Opinion

Peter’s Take: Nicole Merlene for Virginia State Senate

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.

In these increasingly fast-paced times, Virginia’s 31st Senate District (where I live) needs a state senator who can quickly grasp our rapidly changing economic and technological challenges and champion innovative, new regional and state solutions.

We need a senator free from multiple conflicts of interest to advance solutions that are in our best interests, not some special interest. To develop sound energy and environmental policy that is best for us and fit for the 21st century, we need a senator who is free from entanglements with Dominion Energy. Nicole Merlene will be that senator.

Why Nicole Merlene should be nominated

Arlington is Merlene’s hometown. She’s running for Virginia’s State Senate after several years as a Virginia renter’s rights and transportation advocate. She is an economic development professional who has served as a leader in our community, including as an economic development commissioner, and on the boards of the Arlington County Civic Federation, Rosslyn Business Improvement District, North Rosslyn Civic Association, and a local transportation advisory committee.

Merlene has a detailed policy platform outlining her positions on major issues, including: workforce livability, transportation, protecting our environment, education, healthcare, equality for all, and family.

The issues that Merlene has highlighted during her campaign are the top priorities of the district as evidenced by questions raised in recent debates. We need Merlene’s fresh perspectives and know-how in Richmond.

During the 2019 first quarter, Merlene raised $20,936 from 293 donors, all of whom were individual contributors. Not a single dollar she raised in this reporting period came from a corporation, corporate entity, or corporate PAC. Adding to the grassroots nature of her campaign, Merlene’s average contribution was $71.45, and 92% of her contributions were $100 or less.

Why Barbara Favola should not be nominated

Barbara Favola has a continuing practice of representing clients or donors whose interests can conflict with the public’s interests, most significantly when those clients or donors require action by governmental bodies. For example, Favola has represented the following with major business interests in Arlington, the 31st District, and the Commonwealth of Virginia:

  • Donor, Advanced Towing, seeking to weaken towing regulations while Arlington County was trying to strengthen them.
  • Employer, Marymount University, seeking to aid Marymount in obtaining state grants and local permits.
  • Employer, Virginia Hospital Center, in negotiations about eminent domain and the hospital’s land-use plans, and introducing bills relating to health insurance that Virginia House Democrats opposed.

Even when these and similar entities are not doing business in the 31st District, there is too great a risk that Favola will end up representing those entities’ interests rather than the public interest.

The Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP) has posted a cumulative list of Favola’s top campaign donors since she was first elected to the Virginia State Senate in 2011. A few top donors on that list are:

Favola only announced this year that she wouldn’t accept any more Dominion Energy cash after learning that Merlene wasn’t accepting any.

Conclusion

Merlene has served our community in leadership roles by mobilizing support for local small business permit approvals, organizing community engagement processes, and planning neighborhood transportation patterns. She will be a strong, fair and impartial representative of all 31st District residents.

Favola says she deserves the Democratic nomination because, in over 20 years in elective office, she has compiled a record as a “pragmatic progressive.” But her representation of private clients and her acceptance of large sums of money from top donors with agendas are not the kind of pragmatism voters should continue to reward.

I enthusiastically endorse Merlene as the next Senator for the 31st District of Virginia. You can learn more about Merlene’s candidacy here.

Peter Rousselot previously served as Chair of the Fiscal Affairs Advisory Commission (FAAC) to the Arlington County Board and as Co-Chair of the Advisory Council on Instruction (ACI) to the Arlington School Board. He is also a former Chair of the Arlington County Democratic Committee (ACDC) and a former member of the Central Committee of the Democratic Party of Virginia (DPVA). He currently serves as a board member of the Together Virginia PAC-a political action committee dedicated to identifying, helping and advising Democratic candidates in rural Virginia.

The Right Note: No Exit Interviews?

By 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.

Arlington School Board members are asking for information about staff turnover. Superintendent Patrick Murphy doesn’t have it. That fact is rightly causing the School Board to push for more information.

If you have ever left a professional job voluntarily, you have probably been asked to provide an exit interview. Many employers do this because they want to keep good employees. The information they gain in these exit interviews is designed to help them understand what they can do to make the work environment better.

