Author: Progressive Voice

Progressive Voice: Sexual Assault Awareness in Our Community

By Progressive Voice

Abby RaphaelProgressive Voice is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of their organizations or ARLnow.com.

By Abby Raphael

One in five women has been sexually assaulted while in college, according to a 2016 report of the Bureau of Justice Statistics. This statistic does not begin to capture the reality of being a victim of sexual assault. At Duke University, students organize an annual photo exhibition of survivors. These stories about the assaults, and the reactions of friends, family, and campus officials, can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/dukebreakingout.

Recognizing the serious problem of campus sexual violence, Governor McAuliffe established a Task Force on Combatting Campus Sexual Violence in 2014, chaired by Attorney General Mark Herring. The Task Force issued its report in May 2015, with 21 recommendations focused on providing a coordinated and trauma-informed response to survivors of sexual assault, improving campus policies and procedures, and minimizing barriers to reporting.

The 2016 Virginia General Assembly acted swiftly to enact legislation based on many Task Force recommendations, including development of curricula on trauma-informed sexual assault investigations; new requirements for the storage and analysis of Physical Evidence Recovery Kits to assist in the prosecution of sexual assault cases; enhanced information-sharing between universities and local law enforcement agencies; and wider participation by campus officials in Sexual Assault Response Teams, convened by local Commonwealth’s Attorneys.

The Governor’s Task Force also addressed prevention of sexual assault on college campuses, recognizing that education should start in elementary, middle and high school, with a focus on healthy relationships. Such education efforts not only can help prevent sexual assault in college, but also address the reality that middle and high school students also are victims. According to the U.S. Department of Education, one in five female high school students reports being physically harmed and/or sexually abused by a dating partner. It is important to note that male students also are victims of sexual assault in secondary school and college.

In Arlington, much work is being done to promote healthy relationships and prevent sexual assault involving our young people. This includes the Arlington Public Schools (APS) health curriculum taught through tenth grade. In December 2015, APS partnered with PAVE (Promoting Awareness | Victim Empowerment), a national non-profit, to host a national SafeBAE Summit. SafeBAE (Before Anyone Else) is a national campaign to raise awareness about sexual assault in middle and high schools.

(more…)

Progressive Voice: Civic Leadership and Lessons Learned

By Progressive Voice

Andrew SchneiderProgressive Voice is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of their organizations or ARLnow.com.

By Andrew Schneider

2016 is a year of elections – from the highest office in the land to positions as a Civic Association President in Arlington.

After serving six years as Yorktown Civic Association President, I look forward to the tenure of my elected successor.

Our civic association is located in North Arlington encompassing neighborhoods near Yorktown High School. Within its borders are more than 1,000 households. What did I learn during my tenure? The lessons ranged from the profound (people care!) to the exhausting (this is a lot of work!).

Above all, I learned that running anything is not that easy. Lining up volunteers, writing newsletters, generating community engagement, and scheduling meetings takes time, focus, and attention to detail. Yet, it does lead to interesting opportunities to make a difference — use permits, sidewalk projects, interacting with the County, etc.

I also learned that it’s worth it. The Civic Association provides a voice for County residents at the most fundamental level.

Right before I took office, we were dealing with a major issue in our neighborhood about a restaurant also serving as an after-hours nightclub. The neighborhood activated and the nightclub activity was curbed. Similarly, the Civic Association had been intimately involved in the reconstruction of Yorktown High School, Greenbriar Park, and additions to Marymount University.

Without the Civic Association involvement, basic civic input would have been muted and funneled through more bureaucratic channels.

More recently, Yorktown has been active in helping guide improvements to Chestnut Hills Park (Harrison Street Park), been a founding partner in the Lee Highway Alliance, opposed and worked (to no avail) to prevent the opening of TitleMax, and been engaged in the ongoing conversation about the future of Fire Station 8.

I learned that there are many dedicated County Employees. As President, I engaged with the full gamut of County employees, ranging from Code Enforcement, Law Enforcement, elected officials, and Parks and Recreation staff. Almost invariably, our County employees were responsive, collaborative and dedicated.

We didn’t always agree or get answers as quickly as we wanted, but I believe on the whole we are very well served by County government. One example is the County’s positive response to our efforts to improve conditions and code enforcement at the Garden City Shopping Center.

