Krupicka Campaign Holds First Telephone Town Hall

Thursday evening’s telephone town hall meeting hosted by Rob Krupicka’s campaign for state senate drew more than 1,800 participants from the 30th district, according to a release from the campaign.

The big draw for the discussion, which focused on transportation issues, prompted the campaign to announce it will hold more telephone town hall meetings leading up to the Aug. 23 Democratic primary.

“I appreciated the opportunity to discuss my longstanding and consistent opposition to the Mark Center location for BRAC, as well as what really matters: New ideas to move us forward by addressing the myriad regional transportation challenges affecting our community,” Krupicka said in a statement.

Participants were polled on what they feel is the most important thing to do to improve transportation in the region. According to the campaign’s release, 51 percent answered, “develop a regional transportation plan that includes, but isn’t limited to, mitigating BRAC impacts.”

Twenty-one percent of the participants answered “get more funding for transit,” while 20 percent selected “move forward with a lawsuit against the Department of Defense to halt move-in at Mark Center.” 

Libby Garvey, a longtime Arlington school board member running against Krupicka, released a statement earlier in the week saying that she joins Rep. Jim Moran and Gov. Bob McDonnell in urging U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates to delay the opening of the Mark Center.

“We must do everything we can to ameliorate the impact of this facility,” Garvey said in a statement. “Protecting and improving our transportation system in Northern Virginia is vital to the economic health of our region and all of Virginia. It is time that we brought this project to a halt until safety, transportation and environmental concerns are adequately addressed.”

In March, Garvey placed blame on Krupicka—a member of the Alexandria City Council since 2003—for allowing the Department of Defense a “” to set up shop at the Mark Center in the city.

Krupicka shot back in an e-mail to supporters saying Garvey distorted his “record of protecting the Winkler Botanical Preserve and dismissing my record of leadership on transit and transportation.”

Del. Adam Ebbin (49th District) is the third candidate running for the senate seat, which was previously held by Patsy Ticer.

In January, Ebbin introduced a budget amendment in the general assembly seeking $3 million to fund public transit to the Mark Center.

"It was clearly a mistake to choose the Mark Center for relocation—an area already swamped with congestion and with few viable public transportation options," Ebbin said in a statement. "We need to explore every possible option to mitigate the coming traffic nightmare."