CBC — A Member’s Perspective — Part Two

This is the second part of A.C. Miller’s discussion of the CBC.  He has been a member of the organization since 1986.  The views expressed here are his own.

CBC’s Role in City Politics  -  One way to explain the organization’s role is by comparing it to a Parent-Teacher Association (PTA).  Such a group is not Republican or Democratic, but a non-partisan or, perhaps multi-partisan organization of parents fighting for the best schools, the best curricula, the best teachers and the most educational opportunities for their children.  While there may be differences of opinion among members, a PTA ultimately has a shared set of goals and a strong commitment to schools.  In Falls Church, the CBC membership has always included Democrats, Republicans, and independents.

But of course it’s more complicated than that.  Egos become involved.  Rightly or wrongly, people in leadership are accused by those outside the leadership of being “elitists.”  Sometimes leaders become complacent and lose touch with the populace.  Sometimes they over-reach.  Sometimes they fail to lead and are replaced.  But love them or hate them, citizen volunteers get things done.  And CBC, for the most part, has been the “only game in town” to provide a forum for getting things done.  Comparing the CBC to a PTA may be overly simplistic, but I think it’s fair.  What has always drawn me to support the CBC (and indeed, the PTA) is my admiration for those “doers” in the community.  They are volunteering to make the schools and the city better.  And they are doing it in an open environment.   So then .  .  .  .

Why is the CBC so controversial?  -  Three reasons come immediately to my mind.  First, CBC has been very successful at dominating local politics, and success breeds contempt.  That’s a pretty simplistic explanation, but I think people generally respect the two-party system in America and see CBC as a “one-party” system, which can effectively choke off political debate.  This is very ironic, given CBC’s long-standing commitment to vigorous public debate and discourse, but I think it is an inevitable criticism.

Secondly, CBC-backed city councils, in the opinions of their critics, haven’t done a good enough job of controlling spending.  Much of the opposition to CBC’s leadership over the years has been about Falls Church’s relatively high property taxes.  Many members also have railed against high taxes, but over the years the public generally has been willing to pay for quality schools and services, recognizing these are in large part what make our town so attractive.

Finally and more recently, CBC has been perceived as favoring all of the mixed-use development projects springing up in Falls Church which, in the opinion of many, are not in the best long-term interests of the City, either economically, aesthetically, or socially.  I can say from experience that economic development issues are vigorously debated by CBC members and that there is no “CBC position.”  In fact, CBC’s refusal to take official stances has been criticized by many inside the organization.  In any case, the members of the CBC-dominated council ultimately must defend their decisions and understand that those citizens who disagree likely will oppose them in the next election.

Comments Welcome  -  I hope these articles have shed a little light on a complex subject.  I welcome any comments, corrections, or criticisms.  I avoided any discussion of CBC’s relationship to the school board, not because I think it is unimportant, but because I haven’t enough experience in that area.  Perhaps another commentator can provide that piece of the puzzle.

Finally, I would welcome an article written by someone less sympathetic to CBC because, as much as I’ve tried to be objective here, I confess to being biased.  I’m sure there are many opinionated people  out there , thinking ” hey, wait a minute, what about . . . ! “  So please, by all means feel free to comment.  I won’t take it personally.