The latest editions of the Alexandria Gazette Packet and the Mount Vernon Gazette include this letter to the editor:
Englin Supports Public Education
To the Editor:
Michael Lee Pope’s article last week suggesting that “few substantive issues separate the candidates for the 45th House District” missed some important issues highlighted in the survey from the Virginia Catholic Conference, which both candidates recently completed.
According to the published results of the survey, Englin opposes legislation that would use taxpayer money to help fund private and parochial school tuition, while Allen indicated that he supports such legislation. Given the fiscal challenges that will be before the General Assembly in the upcoming session, parents of public school children should sit up and take notice that among the two candidates, Englin (whose own child attends an Alexandria public school) would defend money for public schools.
Additionally, according to the survey, Englin supports legislation to suspend the use of the death penalty in Virginia until potential flaws like possible racial, socioeconomic, and geographic disparities in death sentencing can be studied and addressed. Allen indicated that he opposes legislation to suspend, study, and address problems with the death penalty. Englin also supports legislation to prevent expanded use of the death penalty, while Allen opposes such legislation and thus would presumably add to the list of crimes eligible for the death penalty. Considering that Virginia executes more people than any state but Texas, this is another important difference between the two candidates.
While Republican Mark Allen has run a slick and expensive campaign trying to come across as a moderate, it is clear from this survey that the two candidates differ on some key issues, and that Delegate David Englin better represents the progressive values of our community.
Jodie Curtis
Alexandria
