Opinion

Peter’s Take: Arlington Budget Guidance, Part Two

By Peter Rousselot

Peter’s Take is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

Peter RousselotThe County Board is scheduled to adopt its budget guidelines on Nov. 19. This column explains in more detail than last week’s why those guidelines should direct an increase in the budget share provided to Arlington Public Schools.

The main reasons are: school enrollment has been rising, while it’s getting more challenging to deliver a 21st century education, and the APS share of the total budget has been slipping.

The combination of these three things happening simultaneously continues to reduce the relative share of educational resources that APS used to have.

School enrollment rising

APS projects that enrollment is expected to continue to grow in FY 2015 by 793 students. This represents an increase of about 30 percent since FY 2007. The financial impact of this enrollment growth for staffing alone could exceed $8 million in FY 2015. Other costs related to this growth (relocatable classrooms, furniture, textbooks, etc.) are likely to add $3 million.

Educational challenges up

APS must honor its commitments to bring instructional time up to the same level and provide the FLES program at all elementary schools. As a percentage, special education enrollment has not changed significantly. But, the severity of the needs of APS’ special education students has been increasing, especially in the autism area. These educational priorities require significant additional resources.

APS share slipping

While there have been occasional one-time, special add-ons in county transfers of funds to APS from FY 2007 through FY 2014, the overall trend of these transfers has been downward in relative terms. Thus, over that period:

  • County revenue provided to APS has grown 32.5 percent, but locally-generated revenue retained by the County has grown 38.6%;
  • Over the same period, the APS budget share has declined from 46.7 to 45.6 percent.

APS also helps to generate Arlington’s tax dollars. A recent report by Dr. Michael Walden concluded that APS’ high and improving academic performance contributes to the Arlington economy:

  • Arlington County residential property values are between $2.7 and $4.7 billion higher than they would have been without academic improvement;
  • These increased property values contribute annually between $27 and $47 million more in property tax revenues than would have been received without academic improvement.

APS’ share of the operating budget should be restored to the level that properly reflects Arlington’s historic commitment to public education.

Peter Rousselot is a former member of the Central Committee of the Democratic Party of Virginia and former chair of the Arlington County Democratic Committee.

The Right Note: County Manager Eggs on Debate?

By Mark Kelly

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

Mark KellyThis week, County Manager Barbara Donnellan raised a number of concerns about allowing backyard hens in Arlington. On her list: difficulty of enforcement, public health, sanitation, and even a Virginia law that could put local dogs in jeopardy from overzealous hen owners. In short, rumors that county staff were no fans of the hen proposal have finally been confirmed.

Both sides jumped into the fray after the County Board work session to claim their position was winning the day. If you have not been following, the groups have taken on the name Backyards Not Barnyards and the Arlington Egg Project.

What we know is that we will be waiting a bit longer for a final decision on whether chicken coops will ultimately be allowed in Arlington yards. Based on the slow pace this issue is making along the Arlington Way, it is more likely than not that the final decision will not come to a vote before Chris Zimmerman resigns in late January.

The current scoreboard indicates the remaining County Board Members are split. It seems as though Mary Hynes and Libby Garvey would prefer to table the issue and focus on other priorities, while Jay Fisette and Walter Tejada want to get it done. So, the next County Board member could hold the deciding vote next year. Soon-to-be Chairman Fisette will most certainly keep this issue alive once he assumes control over the gavel.

With Democrat candidates already out lining up support for the special election they should be prepared to tread lightly on this issue as it could be a deciding factor in a low turnout firehouse primary. Add hens to the Columbia Pike trolley as issues candidates will need to “finesse” as they work to build support for their campaigns.

More than an election issue, it represents a rare 3-2 split for a panel that usually agrees to agree. It is refreshing to see a difference of opinion on the Board instead of single party groupthink, but these instances are still too few and far between.

Chris Zimmerman’s departure will create a new dynamic on the Board, in more ways than just hens — or even the Columbia Pike trolley’s future. A new Board Member who has political independence from one-party rule, and pledges to create a new era of transparency, accountability and fiscal responsibility, would be a breath of fresh air for Arlington.

