2022 Candidate Profile: Catherine S. Read Runs For Fairfax City Mayor

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — With incumbent Fairfax City Mayor David Meyer not seeking reelection, two candidates are on the Nov. 8 ballot vying to succeed him — Catherine S. Read and Sang Yi, who is currently a member of the Fairfax City Council.

Patch asked each of the candidates in the mayor's race to fill out the following questionnaire. We have published Yi's responses and here are those that we received from Read.:

Name

Catherine S. Read

Campaign Website

Read4FairfaxMayor.com

Names, ages and any pertinent detail you wish to share.

My husband is Tom Greeson. I have 3 grown children who all graduated from Fairfax High School.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? This includes any relatives who work in the government you're running for.

No.

Education

BA Government & Politics from George Mason University

Occupation - Please include years of experience

I currently host several shows for Fairfax Public Access. My career is varied and the details are public at www.CatherineRead.com

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

I have not previously held elected office.

Why are you seeking elective office?

I’m seeking the mayor’s office because I believe our community needs good stewardship first and foremost. Thoughtful decisions need to be made about everything from housing and transportation to environmental sustainability and public education. I’m focused on housing in particular, as well as the environment and economic development. I think over the last 60 years decisions have been made that have been both good and bad, by people with the best of intentions. But when we know better, we can do better. We need to think in a more future-focused way about what we’re doing and the long-term impacts on neighborhoods and the environment. Inadequate consideration of peripheral impact in some areas has led to some poor choices for development and as we move forward I would like us to be more strategic. I think Fairfax City is on the cusp of taking off as a destination, as a place to live, and as a small city that others look to for innovation and imagination - but we need to elect the right leaders to shepherd that process.

The single most pressing issue facing the City of Fairfax is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

There are several pressing issues for the city, and I think a common thread among them is that we need to center the environment in the decisions we make. Climate change is going to be a real issue for all local governments, and we need to begin planning now for better stormwater management, better stewardship of landscaping and trees, and better management of the streams and creeks that feed into the Chesapeake watershed. How we consider the environment affects everything else - the houses we build, the commercial development we approve, the way we plan for the future, and the way we manage transportation. As mayor, I hope to bring an innovative approach to caring for our environment here in Fairfax City.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I think the main difference between myself and my opponent is how we view stewardship of Fairfax City. My opponent is more focused on promising tax reductions and he is less concerned with the unintended consequences of that choice. He is also less interested in protecting our city services and creating real affordable housing options within Fairfax City. I am very involved in the non-profit sector and I know the importance of having diversity in our communities, including income diversity. I’ve seen firsthand how the rhetoric around “small government and low taxes” impacts the quality of life here in the City. As mayor, I want to preserve the very qualities that bring people to our City to begin with, and that means a commitment to the budget we need to serve our citizens.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

This is an open seat for mayor, a role that has historically been held only by men. I think the imagination of the predominantly male city government up to this point has been somewhat limited in terms of perceiving what the City needs. For example, I don’t think they’ve understood how important it is for the City to invest in municipal bathrooms as part of our parks and public spaces. I’ve been a mother with small children so I know families and visitors to Fairfax City need bathrooms that are clean and sanitary. I also think we need to prioritize the environment for those families when we consider commercial development because people are making a long-term investment living here. A damaged environment is not something that can easily be restored and it impacts our quality of life here in Fairfax City.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I want us to do more with the resources we already have. This city should improve our CUE bus system by providing more and better signage about the bus stops and the schedule. I’d like to see more commercial development around the new student housing development in Old Town that caters to their needs and interests. I want to communicate more with residents about things like the stormwater utility and the importance of native plants, so we can find consensus around preserving the environment. I want to bring developers to the table who can help us increase our affordable housing stock while also maintaining some of our historic buildings and architecture. I also want to recruit new talent and expertise to the city, so that we incorporate emerging innovation into what we’re doing.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I am proud of my work to help elect young people, first-time officeholders, people of color and women to public office locally, regionally, and around Virginia. Bringing new leadership into government is foundational to a healthy democracy. I’ve also served as Board leadership in not-for-profit organizations locally and statewide which has given me long-term relationships in this region that are important in supporting our community. I’ve worked to amplify important thought leadership on a wide variety of policy issues through the platform of public television. And finally, I think being a working mother has greatly impacted my ability to serve. It might be a radical concept to connect being a working mother to the leadership skills necessary to serve in public office, but I think it matters to say it, because not enough women are running for office. Culturally, we don't value the work of caregiving and it's not seen as a skill that is important in other facets of work life. I think that has to change.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou A mayor should be able to unite a community, and that requires making certain people feel valued, even when we disagree. Leadership should be centered on those we serve. People want to be seen, heard, and respected for what their lived experience has shown them about how the world works.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I"m not easily intimidated. I am a curious, open-minded, lifelong learner who embraces the inevitability of change. My worldview is centered around a core set of beliefs that include the importance of inclusiveness, human rights, civil rights, economic justice, equality under the law, free and fair elections, and the basic principles of democracy.

Realted:

• 2022 Candidate Profile: Sang H. Yi Is Running For Fairfax City Mayor
• Fairfax City Residents Meet One-On-One With Mayor, Council Candidates