Opening Statement – under 300 words
(All opening statements will appear in print in the October edition of The Fairfax Independent)
Fairfax is my home, and it is the only home my children have ever known. I am seeking reelection because I want to protect what makes our city special while helping Fairfax responsibly meet the financial, infrastructure and development challenges ahead.
During my first term, I have approached every issue with the same commitment: listen to residents, study the facts, ask difficult questions and be honest about the tradeoffs. I have worked to make our budget and long-term obligations easier to understand, supported stronger protections for public safety, advocated for continued investment in our schools, and pushed for meaningful resident engagement before major decisions are made.
My record also shows that I do not begin with a predetermined “yes” or “no.” I raised concerns about the early financial outlook for the Willard-Sherwood Health and Community Center, then supported it after a stronger county partnership and cost-recovery plan substantially reduced the projected burden on city taxpayers. I opposed the full George Snyder Trail because I believed its environmental impact and loss of hundreds of trees were too great. Asking questions is not obstruction; it is the responsibility that comes with representing our residents.
I bring financial experience, knowledge of our schools and a deep connection to this community. I will continue working for transparent government, responsible stewardship of tax dollars, safe neighborhoods, excellent schools, thoughtful development and protection of our green spaces. This is YOUR city, and YOUR voice matters. Please visit my website StacyForFairfax.com.
2. Development & Quality of Life (under 200 words)
The City is experiencing redevelopment in areas such as Northfax, Kamp Washington, Old Town, and along the Route 50 corridor. What level and type of development do you believe the City can realistically accommodate without negatively affecting residents’ quality of life? In addition, if an existing unresolved development was sold to a data center developer, would you approve this application?
Fairfax can accommodate redevelopment, but the appropriate scale and type will differ by location. Northfax, Kamp Washington, Old Town and Route 50 are not interchangeable. Each proposal should be evaluated on its own merits and in the context of surrounding neighborhoods, adopted plans and other projects already approved or under review.
I support development that strengthens our commercial tax base, adds needed housing choices and community-serving businesses, and improves an area without overwhelming it. Before approval, Council must realistically assess traffic, schools, stormwater, utilities, public safety, parking, tree canopy and the long-term cost of city services. Community benefits should be meaningful, enforceable and proportionate to the impacts created.
I would not approve a data center simply because an unresolved property changed ownership. In a compact, 6.2-square-mile city, a large data center could create substantial demands involving electricity, water, noise and infrastructure while providing limited street-level activity or employment. I would review any application and evidence presented, but the applicant would bear a very high burden to demonstrate compatibility with nearby properties and a clear, lasting benefit to Fairfax. Based on those concerns, I would be unlikely to support such an application.
3. Budget & Priorities (under 200 words)
The City has limited resources and cannot fund every worthwhile project. What is one program, project, or spending priority you would be willing to delay, reduce, or reject——and why? In addition, please add your thoughts about the general retail sales tax not to exceed 1% to provide revenue solely for eligible capital projects involving the construction or renovation of schools, public transportation purposes, or both that will appear on the November 3 ballot.
I would delay the proposed $56 million replacement of Fire Station No. 3 while the city evaluates whether the project can be redesigned at a more reasonable cost. Fairfax County is building comparable stations for approximately $25 million to $30 million. Our firefighters deserve a safe, functional facility, but taxpayers also deserve an explanation for such a substantial difference.
In the meantime, we should address firefighters’ immediate needs, particularly sleep hygiene and adequate sleeping quarters. That could include reconfiguring the station’s interior, relocating administrative offices to other available spaces in the building, and reconsidering where equipment and the weight room are located. These improvements could provide meaningful relief while the city develops a more efficient, affordable long-term plan.
I support allowing voters to authorize a retail sales tax of up to 1% dedicated to eligible school capital projects, public transportation or both. Financing approximately $220 million in school renovations entirely through real estate taxes could require an increase of roughly 18.75 to 20.5 cents, about $1,362 to $1,489 annually for the average assessed home. A sales tax could reduce reliance on homeowners, but authorization is not a blank check. Before levying it, Council must clearly explain the rate, uses, oversight and
relationship to future property tax decisions.
