The Democratic primary has come and gone and, while the County Board results have yet to be tabulated, Tuesday was largely a victory for incumbent and incumbent-endorsed candidates.
The implication is that a majority of voters — at least Democratic primary voters — are largely satisfied with the way things are going in Arlington.
Of course, that’s not to be confused with universal support for the status quo. Nearly 45% of voters filled in the bubble for the Commonwealth’s Attorney candidate who highlighted rising crime as an issue in Arlington. Additionally, the initial County Board results show a split between candidates who support and oppose the recent Missing Middle housing changes.
Arlington still has its share of problems — soaring housing costs, high commercial vacancy rates, rising crime and police staffing challenges, a lack of mental health treatment, and opioid overdoses.
But there are also hopeful signs: Amazon is reportedly planning to build Phase 2 of its HQ2 after only a short delay, new mental health treatment options that just opened or are in the works, and there are promising opioid addiction treatment and overdose prevention efforts. Plus, while stats showed a rise in crime in 2022, anecdotally that seems to be moderating a bit over the past couple of months. The several month carjacking spree that started the year, for instance, has not continued into the late spring and early summer.
This morning we’re asking readers: all things considered, are you more or less optimistic about the current state and future direction of Arlington than you were at this time last year?