From that, I also learned that change is hard. My primary goal as President was to work with neighbors, business owners, landlords, and the County on the overall appearance and cleanliness of the Garden City Shopping Center. We have seen improvements. Several new businesses have moved in. But vacancies remain, trash is an ongoing issue, and the parking lot remains difficult to navigate.

(more…)

Progressive Voice: Writing Ourselves into History Books

By Progressive Voice

Krysta JonesProgressive Voice is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of their organizations or ARLnow.com.

By Krysta Jones

Every March, we celebrate Women’s History Month as a way to honor and remember women who have been pioneers and who have helped shape our society and contributed to its success.

Nationally, the theme of the National Women’s History Project is “Working to Form a More Perfect Union: Honoring Women in Public Service and Government.”

We in Virginia are also seeking to honor women who have been important contributors to Virginia’s progress as a Commonwealth.

We need look no further than Arlington to find women deserving of our respect, praise, and remembrance.

Mary Marshall was a public servant who represented Arlington County for 24 years as a Delegate in the Virginia General Assembly. She championed social services ranging from the rights of senior citizens to the needs of young children.

Evelyn Reid Syphax was a former Arlington elementary school teacher who served on elected and appointed school boards as well as many civic and community organizations. As Chairman of the Arlington School Board in the early 1980s, she led a successful overhaul of the County’s desegregation plan to reduce long bus rides for minority students. Mrs. Syphax’s family continues to provide leadership in our County and those who knew her honor her and remember her passing 16 years ago this month.

Both women exemplified Arlington’s progressive values. Yet despite their successes in and on behalf of Arlington, many current County residents know little about them. The same is true for many other women who were instrumental in bettering life in Arlington or Virginia.

Fortunately, the Women’s Monument Commission of Virginia is aiming to write more women into our history books by recognizing 12 outstanding women for their contributions to society with a monument on the grounds of the state Capitol in Richmond.

We can thank Em Bowles Locker Alsop, a feisty advocate for women’s issues, who in 2010 successfully lobbied for a resolution to establish a monument recognizing Virginia women on Capitol Square in Richmond. The Women’s Monument Commission selected the finalists for the monument from the many recommendations received from around the Commonwealth.

The Monument is likely the first of its kind at a state capitol. Its interactive design centers around an oval courtyard with statues of the 12 women — some standing, some sitting — greeting visitors with descriptions about their lives. Guests will be invited to learn and reflect on the important role women have played in our history, and inspire people to make their own positive mark on our Commonwealth’s history.

Here are just a few of their stories:

  • In 1677, Cockacoeske — the first female chief of the Pamunkey tribe — signed the Treaty of Middle Plantation establishing peace between area tribes and the English settlers.
  • In the late 19th century, Sarah Boyd Jones was the first African-American woman to pass the Virginia Medical Examining Board’s exam. With her husband, she helped create a medical association for Virginia’s African-American doctors and also started a hospital.
  • Born in 1882, Adele Goodman Clark was an active suffragist who became president of the League of Women Voters in 1921. She was instrumental in the establishment of the Virginia Art Commission and is considered to be one of the founders of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

These are the untold stories of phenomenal women in Virginia’s history. The Honorable Mary Margaret Whipple, a former state Senator representing Arlington, serves as the Vice-Chair of the Commission, and is leading the charge to raise funds and awareness for the project.

The Monument also includes a Wall of Honor which will be updated regularly to reflect the continuous contributions women make to Virginia’s history. The deadline to nominate a woman for the wall is March 31. To find out more about the Monument or nominate your favorite Arlington woman, click here.

In honor of Women’s History Month, I hope everyone will learn more and teach our children about the women who worked to make Virginia, and communities like Arlington, places we are proud to call home.

Krysta Jones is founder and CEO of the Virginia Leadership Institute. In 2014 she was named by Leadership Arlington as a Top 40 Leaders Under 40 awardee.

Progressive Voice: The Importance of Economic Mobility

By Progressive Voice

Mary RouleauProgressive Voice is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of their organizations or ARLnow.com.

By Mary Rouleau

We have seen mounting evidence and substantial reporting about the growing income and wealth (net worth) gaps nationally. These gaps have become a key theme in this year’s Presidential election. They have also been picked up more and more in local coverage.

Less reported — and perhaps less understood – are the opportunities for economic mobility in our society and the factors that influence such mobility. Economic mobility measures movement up or down the income ladder throughout a person’s life (intragenerational mobility) or relative to their parents (intergenerational mobility).

