Alexandria Residents Demand an End to "Development for the Sake of Development"

Hi Yupette,

Have you seen what's occurring in Alexandria? Residents who are fed up with "development for the sake of development" are attending Alexandria City Council meetings and demanding and end to "overarching urbanization".

Alexandria residents are particularly upset with BRAC construction at Mark Center, which VDOT has characterized as "not viable" from a traffic perspective. They are also demanding neighborhood control over projects that affect adjacent neighborhoods.

Time for a change in Arlington County also, before we are overwhelmed by the County Board's urbanization schemes.

Ted 22206

Favola Set to 'Shirlington' EFC to Benefit Her Employer - Marymount

Hello Ms. Yupette,

I moved from a condominium near Shirlington to the Williamsburg - EFC neighborhood several years ago to escape the traffic from the Shirlington re-development and so my kids would have a back yard and so we would live on a quiet street.

What is happening now regarding the Bishop O'Connell athletic field conversion is the same thing that happened when Shirlington was redeveloped. A committee was formed to supposedly represent everyone's interests. The majority of the committee is composed of a Walsh-Colucci lawyer, parks and recreation employees who don't live in Arlington, and people connected with Bishop O'Connell. Also, it appears that several persons who supposedly represent the interests of EFC and Williamsburg will 'rubber stamp' anything the Walsh-Colucci lawyer puts in front of them.

Worse by far is, as 'County Staff' tells me, Barbara Favola has been working on imposing this on us from her offices at Marymount and at the County Board. Reportedly she is paid $100,000 a year to be Marymount's chief lobbyist.

Another 'Shirlingon' is in the works. Thought you'd like to know.

Robert

Minority Employees 'Drafted' By O'Leary Campaign

Hello Yupete,

I am an African-American who works in the financial services area of Arlington County Government. Please be aware that minority group members who are County employees are being pressured to endorse and work for County Treasurer O'Leary's campaign. This is in addition to the dozen or so employees in the Treasurer's Office who are primarily focused on local politics. I was looking forward to Mr. O'Leary retiring. Whatever he says about minority groups he's just another part of the same-old same-old regime.

Anon. at 2100 Clarendon Blvd.

EFC Planning Meeting Again Postponed

Hi Yupette,

The East Falls Church planning meeting (specifically the Planning Commission's Long Range Planning Committee meeting) scheduled for January 4th has been re-scheduled for January 18th between 7 and 10 PM at 2100 Clarendon Blvd, Meeting Room C and D.

Reason for the postponement: "Staff is continuing to make revisions to the East Falls Church Area Plan". Wonder how many of the planning staff live in Arlington?

Beth 22205

Arlington Yupette's Best and Worst of 2010

Based on your many postings to the A.Y. Blog, here are your picks for best and worst in Arlington, and around the region, in 2010:

Worst County Board Member - Chris Zimmerman. He's a total mess and everything he touches turns into an expensive mess.

Runner Up - Jay Fisette. Jay never misses an opportunity to waste scarce dollars on more of his favorite entertainment and recreation projects.

Best County Board Member - Mary Hynes. Keeping your mouth shut and going along with the program has its rewards.

Worst Local Journalism - The Washington Post, for finally coming out and stating what the Post has always been for - resegregation through gentrification - during the Fenty-Gray campaign.

Runner Up - Scott "Conflict of Interest" McCaffrey, Editor of the Arlington Sun Gazette, for never missing an opportunity to boost his fellow Chamber of Commerce Board Members and Realtors.

Best Local Journalism - Tie - Fairfax Times and Alexandria Times - for at least trying to be unbiased.

Worst Legislator - Senator Jim Webb. Why does he still call himself a Democrat?

Worst State Senator - Senator Mary Margaret Whipple. Given her tenure she should have produced much more for Arlington County.

Worst Delegate - Tie - David Englin, Adam Ebbin and Bob Brink. Hey guys you're supposed to serve everyone's interests, not the interests of the special interests.

Best Legislator - Patrick Hope, who is at least dimly aware that he was elected to serve the interests of all his constituents.

Worst Candidate for Public Office- Tie - Chris Zimmerman and Sally Board, who ran on platforms of more-of-the-same failures.

