NOVA Forward Focus
Locally Informed and Engaged in Northern Virginia
We are a group of people affiliated with the NOVA Forward Party looking to stay informed and engaged at the local level. We aim to make well-informed local civic engagement easy by empowering you with regular updates about the top things going on in NOVA, with a particular focus on political reform, ethics in politics, and other topics relevant to the Forward Party movement.
FWD Getting Attention
Forward Party charts new political course in Virginia, eyes expansion (13NewsNow)
A great article that discusses the Forward Party's efforts to establish itself in Virginia and capitalize on the current political climate. Our mission of providing a viable alternative to the legacy political parties isn’t an easy one, but recent months have highlighted how important it is.
Political Polarization: The Need for a Third Party (Facebook Video)
This 6-minute documentary, created by Montgomery Blair High School sophomores, interviews experts and local candidates, including Forward-endorsed school board candidate Vell Rives, and explores the necessity of a third party in today's polarized political environment. We tip our hat to these high schoolers for their great work creating this!
Political Reform
Ranked-choice voting not likely in Falls Church until at least 2027 (ARLNow)
Falls Church City Council is considering implementing ranked-choice voting, a key electoral reform that the Forward Party supports, but will likely wait until its current election hardware is slated to be replaced in 2027.
Youngkin vetoes bill to let Arlington change its form of government (ARLNow)
Governor Youngkin vetoed a bill that would have allowed Arlington to change its form of government. The Forward Party believes in empowering local communities to determine their governance structures. NOVA Forward leaders were supportive of this legislation and some of the changes it would allow Arlington to make, such as electing county board members by district instead of at large, and so we are disappointed in this decision. The veto appears to be more rooted in partisan posturing than it is in rationality.
After years of unsuccessful attempts, Virginia closes campaign spending loophole (WVTF)
Virginia has finally closed a campaign spending loophole after years of unsuccessful attempts. Campaign finance reform is essential for fair and transparent elections, aligning with the Forward Party's commitment to open and honest governance. Big Money Out VA (a chapter of national organization American Promise) gets tremendous credit for this win, as they have worked steadily to advocate for campaign finance reform in VA for years. Shout out also to NOVA Forwardists Mike Cantwell, Shane Crowe, and Chris Hessler for participating in Democracy Day earlier this year, which was a lobbying event in Richmond that championed this legislation as well as other good governance bills.
Governor vetoes 158 bills including raising minimum wage and longer waiting period to buy a gun (6News Richmond)
Governor Youngkin vetoed 158 bills, including those related to raising the minimum wage and extending the waiting period for gun purchases. The article notes that the veto of a "heavily watered down RCV bill" demonstrates the partisan divide on the issue, which the Forward Party seeks to overcome.
Local Round-Up
Housing/Land Use
Zoning changes could leave more Arlington homes ‘non-conforming’ (ARLNow)
Another office-to-apartment project could bring 269 units to Ballston (ARLNow)
Demolition begins at Red Lion Hotel, with new apartments expected by fall 2027 (ARLNow)
Proposed hotel redevelopment in Green Valley reopens old gentrification concerns (ARLNow)
Budget/Finance
State Department building in Rosslyn eyed for federal cuts (ARLNow)
Residents, restaurateurs make case against increases to Arlington tax rates (ARLNow)
Future library budgets may have to pick: more staff or more materials in Arlington (ARLNow)
Challenging conditions for Arlington jail staff drive calls for better pay (ARLNow)
Immigration
Despite profiling concerns, more law agencies are joining street-level immigration enforcement (Virginia Mercury)
APS further restricts state, federal law enforcement access to schools (ARLNow)
EXCLUSIVE: Amid immigration raids, a quiet resistance movement builds in Arlington (ARLNow)
State Politics
Arlington’s three state delegates formally announce re-election bids (ARLNow)
Arlington's three state delegates have announced their re-election campaigns. This is relevant to the Forward Party's efforts in candidate recruitment and engagement in state politics.
Northern Virginia has more data centers than anywhere else in the world. Here’s its advice for Southside. (Cardinal News)
Northern Virginia's high concentration of data centers is a significant issue, with implications for other parts of the state. The Forward Party recognizes the importance of understanding and addressing such critical state-wide issues.
Roanoke College poll: Spanberger leads Earle-Sears by 15 percentage points (Opinion: Cardinal News)
A Roanoke College poll indicates Spanberger leading Earle-Sears in a potential election matchup. This article provides insights into the dynamics of Virginia politics and the strategies of the major parties. The Forward Party aims to offer a different approach to these established political norms.
Democrats fail to override Youngkin vetoes in largely symbolic showdown (Virginia Mercury)
Democrats were unable to override Governor Youngkin's vetoes. This event exemplifies the partisan gridlock and political maneuvering that the Forward Party sees as dysfunctional and seeks to overcome.
Resources
This website aims to restore CDC information that was removed, promoting government transparency and access to crucial public health information. The Forward Party supports efforts to ensure government accountability and the availability of unbiased information.
Do you like this page?