Income inequality and the wealth gap have both grown. The opportunities for intragenerational and intergenerational mobility have not improved – which may be one of the reasons for growing income and wealth gaps. While upper incomes grow, people with lower incomes find themselves stuck on the same rung of the economic ladder.

To reverse the income and wealth gaps, we will need to generate opportunities for economic mobility.

What can be done on the local level to create and sustain economic mobility?

It starts with housing, which is the primary portal to education, jobs, and transit — or, in other words, to opportunity.

The Urban Institute conducted a recent review of how housing policy has an impact on economic mobility.

The review noted that “housing policy can play an important role in improving the economic well-being of low income households….” Yet, “housing policy can also impede progress when families do not have access to affordable, safe and stable housing and when economic and racial segregation leave some communities with reduced financial, social and human capital….”

At its core, stable affordable housing enables children to have better cognitive development and improved learning. This success, in turn, reduces parents’ stress, allows families to maintain relationships, and helps build social connections. Through these relationships and connections, it is easier to identify and access resources for training, education and enrichment.

By contrast, when policies trap people in unstable housing, poor schools, few jobs, and a lack of community assets and social institutions we see individuals being unable to ascend the next rung of the economic ladder. This serves to “perpetuate the cycle of poverty for the next generation.”

The type of poverty and opportunity gaps that are generally the focus of study are found in large areas of concentrated poverty in cities and rural areas. Unstable housing, poor schools, few jobs and a lack of assets doesn’t sound like Arlington.

(more…)

Progressive Voice: Proposals for Improving Snow Removal

By Progressive Voice

Alan Howze headshotProgressive Voice is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of their organizations or ARLnow.com.

By: Alan Howze

Last night, the County government and Arlington Public Schools held a joint community forum on how to improve snow removal. No doubt, there was a wide range of suggestions, and with global warming contributing to more frequent mega-snows it is good to see that County leadership recognizes that its approach to snow removal needs to adapt.

How well did the County respond to the blizzard? Let’s look at the numbers:

376      Lane miles maintained by Arlington (excludes VDOT and federal)

4          Days to complete first pass of all Arlington roads

254      # of vehicles – county and contractor – involved in the cleanup

That amounts to 81 feet of roadway cleared per vehicle per hour.

In the spirit of yesterday’s forum, I offer suggestions for how the County and APS can get the community up and running more quickly.

1 – Use data. Many cities and state transportation departments have implemented GPS systems that track vehicles – including snow plows. Real-time information is made available to emergency managers and residents. County government and APS should implement a unified GPS system for their respective fleets – and work with contractors to improve data collection.

Better data, made publicly available, would speed snow removal and lower costs, and the benefits would extend beyond the snow season, providing year-round information to improve county services. The benefits of better data for snow clearing include:

  1. Real-time snow clearing information for residents, emergency managers, and fire / EMS
  1. Information to improve operations – for example, it would allow for analysis of driver behavior, time spent plowing, filling up with salt, refueling, shift switches, towing out other trucks and more
  1. Data upon which to make route adjustments – during the storm cleanup and for future planning
  1. More efficient application of de-icing material with less duplication of street coverage
  1. Faster clearing by allowing plows to be deployed where needed – with less duplication

2 – Set targets. The County uses a four-phase approach to snow removal – but a process is not a goal. What is missing are explicit service level targets. How about 24 hours to clear roads and reopen schools in snows of 8 inches or less – and 48 hours for larger storms? Or a target to clear 120 feet of roadway per vehicle work hour.

With a clear target, County and APS staff can engineer an approach to hit the mark. Clear expectations would also improve accountability by setting benchmarks for measuring performance.

To budget for infrequent but significant snowfall, money could be set aside in a “rainy day” fund that rolls-over from year-to-year. In years without snow the account accrues and then is drawn down when big storms hit.

3 – Integrate County and APS efforts. As with the County, APS should have clear targets for how quickly after storms it will clear its properties, and then work with the County to develop a joint approach to re-open schools quickly.

Arlington students missed an entire week after the storm. A number of APS schools didn’t see a plow until late Tuesday, a full three (sunny) days after the storm had stopped. And on many streets, County crews dumped giant snow piles onto already cleared sidewalks – forcing pedestrians, including children, to walk in the streets to reach bus stops, metro or schools – and further delaying school reopening.