Best Candidate for Public office - Miriam Gennari - for daring to state in a County governed by "community leaders" who worship the status quo and mediocrity: "We can do better for our kids".

Worst County Board Enabler - Mike "Nardozimmy" Nardolilli for selling out his East Falls Church community to Chris Zimmerman's megalomaniac redevelopment schemes.

Best Community Activist - Jim Hurysz - for trying to preserve something resembling a quality of life in Arlington for everyone over the next several decades.

Best Community Organization - Worst Community Organization - No award. They are all seen at budget hearings but not heard from otherwise, except when throwing galas and supporting more of the same.

Worst Community Leader - Arlington Civic Federation President Mike Kerley, for hosting meeting after meeting of "all talk - no action" during 2010.

Best Community Leader - Maureen Ross, President of the Cherrydale Civic Association for telling the County Board to stop delaying long-overdue infrastructure improvements in Cherrydale.

Total Costs for Zimmerman's Pike and Crystal City Trolleys Will Likely Exceed $400 Million

Hey, Yupette,

Forget the estimates of the cost of Zimmerman's Pike trolley being $134 million and the Crystal City trolley being $140 million. Total built-out costs will be in the range of more than $400 million. Pretty appalling because the Pike doesn't need a trolley and the County will be paying a fortune to build a trolley through a former rail yard. Thanks for the blog.

Retired Transportation Planner

Plan Now for 2020 State and Local Population Growth

Hi Yupette:

Appears that Virginia's population will increase by 1 million by 2020 and Arlington's population will increase by 25,000. We should be planning basic infrastructure growth now, rather than funding extravagant projects. Thanks for this blog.

Jerry - 22207

U.S. Population Grew by 60 Million in 20 years

Hi Yupette,

The U.S. population has increased from 248.7 million in 1990 to 308.7 million this year. Despite almost 3 years of recession the population of the United states grew by 27.3 million, or 9.7 percent, this decade. So we are on track for the U.S. population to reach between 550 and 600 million by the end of this century.

How long can we continue to postpone making decisions about the effect of significant population growth on our environment? I'm 35 and expect to be around in 30 years when the U.S. population may increase by another 100 million.

Jeanne, Arlington, 22204

Buying your last new car

Mike Smitka

Retirees have been good car customers the past decade, particularly those who retired in 2005-2007. Will the next decade will be a different story? -- initial data suggests "yes." And it won't be a good one.

A recent working paper^[1] by Wade D. Pfau at the National Graduate Institute of Policy Studies in Tokyo argues that data show the likely financial status of retirees in 2000 -- not a bad year -- will be worse than for any group since 1926. The basic issue is that returns on investments are low; the "rule of thumbs" for how much you needed to save and the rate at which you could draw down savings are proving optimistic.

Pfau examines the long-accepted 4% rule of thumb for an equity investments: that it's safe to draw down that much of principle. But he finds that US returns during 1926-1980 were higher than they have been during the past 30 years. Furthermore, they were higher than in a wider sample that includes 17 other developed countries and a longer time period; in many cases, a 3% rule of thumb was too optimistic. The past is no guide to the future, but will we see a return of historic dividend levels and capital appreciation anytime soon? Never mind bond performance -- with near-zero interest rates, that's no help for the average investor.

Part of what happens is that down years accentuate the depletion of assets, and down years early on do the greatest damage. That is, those who retired in 1999 and 2000 had to liquidate a larger than anticipated share of their holdings in the bad years of 2001 and 2002. Even though asset prices recovered for the next 5 or so years, that didn't help because they'd sold off so much of their portfolio. Those who retired early were the most vulnerable, in what Pfau notes the finance literature calls "reverse dollar cost averaging."

So what of recent retirees, many of whom saw their paper wealth and chose to stop working at comparatively young ages? I fear the worst. Recent losses on assets make "downsizing" housing, the biggest component of wealth, problematic. The bond component of portfolios is earning almost nothing (though if an individual was prescient and held only "long" bonds they'd have a nice capital gain -- but if they saw the future that clearly, they are probably still working...). The initial hit to stock portfolios was huge, and many invested aggressively. Of course inflation is low -- unless you have a less-than-golden healthcare policy. Or have an old home that isn't well insulated, and, since you're home all the time, you keep constantly warm.

