Better Name a District!

We here at the Blais campaign are appalled at the redistricting that took place this year. We are determined to do what we can so that redistricting like this never occurs again. In an effort to bring attention to this issue,  we are launching a contest and public relations effort.  The contest is to come up with apt and funny names for the most gerrymandered districts. We hope you checkout the event page on facebook and participate. Of course we are a bit biased to our own district so if you think of any names for our very own district you can post them in the comments of our blog and we will enter them for consideration.

The 40th.

A bat floundering in the dark...

Welcome to DianneforDelegate.com!

Welcome

Campaign Update

The primaries on Aug. 23 were exciting!
Aug. 23 also marked the last day that anyone could file to run in the Nov. 8 election and evidently no one else has come forth to run for delegate of the 40th.
Looks like it is just the two of us.

Green Development Ideas for Fairfax and Virginia.

In his TED talk "The Shareable Future of Cities" Alex Steffen shows readily available solutions to combat climate change and make cities more liveable.

Click Here

MEET & GREET

3:00 on Saturday, Sept. 10 at Centreville Library

     (haven't updated the video to say Sept. 10 )

Come between 3-4 p.m.  We can talk about my campaign and any issues you have.

Illegal SIGNS?

Went to Fairfax County Government Center yesterday to get permit for signs.
Wrote 2 checks and got permit but was told that the permit was just for signs on private property - that VDOT was in charge of all property along roadways.

Went on computer and attempted to determine VDOT rules but links didn't work.  Called VDOT and waited almost half an hour to talk to someone.  Was told emphatically that  "NO SIGNS are allowed along roads".  The Fairfax Parkway was specifically mentioned as a road where candidates blatantly disregard VDOT policy.

Do lawmakers in Fairfax County regularly break the law?

More Trains, Less Traffic

Dianne Blais has an environmentally friendly plan for her district’s, and Northern Virginia’s, severe traffic problems. She will strongly support efforts to extend metrorail’s orange line. In addition to this she plans to have light rail from Haymarket to the Vienna metro, or an express light rail into DC. This will take many cars off the region's overcrowded roads and highways, making traffic flow faster on the roads we will continue to work maintain. Metro expansion or light rail will encourage the creation of dense, walkable, and vibrant communities around the new stations which will allow people to live, work, and play without having to spend money on gas.

The beauty of mass transit is that not everyone needs to use it in order for it to be a benefit to the community as a whole. If one out of 10 of the residents in a region decide to use a service like metro or commuter rail to get to work, then the traffic is better for everyone. This is not the type of investment that requires everyone to use it for a benefit  for all to be gained. These diversified methods of transport will encourage development and make the entire region even more enticing to young individuals, businesses and families that will be the engine of future growth. This growth will expand the tax base far better than making a few new off ramps as the current legislature seems to be intent on doing.

The current government cannot, as a matter of reality, accomplish their transportation aims by expanding our car-based system. We have all driven on roads like Fairfax County Parkway in which new construction has widened the highway for a stretch only to narrow when development is an obstacle to continuing the widening, eliminating the potential benefit of the road work. The great thing about rail is that two lanes can move an order of magnitude more people than simple additional lanes to road. When development hits a certain population density, trains are needed to expand and grow the area. This is happening to Northern Virginia as we have grown to over two and a half million residents. Roads will always have a place in Virginia’s transportation spending, but rather than put all our eggs on one path, we need to diversify. We have a choice between following the road only development and permanent traffic jams of Los Angeles or the oftentimes more densely populated but still navigable northeast cities.

Dianne's opponent has received thousands of dollars from the powerful highway lobby. He has repeatedly supported new highway construction at the expense of mass transit that simply encourages endless sprawl with more people driving, degrading the environment. Highways only briefly solve traffic problems before they are clogged by the drivers from the new sprawl that they initiated. The development that is created through mass transit is sustainable and compact, attracting business and jobs close to where people live, resulting in less unorganized sprawl while still allowing for people to live and travel how they choose. Dianne Blais will work tirelessly to create jobs through a sensible transportation plan.

  -Post By Dianne Blais, Colin Dalrymple and Joe Gallant