Vienna Town Council Candidate: Ryan Thomas

Ryan Thomas thinks the Vienna Town Council has led the town well over the past half decade.

So why run against a field of three incumbents?

Thomas represents a new and growing younger demographic in Vienna, he says  — young adults and families whoa re just starting to put roots down in the area but don’t necessarily have a voice. 

“I think a lot of younger people need to get more involved at politics at the local level,” Thomas, 33, said. “Vienna is getting younger. I want to be a voice for some of the newer people, a fresh face that could bring new perspectives and new ideas.”

How the town grows in tandem with Tysons Corner and developments around the Vienna Metro station is a big part of that younger demographic’s concerns, Thomas said.

Thomas, who moved into town limits in November 2012, said people like him are moving into town because of what Vienna offers: a special feeling of community, town festivals and events, friendly neighbors and pockets of locally-owned small businesses.

Preserving those traits while dealing with increased traffic and transportation issues is something at the top of mind of young families who are commuting to work, school and daycare and after school activities.

Handling overflow cars on back roads and ensuring there are adequate bus routes and traffic infrastructure will be a huge part of moving forward, Thomas said.

“If we don’t have direct bus routes to Metro stations, that’s going to hugely impact [a lot of our residents],” Thomas said.

He said residents he spoke with while collecting signatures for his campaign are concerned about development’s inevitable impact on property values, and in turn, real estate tax bills. Higher values will mean residents are paying more in taxes even if the rates remain the same, Thomas said.

Involving all kinds of voices in development discussions is one of Thomas’ main goals, he says.  While Vienna has an active core of involved residents, Thomas says, there are many more who don’t have the time, flexibility or resources to always speak at public hearings or meetings.

He said if elected, he’d go door to door once a month to reach out to those who may be too busy during the week to make a meeting on the Maple Avenue Vision, for instance, but would be home on a Saturday or Sunday to share their concerns.

“I think it’s really important to follow the example of Mayor Jane Seeman — be out there in the community to listen to the voice of the people,” Thomas said.  “Even though I’m a new face, I care about my community, about whether it’s safe and where it’s headed.”

A crucial part of development over the next two years will be attracting new businesses to town — and getting them to stay. Not only will they help the town’s redevelopment of areas like Maple Avenue and Church Street, Thomas said, it will   also bring in more tax revenue, which Thomas said he would dedicate specifically to traffic solutions and other capital improvement needs.

He’d like to create a capital expenditure savings fund for projects like enhancing infrastructure in the town’s parks, or replacing the worn down bricks in crosswalks, sidewalks and streets — things that become very expensive to replace over time, Thomas said.

It’s a better alternative than going out every four or five years for bonds, Thomas said. A fund would also allow the town to “streamline and plan ahead for potential issues down the road.”

“There are also ways [beyond what is being done right now] to save on energy costs, using more durable materials so we’re not having to replace things as often and saving the town a lot more money in the long run, “ Thomas said.  

Thomas said he also wanted to bring a new perspective on how the town can better streamline social media and technology, particularly within its departments and in campaigns to attract more people to town initiatives and events.  

“We’re going to be faced with a lot of new challenges, but we can make them opportunities,” Thomas said. “ There are going to she some changes and its how we handle those, and how we preserve that feeling of community 

 Read about all candidates here.