Janet for Fairfax

Blogging Forward

2005-08-14T21:20:00.000-04:00

The two months since the primary season ended have been active ones in our household. I have been busy with my work on the Fairfax County School Board doing the regular catching up during the summer months when students aren't in school, as well as canvassing for David Bulova and the Coordinated Campaign. Walter has just returned from the annual Congressional Research Service graduate legislative institute on Congress for Hill staffers which was held in the historic Patrick Henry Building in Richmond. And this month, our son Mark returned home from graduate school for a visit in time for us to celebrate our son Eric's 22nd birthday with the whole family.

I have been considering what to do with this blog, and I have decided to carry it forward to continue our conversation about some of the topics I hold dear, including education issues, the Fairfax County Public School system, and current events in Fairfax County. I'm still working out the details of what the new version of this blog will be like, and you can look forward to seeing many changes and updates over the coming weeks.

Speaking of blogging, I am excited to be attending the Sorensen Institute's first Summit on Blogging and Democracy in the Commonwealth on August 27 in Charlottesville, organized by Waldo Jaquith and Chad Dotson, aka John Behan. (Incidentally, as far as I know, John Behan and I are Virginia's only elected bloggers.) I recognize several names in the attendance list, including Lowell Feld from Raising Kaine, and Maura Kearny from Democracy for Virginia, and I look forward to finally meeting in person other Virginia bloggers that so far I have only known online.

See you in Charlottesville! Cheers,

Janet

The Next Step

2005-06-15T20:44:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends, Neighbors and Members of The J Team!

What an exhilarating experience this has been – running a grassroots campaign is politics in its purest form, and I’d like to thank all of you for your tireless support. I am particularly awed by those of you who worked at the polls on what will surely be one of the hottest days of the year (and perhaps in the history of elections!)

Your support and your commitment to my effort to secure the 37th district in the Virginia House of Delegates will long be appreciated. I would like to say a special thank you to my campaign team who worked early morning to late at night to identify voters and get our message out! But I’d also like to thank you, the voters, for taking precious time out of your busy schedules to participate in a primary that traditionally doesn't get much attention. It is only through active participation in the democratic process that we will make a real difference in our lives, our communities, and most importantly, the lives of our children.

I will be continuing my service as a Fairfax County School Board Member at Large and remain committed to building a bright future for families and children in Fairfax. I will always be available to listen and act upon your concerns.

Now, it is time for us to shift our commitment and support to David Bulova to ensure that the 37th remains Democratic! I plan on actively campaigning for David’s election, and I hope you will do the same. He ran a fair, honest campaign, and together we will work toward our common goals. David’s website is http://www.davidbulova.com –- please take a moment to visit and to offer your help and support.

Cheers!

Janet Oleszek

Upcoming Event on Sunday May 22

2005-05-15T20:45:00.000-04:00

George & Cindy Waters and along with our fabulous host committee members are holding a fundraising barbecue this coming weekend at Lake Barcroft--complete with pontoon boat rides. Everyone, of course, is welcome to join us.

Please RSVP so we have enough barbecue to go around! Plus, if you have any questions or would like directions or more information, please call us at 703-323-0202. See you on Sunday!

Cheers!

Janet

You are cordially invited to attend a
Fundraising BBQ in honor of

Janet Oleszek
Democratic Candidate for House of Delegates
District 37

At the Home of George & Cindy Waters
6328 Lakeview Drive
On Beautiful Lake Barcroft
Map

Sunday, May 22
3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Pontoon Boat Rides to Follow!

Suggested Donations:
$50 Friends
$100 Great Friends
$250 Grandchildren may be named after you!

Please make checks payable to:
Friends of Janet Oleszek
PO Box 1047, Fairfax, VA 22038
or contribute online

PLEASE RSVP: 703/323-0202 or victory05@janetforfairfax.com

Metro to Dulles and Real Traffic Solutions

2005-05-13T22:03:00.000-04:00

The last large infusion of cash for funding Virginia's roads and highways was in 1987. I and about 100 others were reminded of this fact this morning at the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce meeting on the Dulles corridor metrorail project. No wonder we're in such a mess every morning on our way to work! And no wonder that at almost every door I knock someone complains about the problems of getting from here to there. Every day. The "Friday effect" doesn't even always work on Fridays any longer. Rush hour now begins at 6am and doesn't end until 10pm. It is absolute madness to think we can continue to ignore the obvious.

