budget cuts

Budget Cuts Keep Water Park Closed on Scorching Day

By ARLnow.com

With temperatures hitting 102 degrees in Arlington this afternoon, it would be a perfect day for kids to cool down at the spray park in Shirlington’s Drew Park. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts that took effect last week, the park is now closed on Tuesdays.

Tomorrow, as temperatures again climb toward the triple digit mark, the water will be shut off at Hayes Park, on North Lincoln Street near Clarendon. On Thursday, the county’s third spray park — Lyon Village Park — will go dry.

“Our FY2011 budget cuts included closing each spray park one day a week between Memorial Day and Labor Day,” Parks Department spokesperson Susan Kalish said in an email. “The good news is that there are at least two spraygrounds open in the County on any given day.”

In addition to cutting three days from the spray park schedule, the budget also included a reduction in hours. Formerly, each park was open from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. during the summer. Now, the parks are open from noon to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and noon to 8:00 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

Some people question the wisdom of cutting morning hours.

“Now parents who wanted to take their kids at 10:00 a.m. before the heat of the day will be forced to take their kids during the hottest parts of the day,” one parent told us.

The cuts will collectively save the county $20,000 in water costs per year.

Arlington County photo.

Rosslyn Says to Trash: Get In My Belly

By ARLnow.com

If you live or work in Rosslyn, you might have noticed something different on the sidewalks.  The Rosslyn Business Improvement District recently finished installing 30 Big Belly solar trash compactors and 12 Big Belly recycling units around the neighborhood, in an effort to create “a more eco-friendly urban district.”

It works like this: Using only solar power (even in the shade), the receptacles compact trash so efficiently that each holds about 5 times as much refuse as a normal garbage can. That means it can save 4 out of every 5 collection trips, for an 80 percent fuel savings.

And not only does the Big Belly compactor save fuel, it also saves money at a time when the county is cutting back on the frequency of trash collection along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor due to budget constraints. Plus, the devices can potentially save money on pest control by keeping rodents out of the trash.

All those advantages don’t come cheap, however. Each Big Belly compactor costs between $3,195 and $3,999, according to an Associated Press article. That means the BID’s acquisitions likely cost upwards of $100,000.

“One year ago, the Rosslyn BID was in the forefront when we added the Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor’s first permanent recycling bins to county sidewalks,” Rosslyn BID Executive Director Cecilia Cassidy said. “This takes that commitment one step further, helping reduce trash pickups, which save energy and money.”

County Board Chairman Jay Fisette welcomed the BID’s commitment.

“The County applauds the Rosslyn BID for proving that it is possible to leverage technology to achieve cost savings and improve services,” Fisette said.

Photo via Rosslyn BID.

School Budget Passed, Planetarium Saved

By ARLnow.com

By a 5-0 vote, the Arlington school board passed a $442 million FY 2011 budget Thursday night which reduced spending but restored some items that had been on the chopping block.

Notably, funding for the David M. Brown Planetarium was partially restored. Originally set to be closed and converted into classroom space for Washington-Lee High School, the planetarium will now be staffed part-time.

Instead of serving K-5 students five days a week, starting this fall the planetarium will serve K-2 students two days a week. There will also be some flexibility to hire a an hourly worker to open the planetarium on weekends.

The Friends of the Planetarium, a group that sprung up to protest the planetarium’s proposed closure and amassed more than 3,250 Facebook fans, will now begin the process of raising more than $300,000 for necessary upgrades to the 40-year-old facility. That process is expected to take 12-18 months.

“It’s a long road ahead, but we have an inspired group of people who aren’t about to quit,” group organizer Raphael Perrino said. “We kept the planetarium open… now it’s time to upgrade it and keep it open for many generations to come.”

In another development, board members grilled school security officials over a proposed new security system.

An entry security system for visitors, which would require people to present an ID to get a visitor’s pass during class hours, was blasted by board member Dr. Emma Violand-Sanchez, who said it could scare immigrant parents away.

“This is not Arizona!” Dr. Violand-Sanchez exclaimed, referring to the state’s controversial new immigration laws. Other board members expressed concern about the system limiting parent access to schools.

Superintendent Dr. Pat Murphy defended the plan, which also calls for the installation of video cameras and a card access system by December 2010.

“I want to clarify that our schools will be welcoming places for all parents,” Dr. Murphy said.

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Planetarium Supporters Prepare for Vote

By ARLnow.com

The endgame for the Arlington County Planetarium is near. Arlington Public Schools superintendent Dr. Pat Murphy and planetarium supporters have exchanged offers, counteroffers, and responses to counteroffers. Now, the school board is preparing to vote on the planetarium’s fate.

On Thursday, the board will vote on the school system’s FY2011 budget, which would include any planetarium funding or lack thereof. Leaders of the “Friends of the Planetarium” group, who are actively representing more than 3,200 Facebook “fans” and 900 petition signers, say they are not sure which way the board will vote.

At this point, it’s also not clear which of three possible “scenarios” the board would be voting on. The scenarios range from retaining one full-time planetarium teacher for K-5 students and hiring hourly staff as needed on weekends, to using the planetarium as classroom space during the week and only hiring for weekend shows (while also funding K-2 field trips to the Einstein Planetarium at the National Air and Space Museum).