The logic and data of Pfau's article is thus quite unsettling, even if (as he notes more than once) the past is not a good guide to the future. His references though don't suggest that the future will be rosy: John Bogle's Enough: True Measures of Money, Business and Life, John Wiley, 2009; Dimson, Marsh and Staunton "Irrational Optimism" from the Financial Analysts Journal 60:1, 2004; and John West, "Hope is Not A Strategy," Fundamental Index Newsletter, October 2010.

Of course we could be on the threshold of an era of strong growth. But my position as an expert on the Japanese economy is clear: their "lost decade" and what the US is looking at are analytically similar (though our growing population should shorten the period of stagnation).

For the auto industry, that means that a higher than normal share of the baby boomers have already bought their last new car.

[1] See Will 2000-era retirees experience the worst retirement outcomes in U.S. history? A progress report after 10 years by Wade D. Pfau.
Note that I have not looked for data on new car purchases by retirees; my small sample of relatives and neighbors may be sorely misleading. If you have such data, please let me know!!

Time for County Government to End the Planetarium Charade

Hi Yupette,

Did you read the Local Opinions page in yesterday's Post? The Post rightly went after the Arlington School Board for its anti-knowledge campaign against the Arlington Planetarium. Part of the anti-knowledge campaign directed by the recreation and entertainment fanatics on the County Board and School Board to also defund libraries, nature centers and the like and use the savings to build more recreation and entertainment infrastructure. Who's to blame? Start with Walter Tejada, Jay Fisette, Mary Hynes, Sally Baird, and Abby Raphael. Walter Tejada and Jay Fisette are so anti-knowledge it's frightening. Unless the knowledge involves soccer and bicycles.

Margaret - 22203

City of Alexandria Posts Outside Spending On-Line

Hi Yupette,

I live not far from Alexandria and you should be aware that Alexandria City Council requested the City Manager's staff to prepare a detailed report of the city's spending for outside services like contractors and consultants. Outside spending comprised about 10% of the City's spending last fiscal year. The information is on-line on the City's Web site and some citizens want the same information from the Alexandria school system.

fairgrrl

Arlington is Metropolis...Chris Zimmerman is Joh Frederson

Hello, Yupette,

After watching the restored version of Fritz Lang's film 'Metropolis' last month on Turner Classic Movies, I am convinced that Arlington has become Metropolis and Chris Zimmerman is a modern Joh Fredersen.

From Wikipedia:

'The film is set in the massive sprawling mega-city Metropolis, where society is divided into two classes, one of planners who live high above the Earth in luxurious skyscrapers, and one of workers, who live and toil underground. The city was founded, built, and is run by the autocratic Joh Fredersen.'

Thank you for your efforts to make Arlington a place where all can live.

Susan

Mary 'Party Train's Over Here' Hynes to Help Conduct Metro Board

Hey Yupette,

Chris Zimmerman finally had it with WMATA. He's leaving to focus on making Arlington Metropolis on the Potomac, beginning with the EFC Tysons III mega-development and the $300 million Crystal City and Columbia Pike trolleys. Every month another unpleasant surprise from WMATA. And Zimmerman responded every time by 'putting lipstick on a pig'....more cosmetics like station improvements. He never responded to basic capacity needs, Metrorail is a 2-track system, but voted to construct hundreds of new buildings in the Metrorail corridors. After years of ignoring capacity issues he recently began to be concerned.

Will Mary Hynes be any better on the WMATA Board? Yes. If she focuses on getting the partiers to the party.

Metrorail Rider

Another Winter, Same Old Snow Facilitation

Hello, Yupette,

I foolishly drove to work today believing the forecast that Arlington would receive an inch or so of snow. So how does Arlington handle a 'surprise' snowstorm of 3-4 inches? Just s Arlington did last year, salt one lane and hope it stops snowing. If you live deep inside a residential neighborhood you are on your own once you are off the main street or road. Are we lucky we have gas guzzling SUVs? We are even more fortunate to have Barbara Donnellan back as County Manager, facilitating snowstorms.

Joan22207

EFC Long Range 'Planning" Meeting Tonight at Westover Library

Hello, Yupette,

The Planning Commission's Long Range Planning Committee is holding a 'planning' meeting tonight at the Westover Library, beginning at 7 PM. Library is located at the intersection of McKinley Street and Washington Boulevard. Appears residents will have an opportunity to make comments and ask questions.

