Not Longest, But Shortest Council Terms

Editor,

Due to a mathematical error, in the election story on page 5 and your editorial, you have misstated the length of the terms being served by the three retiring incumbent Council members. They began their terms on July 1, 2010 and their terms will end on December 31, 2013. That is three and a half years, not the four and a half you stated. The same will be true for those who took office July 1, 2012, whose terms will end December 31, 2015. Rather than being the longest terms ever, they will be the shortest Council terms since 1959.

The longest Council terms served were by those elected in June of 1969 and 1971, who took office September 1 of those years, and served until June 30, 1974 and 1976, respectively. Those terms were four years and ten months; the rationale at the time was that terms could be lengthened, but not shortened.

In your election story and the editorial, you stated that three retiring incumbents was “the most ever” (editorial) to retire in one year in Falls Church. This is not a correct statement. Four incumbents decided not to run for reelection in l990.

Carol W. De Long

Falls Church

Senior Complains of Poor Service at City Hall

Editor,

Other than tax increasing, service in the City of Falls Church is hard to get. Last Friday, I went to the city’s police department to get a simple permit. At about 9:30 a.m. the office did not open. I went back just before noon and waited for 15 minutes and was told the person I needed to see was with the chief and to come back after 2:30 p.m. For the third time, I went back at 3 p.m. and the office was again closed. I used the phone to call for help and was told that the person was at an office picnic! They told me that if I had a complaint to call the city manager. I did and, you guessed it, no answer but a recording. I left my name, address and a message but received no response!

We are retired seniors, we pay high real estate taxes for school, recreation and many services we hardly use. Why make it so hard for us to do simple things? The office picnic was probably planned ahead of time (or is it a Friday routine?!). I should have been told to come back next week instead of that afternoon.

I’m not sure I want to go back to City Hall for the permit three more times!

Frank Tsai

Falls Church

F.C. Enjoys Cherished Icon: Brown’s Hardware

Editor,

As the residents of Washington, D.C. are terribly saddened by the loss of a fine landmark caused by the destruction of Frager’s Hardware, we in Falls Church should be grateful that we have an equally fine historical location in Brown’s Hardware.

One day last week, I understood the value of this important location when I spent nine cents to satisfy a need that I had within my home. A washer and screw was all that Mr. Brown himself helped me with, and I thought how lucky we are to have this fine man in our community.

I felt bad about spending only nine cents, but he served me, just as if the purchase had been nine dollars or more.

Frager’s is important to those D.C. residents, but no more important than Brown’s Hardware is to us in Falls Church.

Robert T. Mansker

Falls Church

‘Religion of Left’ Is Hypocrisy, Not Liberalism

Editor,

The recent article on FCNP.com “F.C. Clinic Takes Legal Action to Contest Abortion Facility Regulations” illustrated the spineless hypocrisy of American leftism, that wants to regulate everything but leftist causes. Thanks to the religion of leftism,Guns are being regulated in violation of the Second Amendment, Speech is being regulated — particularly in elementary schools — in violation of the First Amendment; But the effete left wants no regulation of abortion “clinics” even as desperate women are dying in filthy abortion facilities. Just one more example that the religion of the left is hypocrisy, not Liberalism.

Carl R. Skaugen

Annandale 

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