On January 13, 2026, City of Fairfax Mayor Catherine Read announced that she will not seek re-election this year, ending her bid for a third term. The announcement came abruptly at the end of a public hearing which cancelled the continuance of the George Snyder Trail by a 4 – 2 vote by council members related to the funding of the trail.
In her statement, Mayor Read described her experience in office as increasingly frustrating and voiced deep concerns about the challenges inherent in the mayoral role. “The chair I’m sitting in is broken,” she said, using a stark metaphor to explain her decision and the state of municipal governance.
Mayor Read indicated that the administrative burdens and political complexities of the office have made it difficult to deliver the outcomes she believes the city needs. Her comments reflect a broader frustration with the way local government functions and the limits of municipal authority in addressing persistent issues.
Author
Tania Hossain is the editor, publisher, and co-owner of The Independent News Press, a consortium of local print and online newspapers in Virginia. She focuses on writing about community issues and advocates for local newspapers, both print and online, especially in the age of Ai from selfie filters to betting on military strikes. A Merrifield resident, she is a keen backyard gardener, loves forest bathing and a curious biohacker, believing that proactive health keeps one out of the costly illness industry. Inspired by Oprah Winfrey's O Magazine launch, she feels fortunate to be running this newspaper.