However, after seeing that the County Board ignored the Bluemont civic association and the concerns of the Ballston non-profits last Saturday regarding and Ballston BID (and Ballston is not that far from Westover) it appears this will be another pro forma meeting and the only opinions that count are the County Board's and the developers'.

Westover

County Board Poised to Approve Zimmerman's $257 Million Transit Plan

Hi Yupette,

County Board is set to approve Zimmerman's $257 million transit plan for the next 6 fiscal years, including $138 million for the Pike trolley and $69 million for the Crystal City trolley. Rest will go to WMATA, to ART, and to the County Board's pet transportation projects. This was item 30 on Saturday's Consent Agenda, which someone pulled or it would have not been discussed by the County Board. This item will be discussed by the County Board and whichever citizens show up tonight at 6:30 in the County Board Room.

2100

County Board's Treatment of Taxi Industry - Lose, Lose, Lose

Hello, Ms. Yupette:

I own a small business here in Arlington. I am very concerned about the treatment of Arlington's taxi industry by the County Board at Saturday's meeting. The County Board and County Government do absolutely nothing for the taxi industry but regulate it to death and impose more fees, takes, and requirements on everyone in the industry, ranging from drivers to taxi company owners. It's obvious that the County Board wants us to only use Metrorail, Metrobuses, and bicycles. Oh, and drive everywhere one-to-a-vehicle.

The manner in which the County Board denied taxi certificates to two 'green' companies was an affront to Arlington small business. The taxi drivers who attended the County Board meeting should have focused their anger on the do-nothing County Board, not the green taxi companies.

Businessperson

George W. Bush 2002 speech on home ownership

David Ruggles

The following is posted as a reference to a book review I am working on. The book is "All if Devils are Here, the Hidden History of the Financial Crisis" by Joe Nocera and Bethany McLean

President George W. Bush addresses the White House Conference on Increasing Minority Homeownership at The George Washington University Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2002

THE PRESIDENT: …. I appreciate your attendance to this very important conference. You see, we want everybody in America to own their own home. That's what we want. This is -- an ownership society is a compassionate society.

More and more people own their homes in America today. Two-thirds of all Americans own their homes, yet we have a problem here in America because few than half of the Hispanics and half the African Americans own the home. That's a homeownership gap. It's a -- it's a gap that we've got to work together to close for the good of our country, for the sake of a more hopeful future.

We've got to work to knock down the barriers that have created a homeownership gap.

I set an ambitious goal. It's one that I believe we can achieve. It's a clear goal, that by the end of this decade we'll increase the number of minority homeowners by at least 5.5 million families. (Applause) … And it's going to require a strong commitment from those of you involved in the housing industry…

I appreciate so very much the home owners who are with us today, the Arias family, newly arrived from Peru. They live in Baltimore. Thanks to the Association of Real Estate Brokers, the help of some good folks in Baltimore, they figured out how to purchase their own home. Imagine to be coming to our country without a home, with a simple dream. And now they're on stage here at this conference being one of the new home owners in the greatest land on the face of the Earth. I appreciate the Arias family coming. (Applause.)

We've got the Horton family from Little Rock, Arkansas, here today. … They were helped by HUD, they were helped by Freddie Mac. …

Finally, Kim Berry from New York is here. She's a single mom. You're not going to believe this, but her son is 18 years old. (Laughter.) She barely looked like she was 18 to me. And being a single mom is the hardest job in America. And the idea of this fine American working hard to provide for her child, at the same time working hard to realize her dream, which is owning a home on Long Island, is really a special tribute to the character of this particular person and to the character of a lot of Americans. So we're honored to have you here, Kim, and thanks for being such a good mom and a fine American. (Applause.)

I told Mel Martinez I was serious about this initiative… And the good news is, Mel Martinez believes it and means it, as well. He's doing a fine job of running HUD, and I'm glad he has joined my Cabinet. (Applause.)

