Planning Commission Vice Chair Throws Hat in Ring for Council
By FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF
February 7, 2012
Falls Church Planning Commission Vice Chairman John Lawrence jumped into the May 2012 race for City Council yesterday, filing papers at City Hall declaring his candidacy. Mr. Lawrence joins sitting Councilman Lawrence Webb as the only announced candidates to date.
Lawrence is a second-time candidate for Council, having finished only some 80 votes short of being elected in 2010. He is a 13-year resident of Falls Church City and has served on the Planning Commission since 2006, once as its chair and twice as vice chair. Lawrence has served on the Mary Riley Styles Public Library board for seven years. In 2008-2009, he served as vice chair of a School Board-appointed Day Care Task Force that examined the school day care program and made recommendations on how to maintain and improve it. Lawrence currently is part of the join City-Council-School Board-Planning Commission long range school facilities group (“LEAPFROG”), where he has pushed for the expansion at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School.
Planning Commission vice chair John Lawrence, with son Evan, displays candidacy form.
Professionally, Lawrence runs Congressional Affairs for the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, a non-partisan organization that provides technical electoral assistance to other countries.
Three positions on the Council will be up for election in May for seats currently held by Webb, Mayor Nader Baroukh, and Councilwoman Robin Gardner. Gardner has announced that she does not plan to run for reelection. Baroukh has not yet announced his intentions.
This election will be the last in which the City Council and School Board will be elected in the month of May. In 2013, the election for those offices will move to November, as decided in last year’s voter referendum.
By Falls Church Times Staff
February 7, 2012
Falls Church in the News
Hurray! John has ideas and energy. He makes things happen. We need him on Council.
John has my vote!
Thank you for your service to the city and school board, etc. Good luck on upcoming May elections.
No so fast on my vote…..I want to hear what his “platform” is, what does he stand for, is it more of the same? This same message applies to all other candidates, including this other fellow who just announced.
What are you going to do for me and others who are like me who have lived in the City for a long time and are either retired or close to retiring – – in terms of taxes and the budget – – people on fixed incomes, who still have a mortgage and other expenses. How do you plan to balance rising school expenditures with those of us who have put our kids through the school system and want to maybe stay in the City as seniors but are finding it increasing difficult to do so? How are you going to keep us here instead of us moving elsewhere? What sort of balance are you going to strike?