The Commonwealth has the third largest highway system in the United States which contributes to the mobility and flexibility of the workforce. Unfortunately, like so many other state mandates, our transportation is under-funded. In addition, the money designated for the Transportation Fund is frequently diverted to shore up other shortfalls in the budget, or for porkbarrel political projects.

I support extending Metro to Dulles. It is a great, common-sense approach to take commuters off the roads and reduce our traffic mess. However, we can't fund Dulles metro or other critical transportation projects when state government keeps misappropriating transportation funds. I will fight for legislation in Richmond to protect the Transportation Fund, so we can start addressing the root causes of our traffic problems. The transportation mess is far too big to ignore, at least for those of us who drive in it every day, and Virginia residents deserve real traffic solutions.

Meet & Greet on Wednesday May 11

2005-05-02T16:00:00.000-04:00

Terry Mansberger has been kind enough to host a meet & greet for me next Wednesday night, and I really hope you can join us!

Meet & Greet in honor of Janet Oleszek
Democratic Candidate
House of Delegates, District 37

Home of Terry Mansberger
7800 Antiopi Street Map

7 pm to 8:30 pm
Wednesday, May 11

Everyone is welcome. Bring your friends!

For directions or more information, contact us at 703-323-0202 or victory05@janetforfairfax.com.

I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday.

Cheers!

Janet

It's yard sign time again!

2005-05-02T15:49:00.000-04:00

It is time, once again, to unleash our red and yellow yard signs.

Putting up a sign in your yard or business is a great way to show your support for the campaign. To get your own yard sign, just fill out a yard sign request or give us a call at 703-323-0202. It's that easy!

And, if you'd like to help us deliver yard signs, drop us a line or give us a call.

We'd love to see how good the sign looks in your yard. Send us a digital picture of your sign on display to webteam@janetforfairfax.com. And go on and get in the picture, too!

The yard signs were a really fun and exciting part of my school board campaign in 2003. I can't thank everyone enough who displayed a sign in their yard or helped us put up signs, and especially my husband Walter, who was a sign captain extraordinaire. It feels good to know that those red and yellow signs are going to start popping up everywhere again.

Politics as Child's Play

2005-05-01T23:39:00.000-04:00

In the course of campaigning, things sometimes happen that really make the effort seem like child's play. Today was one of those days when I attended Delegate Chap Petersen's Fairfax City kickoff of his statewide RV tour for Lt. Governor.

Chap had his beautiful RV prominently displayed, with doors open to allow supporters to tour the interior. Reverend Ron Christian, a resident of the 37th offered a blessing, and Chap began his address to the crowd. Standing on the steps up to the "living room" of the RV, Chap's beautiful daughters Ava and Mary Walton played behind him. As Chap was warming up the crowd, Mary Walton was too!

Mary Walton was out-talking her dad at every sentence as she let it be known that a birthday was in the offing and she was expecting to open quite a few gifts. As the competition grew between dad and daughter, it became clear that Mary Walton had charmed the crowd totally and Chap, good father that he is, relented and offered her the stage. It was just then that Mary Walton made a mad dash to the RV's radio and turned it on full blast so that any further speechifying would be impossible.

Mary Walton was the star of the show, and the interaction between the two was so endearing that everyone left the event confident that in the Petersen family, the entire family is appreciated even when it is not terribly convenient. Actually, child's play can be very instructive!

One of the pleasures in my own campaign for the House of Delegates is the support of Walter and our boys. It is amazing how a campaign can bring out the real strength (not to mention the showmanship!) in a family.

What a great day

2005-04-23T23:58:00.000-04:00

I formally announced my candidacy for the House of Delegates this morning with an old fashioned town hall meeting at Old Town Hall in Fairfax City. What a great way to kickoff the campaign!

So many people turned out, and asked questions about issues that really matter. I am impressed that we have so many people who care enough about our community to show up and ask tough questions--it really says something about the kind of people who live here in Fairfax. And I was honored that so many people were willing to share their concerns.

It was wonderful not just to see old friends, but to meet so many new people from the city and the county who came out to support my candidacy. It was also lovely to meet two prominent Virginia bloggers, Lowell Feld and Maura Kearny. (You can read their great write-ups on the kickoff on their respective blogs, Raising Kaine and Democracy for Virginia.) And I am deeply grateful for the tremendous support from my colleagues on the Fairfax City School Board and the Fairfax County School Board.

