Bored of Supervisors, already...

Three of the four candidates for the Hunter Mill district seat on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors -- incumbent Cathy Hudgins and two independent challengers, Mike “Spike” Williams and Marie Huhtala -- have actually debated twice in recent weeks. Who knew?

The most recent debate was held in this faraway place called "Vienna," where they also have a preponderance of mauve along the main drag -- yet people there could care less about Reston. Can't they see what unites us is greater than what divides us?

Anyway. The candidates clashed over the proposed Metro Silver Line, which may or may not happen, depending on how loud we clap. Hudgins basically argues that if the project doesn't move forward, the federal gubmint will take the bags of money it's got piled up for the project and take them elsewhere.

Huhtala said she doesn't believe delaying the project would mean losing the federal funds.

“I don't believe that. Are they really going to make Fairfax County wait behind Podunk, Iowa, for our turn?” she said.

They might! We're sure Podunk, Iowa's got at least one farmer willing to extend his hayride service to the local cropdustin' airstrip. But they'll probably lose the money, too, after an extensive debate over whether the wagon should go around or under the grain silo in the middle of town.

In an earlier debate, the challengers both pointed to an earlier development brouhaha involving a proposed development at the corner of Lawyers Road and Reston Parkway. Huhtala wants to bring development to a virtual halt, but Hudgins says that there's still plenty o' room for more awesomely ugly mid-rises along the Toll Road. Much as national politicians will often invoke Lincoln when they're about to take an unpopular stance, she invoked Reston's own Dear Leader:

Hudgins took issue with Huhtala's stance, and pointed to Reston's master plan, as originally envisioned by Robert Simon, which allows for additional development in Reston before a cap is reached.

The Planned Residential Community codes for Reston was recently adjusted when the Board of Supervisors voted to change the factors by which the population is calculated. The change gave Reston additional units that can be built before the density cap is reached.

That vote was opposed by the Reston Association, the Reston Citizens Association and the Alliance of Reston Clusters and Homeowners, a point that the challengers have used as an example of what they said is Hudgins' unwillingness to listen to constituents.

Yeah, but other than that, did anyone object? No wonder Hudgins gets grief even when she's being endorsed. All we can say is that we'll be glad when this election season's over, so we can start paying attention to what's really important: Flag lapels.