Profile: Janet Howell, 32nd District State Senate Candidate
Howell says she is in a better position than ever to represent her constituents in the state Senate.
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At a Glance
- Born: Washington, D.C.
- Education: bachelor's degree from Oberlin College; master's degree from University of Pennsylvania
- Family: married; two grown sons; two granddaughters
- Occupation: Holds no job outside of public office
- Public office: State Senator since 1992
When Janet Howell first ran for state Senate in 1992, she had her doubters. People were skeptical whether a woman could fundraise, appeal to voters and maintain a Senate seat.
But she knew she had to try anyway. As a community activist for more than a decade leading up to her first election, she found herself having to approach politicians over and over again to get what she wanted done. Then Del. Ken Plum (D-36th District) hired her as a legislative assistant, which brought her down to Richmond to see the process up close.
"It was just a natural outlet for all of my interests and I could really make a difference. There was an open seat and I ran for it," the 67-year-old said. She became the sixth woman elected to the Virginia Senate.
She has held the seat ever since, and says she has never had any desire to run for statewide office, mostly because she thinks politicians end up compromising their principles to reach the next step on the political ladder, something she does not plan to do. She is running for re-election against Patrick Forrest for the 32nd District seat.
"I'm not done yet. There are so many things I want to accomplish for Virginia and our families," she said.
While her opponent touts his newcomer status, she does the same with her 20 years experience. She likes the clout she now has as a high-ranking member of the Finance Committee, citing her position as a strong one to help bring change to Virginia and her district.
"My goals haven't changed, but my ability to impact the results has," Howell said. "Twenty years of seniority and experience really helps. Right now I'm a Senate budget negotiator, and that means I get to set the priorities in the budget. In reality, that's where the rubber really hits the road."
She is able to work as a state Senator full time, which she said has allowed her to commit to multi-year endeavors. She pointed to her continued work on family violence, mental health laws, and her latest long-term project, autism. She said she's not done with her work on any of them, and she's in a better position than ever to work out better laws regarding all of them.
Her priorities lie in job creation, transportation and education, and she said she hears constituents say their priorities are the same.
"They are focusing on having a good life for their families and their children. And that encompasses a lot of different issues," she said. "It's education, it's job security, it's having time to spend with their families and not spend in traffic."
As for Dulles Rail, she will concede there have been problems and more work needs to be done to make the project run more smoothly and less costly. But she said her opponent's outcry over possible $17 tolls is unnecessary.
"People talking about $17 tolls are fear-mongering. That number is a possibility 30 years from now," she said. "What we're working on now is keeping the cost down so the tolls can stay down."
She said she is asking the governor put forth at least $150 million of state funding to help keep the cost and the tolls down, the federal government to come in and do its share, too.
To be able to continue working on Dulles Rail, Howell first needs to be re-elected Nov. 8. And she hopes the public has appreciated her dedication over the last 20 years.
"I've been very fortunate in my life and I've just wanted to give back," she said. "I love this job. I just really love it."
Judy Barton
7:02 pm on Friday, September 2, 2011
Sorry to say, but when it comes to the issue of Dulles Metro rail, I did some research, and what Senator Howell is saying is simply not true. Officisl documents from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority released in July state that the projected tolls will increase to $9 each way by 2015, and they will continue to rise until they reach $17 each way by 2040. This is outrageous, and to see our State Senator being so comfortable with the idea of high tolls because it wont happen for 30 years is depressing. This "who cares about what it will cost in 30 years" attitude of Seantor Howell is despicable. She clearly is not paying attention to this important issue, and that on its own is reason to vote against her! Never voted Republican, but Senator Howell, your irresponsible behavior on this issue leaves me no option.
Bob Bruhns
9:03 am on Saturday, September 3, 2011
After so many years in office, our long-time 'leaders' are surprised that Dulles Rail simply costs too much money? Leaders like Howell should have been calling for regional bus development instead, but they let us down bigtime. So vote them out of office while it can still make a difference to do so, before they lock this region into any more crippling overcosts.
Tammi Petrine
11:45 am on Saturday, September 3, 2011
I too am severely vexed by Sen. Howell's misinformation and continued lack of action to protect her constituents from outrageous tolls. Reston's future development is set to take a huge hit with this debacle yet Sen. Howell has remained mute even AFTER this issue has hit the front page. At this stage, $150 million from the State is a priddly amount given that the overage on the 35 years the tolls have been collected is over $650 million. IF Sen. Howell doesn't believe the $17 toll figures, I suggest she read some of the research of Reston 2020 found on reston2020.blogspot.com. I , for one, will be carefully listening to the proposals of Patrick Forrest.
The BSD Guy
2:42 pm on Saturday, September 3, 2011
Howell has been financed almost exclusively by developers.
I don't particularly feel sorry for any of the newbie complainers about Dulle$ Rail. Where were you years ago when one guy (an economist) used to get on local web sites and scream about how this was just another one of the developers crack-pipe economic schemes? Where were you when meetings were being held that could have put an end to this before it ever became a problem. WHERE ARE YOU NOW, WHEN MEETINGS ARE BEING HELD AND SCHEDULED TO TRANSFORM RESTON FROM A DECENT PLACE TO LIVE INTO AN ULTRA HIGH DENSITY PIG STYE WITH 24 HOUR A DAY, WALL TO WALL TRAFFIC?
Most of the local Democrats have been "by the developers, and for the developers....to h*ll with the people" for years. And what do the Republicans have to offer? Another ultra right wing radical tea party nut job that thinks putting speed limits on roads near elementary schools is yet another example of the vast socialist power of the evil government that must be stopped at all costs?
You reap what you sew. What the people of Fairfax have sewn are the seeds or ignorance and apathy. Don't come whining to me when Gerry Connolly & friends show up at your house with builldozers to announce your home's been seized via eminent domain because developers just don't have enough money. Don't come whining to me when your commute to the grocery store takes 45 minutes instead of it's old 5 because the traffic is so bad. You reap what you sew!!!!!!
joanna walker
7:22 pm on Saturday, September 3, 2011
The Silver line to Dulles will add a much needed reliable rail link to the airport, and help with current traffic problems. As for the $17 tolls, even using a modest rate of inflation, $17 is to be expected. (Or do you live in some magical world where prices stay the same for ever?)
I am very impressed by Howell. She really listens, has a lot of experience, and is concerned about people and jobs. She has devoted her full-time efforts to the State
Senate and I hope she will be re-elected.
Kathy
11:07 pm on Saturday, September 3, 2011
In a couple of years it will cost $5 each way to use the Toll Road. In nine years it will cost $10 each way. That will be $400 a month to commute to work. That little train isn't going to get a lot of people to work. It doesn't go everywhere folks need to go. And the $17 dollar cost each way down the road does not include any cost overruns to build the rail line out to Loudon County. And there are ALWAYS cost overruns. Making the Toll Road unaffordable will not be good for families or businesses. Not at all. I don't think it's fear-mongering to want to talk about it. Janet Howell needs to talk to her constituents. Explain to young families why they won't have $400 a month to put away for their children's college education in nine years.
Kathy Kaplan