It is important to Chris DeCarlo that voters have choices in every election, and that those choices extend beyond the two major parties. So, following unsuccessful attempts to become a county supervisor, DeCarlo is now taking on a Democrat he considers a friend, Del. David L. Bulova (D-Dist. 37).

“I think I can do a good job representing the people, without the handicap of political party or special interest influences,” said DeCarlo, an Independent. “And, I want to get my two cents in.”

DeCarlo, Bulova and Independent Green candidate Anna Marie Choi are in a three-way race for the District 37 delegate seat, which includes Fairfax City and surrounding areas of Fairfax County.

Choi did not respond to attempts to contact her for this article. According to her Web site, she believes her background in real estate sales can help add jobs to the economy. She advocates alternative energy and light rail.

Bulova, who is just wrapping up his second term in the House of Delegates, said he truly enjoys representing the community that he grew up in.

“I love it and I very much care for it, and I want to make sure it continues to be a great place to live and work,” he said.

Bulova said his top priority if re-elected will continue to be transportation funding, including changing the maintenance funding formula so that it takes pavement condition into consideration for road repair and repaving dollars. The formula is now based on the amount of roadway a region has.

As he did when he ran for county Board of Supervisors chairman in a special election earlier this year, DeCarlo said he is concerned about taxes, over-regulation and a complex government bureaucracy, contending that most government workers are more concerned about preserving their jobs than making good policy decisions.

“I want to inject the perspective of a small-business person into a large government bureaucracy,” said DeCarlo, who is the owner of Fairfax Propane. “Small businesses are the backbone of communities … and they’re almost under siege by the bureaucracies.”

Beyond transportation, Bulova said his main focus areas for the next session are preserving education funding in a challenging budget year and protecting the environment.

“We don’t want to shortchange any generation,” he said of public school funding. “That has ramifications for many years to come.”