By Pete Behr
Former Vice Mayor Sam Mabry has dropped out of the Falls Church City Council race, saying that he would focus on seeking voter approval of a referendum on future development in the city.
There had been speculation that Mabry might seek to lead a slate of independents against the candidates endorsed by Citizens for a Better City in the May 6 election, Mayor Robin Gardner, Vice Mayor Lindy Hockenberry and newcomer Lawrence Webb. In addition to Mabry, four other independents qualified for the ballot. (See Eight Vie for 3 City Council Seats.) Mabry led the slate for the defunct Falls Church Citizens Organization in several sharply-fought contests against CBC candidates over the past decade.
Mabry said he decided the referendum should be his priority this time. "I thought I would concentrate on the referendum and try to get that passed. I didn't think I could do both (the referendum and the City Council race). I'm getting old and tired and downtrodden. I love my yard." He said his care for his mother is taking more of his time, as well.
The referendum would establish a fixed formula for future economic development projects, requiring that the Council approve only those with at least 60 percent of the square footage committed to commercial or retail use, limiting residential space to 40 percent.
rWhile the referendum looks to future plans, Mabry and other supporters have pushed it forward to protest approval of the City Center project by the Council, led by Gardner and Hockenberry.
Although Mabry is out of the campaign, another independent, government attorney Nader Baroukh, supports the referendum.
The referendum was challenged unsuccessfully in court by City Attorney Ray Thorpe and is opposed by many supporters of the CBC slate as an unworkable straight-jacket on development that is essential to support the city and school budgets. Mike Gardner, husband of Mayor Gardner, has made the referendum a target in his political blog, Blueweeds.
"I'm trying to get the debate going" about the referendum, "so that people understand there are issues and things may not be so hunky-dory," Mabry said. He said he fears the residential units planned for the City Center will produce many more school-age children than the City's current analysis assumes, putting much greater pressure on the school system. "There has to be a high level of debate about this."
The Citizens for a Better City unveiled a campaign website earlier this month, headlined with the slogan "Strong Community, Strong Schools." The site features a blog and campaign webpages for each CBC candidate for City Council and the School Board. Independent candidate for City Council Nader Barouk also unveiled a website recently, which is here. Mayor Robin Gardner, in addition to her CBC webpage, has her own blog as well.
Peter Behr is a freelance writer and a member of the steering
committee for Deliberation Falls Church City. He is also a member of
the Citizens for a Better City.
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