhoods and central business district, Great Falls is battling to preserve the area's historic, rural character.
Other than the number of characters in their respective names, Chantilly and Annandale don't have much in common, either. Same goes for Reston, Vienna and McLean.
So what does all of this mean? For starters, change is here and we'd be wise to embrace it.
Second, next month's elections will likely favor open-minded, culturally sensitive candidates who view change as an opportunity to grow, thrive and improve.
Alarm bells go off in our newsroom when candidates mention Fairfax County's “good old days” and the need to bring them back. If 'good' means less traffic, that's fair. But it would also mean fewer jobs, scaled-back entertainment options, a less-educated workforce and less national visibility.
Fairfax may have been a fine place to live in 1985, but we would all be better off putting our time and energy into making sure it's a fine place to live in 2025, too.
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