Is it pay? Is it opportunity for advancement? Is the commute too long, causing someone to miss family time? Is there a toxic manager or staff member who is making it hard to come to work each day? Knowing this information and adjusting your policies accordingly may not keep the last employee who left, but it might help you avoid losing the next one.

According to Superintendent Patrick Murphy, APS is still “gearing up” to do some form of one-on-one exit interviews. Departing employees, not surprisingly, are generally not responding to what sounds like requests for participation in online surveys.

While the exit interview can help you after the fact, hopefully School Board members are asking other management and work environment questions.

How is Murphy training principals and other management level staff to regularly check in with the people who report to them? Are they encouraged to do regular one-on-one meetings with staff members to get feedback? Is Murphy doing the same thing with the staff members who report directly to him?

In other words, do staff at all levels feel like they have regular and open lines of communication to the person who is providing leadership to them on the organizational chart? Or is the environment one where they only communicate when there is a problem from below or a directive from “on high?”

And how is Superintendent Murphy held accountable for the level of communication?

While it seems like investing time in opening lines of communication might not seem to fit into a busy calendar, it can save so much time later in dealing with the crises caused by problems left bubbling below the surface. And ultimately, the information you gain by gathering input from your team on a regular basis is far superior to the information you gain from an exit interview after someone has already decided to leave.

If a change in the communications culture is in order at APS, it is never too early to start.

Mark Kelly is a 19-year Arlington resident, former Arlington GOP Chairman and two-time Republican candidate for Arlington County Board.

Progressive Voice: Arlington’s Library System Is a Model for Progressive, Continual Improvement

By Progressive Voice

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.

By Laura Saul Edwards

From the time I began reading, the image of libraries that came to mind was of a building warehousing books that I checked out and tried returning on time to avoid fines. Thumbing through card catalogues and scrolling through microfiche film joined the memory bank in high school and college.

This outdated view of libraries is as much a historical relic as the Library of Alexandria in ancient Egypt. The Arlington Public Library is more than a mere circulating book collection. It is an indispensable part of Arlington’s infrastructure with a diverse menu of services — and a leading example of data-driven, continual improvement that is a cornerstone of progressive governance.

A reason Arlington stands out among other communities is that our generally well-educated and well-off population places a high value on libraries. Arlington’s 2018 Community Satisfaction Survey reported an overall satisfaction rate with library services of 91% versus 74% elsewhere.

However, this high satisfaction does not mean the library can rest on its laurels. Continual improvement depends upon using data to develop budgets and policies that will make the library even more effective and responsive to public needs.

According to County Board member Katie Cristol, the satisfaction survey is helpful in this regard because it “sheds insight into the relative value that residents place on disparate functions of the government.”

For example, recent survey results revealed dissatisfaction with the rate at which the library was acquiring books. Arlington residents said they wanted more e-books and shorter wait times for borrowing titles. This information led to a $300,000 increase in the library’s acquisition budget, including e-books.

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ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By Airey

Another day, another week, and before you know it, it’s Friday again.

It’s been a busy week for news in this here 26 square miles. This week we’ve seen a Yorktown high schooler gain fame for his award-winning painting of immigrant children holding a “Bring Back Our Mom.” The artwork won a Congressional art competition. His prize? Getting to hang the painting in the U.S. Capitol.

Commonwealth’s Attorney candidate Parisa Dehghani Tafti also sparked a heated debate after accusing incumbent prosecutor Theo Stamos of not punishing instances of “police brutality” — an accusation several public safety groups denounced.

Speaking of public safety, today Arlington’s annual law enforcement memorial service was held in Courthouse.

Here are a few other articles from around town you might have missed this week.

Have thoughts on any of these articles you want to share? What about weekend plans? Let us know in the comments below.

Morning Poll: Do You Support Arlington’s Glass Recycling Decision?

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 10:45 a.m.) Last month Arlington County announced that it would stop recycling glass collected curbside.

The decision, which only applies to the county’s residential recycling pickup and not to offices and apartment buildings, was explained as a matter of economics — it’s more expensive for the county to recycle glass than it is to incinerate and dispose of it in a landfill.

While recycling glass does save energy, it doesn’t save much compared to the more efficient aluminum, steel, paper and cardboard recycling processes. The cost to recycle glass isn’t worth the marginal energy savings, some say.