- Taxes & City Spending (under 200 words)
Fairfax City has a relatively high level of services for a small municipality, but residents are also facing rising costs. How would you balance maintaining the services residents expect with keeping property taxes and other local costs affordable?
Fairfax provides services that residents value, but maintaining everything exactly as it has always been done is not the same as fiscal responsibility. Council should begin by protecting core services: public safety, schools, necessary infrastructure maintenance and the functions residents depend upon every day. From there, every program should be evaluated for effectiveness, duplication and long-term affordability.
I support regular efficiency reviews of staffing, organizational structure, contracts and service delivery. Budget documents should distinguish clearly between ongoing operating costs and one-time capital expenses, and major proposals should include realistic life-cycle costs, not just the amount needed to begin construction. We should pursue grants, regional partnerships, cost recovery and shared-service opportunities
before turning to taxpayers.
Council must also distinguish between needs and wants and be willing to phase, modify or delay lower-priority initiatives. Tax rate discussions should begin early enough for residents to understand the alternatives and influence the result. My goal is not simply the lowest possible tax rate; it is a sustainable financial plan that preserves essential services without repeatedly asking residents to absorb avoidable increases.
5. Regional Cooperation & Development (under 200 words)
Projects in neighboring jurisdictions can significantly impact the City (e.g., the AT&T redevelopment). How would you collaborate with regional partners to manage these impacts, and how would you resolve situations where the City’s interests differ from theirs? In addition, please add your thoughts about FCPS and City partnership review.
Fairfax cannot evaluate regional projects only after decisions have been made elsewhere. For projects such as the AT&T redevelopment, the city should engage Fairfax County and other partners early, request traffic and infrastructure data, identify cumulative impacts, and advocate for mitigation before approvals become final. Regional cooperation should be professional and persistent, but cooperation does not require silence when Fairfax residents will bear disproportionate costs. When interests differ, I would use the facts, formal planning and transportation processes, written agreements, and the city’s legal and intergovernmental resources to protect our residents.
The same fact-based approach should guide our partnership with Fairfax County Public Schools. FCPS provides our students with programs, services and opportunities that would be difficult to replicate independently, but the city’s tuition obligation has risen dramatically – from $55.3 million in FY2023 to a projected $76.4 million in FY2027. We should regularly review the School Services Agreement, improve forecasting and transparency, and ensure city students and taxpayers are receiving a fair value. I support an educational feasibility study to understand the costs, benefits and consequences of available options. Studying the partnership is not a decision to leave it; it is responsible due diligence before making long-term commitments.
6. Major Projects & Infrastructure (under 200 words)
The City is making significant investments in infrastructure and facilities, including the Willard-Sherwood Health & Community Center. What criteria should City Council use to determine which major projects receive funding when resources are limited?
Major projects should be prioritized according to need, urgency, public benefit and affordability, not simply by how long they have appeared in a plan or the CIP. Council should consider the condition of the existing facility, safety and legal requirements, number of residents served, consistency with adopted goals, availability of outside funding, and the consequences of delay. Every proposal should include construction
costs, financing costs, staffing, maintenance, utilities, expected revenue and a realistic lifecycle impact on taxpayers.
Willard-Sherwood demonstrates why this review matters. Early estimates projected approximately $4.8 million in annual operating and maintenance costs, plus debt service, creating a potential impact of about 9.7 cents on the real estate tax rate. I could not support moving forward without a more sustainable plan. After additional work by staff on further county participation, staffing contributions and cost recovery reduced the estimated impact to approximately 4.33 cents, I voted yes.
That is how major decisions should work: ask hard questions early, examine alternatives, improve the proposal and proceed only when the public benefit justifies the full cost. Council must also consider opportunity costs – funding one project may delay schools, public safety facilities, stormwater work or other essential infrastructure.
7. Virginia Constitutional Amendments (under 200 words)
The November 3 ballot will include three proposed amendments to the Virginia Constitution concerning reproductive freedom, marriage rights, and voting rights after felony incarceration. Do you support or oppose these amendments, and why? As a Fairfax City Council member, how would your views on these constitutional questions influence the way you lead and represent residents who may strongly disagree with you?