And I picked a pretty spunky deputy, as well, Alphonso Jackson -- my fellow Texan. (Applause.) I call him A.J. …

I see Rosario Marin, who's the Treasurer of the United States. Rosario used to be a mayor. Thank you for coming, Madam Mayor. (Applause.) She understands how important housing is. …

All of us here in America should believe, and I think we do, that we should be, as I mentioned, a nation of owners. Owning something is freedom, as far as I'm concerned. It's part of a free society. And ownership of a home helps bring stability to neighborhoods. You own your home in a neighborhood, you have more interest in how your neighborhood feels, looks, whether it's safe or not. It brings pride to people, it's a part of an asset-based to society. It helps people build up their own individual portfolio, provides an opportunity, if need be, for a mom or a dad to leave something to their child. It's a part of -- it's of being a -- it's a part of -- an important part of America.

Homeownership is also an important part of our economic vitality. If -- when we meet this project, this goal, according to our Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, we will have added an additional $256 billion to the economy by encouraging 5.5 million new home owners in America; …

Low interest rates, low inflation are very important foundations for economic growth. The idea of encouraging new homeownership and the money that will be circulated as a result of people purchasing homes will mean people are more likely to find a job in America. This project not only is good for the soul of the country, it's good for the pocketbook of the country, as well.

To open up the doors of homeownership there are some barriers, and I want to talk about four that need to be overcome. First, down payments. A lot of folks can't make a down payment. They may be qualified. They may desire to buy a home, but they don't have the money to make a down payment. I think if you were to talk to a lot of families that are desirous to have a home, they would tell you that the down payment is the hurdle that they can't cross. And one way to address that is to have the federal government participate.

And so we've called upon Congress to set up what's called the American Dream Down Payment Fund, which will provide financial grants to local governments to help first-time home buyers who qualify to make the down payment on their home. If a down payment is a problem, there's a way we can address that. And when Congress funds the program, this should help 200,000 new families over the next five years become first-time home buyers.

Secondly, affordable housing is a problem in many neighborhoods, particularly inner-city neighborhoods. … I'm doing is proposing a single-family affordable housing credit to encourage the construction of single-family homes in neighborhoods where affordable housing is scarce. (Applause.)

Over the next five years the initiative will provide home builders and therefore home buyers with -- home builders with $2 billion in tax credits to bring affordable homes and therefore provide an additional supply for home buyers. …

And we've got to set priorities. And one of the key priorities is going to be inner-city America. …

Another obstacle to minority homeownership is the lack of information. You know, getting into your own home can be complicated. It can be a difficult process. I had that very same problem. (Laughter and applause.)

Every home buyer has responsibilities and rights that need to be understood clearly. And yet, when you look at some of the contracts, there's a lot of small print. And you can imagine somebody newly arrived from Peru looking at all that print, and saying, I'm not sure I can possibly understand that. Why do I want to buy a home? There's an educational process that needs to go on, not only to explain the contract, explain obligation, but also to explain financing options, to help people understand the complexities of a homeownership market, and also at the same time to protect people from unscrupulous lenders, people who would take advantage of a good-hearted soul who is trying to realize their dream.

Homeownership education is critical. And so today, I'm pleased to announce that through Mel's office, we're going to distribute $35 million in 2003 to more than 100 national, state and local organizations that promote homeownership through buyer education. (Applause.)

And, of course, one of the larger obstacles to minority homeownership is financing, is the ability to have their dream financed. Right now, we have a program that all of you are familiar with, maybe our fellow Americans are, and that's what they call a Section 8 housing program, that provides billions of dollars in vouchers to help low-income Americans with their rent. It encourages leasing. We think it's important that we use those vouchers, that federal money to help low-income Americans go from being somebody who leases to somebody who owns; that we use the Section 8 program to not only help with down payment, but to help with continuing monthly mortgage payments after they're into their new home. It is a -- it is a way to help us meet this dream of 5.5 million additional families owning their home.

I'm also going to encourage the lending industry to develop a mortgage market so that this script, these vouchers, can regularly be used as a source of payment to provide more capital to lenders, who can then help more families move from rental housing into houses of their own. …

Last June, I issued a challenge to everyone involved in the housing industry to help increase the number of minority families to be home owners. And what I'm talking about, I'm talking about your bankers and your brokers and developers, as well as members of faith-based community and community programs. And the response to the home owners challenge has been very strong and very gratifying. Twenty-two public and private partners have signed up to help meet our national goal. Partners in the mortgage finance industry are encouraging homeownership by purchasing more loans made by banks to African Americans, Hispanics and other minorities.