While there’s logic in that argument, some locals don’t like the idea of sending a recyclable material to landfills.

“If a community gives up glass, it is admitting defeat in the face of readily available alternatives,” said the writer of a letter published in the Sun Gazette.

The county does have an option for those who want their glass to be recycled, though it requires extra time and energy:

Alternatively, people can dump their glass at one of two designated drop-off locations — at Quincy Park (N. Quincy Street and Washington Blvd) or the Arlington Trades Center (2700 S. Taylor Street) — which carts it to Fairfax County for an experiment in paving roads with smashed up glass.

In a Facebook live chat yesterday, Erik Grabowsky, chief of Arlington’s Solid Waste Bureau, said the public outreach process about change is still ongoing and Arlington will continue collecting glass in recycling bins through the end of July.

The county has not been recycling glass residents placed in blue carts, according to Peter Golkin, spokesman for the Department of Environmental Services. Instead, it was being pulled at the material recovery facility and trashed.

“By putting glass in the black carts, it goes to Covanta where it’s melted (not incinerated) with trash and those results are landfilled, saving the whole transportation/sorting issues with the recycling process that does also have an economic aspect,” Golkin said, in an email.

What do you think about the county no longer recycling glass?

Peter’s Take: Teens Promote Environmental Sustainability in Arlington

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.

On April 6, the Global Co Lab Network partnered with filmmaker Miriam Gennari to screen her documentary StyrofoamMom.

The event also celebrated the new Teen Eco Action Network, a Global Co Lab Network partnership with the Smithsonian Conservation Commons to build a local and global network of teens to address eco action. Amazon landlord JBG Smith provided support.

The event also unveiled the video contest winners from Teens Dream– a Co Lab initiative. Highlights are here .

More than 170 people participated at the new National Landing headquarters in Crystal City. Twenty teen environmental clubs and environmental organizations presented their work. The Teen Network shared plans for addressing plastics, hunger, climate change and waste management. There was an exhibit on EV charging stations.

Building Maintenance Service, JBG Smith, Eco-Action Arlington and Gennari delivered a zero-waste event.

“We must have the courage to lead by example; the time for making excuses has passed,” Gennari said. “I think attendees are encouraged to know kids are interested in sustainability and want to support their efforts.” Sponsoring organizations included Alexandria Toyota, Radley Acura, Crystal City Business Improvement District, and Arlington Independent Media.

Teens point the way to a sustainable Arlington

Perseverance and resolve were messages that resonated most with these teens.

“The plight of a change maker is exhibited through encounters with policy makers and businesses that stood in Miriam Gennari’s way,” said Sydney Rico, an Oakton student of the Plastic Dream Hubs. “The triumphs of various establishments doing something about the issue are put forth creating a meaningful impact on viewers.”

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The Right Note: Special Favors?

By 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.

According to the Washington Post report on emails released under a Freedom of Information Act request by the Washington Business Journal, Arlington County officials created a “cozy” working relationship with Amazon and developer JBG Smith.

“We tend to go to great lengths to find areas of cooperation.” Those were Christian Dorsey’s words describing his approach to attracting Amazon.

The emails and text messages showed that Arlington officials provided Amazon representatives with a copy of questions they planned to ask at a public hearing on the deal. Board member Erik Gutshall provided all of his questions.

The Post story went on to report that “Arlington officials helped tailor communications, delay a request for an expansion of a higher-tax business improvement district, and arrange hearings in front of friendly civic and business audiences.”

The existence of such emails and a friendly reception by county officials should not come as a surprise. It was no secret that Arlington was making a significant push to land the retail giant.

It does give Arlingtonians a look into the kind of relationship the county created with Amazon. You can then compare it with any experiences you had with county officials when trying to discuss an issue in your neighborhood, get a permit, or work within (or around) confusing county rules and regulations. Did county officials “go to great lengths to find areas of cooperation” with you?

Newest Board member Matthew de Ferranti seemed to suggest this may be a signal that the county was taking a new tone toward business saying, “For a long, long time, Arlington was alleged to be too oppositional with business.”