Another highlight of an already great day for me, on a personal note, was that our son Eric drove home all the way from Virginia Tech for the weekend so he could be there for me at the kickoff. I was so pleased to have him there. That's a picture of Eric and Walter and me on the steps of the Old Town Hall.

Listening to the concerns of my neighbors at our town hall meeting reaffirmed for me once again how much we share the same values. We all care about protecing choice and liberty, standing up for quality human services, and fighting for the best possible education for all our children. We also agree that transportation is broken and needs to be fixed. One of the biggest challenges we face at the core of every issue boils down to the state passing on financial burdens to local governments through unfunded mandates and the restrictions of the Dillon Rule. We need a delegate who will fight fight for these issues, and who has the experience and legislative know-how to win. I am running because after more than 20 years of education advocacy and lobbying in Fairfax County and in Richmond on these very issues, I am that delegate.

Thank you to everyone who made the day such a success. I know that together we can win.

P.S. For all the details on the event, check out the Kickoff News Roundup in our newsroom.

We Came Out on Top - Again!

2005-04-21T23:33:00.000-04:00

Great fundraising news!

The first quarter fundraising reports are out, and thanks to your help, we came out on top, again!

We not only out-raised our opponent in the Democratic primary, but also the Republican and Libertarian candidates in the race. Thank you for helping prove that we truly are the strongest campaign in District 37.

This success builds on our great early campaign victory of filing our ballot petitions first, weeks before the deadline, to win the top spot on the June 14th primary ballot.

For all the details on the good news, go and read the whole press release, here

If you've been thinking about it but haven't made a contribution yet, you can still contribute online at http://www.janetforfairfax.com. No contribution is too small to make a difference and, as our first filing report just proved, every little bit really helps!

Thanks again for your help and support and commitment and enthusiasm that is making this race so much fun!

See you on Saturday,

Janet

You are invited!

2005-04-17T00:02:00.000-04:00

We're officially kicking off the Janet for Fairfax Campaign this Saturday, April 23.

Town Hall Meeting

& Campaign Kickoff

WITH

JANET OLESZEK

Candidate for the House of Delegates

37th District

Saturday, April 23^rd
10:00 am – 11:30 am
Old Town Hall
3999 University Drive
Fairfax City
Map

Refreshments will be served.

Everyone is welcome!

RSVP to (703) 323-0202 or townhall@janetforfairfax.com

I hope you can join us.

Cheers!

Janet

Fairfax Futures

2005-04-09T23:12:00.000-04:00

Today I attended the second annual Fairfax Futures symposium on early learning, a partnership between the business community and Fairfax County whose goal is to explore early childhood education so that our children enter school prepared to succeed.

Sounds simple, but it isn't, because many don't understand that there is a dollar cost to the community when students enter Kindergarten unprepared.

Some information that astound many folks:

Fact #1
Every dollar invested in preschool programs returns $7 in savings for remediation, welfare payments, unemployment and other compensatory costs.
Fact #2
85% of a person's intellect, personality and social skills are developed by age 5, but 95% of public investment in education occurs after children reach 5 years old.

I have long supported full day Kindergarten, and as a candidate, I often discuss this with voters who almost entirely agree that it would be a benefit to children and families. Why then do we have to do battle for each and every classroom we add? 75% of the state already receives the benefit of full day K. I believe that the state should get involved in early learning now, before more of our children start school unprepared.

I know we can change this paradigm. We can invest in children knowing that it beats the Street, and yields a 12% return on the dollar. It makes a lot of sense that the County and State facilitate a public-private partership that will support sustainable learning for young children before they enter Kindergarten. And as a candidate for the State House, and also as a School Board member, it makes lots of sense to me that we receive a 12% return for public dollar investments.

The papers are in!

2005-03-30T22:24:00.000-05:00

My ballot petitions are done and the completed candidate packet was duly delivered to the House District 37 Chair in early afternoon today! The first hurdle has been cleared to running in an open seat and I am exhilarated by the adventure that lies ahead.

I keep meeting great new people who are coming out to volunteer for the campaign, and the campaign is starting to find its own rhythm. It is exciting to watch this campaign machine come together.