Mark Kelly is a former Arlington GOP Chairman and two-time Republican candidate for Arlington County Board.

Morning Poll: Possible November Snow

By ARLnow.com

Bitter cold, gusty winds and possible snow flurries are on tap for today, weather-wise.

Forecasters say an Arctic cold front is bringing unseasonably cold temperatures — in the 30s and 40s — to the area. Are you ready to see snow flakes flying, or is it too early in the fall for your tastes?

 

The Right Note: Zimmerman Calls it Quits

By Mark Kelly

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

Mark KellyYesterday, Chris Zimmerman announced he was resigning from the County Board before his term ends next year. Zimmerman will take on a full-time job with Smart Growth America.

Unapologetically liberal, Zimmerman believes in steadily raising taxes in order to grow government. Zimmerman has never pulled punches when it comes to partisan politics either. He took regular swings at Republicans in Richmond and Washington.

In his retirement announcement, Zimmerman gave a predictably upbeat assessment of his 18-year tenure on the County Board. No one can blame him for leaving out less successful initiatives like the Artisphere, or empty ground floor retail space, or the decline of Metro while he served on the WMATA Board.

With Metro in mind, it can be noted Zimmerman has served on every transportation commission in the region — fashioning himself into a go-to guy for Democrats on the issue. Zimmerman’s most famous pet transportation project is, of course, the proposed Columbia Pike trolley. What Arlingtonians can ask today is, does Zimmerman’s retirement provide a glimmer of hope that the project could still be stopped?

It is no doubt other Board members do not share Zimmerman’s passion for it. A win by a trolley opponent in the special election would mean Libby Garvey would gain an ally and a second vote against the trolley’s construction. It will be interesting to watch what promises to be a crowded Democratic field take positions, or bend themselves in rhetorical knots not to take a position, on the trolley.

In 2010, I had the opportunity to run against Mr. Zimmerman in what looks like it may be his last campaign for public office. It goes without saying that we agree on very little politically. However, he was always friendly and considerate at our various joint appearances and other community events where our paths crossed on the campaign trail, regardless of whether voters were watching.

In particular, I recall a specific event at Thomas Jefferson Middle School where he went out of his way to be gracious to my two young daughters who were campaigning with me. While I may be cheering for Mr. Zimmerman’s signature project to come to an unceremonious end, and soon, I wish him all the best as he moves on from elected office.

Mark Kelly is a former Arlington GOP Chairman and two-time Republican candidate for Arlington County Board.

Peter’s Take: Budget Guidance for Arlington’s County Manager

By Peter Rousselot

Peter’s Take is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

Peter RousselotThis is the time that the Arlington County Board generally adopts guidelines for the County Manager to use in preparing the County’s operating budget for the next fiscal year. As a point of reference, you can review the guidelines the Board adopted last year here. ARLnow.com readers should review last year’s guidelines as context for this column.

As I have written in earlier columns, to accommodate the new normal of Arlington’s budget environment, Arlington needs to move now to the type of core services approach to budgeting used in other jurisdictions. Based on that reasoning, the budget guidelines the County Board should adopt this year ought to differ substantially from those it adopted last year.

Here are the guidelines that the County Board ought to provide to the County Manager in preparing the next Operating Budget:

“The County Board directs the County Manager to prepare an FY 2015 budget that realistically reflects current economic conditions. The County Board believes that Arlington faces substantial economic challenges, and will continue to face such challenges for the foreseeable future. A significant slowdown in the growth of federal government spending and troubling increases in commercial office vacancy rates are among these challenges.

“To accommodate this new normal in Arlington, the FY 2015 budget must give priority to spending on core government services such as the public schools, public safety, and maintenance of existing infrastructure. We must continue to ensure a safety net for those in need.