The community facility study conducted last year identified a number of opportunities for County/APS cooperation, and snow removal is another area where joint efforts could benefit the entire community.

There was much that Arlington did well in the storm. The County made a real effort to provide better information to residents – albeit with mixed results. Staff and contractors worked incredibly hard and should be commended for their effort.

By working smarter – using data, setting explicit targets and coordinating County and APS efforts – our community can recover from the next storm faster, with less disruption, and for lower cost.

Alan Howze lives in the Overlee Knolls neighborhood and has been active in Arlington civic life, including a prior bid for County Board. He is the father of three Tuckahoe Elementary Turtles and a management consultant by day.

Progressive Voice: Recognizing Arlington’s Invisible Hungry

By Progressive Voice

Max BurnsProgressive Voice is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of their organizations or ARLnow.com.

By Max Burns

(Updated at 11:35 p.m.) When you think of an Arlingtonian on food assistance, what image comes to mind? The stereotypes are ready-made: the single mother trying to stretch a dozen eggs across two weeks. The low-income minority without sound employment options. The homeless.

We make assumptions about these individuals every day because their circumstances prevent them from engaging in civic life. We don’t see them at political meetings or bar crawling with the khaki crowd in Clarendon. They exist separate from us, if they exist to us at all.

But those stereotypes aren’t supported by the data. I reached out to Arlington County for demographic information on residents below the poverty line and received an instructive but dusty 2011 survey on poverty in Arlington County published by the Department of Community Planning, Housing and Development. As sparse and dated as the research may be, what it shows shatters our preconceptions.

Nearly 40% of residents living below the poverty line are 18-34 — by far the largest subset of Arlingtonians. Their faces look like mine. They are “Millennials,” that much-maligned term. They came to Arlington to work, and many are gainfully employed. They don’t live lavishly. Many have multiple roommates. They aren’t bar crawlers.

Even with jobs and housing, their income just isn’t enough to handle the rising cost of living in Arlington County – north or south. That’s a systemic problem.

These young people came to Arlington to pursue their careers because of our promise as a community, but more and more end up at the door of the Arlington Food Assistance Center, which provides food support to community members in need. Now, those who help need help in turn.

An AFAC staffer told me it used to be easy to tell who visited AFAC to volunteer and who turned up for food assistance. That isn’t the case anymore. With demand for food assistance rising countywide, especially among the newest generation of residents, it’s imperative we take two immediate steps to address what is both a pressing public health crisis and a moral one.

First, Arlington County must get serious about producing updated statistics on poverty and hunger in our community. AFAC took the first step with a 2012-2013 Food Insecurity Survey that showed over 7% of Arlington suffers from chronic food insecurity. This requires those who have the means to make their voices heard on behalf of those who do not.

Second, and most immediate, we need to re-engage as a community with AFAC and organizations that support these marginalized groups. That means giving our time, expertise and, yes, contributions. It’s a logistical challenge to distribute 4.3 million pounds of food a year. Your hands and checkbooks make a direct, meaningful impact. This is what community really means.

I’ve met countless Democrats, Republicans and politically unaffiliated people who give their time and money to help alleviate the suffering of their fellow Arlingtonians. But they can’t do it alone. If Arlington is to remain a magnet for new residents, if we are going to reduce the need for other, more expensive social services for those in poverty, the County Board must make addressing food insecurity a priority.

We must find a way as a community to engage with those we don’t see. It’s time to put our values – progressive or otherwise – to the test for those we call neighbors and friends.

Max Burns is a member of the 8th Congressional District Democratic Committee and former President of the Arlington Young Democrats.

Progressive Voice: A Proud Day for Arlington

By Progressive Voice

Larry RobertsProgressive Voice is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of their organizations or ARLnow.com.

By Lawrence Roberts

57 years ago this week, Arlington was at the epicenter of a quake that shook the foundations of the conservative, segregationist establishment in Virginia that was devoted to “Massive Resistance” against school integration.

On the morning of February 2, 1959, four young African-American students enrolled for classes at Stratford Junior High School (now home of the H-B Woodlawn and Stratford programs). They did so after January 1959 state and federal courts rulings that struck down key Massive Resistance laws as unconstitutional.

The integration of Stratford – together with 17 African-American students in Norfolk entering previously all-white schools – marked the first time that any of Virginia’s K-12 schools were integrated, nearly five years after the U.S. Supreme Court had ordered the end of segregated schools in Brown v. Board of Education.