If the county is aggressively seeking to clear unnecessary hurdles to running a business here, it is good for Arlington. If it is merely a shift in attitude toward new, big employers, then the county still has work to do. Arlington should be known as a place that serves its current employers well, not just as a place working to attract new ones.

Maybe the Arlington Chamber of Commerce could anonymously survey its members to see if existing businesses are seeing positive changes?

Amazon’s presence is likely to help bring down the commercial vacancy rate by attracting related employers. For example, the University of Maryland may be looking to bring a hub to Crystal City according to a Washington Business Journal story this week. However, Arlington officials must work to create a more competitive business climate overall.

Mark Kelly is a 19-year Arlington resident, former Arlington GOP Chairman and two-time Republican candidate for Arlington County Board.

Progressive Voice: A Clear-eyed Look at the Green New Deal

By Progressive Voice

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.

By Paul Ferguson

Progressive Democrats care deeply about the environment, the dangers of climate change, and the scientific data that support it. During my 12 years on the Arlington County Board, I learned that getting public policy changes done takes a practical, pragmatic approach and a clear-eyed view of what’s actually possible.

It is in this spirit that I want to assess the Green New Deal. Climate change is an issue that needs to be addressed immediately, and the Green New Deal, a non-binding resolution introduced in Congress, has gotten more people talking.

To me, the Green New Deal (GND) stands for the proposition that the time is past for half-measures. We must decarbonize our economy rapidly. If we had acted 20 years ago, we would not be in such a precarious situation. However, we delayed, denied and tiptoed around the issue. The 10-year timeframe called for in the resolution is an aspirational goal. The real timeline will be in legislation that comes later.

Those who do not want to address climate change falsely claim that the GND will outlaw hamburgers, air travel and more. This is not true. There are thoughtful concerns about the GND: that it is a laundry list; that it calls for too much, too fast; that it should focus on climate change and not try to solve many social problems at once; and that it should strive to be bipartisan.

I tend to agree with those concerns. I think they point in the likely directions the GND could take as it evolves toward passage as legislation in the next Congress.

As a first step, if there is any hope of bipartisan support in Congress, legislation will need to separate the environmental components of the GND from the social justice ones. Putting a price on carbon and investing in renewable energy are issues we can achieve consensus on. Policies that focus on income inequity are needed but will be more challenging to enact.

Locally I was encouraged when I recently met with Jim Presswood, former chairman of the Arlington Republican Party. Presswood runs a non-profit dedicated to convincing conservatives to address climate change. Democrats should work hard toward a bipartisan approach that accomplishes what science says is necessary.

The original New Deal in the 1930s was not one thing, but an approach toward ending the Great Depression, getting people back to work and restoring faith in the country’s financial system. Many ideas were debated and some were implemented. Some worked for a while, some failed, and some have stood the test of time.

I expect the same from the Green New Deal. It’s time to do the best we know how based on science and experience. Let’s put a price on carbon; invest more in clean energy research; invest more in renewable energy infrastructure; and ensure that the benefits of the new energy economy benefit all Americans, including those now dependent on the fossil fuel industry.

There are many variations on the New Green Deal. There already is a proposed Virginia Green New Deal that focuses on state policy. There should be a practical Arlington Green New Deal, too. Here are a few ideas to start:

  • All new County buildings and schools should commit to be net-zero energy. The School Board should be commended for achieving this with Discovery Elementary School, FleetElementary School and Walter Reed Elementary School.
  • Arlington County government should commit to 100% renewable electricity for County operations by 2023.
  • Arlington County as a whole should commit to 100% renewable electricity by 2035 at the latest.
  • Arlington should commit to converting all of its vehicle fleets to electric power.
  • The County should commit to being powered by clean renewable energy across all
    sectors by 2050 at the latest.

As President Franklin D. Roosevelt said in 1939, “The most serious threat to our institutions comes from those who refuse to face the need for change.” Today’s Green New Deal is a call to action that can be modified and refined to achieve consensus. My hope is that all of us will collectively face the need for urgent change to protect our climate and environment.

Paul Ferguson has served as the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Arlington and the City of Falls Church since 2008. He served as a Member of the County Board from 1996-2007.

ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By Michael O'Connell

Another Friday is upon us. Why not take some extra time this weekend to dust off your resume and submit it to Amazon?