I support all three proposed constitutional amendments. I believe reproductive healthcare decisions should be protected from political interference while allowing appropriate third-trimester regulation that preserves exceptions for the life and health of the pregnant person and fetal viability. I support equal marriage rights regardless of sex, gender or race. I also support restoring voting rights automatically after a person is released from incarceration rather than requiring an individual decision by the governor.
However, these are statewide constitutional questions, not matters the Fairfax City Council will implement through local ordinances. My responsibility on Council is to serve every resident, including those who strongly disagree with my personal views. I will not use local office to import national or partisan conflict into decisions about city services, land use, schools, taxes or public safety.
Residents should expect me to listen respectfully, protect their right to participate and evaluate local issues on their facts and consequences. Agreement with me on a constitutional amendment will never be a test for whether someone’s concern receives my attention or whether their neighborhood is represented fairly.
8. Civility & Governance (under 200 words)
City Council decisions can generate strong disagreements among residents and elected officials. What specific steps will you take to maintain a civil, respectful, and productive Council—even when you strongly disagree with another Council member?
Civility begins with treating disagreement as part of governing, not as evidence of bad motives. I will focus criticism on the proposal, facts or consequences, not on another Council member’s character. I will listen without interrupting, ask questions intended to clarify rather than embarrass, and address concerns directly instead of allowing frustration to build through side conversations or social media.
Productive government also requires preparation. Council members should receive information early, identify questions before a public vote when possible, and avoid surprising one another with significant changes unless circumstances truly require it. When facts are disputed, I will rely on public records, staff expertise and verifiable information. If I make a mistake, I will correct it and apologize if needed.
I supported adoption of Fairfax City’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct because expectations for stewardship, transparency, conflicts of interest and public behavior should be clear. A code cannot create trust by itself, but it establishes a shared standard.
I will not agree simply for the appearance of harmony. Residents elected six Council members to bring different perspectives. We can disagree firmly, explain our votes honestly and still work together respectfully on the next issue.
9. Accountability & Ethics (under 200 words)
How can Fairfax City residents, rather than any political party or special interest group, hold you accountable, and what will you do to ensure transparency in your decisions and follow-through on your commitments?
Residents should hold me accountable by examining my complete record: how I vote, the questions I ask, the information I share and whether I follow through after an issue leaves the meeting agenda. I will continue making myself accessible by email, phone, community meetings and direct conversations, including with residents who disagree with me.
Transparency must begin before a vote. Residents should receive understandable information about costs, alternatives and impacts early enough for their participation to matter in the process. I support public budget forums, clearer performance measures, earlier outreach on development proposals, and reporting that shows whether approved programs and projects are achieving their stated goals.
I also supported Fairfax City’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct, including provisions addressing conflicts of interest, transparency, confidentiality, use of city resources and consequences for violations. I will disclose conflicts, recuse myself when required and explain the reasoning behind consequential votes.
I am an independent, nonpartisan candidate. No political party or outside organization directs my decisions. The most meaningful accountability comes from Fairfax residents asking questions, reviewing the public record and voting based on whether I have earned
their continued trust.
10. What do you love about the City and your final thoughts? (under 200 words)
What I love most about Fairfax is that it feels like a community, not simply a place to live. Within 6.2 square miles, we have neighborhoods with their own identities, excellent schools, local businesses whose owners know their customers, parks and green spaces, and events that bring us together. It is common to see the same families at a school activity, Rock the Block, a youth sporting event and a Council meeting. Those connections are what give Fairfax its small-town character.
I also love that residents care enough to speak up. They attend meetings, ask questions, organize their neighborhoods, volunteer, support our schools and challenge city leaders to do better. That engagement may make decisions more complicated, but it makes our
government stronger.
My commitment is to preserve that sense of community while preparing Fairfax responsibly for the future. We can welcome new neighbors and businesses without losing our identity. We can invest in schools, public safety and infrastructure while respecting taxpayers. We can disagree without becoming divided.
I will continue to listen, ask questions, share accurate information and make independent decisions grounded in what I believe is best for Fairfax. This is YOUR city, and YOUR voice matters.