It would be many more years before integration became a reality across the Commonwealth. The death knell for segregation in Virginia occurred in 1970 when Governor Linwood Holton became the first Virginia Governor to support integration by using his inaugural speech to call for an end to racial discrimination in Virginia.

Later that year, Holton escorted his daughter to begin classes at the nearly all-black John F. Kennedy High School in August 1971. A photo of that event was seen across the country and appeared on the front page of the New York Times.

Gov. Holton’s actions had the intended effect of providing opportunities for service by African Americans at high levels of government in Virginia and also to make Virginia part of a “New South” movement to make the region more competitive for economic development, entrepreneurs, tourists and top students from around the country and the world.

All of Virginia’s progress on integration and greater educational opportunity over the ensuing decades was possible because of the brave actions of Arlingtonians who helped bring about the integration of Stratford in February 1959.

The bravery was most evident on the part of the four students – Ronald Deskins, Michael Jones, Lance Newman and Gloria Thompson. But many others – parents, teachers, administrators, School Board members, lawyers, judges, law enforcement officers, and community leaders – both black and white – were integral to the many years of effort that led to making that moment a reality.

Stories about this bravery were kept alive over time through the efforts of parents and community leaders who had been involved.

Broader recognition of the events of February 1959 was spurred by Arlington Educational Television’s 2001 production of a documentary “It’s Just Me: The Integration of the Arlington Public Schools.”

On the 50th anniversary in February 2009, then Governor (now U.S. Senator) Tim Kaine and First Lady Anne Holton (daughter of Linwood Holton and now Virginia’s Secretary of Education) joined the Arlington community in remembering Stratford’s historic significance.

And this week, Arlington County, Arlington Public Schools, NAACP-Arlington Branch and the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington invited the community to an event honoring those who fought for school integration and made history at Stratford.

The hundreds in attendance heard from our County and School Board Chairs (Libby Garvey and Emma Violand-Sanchez), the presidents of the local NAACP and Black Heritage Museum (Karen Nightengale and Craig Syphax), and a panel that included among others three of the four African-American students who enrolled at Stratford in February 1959 and a 104 year old former Stratford teacher who welcomed two of the four students to her classroom that day.

If you would like additional information about this proud moment in Arlington history, good places to start are the APS website and the Arlington Public Library website. The 2001 documentary is available on YouTube.

Larry Roberts is a 30-year resident of Arlington and an attorney in private practice. He chaired two successful statewide campaigns and is a former Chair of the Arlington County Democratic Committee.

Progressive Voice: Finding the Arlington Way

By Progressive Voice

Greg Greeley (Progressive Voice)By Greg Greeley

Progressive Voice is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of their organizations or ARLnow.com.

The Arlington Way has been much discussed over the last few years amid concerns that the “Way” has been lost. Our experience on the South Arlington Working Group (SAWG) planning for a new school suggests that we can still achieve consensus while doing so in an inclusive and prompt manner.

We do still need a way of ensuring that our elected leaders’ decisions about Arlington’s future have broad community support, especially with the number of decisions needed to address school capacity concerns.

As we consider how to update the Arlington Way the SAWG process — swift and inclusive — may point to what we need to meet the demands of our changing community and growing school population.

In June of 2014, Arlington Public Schools (APS) identified the Thomas Jefferson site as its preferred location for a new elementary. The County Board, in response, formed the Thomas Jefferson Working Group to consider the feasibility of building a new school on the site. The TJ Working Group was able to establish a number of thoughtful considerations for the use of the site, but could not build a consensus that the Jefferson site should be for a new elementary school.

There were many community questions about alternative sites and how a school on the Jefferson site would be used. Ultimately, the County Board deferred on approving the site and asked the School Board to help develop a consensus regarding location of a new elementary school.

In response, the School Board set up SAWG and invited a broad cross-section of community participants. This included every Civic Association in south Arlington, PTAs from every south Arlington school, and a number of community-based organizations. These stakeholders brought different views to the table — and different ideas about how to address school capacity.

One challenge was that capacity needs in south Arlington were not evenly distributed. The three schools projected as most overcapacity in 2019 were Barcroft, Henry and Oakridge. Barcroft and Henry are on the western side of south Arlington and Oakridge is on the eastern side. Thus, it would be challenging to find a single school site that could relieve capacity issues for all three schools.