“In developing her Proposed FY15 Budget, the County Manager is directed to:

  1. Ensure that the budget provides for long-term financial sustainability.
  2. Present a balanced budget that eliminates any projected county revenue/expense shortfall using expense reductions to eliminate no less than 75 percent of any shortfall and tax increases to eliminate no more than 25 percent.
  3. Change the county/school revenue sharing allocation reflected in the FY 2013 budget (54.2 percent county/45.8 percent schools) by increasing the schools’ share from 45.8 percent to whatever higher percentage is needed to fund all reasonably anticipated enrollment increases, continue to raise achievement for all students and narrow achievement gaps between various groups of students, expand the FLES program to all elementary schools, and otherwise ensure that we are providing the best education we can afford.
  4. Preserve the County’s AAA/AAA bond ratings.
  5. Fully fund all debt, lease and other contractual commitments. Eliminate duplication and inefficiencies.”

Peter Rousselot is a former member of the Central Committee of the Democratic Party of Virginia and former chair of the Arlington County Democratic Committee.

Morning Poll: Most Wanted Restaurants

By ARLnow.com

Question markArlington has a lot of amenities — parks, trails, rec centers, sports fields, arts venues, shopping malls and so forth.

But when it comes to restaurants, there are a few things Arlington doesn’t have. In terms of eateries dedicated to certain cuisines, Arlington is lacking some varieties that our neighbors in D.C., Fairfax and Montgomery County have.

Of the following, which type of restaurant would you most like to see come to Arlington?
 

Peter’s Take: Free Clinic Still Vital to our Safety Net

By Peter Rousselot

Peter’s Take is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

Peter RousselotAs I wrote in a column a few months ago, it’s important every so often to take a step back and recognize organizations that provide vital services in our community. In that earlier column, I profiled AFAC—the Arlington Food Assistance Center.

Today, I’d like to highlight the Arlington Free Clinic.

AFC’s mission is to provide free, high-quality medical care to low-income, uninsured Arlington County adults. AFC relies on private donations and volunteer services. In the wake of passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the natural question arises: is there a continuing need for AFC and the services it provides?

The answer definitely is: yes.

AFC has spent a considerable amount of time evaluating the potential impacts of the ACA on AFC’s work. AFC has reached these important conclusions:

  • many of AFC’s current patients now will be able to get health insurance due to passage of the ACA,
  • but a significant number of AFC-qualified Arlington adults will remain uninsured, and
  • the number of AFC-qualified Arlington adults will still exceed AFC’s resources to provide care for them.

In light of these conclusions, AFC has decided to:

  • provide existing AFC patients information about the ACA, and connect them with assistance to help those eligible to get insurance,
  • transition some patients from AFC to new health care providers, and
  • provide care to more uninsured, low-income Arlingtonians whom AFC previously had not been able to serve.

More details about the impact of the ACA on AFC are here.

Those Arlington residents whom AFC will continue to serve will have access to a full range of medical services provided on-site within AFC’s primary care setting. Other services, including diagnostic procedures, are provided by AFC’s community partners. The care available through AFC includes:

  • Primary care
  • Specialty medical care in anesthesiology, cardiology, dermatology, endocrinology, ENT, gastroenterology, hematology, nephrology, oncology, ophthalmology, optometry, orthopedics, pathology, podiatry, psychiatry,  pulmonology, radiology, rheumatology, surgery and urology
  • Women’s health including annual screening for cervical cancer and access to free mammography for women aged 40 and above
  • Mental health
  • Physical therapy
  • Pharmacy services
  • Diagnostic testing
  • Patient education programs in breast health, diabetes care, nutrition, asthma care, osteoporosis, and oral health
  • Patient support groups

There are a variety of ways in which you can learn more information about AFC.

Peter Rousselot is a former member of the Central Committee of the Democratic Party of Virginia and former chair of the Arlington County Democratic Committee.

The Right Note: Terry McAuliffe’s Top Nine ‘Qualifications’ for Governor

By Ethan Rothstein

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

Mark Kelly

9. Dollars Before Dorothy. McAuliffe left his sobbing wife and newborn baby in the car on the way home from the hospital to attend a DNC fundraiser. But, hey, it was a million bucks.

8. Everyone Fudges Their Resume. McAuliffe pointed to Franklin Pellets as a successful green energy venture. Except the facility still sits dormant.

