Gail 'for Rail' Parker's Line of Reasoning

Glenda Gail “for Rail” Parker is a self-described “advocate for rail” in the Mount Vernon District.

“[Rail would] solve our transportation issues in the Mount Vernon area,” said Parker. “I’m a rail advocate and that’s why I’m in this race. We need more candidates on the ballot.”

Parker recently announced her candidacy for the Mount Vernon District Supervisor seat, which has been held by Democrat Gerry Hyland for the last 23 years. Parker will run on the Independent Green Party ticket.

“My campaign is about positive solutions for the Mount Vernon district and the positive solution to grow the Mount Vernon district, bring rail and beautify Route 1 corridor,” she continued.

Born and raised in the Midwest, Parker prides herself on being raised with the importance of family in mind. Two of her three children graduated from Hayfield High School. Parker now lives in the Montebello neighborhood in Huntington and has lived there for eight years. She is a certified Information System Security Professional and is a retired Air Force Reservist Officer. She has been a US Civil Servant for more than three decades and is a member of the Fairfax Federation of Citizen’s Associations and the Washington Region Council of Governments Transportation Planning Board Advisory Committee.

Forming an Independent Green Party Alliance

Parker initially ran for Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova’s seat, but switched to the Mount Vernon District Supervisor’s race after a group of Northern Virginia Independent Green Party candidates formed an alliance to support one another.

“We formed an alliance with Will [Radle] and in the process I decided I would be more productive and better suited for the Mount Vernon district where I live,” she said. “We are a group of Independents, so we have formed an alliance to support each other and work to have rail built in Fairfax County.”

“More trains, less traffic” in Mount Vernon

Parker sees rail as a viable transportation alternative in Mount Vernon that would help improve residents’ quality of life. Parker says she is open to either a Metro extension or light rail along Route 1, but feels light rail would be the more economically feasible alternative.

“In Mount Vernon, we need rail because rail helps us transition to renewable energy environment,” she explained. “Rail has been shown to improve property values in our area and rail will help us to prosper. It will enable us to grow our economy in MV district, provide jobs to neighborhood and provide access to good-paying jobs. People would spend less time commuting and more time with their families.”

Parker said that if she is elected, she will push for the county to start building a rail system in Mount Vernon.

“Rail has been in the Fairfax County comprehensive plan for 20 years and the prospect is still being studied,” she said. “It’s time for us to stop studying rail and start building rail. We need more trains and less traffic.”

Virginia Independent Green Party state chairman Carey Campbell has known Parker since the 1990s and has worked closely with her since 2002.

“One other thing about Gail for Rail, everyone who knows her knows her well,” he said. “Gail for Rail's family, friends, co-workers, and the hundreds of thousands of Virginians who have signed her petitions year after year know you can count on Gail for Rail to do her duty. Gail for Rail is reliable, and steadfast. Voters rely on her to do the right and noble thing. Her record proves this.”