The SAWG members wanted new options. They considered every APS property and every County property in south Arlington. The members also reviewed potential privately-owned sites. This interest and outreach ultimately led to not one, but two private property owners coming forward. Both had serious proposals for providing the County with land in return for building more densely on their remaining property.

With a large, diverse group, some thought SAWG would not reach a conclusion. But, we pushed for open discussions and stepped outside of narrow, parochial viewpoints. We also sustained a healthy dialog with APS and County staff. Ultimately, we came up with three, interlocking recommendations.

First, we recommended that APS build a new home for Henry Elementary at the Jefferson site. These new seats are well-located to relieve crowding at Henry and Barcroft. Also, knowing that this new building would be a neighborhood school was an important consideration for many stakeholders.

Second, we paired the Jefferson/Henry recommendation with a plan to move the Montessori Program from Drew Model School to the current Henry building, opening approximately 400 seats at Drew. This pairing was important because it provides needed capacity for schools on the eastern side of south Arlington. And, by separating two programs now housed at Drew, it helps ensure the success of both programs.

Third, we concluded that a second elementary school would be needed in the Pentagon City area. Oakridge is our only elementary school east of Interstate 395. We expect that population growth will require another school. By starting planning now, we can thoughtfully consider such options as the potential joint use of the Aurora Hills Community Center and the offer of land for a school at the River House property.

SAWG members did get new options on the table that had not been considered before. We also moved quickly and came up with recommendations that met our charge — and more. Consensus was broad. Our site recommendation received unanimous support from both boards.

Most importantly, our recommendations quickly received support from our communities. This shows that what Arlington needs today in finding our “Way” forward can be achieved.

Greg Greeley was a member of the Thomas Jefferson Working Group and the Chair of the South Arlington Elementary Working Group. He is a long-time resident of Arlington and has been an active parent in Arlington schools.

Progressive Voice: Key Priorities for a Busy Session

By Progressive Voice

Alfonso LopezBy: Del. Alfonso Lopez

Progressive Voice is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of their organizations or ARLnow.com.

The Virginia General Assembly kicked off what is sure to be a challenging and fast-paced 2016 legislative session this week. In just two short months, we will make judicial appointments and consider approximately 2,000 bills.

During the session, you can expect the Virginia Democratic Caucus to work on key issues affecting the lives of Virginians:

  • Increased investments in K-12 education and higher education
  • Strengthening economic and workforce development efforts
  • Improving transportation and transit options in the region
  • Securing the expansion of Medicaid and enhanced health care options for all
  • Preserving the natural environment and investing in renewable energy
  • Passing sensible gun violence prevention measures
  • Defending against attacks on civil rights, voting rights, and immigrant communities

Serving as Whip for the Democratic House Caucus, I will be working on floor advocacy, bill tracking, and messaging efforts to move Caucus legislation and our agenda forward.

You can find the Virginia House Democratic Caucus’ list of priorities here.

In addition, a major focal point of the session will be the adoption of Virginia’s budget for the next two years.

In December, Gov. McAuliffe introduced a budget that includes key investments in health care, K-12 and higher education, economic development, environmental protection, and veterans’ services.

The budget proposal may present opportunities for bipartisan agreement. There appears to be support for significant — and long overdue — investments in K-12 and higher education this year. We should expect to see agreement on important improvements to workforce development programs.

I believe we will see some victories for and a renewed focus on economic development and diversification of Virginia’s economy.

There will also be considerable challenges, including a Republican plan to remove an eminently qualified Supreme Court Justice from Northern Virginia for purely partisan reasons.

Other Republican bills threaten to demonize immigrants and refugees, block same sex marriage, roll back sensible gun violence prevention laws, and block compliance with the Clean Power Plan, to name just a few areas where the General Assembly majority is working against Arlington’s priorities.

My own bills this session include:

Small Business Definition Reform — Changing the definition of small business in Virginia to be fairer for women and minority-owned businesses by incorporating federal small business standards.

Affordable Housing — Creating a dedicated source of revenue for the Virginia Affordable Housing Trust Fund so that it can be implemented more effectively across the region and Commonwealth.

School Environmental Protection Act — Banning the use of federally “Restricted Use Pesticides” within a quarter of a mile of a public or private elementary or secondary school in Virginia.

Zero Tolerance for Repeat Polluters Act — Significantly increasing the civil penalty that the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality can impose on repeat offenders.