Breaking News

2005-03-30T00:10:00.000-05:00

Big news! Current Fairfax Delegate Chap Petersen just announced that he will not seek reelection to his House seat, and instead is focusing entirely on his campaign for Lt. Governor.

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The House of Delegates 37th district is now an open seat, and the Janet for Fairfax campaign is running full speed ahead. Stay tuned for my official campaign announcement: details to follow soon!

New Friends and Old

2005-03-28T23:29:00.000-05:00

Many thanks to Chris and Phil Niedzielski-Eichner for hosting such a fabublous fundraiser for the campaign last night. We had a packed house of both new and old friends who made the occasion special for us all. I can't thankeveryone enough for braving the inclement weather to join in philosophical and political discussions about issues that affect us at every level of our lives: health care, education, economic development and of course, transportation.

Much was said of the sorry condition of our transportation woes in the metropolitan area. There is not one family who isn't affected by the stubborness of the problem, whether because of commuting to work or doing errands during the middle of the day. Often, you "can't get there from here." Any time neighbors and friends get together, the topic eventually drifts to car hours in traffic...and it makes me more determined to find a working solution to the transportation morass.

So Much Going On

2005-03-26T17:15:00.000-05:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. The pace of the campaign is picking up already and I just haven't found a minute to sit down at the keyboard. On the positive side, that means I have all kinds of news to share.

Fundraising Deadlines

There's less than a week to go now until the first campaign finance filing report deadline on March 31, and every contribution, no matter how large or how small, makes a very big difference in our campaign. I can't thank you enough in advance, for your support in my effort to mount a competetive race for the House of Delegates. We've added a contribution section to the sidebar of the blog, to make it easy and convenient for you to make secure online contributions. Plus, when you contribute online, we receive your contribution instantly--and we can put your money to work in the campaign right away. Thank you to all the friends, old and new, who have already clicked that Contribute! button and invested in our campaign. I really appreciate your generosity and support.

Birthday Surprise

I received the best birthday present today. (Yes, today really is my birthday.) My fabulous staff put together a meet and greet and a great big canvass for my birthday present. So today, I received what every candidate dreams of: a house full of new volunteers. Thank you so much to everyone who came out to make this is a special day for me.Following the festivities, a friend from my School Board race, Bob Smith, and I grabbed my petition forms and hit the streets knocking on doors. I met some very concerned citizens in Fairfax City who shared with me the problems they were having with the new property assessments we recently received in the mail. Some were on fixed incomes and wondered how they ever were going to pay the higher taxes. Here is one example of our Commonwealth passing on the cost of doing the public business to the localities.

And now you know the truth about grassroots campaigns: even on your birthday, you go out knocking door to door. At least I feel like all this exercise is making me younger!

You Are Invited

This Monday night, my school board colleague Phil Niedzielski-Eichner and his lovely wife Chris are kindly hosting a reception in my honor. We would all be delighted to have you join us.

A Reception in Honor of Janet Oleszek
The Niedzielski-Eichner Home
10403 Adel Road,Oakton,VA View Map
Monday, March 28, 7:30pm to 9:00pm

Sponsor $250
Benefactor $100
Patron $50
Friend $35

To RSVP or for more information, please call 703-323-0202 or email RSVP@janetforfairfax.com.

So if you didn't make it out for the meet and greet this afternoon, I hope to see you soon, on Monday night or when I'm door knocking in your neighborhood.

Cheers,

Janet

Pathways to Peace

2005-03-17T10:20:00.001-05:00

I was thrilled to see over 500 public school students from the entire Northern Virginia region meet at George Mason University to participate in Pathways to Peace, a conference on mediation and conflict resolution. Hosted by the Fairfax County Public Schools, this most important conference sought to train students while among their peers to identify and prevent violence in our community. Workshops were set up in the two day event to reinforce lessons learned by these very observant students.

Civic duty

2005-03-13T23:26:00.000-05:00

Today the campaign trail took me door knocking, door knocking, and more door knocking. I think meeting new neighbors and hearing their concerns is the best part of campaigning. (If only it didn't require lots of stairs and hills!) Maybe when the weather heats up, I won't be so enthusiastic!

