Local Coverage from WJLA 7News

 FAIRFAX, Va. (7News)  — Early voting  ends Saturday in Fairfax County’s special election to fill the vacant  Braddock District seat on the Board of Supervisors, with three  candidates vying to replace former supervisor James Walkinshaw who was  recently elected to Congress.

Walkinshaw, a Democrat first elected  in 2019, won a special election in September to represent Fairfax  County in Congress, leaving his Board seat open ahead of the Dec. 9  vote.

Independent candidate Carey “Chet” Campbell,  a U.S. Air Force veteran, told 7News on Thursday he stands apart in the  race because of his background and decades of civic involvement.

   Campbell said:

"I am the only veteran on the ballot.  I'm the only independent on the ballot. I am the only elected union  representative on the ballot. I'm the only person on the ballot who has  contract bargaining experience",

Campbell  said funding county schools is his main priority, arguing that he is  the only candidate in the race who makes that promise:

"We  shortchanged the schools 146 million in the current fiscal year. the  latest report in Fairfax County news yesterday was that they're  projecting for the coming fiscal year $180 million shortfall,”

Campbell  also highlighted his three-point plan that  he says would keep property  taxes low while fully funding schools, police, fire, and human  services, citing forecasts of a significant county budget deficit. Those  proposals include a progressive tax on “mega mansions” valued at more  than $5 million, expanding renewable energy on county buildings, and  allowing development of “car-free, car-less communities” to reduce  infrastructure costs.Campbell told 7News: 

"We need to save $100 million a year in utility cost by putting solar, geothermal, renewable energy on all of our properties."

Campbell said investments in transit-oriented development help grow property values and, in turn, county revenue:

"Car-free, car-less communities lower housing cost increases affordability for residents, increases revenue for the county."

On  the proposed Tysons casino and entertainment complex, Campbell said he  is not currently supporting the project but would back a countywide  referendum.

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Early voting continues through Saturday, Dec. 6, at designated locations across Fairfax County. 

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Campbell platform specifics:

1. Installing solar & geothermal heating and cooling systems and batteries cuts utility costs and saves taxpayer dollars to fully fund schools. Combined solar-and-storage systems are a foundational part of our resilient, low-carbon energy future. With lithium battery prices dropping 89% since 2010, these hybrid systems improve reliability and grid stability while generating revenue. 

2. Build carless, carfree communities. Eliminate requirements of a minimum number of parking spaces for new development. 

Cut parking requirements to zero. End parking mandates. This lowers infrastructure costs and creates revenue. It cuts development and housing costs which creates affordability. Denver cut housing costs by 12%. In communities with good transit, eliminating the parking minimum results in less competition for on-street spaces. Because when you allow a developer to put up a building without parking, the tenants show up without cars.