7. Everyone Fudges Their Resume (Part 2). McAuliffe claimed his company, GreenTech Automotive, was creating hundreds of jobs here in America under his watch. Except that it hasn’t.

6. What Didn’t He Know. . . Speaking of GreenTech, Governor Kaine’s administration rejected economic development assistance for the company because of concerns it looked like a cash-for-visas scheme. McAuliffe moved the planned plant, which has not been built, to Mississippi. The SEC began an investigation into GreenTech earlier this year as a cash-for-visas scheme. McAuliffe claims to have no knowledge of it.

5. . . . and When Didn’t He Know It. After news reports about his investment in a scheme to steal the identities of the terminally ill, McAuliffe claimed to know nothing about it.

4. Believes Money Grows on Trees. . . McAuliffe believes Medicaid expansion is free money for Virginia. Setting aside the fact that Medicaid expansion is essentially “paid for” by Medicare cuts, it is true the next governor would be able to expand Medicaid with little impact on the state budget. However, while the federal match is at 100 percent now, the state share will phase in to 10 percent beginning in 2017. In order to meet the 10 percent match, Virginia will need to raise taxes, or other priorities like education and transportation will be squeezed out of Virginia’s budget. And, with a growing $17 trillion national debt, it is unlikely the federal match will remain at 90 percent for very long.

3. . . . and Obamacare is Working as Promised. No one is a bigger cheerleader for Obamacare than the former DNC Chairman. McAuliffe ignored basic economics which undercut the law’s two big selling points: if you like your health care plan, you can keep it; and your premiums will go down. McAuliffe’s campaign website issues page still claims exchanges will “lower costs” despite all evidence to the contrary.

2. His “Expertise” on Virginia. One of McAuliffe’s transportation priorities was to build a “four lane” a highway that is already four lanes. With no experience in Virginia government, McAuliffe will need on-the-job training to be governor. Cuccinelli, on the other hand, can hit the ground running and keep doing things like this.

And the number one Terry McAuliffe qualification is . . .

1. Has a Plan for Getting Things Done. While offering no specific policy proposals, McAuliffe told the Northern Virginia TechPAC board his secret to being governor – invite everyone out for drinks. The board endorsed Cuccinelli because he actually offered serious, detail-oriented responses to their questions.

Mark Kelly is a former Arlington GOP Chairman and two-time Republican candidate for Arlington County Board.

Morning Poll: How Are You Celebrating Halloween?

By ARLnow.com

PumpkinsIn a few short hours, darkness will fall across the land, the midnight hour will be close at hand, and creatures will crawl in search of… candy.

Halloween is here and while children prepare to loot local homes of their sweets, adults may still be pondering what to do tonight.

Going out to a Halloween party? Accompanying your kids while trick-or-treating? Staying home to hand out candy?

Or, maybe, not doing anything festive at all.

Which option best describes your plans tonight?

 

Alfonso Lopez: Why You Should Vote For Me

By Ethan Rothstein

House of Delegates 49th District candidate Alfonso LopezThis week, we asked the candidates for competitive House of Delegates races in Arlington districts to write a sub-750 word essay describing why residents of their districts should vote for them on Election Day (Nov. 5).

Here is the unedited response from 49th District candidate Alfonso Lopez:

I currently have the privilege of serving our community in the Virginia House of Delegates. I represent the 49th District, which runs along Columbia Pike from Pentagon City to Bailey’s Crossroads and up Route 7 to Seven Corners.

Two years ago, I asked for your vote so that I could fight for our values in Richmond, protect the social safety-net upon which my parents and so many others have relied, and address many of the biggest issues facing our community: transportation, affordable housing, education and job creation.

As your Delegate, I have worked to restore funding in Virginia’s budget for Free Health Clinics, such as the Arlington Free Clinic, that provide critical health care for our uninsured neighbors. I was also able to restore funding for our network of Child Advocacy Centers, which bring together health care professionals, social workers, and investigators to address the needs of child abuse victims in Virginia.