In the evening I attended the Washington Post annual awards banquet honoring Dr. Ray Worley, Jennifer Cooper and Merrily Pierce. Each of these honorees have volunteered for over 25 years chairing councils, advisory committees to the School Board and Board of Supervisors, while partnering with religious organizations and the business and professional communities to improve the condition of our community. When describing why she volunteers so much time and energy, Merrily said "the future is purchased by what we pay in the present." I think those words are profound, and explain in large part why I'm seeking office in the House of Delegates.

I am concerned with the future. My children's, your children's, and my neighbors' children. If we don't get working harder to solve the major dilemmas of today such as affordable higher education, affordable housing, reasonable transportation relief, the future will be upon us with no solutions and no hope. We need leaders who offer a present and a future that makes sense to all of us, not just some of us.

Springtime carnivals and fun fairs

2005-03-12T21:00:00.000-05:00

Sorry I haven't been able to write for a few days, but I've been busy in the community meeting some very special folks who work very hard organizing and supporting programs that directly benefit children.

For example: today I was volunteering at the Providence Elementary School Fun Fair which serves as a major fund raiser for the PTA. I just learned from Courtney Robinson, School Board Member in Fairfax City and Providence School mom, that this year the Fun Fair increased its profits by 1/3 over last year.

Providence's fundraising success today is important because the state has refused to provide the necessary financing for after school programs, facility repairs, equipment and even teacher compensation--and the PTA's around the state have increasingly taken responsibility for funding more and more programs and services on their own to close the funding gap. As a result, many principals have wish lists that only PTA's routinely fulfill.

In other words, whether or not you have school-age children in your family, please go out and support your local schools this spring during the carnival and fun fair season. Your support can make a big difference in the quality of education in the schools in our community.

Congratulations to Courtney and Providence Elementary for a great job today!

Welcome to our new blog

2005-03-07T16:39:00.000-05:00

Well, after putting up that first "real" post last night, I feel like this blog is really happening. It is exciting to add the blog to the list of ways that we can reach out to voters and that voters can get in touch with us.

Most of all, it is exciting to be back on the campaign trail again, knocking on doors, and working side by side with my friends and neighbors in Fairfax, as I run for the House of Delegates in the 37th District. Thank you again to everyone who helped on my successful 2003 campaign for Fairfax County School Board. I know that the hard work of so many friends and volunteers was what made me the top vote winner out of 6 candidates in that competitive race, and I can’t thank you enough for your ongoing support.

I am building on my 2003 campaign success to run for the House of Delegates this year in order to continue the 37th District's current tradition of high engagement with the community, accessibility to voters, and responsiveness to constituents’ needs. I deliver 20+ years of public service fighting for Fairfax children and families; extensive legislative and policy expertise; as well as a proven, long-term commitment to the people of Fairfax. I look forward to your support again in this critical race.

Volunteers, donors, and friends old and new: please get in touch with us by phone at 703-323-0202, by email at campaign@janetforfairfax.com, through our website at www.janetforfairfax.com , or by leaving a comment right here on the blog. And, don’t forget to sign up for our campaign newsletter, the J Team, for instant news and updates from the campaign. Subscribing is as simple as adding your email address to the box on the right hand side of this page.

I look forward to winning with you once again! See you on the campaign trail.

Local student drug program in peril

2005-03-06T23:46:00.000-05:00

It was great to see the students who were recognized for participating in the Safe and Drug Free Award program this afternoon at Fairfax High School. The program is responsible for teaching important avoidance skills, and has been a huge success with children from Kindergarten through High School.

At the same time, I was very concerned to learn that the $600,000 funding for this important drug prevention program has been cut in the proposed federal budget. Here in Fairfax, as state and local governments have to shoulder these kinds of economic burdens, the cost gets passed on to local homeowners through our property taxes.

I am running for the House of Delegates not just to fight for education issues like keeping our children drug-free, but also to fight to protect local homeowners. I hope you'll join me!

Cheers,

Janet

Almost Ready to Roll

2005-02-10T22:31:00.000-05:00

We've got some great, talented people joining the campaign team that I look forward to introducing you to.

In the meantime, we are working on a new blog template, which should be going live shortly.

I don't mean to leave you in suspense! Thank you for your patience while we get all of these new tools up and running.

Cheers,

Janet

Coming Soon

2004-12-12T14:44:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Janet for Fairfax Blog.

We don't expect to have much news to share until the new year, but please keep your eyes on this space for updates!

Cheers,

Janet