A stunning development reflecting the frustration of voters with the state of the City of Falls Church’s economy and just-established 15-cent rise in its tax rate, two anti-City Hall candidates won the F.C. City Council election with solid third and fourth place finishes tonight.
A stunning development reflecting the frustration of voters with the state of the City of Falls Church’s economy and just-established 15-cent rise in its tax rate, two anti-City Hall candidates won the F.C. City Council election with solid third and fourth place finishes tonight.
The mini-slate of Johannah Barry and Ira Kaylin, both running for public office for the first time, finished solidly in all five F.C. wards, while incumbent David Snyder came in second overall. School Board Chair Ron Peppe was the top vote-getter, becoming the only one of four candidates endorsed by the Citizens for a Better City (CBC) to win.
Peppe garnered the most votes in the unofficial returns, with 998 (14.1%). Snyder had 966 (13.64%), Kaylin 961 (13.57%) and Barry 945 (13.35%). Falling short of being elected were John Lawrence with 857 (12.1%), Barry Buschow with 808 (11.4%), Lindy Hockenberry with 776 (10.96%) and Hal Lippman with 735 (10.38%). Lippman’s last-place finish as the incumbent vice-mayor also reflected the anti-City Hall nature of tonight’s vote, as did the total for Snyder, who barely won this time after having been the top vote getter in three straight previous elections.
At a gathering of CBC supporters at the Ireland’s Four Provinces restaurant tonight, when the final results were in, a verbal altercation broke out between current CBC President Deb Gardner, casting blame for the poor CBC showing, and incumbent Mayor Robin Gardner. It marked the first time since the early 1990s that only one CBC endorsed candidate was elected.
{loadposition googlewave3}