Representatives of the real estate and homebuilding industries, through their nationwide networks or affiliates, are committed to broadening homeownership. They made the commitment to help meet the national goal we set.

Freddie Mae -- Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- I see the heads who are here; I want to thank you all for coming -- (laughter) -- have committed to provide more money for lenders. They've committed to help meet the shortage of capital available for minority home buyers.

Fannie Mae recently announced a $50 million program to develop 600 homes for the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma. Franklin [Raines], I appreciate that commitment. They also announced $12.7 million investment in a condominium project in Harlem. It's the beginnings of a series of initiatives to help meet the goal of 5.5 million families. Franklin told me at the meeting where we kicked this office, he said, I promise you we will help, and he has, like many others in this room have done.

Freddie Mac recently began 25 initiatives around the country to dismantle barriers and create greater opportunities for homeownership. One of the programs is designed to help deserving families who have bad credit histories to qualify for homeownership loans. …

There's all kinds of ways that we can work together to meet the goal. Corporate America has a responsibility to work to make America a compassionate place. Corporate America has responded. As an example -- only one of many examples -- the good folks at Sears and Roebuck have responded by making a five-year, $100 million commitment to making homeownership and home maintenance possible for millions of Americans. …

The non-profit groups are bringing homeownership to some of our most troubled communities. …

The other thing Kirbyjon told me, which I really appreciate, is you don't have to have a lousy home for first-time home buyers. If you put your mind to it, the first-time home buyer, the low-income home buyer can have just as nice a house as anybody else. And I know Kirbyjon. He is what I call a social entrepreneur who is using his platform as a Methodist preacher to improve the neighborhood and the community in which he lives.

And so is Luis Cortes, who represents Nueva Esperanza in Philadelphia. I went to see Luis in the inner-city Philadelphia. … But he also understood that a homeownership program is incredibly important to revitalize this neighborhood that a lot of folks had already quit on. …

Again, I want to tell you, this is an initiative -- as Mel will tell you, it's an initiative that we take very seriously. … Thank you for coming. May God bless your vision. May God bless America. (Applause.)

County Board Ignores Civic Association, Ballston Non-Profits, Creates Ballston BID 'Slush Fund'

Hey, Yupette,

Check out today's County Board meeting. Agenda Item 32. The County Board created the Ballston Business Improvement District over the objections of the Bluemont Civic Association and NRECA and other non-profits associations. The County Board even violated it's own guidelines that required the approval of at least 50% of commercial companies inside the boundaries of a proposed business improvement district to form a BID. Why all the cheating? So the County Board can use the Ballston BID as a 'slush fund' for various entertainment and recreation projects in Ballston. Just like they did in Rosslyn. Remember the Artisphere?

Cindy

Year-Around Homelessness Prevention / Treatment Facility - No More Delays and Excuses

Hi Yupette,

Seen the County Board's Agenda for tomorrow's meeting? A Christmas gift for everyone's wants, paid for by taxpayers. No mention of a new year-around homeless treatment / prevention facility. Even Chamber of Commerce and County Board Booster Scott McCaffrey is tired of Arlington's Central Library used as a daytime homeless shelter. This has been going on for decades. Arlington a world class community? Only if you're a Yuppiecrat Hedo like Jay Fisette, Barbara Favola,
and Barbara Donnellan.

Yed

Hynes's Future for Rosslyn, B-R Corridor - Continuous Party Zone

Hi Yupette,

The County Board and Plannuing Commission also discussed the Rosslyn Sectior Plan on Monday. Or rather, they discussed County Board Member Mary "Party's Over Here" Hynes's "vision" for Rosslyn and the B-R Corridor - a continuous "party zone". Among elements in Mary's and the County Board's "vision" are "radical elements" like closing streets permanently, closing arterials on weekends and holidays, banning motor vehicles during certain hours, and turning streets into plazas. No discussion of any "green" anything. This is the same County Board that typically approves construction of 350-vehicle parking garages under new buildings in the B-R Corridor. LOL.

