Author: Mark Kelly

The Right Note is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

The eyes of our nation turn to Arlington National Cemetery each year as we remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms on Memorial Day. It is a debt we can never repay, but we can honor it by ensuring their sacrifice was not in vain.

Yes, Board Chair Garvey should have started the push for the Blue Ribbon Panel earlier. However, opponents effectively gutted the Panel when they were successful in delaying it. The Panel was supposed to bring a fresh set of eyes to a report due by December rather than leaving it to county staff. Fearing this independent review, status quo forces in Arlington carried the day — using Garvey’s hotly contested primary as a cudgel to do so. These special interests who lobby the Board are fine with spending tens of millions of dollars in the closeout process each year with virtually no public input. But empanelling a small group of people to provide input on a report due every five years is apparently a bridge too far.

Metro chief Paul Wiedefeld fired 20 managers at the transit agency — about 3% of the at-will employees. The move sends a signal to the public that he is serious about making real changes. The message he sent to all the other Metro employees who are still there — you will be held accountable. Next up for the region, working through the extended shutdowns and single tracking to address safety concerns.

The proposed CIP would put nearly $180 million in bonds before Arlington voters in November. This is before any bonds requested by the School Board, which could total more than $140 million. At first glance, at least some of the items seem to fall into the category of ongoing expenses, not one-time infrastructure needs. Any time you see the word “maintenance,” you should ask yourself, why we do not budget for it on an ongoing basis?

Also in the County Manager’s CIP presentation is a projection that debt service will continue to grow at a rate of 4.2%. However, annual debt service would rise from $109.6 million in FY 2017 to $149.1 million in FY 2022, or nearly 36% in the first five years. The idea that we assume smaller debt service increases in the out years to make the 10 year average look better is a nice accounting gimmick if you want to tax, borrow and spend more now. Not only are those lower out year levels unlikely to hold, but the increased debt-to-revenue ratio maintains an upward pressure on tax rates in the near term in order to maintain our bond rating.

And finally, Governor McAuliffe said he was in “shock” that the FBI was investigating donations to his campaign. McAuliffe’s ties with the donor in question go back at least to the days of GreenTech Automotive. Then Governor Kaine’s administration rejected economic development funds for GreenTech because of concerns it looked like a cash-for-visas scheme.

Mark Kelly is the chairman of the 8th District Republican Committee, a former Arlington GOP Chairman and two-time Republican candidate for Arlington County Board.

The Right Note is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

When it comes to spending taxpayer dollars in Arlington, the year-end closeout process is most in need of reform. Not only does the County Board spend nearly tens of million per year in surplus revenues, but they do so with little public input – particularly when compared to the regular annual budget process.

As a candidate for Board, I called for tax relief funded largely by the tens of millions the Board spends at the end of every calendar year. Now the Arlington Civic Federation has joined my call by passing a resolution calling on the County Board to set aside a “fair and reasonable amount” of future surpluses for real estate tax relief.

In the resolution, the Civic Federation noted that over the past five years, the Board kept $145.1 million in surplus revenue. It would only take about $7 million each year to reduce tax rates by one cent.

The Civic Federation Resolution also called for the county Board to open up the closeout process for a more “transparent and robust public process.”

We know that John Vihstadt and Libby Garvey support some sort of reform to the closeout process. Hopefully one (or both) of the two new Board members will join them.

Thumbs Down to a Delay for the Blue Ribbon Panel

The Alliance for Housing solutions sent a letter to Board Chair Libby Garvey asking her to delay the Blue Ribbon panel. The panel is charged with helping to shape a report that is due by the end of the year on the County’s comprehensive plan.

One part of the Alliance letter in particular stood out, claiming that six months is not enough time to include a diversity of opinions. One has to ask, how would shortening that time frame by 30 or 60 days help achieve their stated goal?

It seems as if the Alliance gets their way, the Board will go back to the status quo of relying on a primarily staff driven report. This would defeat the purpose of bringing in six fresh sets of eyes to review the comprehensive plan. While many Board watchers, including this one, expressed at least some skepticism of the creation of yet another panel, delaying it would only serve to reduce any positive impacts of an independent review.

One of my goals for the panel is to see it shake up the status quo and ruffle a few feathers. The fact that the Alliance felt the need to send this letter indicates it is already having that effect. The Board should make its appointments to the panel on Tuesday and start the panel process now.