Default Sales of Firearms — Banning default sales for gun purchases if the background check takes longer than 72 hours.

Concealed Carry Training — Ensuring that in order to be qualified for a concealed carry permit in Virginia, an individual must do more than just take online and video courses.

Restrictions on Firearms Use by Children — Update child firearm restrictions to prohibit children four and under from using a firearm regardless of adult supervision.

Renewable Energy — Fixing Virginia’s definition of renewable energy to promote efficient biomass energy generation.

Child Labor in Tobacco Farms — Placing significant restrictions on the use of child labor in tobacco farming operations in Virginia.

In addition, as founder and Chair of the bipartisan Virginia Environment and Renewable Energy (VERE) Caucus, I’ll be promoting legislation to increase renewable energy production and improve energy efficiency. The General Assembly must not let the opportunity to create a sustainable energy future and mitigate the impacts of climate change slip away.

We will also be working to defend against attacks on sensible efforts to address climate change through the Clean Power Plan. The Plan presents Virginia with a tremendous opportunity to grow and diversify its economy through investments in clean, sustainable energy — solar, wind, etc. — and green technology.

Rest assured that I will continue to fight for our community’s values and priorities in Richmond so that we can keep Virginia moving forward and improve the quality of life for all Virginians.

Alfonso Lopez represents the 49th District (South Arlington and Eastern Fairfax) in the Virginia House of Delegates.  He and his family are long-time residents of Arlington.

Progressive Voice: A Message for a New Year

By Progressive Voice

Karen DarnerBy Karen Darner

Progressive Voice is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of their organizations or ARLnow.com.

The following is an adaptation of remarks delivered by Karen Darner at the swearing-in ceremony for incoming County Board members Katie Cristol and Christian Dorsey.

Good afternoon, Arlington! I have the honor of sharing with all of you an event that is the culmination of almost a whole year of campaigning by many people to serve on the Arlington County Board.

This year was historic to a certain degree — two first-time members join the County Board on Jan. 1, 2016 — the first time this has happened since 1978.

Here in Arlington, which has been my home for almost 45 years, I have seen come to life almost daily Margaret Mead’s words: “Never believe a few caring people can’t change the world because that’s all who ever have.”

I’ve seen that spirit of caring and community in our neighborhoods, classrooms, community centers, and parks; in our public and private workforces and our volunteers; and in our elected and appointed leaders.

The Arlington Community Foundation says we’re a community of “uncommon values” — and I believe that wholeheartedly.

We have had our difficult times in Arlington. On Jan. 11, almost 13 years ago in this very room, our new County Board Chair Charles “Mickey” Monroe had a mortal stroke as he was responding to a citizen comment. Mickey was stricken while giving back to a community where he was raised, wanting to make Arlington a better place for residents of all ages and for future generations.

Mickey’s favorite song was “Sailing” by Christopher Cross, and the chorus provides a little insight into Mickey’s thoughts about our community: “Sailing takes me away to where I’ve always heard it could be; just a dream and the wind to carry me.”

I believe Charles Monroe would be proud of these two new County Board members. He would hold a dream of all five County Board members working together in 2016 to serve the community they represent and wish for them a little figurative wind at their backs aided by the service of past County Board members. Though we face a changing world, those links between past and present are important to ensuring that Arlington is the kind of place we’ve always heard it could be.

In a few moments, we will hear from our new Board members, Katie Cristol and Christian Dorsey. They bring a youthful vigor to their new positions. What impresses me about both Christian and Katie is their fervent desire to work with our residents to identify strengths and weaknesses, joined together with a willingness to invest the time and study to ensure collaborative problem solving. They stand ready to work with their Board colleagues and with Arlington’s residents to move our community forward.

I am impressed that they have learned something that I learned through my Peace Corps work — there isn’t always a right way or a wrong way — it is often enough just to be willing to try things a different way.

It is good to see this room overflowing with people wishing Christian and Katie well.

I am glad that we are joined by so many community leaders and elected officials, from County Board members, to School Board members, to Constitutional officers, to General Assembly members, to senior County and Arlington Public Schools staff.

And we have a special mix of generations participating today. The Star Spangled Banner will be sung by 8th grade Thomas Jefferson student Maya-Ree Loza Munoz, a young woman who is an outstanding student, and is quite busy with theatre and music activities as well as volunteering with low-income family and homeless programs — giving back to her community. In addition to being an English and Spanish speaker, she is learning Chinese, French, and American Sign Language.