Martin 22201

Longbridge Park to Cost Up to $300 Million

Hi Yupette,

Whatever the County Board may say about stretching spending for recreation at Longbridge Park (formerly the North Tract) over the next 15 years, the County Board is planning on spending extravagantly on a mega-recreation complex in the short term starting next year. A big bond package for the Fisette Aquatics Center will likely be on the ballot next year. Like the Artisphere, the Longbridge recreation complex will never be self-sustaining. The County Board is deliberately underestimating the costs associated with a mega-recreation complex, once construction starts it will be impossible to stop no matter how expensive or extravagant.

2100

December 6th County Board / Planning Commission Joint Meeting - Outrageous

Hello Yupette,

What was the purpose of tonight's joint meeting of the Arlington County Board and the Planning Commission? Nothing less than a session of 'lessons learned' about how to and how not to 'facilitate' Arlington's citizens into accepting whatever development the County Board and the developers choose to inflict on neighborhoods and communities.

Of course, nothing was said in County Staff's recommendations (and most of County Planning Staff don't live in Arlington County) about the quality of their planning, and quality of the development and re-development they inflict on us.

If you want a copy of County 'Planning' Staff's 'lessons learned' call the County Board office at 703-228-3130 and ask for 'Review of Arlington's Planning Processes' dated December 3, 2010.

Lisa

County Board Set to Veto More Green Taxicabs, Promote More Traffic and More Bicycles

Hi Yupette,

Take a look at the County Board's agenda for the December 11th County Board Meeting. Two taxicab companies want to add 100 Green taxicabs to their fleets. The County Board is set to veto this proposal (which will cost taxpayers nothing). Instead, the County Board will add to Arlington's traffic, by, among other things, approving a new parking garage. The County Board's primary traffic mitigation strategy is to promote bicycles, a mode of transportation that is weather-dependent and unsuitable for most of Arlington's residents. The County Board's "traffic plan" is for more of the same, more traffic followed by more traffic calming. Don't want to drive? Buy a bicycle. Or, share a bicycle.

Arlington County refuses to promote, or even mention, shared vehicles as an important transportation option, then complains that demand for taxicabs is stagnant.

I'm 55 years old and I don't like bicycles. Enough of using millions of tax dollars to promote something I and most County residents won't use, while ignoring a mode of transportation almost everyone can use.

Peter - 22205

Merry Christmas in December - from the County Board

Hey, Yupette.

County Board's agenda for the next meetings is on the Net. Plenty of gifts for everyone - $33.2 million for the schools (works out to $33,200 per student for the projected 1,000 student increase next year) $31 million for Arlington Mill, $18.2 million for 'transit development' and so on. When will it end? Probably when the bond rating agencies stop being facilitated by the County Manager and drop the County's bond rating to AA.

Kevin L.

Donnellan - Show Will Go On

Hi Yupette,

Surprise - there were no surprises from Barbara Donnellan's budget presentation tonight. The show will go on in Arlington County during FY 2012. County will experience a $25 million to $35 million budget shortfall. The school population will grow by 1,000 students next year; and the school population will increase from 21,500 today to more than 26,000 within a few years. County Board's priorities and spending will essentially remained unchanged, except there may be more funds in next year's budget for more pet projects. Assuming Congress doesn't defund everything having to do with civilian federal agencies. Thanks for the blog.

Mark

How Much Solar in the B-R Corridor Will $87.3 Million Buy?

Hi Yupette,

In the event you missed Dominion Virginia Power's press release VEPCO is ensuring the Ballston-Rosslyn corridor will have an adequate supply of electrical power by constructing a new $87.3 million 3.7 mile underground power line from high voltage towers near Four Mile run to a new substation near N. Courthouse Road and Route 50.

So, the Green questions of the day are: how much solar and other alternative energy (wind turbines) could Virginia Power have installed on-site (building roofs and exteriors) in the R-B corridor for the $87.3 million and how much power would that on-site alternative energy have generated?

Ron

County Board to Expand Solid Waste Recycling Regulations

Hello Yupete,

The Arlington County Board is going to significantly expand the scope of the County's solid waste recycling regulations to include many types of solid waste that are not recycled now. The new regulations will be posted on the County Board's Web site by 5 PM on December 3rd in preparation for the December 11th County Board meeting.

Sandi