Mark Kelly is the chairman of the 8th District Republican Committee, a former Arlington GOP Chairman and two-time Republican candidate for Arlington County Board.

The Right Note is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

All five members of the Arlington County Board were on hand last night for the ARLnow event at the Celtic House on Columbia Pike. It was a pleasure to share the forum with fellow columnists Peter Rousselot and Larry Roberts to discuss issues facing the county.

If you missed it, here are a few of the points I made to the questions our panel received:

• The decision to stop the streetcar project is still a good one. It would have done nothing to improve traffic on the Pike at a massive cost to the taxpayers.
• Using the influence of our seat on the WMATA Board to fundamentally reform Metro should be our highest transit priority.

• Parents and teachers need to stop buying into the notion that increasing class sizes by just 1-2 pupils will somehow destroy their children’s education. It is a step that may be required to get through the short-term as we address the capacity crunch in the county.

• Without dramatic increases in taxpayer subsidies or dramatic increases in density, the county will always be fighting a losing battle to make housing more affordable. Arlington has a limited amount of prime real estate available, and the laws of supply and demand will continue to prevail.

• Few people, especially those with children, are going to walk to a new Long Bridge aquatics center. Supporters should eliminate it from their talking points in support of the project.

I did miss an opportunity during the aquatics center discussion to make a pitch for reforming the way bonds voted on in Arlington. Big projects like the aquatics center should be voted on as stand alone questions, not tucked into other bond projects.

As you might imagine, because of the time constraints, we did not get to all of the possible topics suggested to us by the staff at ARLnow.

What should the County Board have done on taxes? After the average out-of-pocket costs for taxpayers has increased $1,113 the past five years, the County Board should have taken a more aggressive approach to reducing the tax rate than just a half-cent reduction. The excess revenue spent every year during the closeout process proves there is room to provide tax relief without cutting any fat, let alone muscle in the budget. A two cent reduction in the rate this year would have simply reduced the funds available at closeout time this year by about $10.5 million over what the Board approved.

Does Arlington have a crime problem? No. But public safety is one of the big three in terms of core services along with education and infrastructure (includes transportation). It should always be treated as one of our highest priorities and given the resources law enforcement needs.

How should Arlington plan to handle infrastructure needs for an increased population over the long term? From potholes to sewer lines, investing in ongoing maintenance of and improvements to our existing infrastructure should always trump new “shiny object” projects.

The Right Note is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

The County Board decided to appoint a Blue Ribbon Commission to order future county priorities found in the Comprehensive Plan.

The Comprehensive Plan currently contains 10 elements and receives a comprehensive review every five years. The last five-year review was completed by the County Board in December of 2011. This new panel seems to be timed with a Board review this year.

Arlington has a history of creating a lot of conversation, but not always conversation that produces action. But rather than critiquing the County Board decision to appoint this panel, here are some suggestions to those who are selected.

1. Be specific. The report from this panel should produce readily identifiable action steps and establish an order of priorities based on meeting community needs.

2. Talk to critics. Understanding why there is disagreement with County Board decisions or staff actions will better inform your decisions.

3. Be tough-minded. Do not attempt to reach a consensus that will appeal to everyone. Make hard choices and identify the most pressing priorities. The Board is appointing you, at least in some small part, because they have to play politics. You do not.

Here is a further note on this point. If you agree to serve on this Board as a stepping stone to run for the County Board in the future, please reconsider. The last thing we need is someone wondering how their recommendations will play in a political campaign down the road.

4. Think outside the box. Do not confine your discussions or recommendations to the Comprehensive Plan as it currently exists. No one needs to read the same report that county staff could have produced on their own. And if the county staff sends you a draft report that does not reflect your discussions, send it back.

The bottom line: if the final set of recommendations does not ruffle more than a few feathers, the panel will probably have failed to do its job.

The Right Note is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

On Tuesday, the Arlington Civic Federation voted to recommend a 1-cent tax rate reduction to the Arlington County Board. The Board should adopt the recommendation.

The CivFed resolution noted that over the past five years, the average homeowner saw a $1,113 increase in taxes and fees. A 1-cent reduction this year would not cut a homeowner’s tax burden. It would only stop property taxes from increasing quite as much.

Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz already recommended a .5-cent rate reduction as part of his budget proposal, which would only lower revenue growth by $3.5 million. Either option would be welcome news to homeowners. In fact, more relief would be even better news.

The CivFed resolution also rightly notes lowering property taxes would relieve some of the upward pressure on the costs of both homeownership and rent.

After years of ramped up tax bills to pay everything from tricycles to bus stops and so much more, surely the Board can find an additional $3.5 million in a nearly $1.2 billion budget when they vote on April 19th.

If the Board is accepting recommendations, designating $3.5 million from closeout funds would certainly do the trick. The Board can also look to the CivFed report which proposed budget reductions to cover the price tag. (The CivFed proposed reductions had not yet been posted on its website.)

And what about the new honorary Poet Laureate position? The decision did catch the attention of a few budget watchdogs who are wondering what the County Board will think of next. But at $1500 a year, not all of which to come out of taxpayer funds, it is a bargain when compared to the now defunct Artisphere or the Signature Theater bailout.

The ARLnow story on the search for our first poetry chief did cause some commenters to audition for the job, including a couple verses written about me. In the spirit of good natured fun, I offer this haiku in response.

Trolley has been nixed.

Taxpayers are rejoicing

gondolas are next.

The Right Note is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

Next week, Arlingtonians will have their opportunity to weigh in with the County Board on the annual budget. The two night event will feature opportunities for Arlingtonians to provide feedback on the advertised tax rate and the proposed budget — both on the same night if they so choose.

Many fiscal conservatives in the County tell me they do not go to speak because they feel like their voices will not be taken into account.

With two new Board Members and two others who have been willing to shake up the status quo, now is the time to speak out. Those in Arlington who want more spending and higher taxes will certainly be there to make their case.

Has bi-partisan love has broken out across Arlington?

First, Delegate Patrick Hope gives John Vihstadt an “attaboy” for his work with the Republican controlled General Assembly to reinstate the tourism tax. For years, Republicans in Arlington campaigned for on the idea of producing a better working relationship with Richmond. Turns out it was not just an empty campaign promise.

Then Democrat Electoral Board Members Dave Bell and Charlene Bickford showed up at a — wait for it — Arlington Republican Party meeting. Granted, the appearance in enemy territory was for a salute their outgoing colleague Allen Harrison. The consummate gentleman, Harrison was rightly being honored for nearly three decades of service to the voters of Arlington.

Allen is without question a dedicated and fiercely loyal Republican. But Allen always treated his appointment to the Electoral Board as a non-partisan protector of the rights of Arlingtonians to vote.

On a more serious bi-partisan note.

I did not know Tiffany Joslyn well, but I did have an opportunity to cross paths with her from time to time. We first met when I was running for County Board. I found her to be someone who you could disagree with politically without a trace of acrimony.

We also had an opportunity to talk about her professional passion — criminal justice reform. And, we agreed quite a bit on the issue of reforming our criminal laws. Even if we had not found an issue of agreement, she still would have made her points in a way that left a favorable impression.

It goes without saying that her death was tragic, and she will be missed.

The Right Note is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

While the mid-week Metro shutdown was sudden and shocking to the area, it sent a clear message that the new General Manager Paul Wiedefeld is prepared to make unpopular decisions in the name of safety. And that’s a good thing.

During the shutdown Wednesday, safety inspections revealed at least three other locations where cables required repairs because they were fire hazards.

It was unquestionably a good decision to put safety first. But, the timing of the move also got the attention of both elected leaders and the public at large by sending a much-needed shockwave through the entire region.

Metro riders have long known about the system’s problems, but it didn’t really impact everyone directly. That is, until Tuesday evening’s announcement when suddenly every commuter had to think about Metro.

Wiedefeld has said Metro’s situation was worse than he originally thought, and that he is working to make systemic changes.

However, there was something very troubling in this Washington Post story. One WMATA official said, “The bottom line is he can’t rely on the people working for him.” The, albeit anonymous, source went on to say, “Nothing fundamental has changed to guarantee that the information he’s getting is accurate.”

So, in addition to a culture of safety, it sounds like Wiedefeld must institute a culture of accountability. He must institute a culture of trust. And, he must institute a culture of sound financial management.

In other words, there is a long way to go before WMATA is truly back on the right track. Hopefully the WMATA Board has given him all of the authority and latitude he needs to make all of the needed changes.

Not surprisingly, the discussions turned to the question of funding.