The retail giant has started the hiring process for its HQ2 in Arlington. New employees will begin working at a temporary office in June.

Arlington foodies had a lot to talk about this week. Kona Grill restaurant closed in Rosslyn, Starbucks is planning a drive-thru location on Lee Highway, True Food Kitchen is preparing for its grand opening and Riverside Hot Pot is offering a new take on traditional Chinese fare in Clarendon. Also, like a phoenix, the Ballston IHOP is set to reopen this weekend after an April 9 fire.

Also this weekend, police will be closing several roadways in North Arlington on Saturday, May 4, from 7:30-9:30 a.m. for the 2019 Jamestown Elementary 5K race.

Here are some of the other stories you may have missed this week:

Let us know your weekend plans and feel free to discuss these stories — or any other topic of local interest — in the comments below.

Peter’s Take: County Budget Deal Defers APS Budget Problems

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. 

Last week, the County Board adopted its FY2020 budget. The County Board approved a 2-cent increase in the real estate tax rate, effective January 1, 2019. The Board earmarked 1.5 cents of that tax rate increase for Arlington Public Schools (APS).

APS long-range operating budget remains unsustainable without significant tax rate increases

By designating 75% of the projected tax rate increase proceeds to APS, even though APS is only entitled to 47% of locally generated tax revenues under its revenue sharing agreement with the County, the County Board simultaneously:

  • enabled APS this year to avoid the most painful cuts to important programs APS said it would have to make without those newly designated funds, but
  • did nothing to address the fact that APS’ operating budget is unsustainable over the next ten years without significant further tax rate increases throughout the decade

Why the County Board said APS should get such a large percentage of the new tax revenue

Here’s what the County Board said:

“The Manager had proposed a tax rate increase of one-and-a-half cents (including one cent to Arlington Public Schools to address the cost associated with opening new schools, including Alice West Fleet Elementary School, Dorothy Hamm Middle School, and The Heights Building), when he presented his proposed FY 2020 budget to the Board in February. The Board added another 0.5 cents to increase funding for Arlington Public Schools.”

“The Board closed the funding gap in the Arlington Public Schools by adopting a 1.5 cent tax rate dedicated to APS, and allocating an additional $0.6 million in one-time funding.”

Why this isn’t a “one-time” situation

APS currently projects that school enrollment will increase 24.6% over the next decade.

Last year, the APS Advisory Council on School Facilities and Capital Programs (FAC) prepared an excellent report on future school facilities’ needs. That report was prepared prior to the latest APS enrollment projections. But, even without the benefit of those new projections, the FAC report systematically and correctly documents that APS continuously is going to be opening new schools throughout the next decade and beyond to educate this large body of new students.

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Arlington Pet of the Week: Dexter

By Airey
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This week’s Arlington Pet of the Week is Dexter, a Golden Retriever who was adopted after his first family found he was “too big to handle.”

His owner, Chaira, says this just means Dexter has “more to love.” Here’s what she said the pooch thinks of his new home in Arlington:

When they first brought me to their home, I was sure to test out my new space by eating 4 double chocolate chip muffins, and a whole fried chicken and mashed potato meal, containers, bones, and all. I thought that meant they wouldn’t have any evidence it was me, but somehow they still figured it out.

Despite this, I think they really love me, and I’m really looking forward to my new home here. I think the best part of this new place is these big parks my parents take me to. Sometimes they walk me by what mom and dad call “baseball fields”, but I just call them “toy fields” because I almost always get to come home with a new ball for my collection.

I still have a lot to learn in my new home, but every day I get to smell something new, meet a new friend, and go for a run in the park, and I don’t think there’s anything else I could ask for, except maybe some more of those bacon treats my mom keeps hidden in her purse as if I can’t smell them.

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet. Please don’t send vertical photos, they don’t fit in our photo galleries!

Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care is the winner of six consecutive Angie’s List Super Service Awards, the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year and a proud supporter of the Arlington County Pawsitively Prepared Campaign.

Becky’s Pet Care provides professional dog walking and pet sitting in Arlington and all of Northern Virginia, as well as PetPrep training courses for Pet Care, CPR and emergency preparedness.

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