Immediately following the Star Spangled Banner, Jordan Dorsey, a second grader at Arlington Traditional School, will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag. Keep in mind that not only is she a voracious reader, but Jordan was elected to her student council the week BEFORE her dad was elected to the Arlington County Board — the first elected Dorsey in Arlington!

Thank you to all of you for your participation in this special event today. May we all be blessed in the New Year and may we all wish our 2016 County Board a successful year ahead.

Karen Darner served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1991 to 2004. In 2009, she received the Arlington Community Foundation’s William T. Newman Jr. Spirit of Community Award in recognition of over 30 years as an active member of numerous community organizations.

Progressive Voice: Broader Participation and Communication for a Changing Community

By Progressive Voice

Mary Rouleau

By Mary Rouleau

Progressive Voice is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of their organizations or ARLnow.com.

Two weeks ago, in this space, I articulated what others in the community have been saying: it’s time to craft an Arlington Way 2.0. If nothing else, demographic shifts and the technology explosion support the view that a reboot is timely.

While there has been discussion about and some effort to bring more segments of the community into the dialogue by creating more opportunities for public input, it is not enough. The Arlington Way should also encompass a more effective rollout of studies and policies after they are adopted, including getting basic facts into the community in a timely way.

This is not to advocate for particular decisions or policy directions. The community and its elected representatives will ultimately set directions and make decisions. I am advocating for processes that include early opportunities for broader and more meaningful input together with more intense communication efforts at the back end of decision making processes.

In that way, Arlington can discern views of its residents more accurately and make decisions more promptly as well as more securely. The end goal is building community trust in an environment that differs markedly from the more homogenous Arlington that existed in past generations.

What follows are several thoughts about the overall process, with a particular focus on communications.

First, the Arlington Way for a particular process should include prompt decisions through a schedule, as well as clear and accurate information about where, what and how public input will be sought and used.

Second, we should review our system of charrettes and town halls to better promote inclusion and “community conversations.” We have not had adequate participation or room for deep dive discussions.

We should aggressively reach beyond the civic association structure. We especially need to more fully engage our large millennial population, including involvement on working groups and organizational boards. Leadership Arlington’s Young Professionals Program has grown a pool of candidates.

Third, we still need real-time, in-person give-and-take. While online tools can be helpful supplements, they can be too easily commandeered by those with a preset agenda.

I think the County has been doing a better job at gathering input, yet fuller information flow is still needed.

According to the 2015 County Resident Satisfaction Survey, 75 percent of those polled trust information provided by the County, but satisfaction regarding the effectiveness of County communications and transparency of decision-making declined.

The County has recently created informative and user-friendly portals for the Community Facilities Study, other studies and site plans. We need tools to promote use of those pages — perhaps a “Campaign to Connect” that emphasizes the importance of these portals to decision making.

A changed paradigm for information packaging is needed. Arlington produces thorough reports but few read them. Those reports should be accompanied by highly visual summaries — such as infographics — that are released simultaneously.

My suggestions for disseminating information more effectively include:

  • better use of The Citizen, including a format overhaul and well-designed center pullouts
  • electronic short pieces and infographics to distribute to the many community newsletters and Listservs
  • pop-ups and temporary signage that focuses attention
  • new methods to simplify complicated topics like community planning — such as the upcoming Cards Against Urbanity session
  • placing basic information on major initiatives — not advocacy — inside routine mailers that go to many residences and mailings to neighborhoods directly affected by upcoming decisions

The just-completed Community Facilities Study, like the recent housing study, produced a wealth of data about Arlington’s economy, schools and demographics. This data deserves broad public awareness and could be packaged into a series of “101s.”

An improvement of the County’s communications capacity should be a high priority for the newly constituted 2016 County Board and the County Manager.

Given the enormous successes achieved by Arlington and some issues that divided the community despite lengthy processes meant to avoid such divisions, it is important that the County not leave itself open to the impression that it is hiding something or that a particular process is not fair.

A fully informed and engaged public can improve County decisions and do so even with a streamlining of our processes. The County should leave few stones unturned in the effort.

Mary Rouleau is a 25-year resident of Arlington. She is the Executive Director of The Alliance for Housing Solutions. This column reflects her personal views.

View More Stories