Regional leaders should evaluate the funding mechanisms in place and how best to move forward. However, it is clear that there are still more questions than answers about Metro’s future and funding alone will not solve them. Leaders must insist that a real plan to fundamentally transform how WMATA operates is in place and working before any funding changes are made.

The Right Note is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

Last week, the Fiscal Affairs Advisory Commission (FAAC) narrowly recommended the County Board use $1.5 million in economic development incentives to attract new businesses. The vote was 7 to 5 with one other member abstaining.

Some of the dissenting FAAC members thought the county should stay out of the business of using taxpayer dollars to incentivize businesses altogether. Others thought the money should be used elsewhere to get more bang for the buck. Many of those who back such economic development efforts believe that Arlington must use incentives to stay competitive with Fairfax, Alexandria and DC.

On multiple occasions, I have advocated that Arlington County take a holistic approach to making Arlington open for business. This means improving the fundamental environment for new businesses to start-up here as well as making it a priority that existing businesses can grow.

No amount of up-front financial incentives alone will ensure businesses will make a permanent home in Arlington. From the penalizing BPOL tax to the zoning process and everything in between, Arlington’s leaders must recognize the need to create an environment that allows businesses to thrive and create new jobs.

As part of its recommendations, FAAC did ask for the periodic review of the success of such incentive efforts. Hopefully FAAC members will continue to ask the question – is it working? They should make every effort to ensure taxpayers receive a good long term return on investment, not just let county leaders pat themselves on the back for “doing something.”

The volunteer FAAC members dedicate a lot of their time and energy to provide input on how your tax dollars are spent. We should applaud the FAAC members who thoughtfully raise concerns with, and are not afraid to oppose, the County Manager’s recommendations.

Did you know there were nearly 50 County Board established advisory groups in Arlington?

We hear about a number of them regularly. The Planning Commission, the Arlington Commission for the Arts, or the Sports Commission may also jump to mind immediately.

What about the Industrial Development Authority, or Urban Forestry Commission, or even the Out-of-School-Time Advisory Council? Have you heard of those? Do you know what they do?

If you want to give the Arlington County Board advice on an issue that is important to you, applying to serve on one of these groups is perhaps your best opportunity. You can apply online here if you are interested.

The Right Note is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

Thumbs Up to Republican Voters

On Tuesday news broke that some Arlington precincts were running out of pre-printed Republican ballots. Only time will tell if Tuesday’s primary results in Arlington mean Democrat enthusiasm is down and Republican enthusiasm is up, or that Democrats crossed over to vote for the candidate they most wanted to run against their likely nominee — Hillary Clinton. We do know that statewide Virginia Republican Primary results smashed previous records.

Thumbs Up to Revisiting New Day-Care Regulations

County officials acknowledged that new day-care regulations in the works at the Department of Human Services were being met with significant opposition from parents and day-care providers. Beyond basic health and safety regulations, it is always a dangerous path to go down to tell parents what their child must do at day-care, particularly since parents are paying the bill.

Thumbs Down to the Advertised Tax Rate

The Arlington County Board’s decision to advertise a flat tax rate is not bad news, but it should not be celebrated either. The County Manager’s budget made it clear that revenues were going to meet budget needs, and he proposed a small rate cut to reflect that reality. Of course, in either scenario, you will be paying more. The average single family home assessment is up 2.8%. Even with a half-cent rate cut proposed by the Manager, that means your taxes will go up 2.3% or $133 annually — $163 with no rate cut. Last year, the average homeowner saw a $270 increase.

Thumbs Up to Hearings Changes

Board Chairman Libby Garvey announced changes to the upcoming budget and tax rate hearings. The tax rate hearing has been sparsely attended in recent years, so moving it to the front end of the two budget hearings makes a lot of sense. Lower tax advocates who do choose to speak will also now have an audience, albeit not necessarily a friendly one, as higher spending advocates will already be filling the room.

Tourism Tax Back

John Vihstadt proved he could have some influence in Richmond with Republican legislators. Unfortunately, it was to get them to approve a tax increase that will be used to fund additional tourism promotion. I’m not sure who the real winner is here as tourism is a given for Arlington due to its close proximity to our nation’s capitol. It does signal there may be an end to an icy era with Richmond created in large part due to a tussle with the Board Member Vihstadt replaced, and that is a good thing to be sure.