Building on the work of former Senator Mary Margaret Whipple, I successfully sponsored legislation creating the Virginia Affordable Housing Trust Fund and was named the Virginia Housing Coalition’s 2013 Legislative Leader. As a revolving loan fund, the Trust Fund will help create affordable housing and address homelessness throughout the Commonwealth. While we secured $8 million in funding through the budget process, the Trust Fund will need a permanent, dedicated source of revenue in order to effectively meet the needs of Virginians. Over the next two years, finding a steady source of revenue will be one of my top priorities. (more…)

Laura Delhomme: Why You Should Vote For Me

By Ethan Rothstein

Laura DelhommeThis week, we asked the candidates for competitive House of Delegates races in Arlington districts to write a sub-750 word essay describing why residents of their districts should vote for them on Election Day (Nov. 5).

Here is the unedited response from 47th District candidate Laura Delhomme (I):

My name is Laura Delhomme and I hope you will vote for me to be your Delegate for the 47th District.  Like other Libertarian candidates, I believe in civil liberties, free markets, and peace. I’ve spent my campaign promoting civil liberties and free market alternatives to the ever-increasing government spending and intrusion in our lives. While there are many things that I would like to work on as your delegate, the following three will be my primary focus.

It’s time for marriage equality in Virginia. In 2006, Virginians voted to pass the Marshall-Newman Amendment by 57%. This amendment to the Virginia Constitution not only says that a marriage between a man and a woman is the only valid marriage; it even outlaws things that “approximate the design” of marriage (so civil unions are out, and gays entering into contracts with each other is severely limited).  As I’m talking to people about this during my campaign, they’re shocked (appalled!) that this amendment was not only successfully passed, but voted on overwhelmingly by Virginians.  It’s been a short 7 years since then, but the tides have shifted in Virginia. Here in Northern Virginia, people are obviously supportive of everyone having the right to marry. Even as I talk to people in southern Virginia (as part of my support for Libertarian Gubernatorial candidate Robert Sarvis), people usually respond with “yeah, I’m confused why government’s even involved in defining marriage.” I am too!  In my ideal world, our government would not be limiting who we can enter into relationships or contracts with, and it definitely shouldn’t be defining marriage. But as long as the institution of marriage is so intertwined with our tax code (and frankly all other walks of life), we should treat people equally. Our government should not be the biggest discriminator of all.

I also want to end the state income tax. Ending the individual income tax would bring approximately $3,400 back to each household in Virginia.  People often ask, well what would we replace that tax with? I say nothing. There are tons of useless projects being funded, cronies playing favorites with subsidies, and oodles of inefficiencies in our government – cutting $10.2 billion from our budget would finally force a conversation about what we’re actually wasting money on.  From 2000 to 2012, state spending DOUBLED while our population only increased 15%. Let’s re-prioritize our spending, and put more money in everyone’s pockets.

And everyone’s favorite topic – legalizing marijuana.  I rarely run into anyone that disagrees with me on this: prohibition is a failure. We saw it in the 20’s with alcohol, and we’re seeing it now with marijuana. By prohibiting certain drugs, our government has taken a modest problem and turned it into a big one. Instead of it just being a bad personal decision, now there’s a black market for drugs where you never know what your product is going to be laced with. Making marijuana illegal does not keep people from using it; prohibition only drives it underground making it even more unsafe, ruins live with prosecutions, and wastes our tax dollars. Let’s legalize marijuana, then have an open conversation with our children about the true dangers of drug use.

The Libertarian philosophy is simple: Libertarians support liberty. We believe in your right to choose, and to live your life as you want, as long as you do not harm others. Sometimes Republicans sound libertarian when they talk about cutting taxes and spending. Sometimes Democrats sound libertarian when they talk about civil liberties like free speech. Libertarians support freedom on every issue, and for everyone. Feel free to email me for more information about my campaign or the Libertarian Party.

I hope you will help me change Virginia for the better. I hope you will vote for me, Laura Delhomme, for Delegate. Vote for me. Vote for liberty.

Photo via Laura Delhomme

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