Each scenario presumes the planetarium would remain functional for 12-18 months while the Friends raise funds for necessary upgrades.

The Friends are pushing for the planetarium to remain staffed full-time for educational use.

If the board votes “no” on planetarium funding, it’s assumed that it will meet the fate proposed under Dr. Murphy’s original budget, which called for the planetarium to be closed and used as a classroom for Washington-Lee High School.

Metro Hearing in Arlington Tonight

By ARLnow.com

Metro is conducting the fourth installment of its “we’re raising prices and cutting service” roadshow in Arlington tonight. Metro, which is facing a staggering $189 million budget gap for the fiscal year starting July 1, has already held three of its six public hearings on its plan to close the gap.

Tonight’s hearing, to be held at 7:00 in the county board room (on the third floor of 2100 Clarendon Boulevard), is the only hearing planned for Arlington.

Among the proposals Metro is considering, which are up for public comment tonight:

  • Across-the-board fare increases for Metrorail, Metrobus and MetroAccess
  • Eliminate or reduce bus service on 100 lines (including a reduction on the 10B line, above)
  • Establishment of a peak-of-the-peak surcharge
  • Increase in parking fees and elimination of free parking times
  • $4.00 flat rate for weekend late night rail service -or- ending rail service at midnight on Friday and Saturday
  • Institute a special fare of up to five times the normal rate for special events (sports, concerts, presidential inaugurations, etc.)

Pool photo courtesy of Aaron Webb.

Fewer Cops + Pay Freeze = Low Morale

By ARLnow.com

Twenty-three Arlington police officers attended Tuesday night’s board meeting to speak out against a proposed four percent decrease in police department funding. The cuts would result in the reduction of 11 officers from the department’s community policing force and four positions from other parts of the department.

In addition, certain regularly-scheduled pay increases would be frozen and health care costs would increase. Officers say despite promises and words of praise from Arlington leaders, compensation is lower than many comparable local jurisdictions.

“We’re falling behind,” said Ken Dennis, president of the Arlington Coalition of Police union. “We need to keep up with the Joneses.”

Dennis had all the police officers in the room stand up in order to represent the number of officers that will have been lost to budget cuts since 2009 if the proposed budget is approved.

“We make them work harder for less, we do more with less money, [and] we expect them to be happy because they have a job,” Dennis said. “Don’t cut any cops, we shouldn’t have cut them last year.”

David Green, president of the Arlington Police Beneficiary Association, said pay increases haven’t kept up with inflation since 2001.

Brynn Bennett, a six-year veteran of the force, said officers will begin leaving the department if nothing is done to improve conditions.

“We will hemmorrige skilled officers to those agencies that can better help us provide for our families,” Bennett said.

“When you turn your back on the employees, morale hits an all-time low and the ripple effect will be seen in the services provided,” police officer Mike Rowling told the board.”The message is loud and clear: employees are not a priority.”

Rowling suggested the county raise taxes to the advertised rate, which is two cents higher than the county manager’s proposed rate, in order to properly fund the department. The suggestion drew loud applause.

UPDATED: Residents Speak Out Against Budget Cuts

By ARLnow.com

About 150 people packed the Arlington County board room in Courthouse Tuesday night to voice concerns about the county’s proposed budget cuts.

Nearly 80 speakers came to the podium during the three hour public hearing. County residents and employees spoke out against proposed cuts to public safety agencies, substance abuse programs, senior centers, and libraries, as well as environmental, educational and recreational programs and facilities.

Resident Andrea Walker started the night off on a humorous note, saying board members should consider “self-preservation” before cutting funding to the Aurora Hills Senior Center, which regularly serves about 100 “cranky seniors.”

Walker was among eight people who spoke out against the plan to cut funding for Aurora Hills’ part-time senior coordinator. The senior programs “are keeping me alive,” said Frank Minichello, 92. Several others spoke in favor of restoring funding to the Lee and Madison senior centers.

Four police officers – including the presidents of the Arlington Police Beneficiary Association and the Arlington Coalition of Police union – received loud applause for their arguments against cutting police funding. More on that here.

Four people, backed by a larger contingent of supporters armed with signs, fliers and buttons, pleaded for the county to increase funding to Arlington’s Doorways for Women and Families crisis shelter, which has seen a significant reduction in private donations.

A number of residents, speaking on behalf of the Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network (A-SPAN), asked the board to fund a year-round homeless shelter. Among the speakers was Rev. Richard Cobb, of the Central United Methodist Church, who said homelessness will become an even greater problem in the community after the emergency winter shelter closes on April 1.

Half a dozen people, some speaking with the help of an interpreter, asked the county to continue funding Project Family, which provides free early childhood education and parenting programs in English and in Spanish.

A group of mothers spoke and held up kid-sized t-shirts in support of pre-school and early childhood programs at the Madison Community Center. Shireen Dodini, who participates in a play group at the center, said she knows of seventy families that would be affected if funding is cut.

Three people spoke out against cuts to Gulf Branch Nature Center, which some fear could ultimately lead to its closure. Robert Atkins said cuts to the nature center are untenable, even to a self-described “taxpayer and fiscal conservative.”

Michael Nardolilli, president of the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust, lamented the “Draconian chop” to funding for natural resources, while a half dozen people in green shirts held homemade signs.

Tricia Freeman, of the Arlington Forest Community Association, asked the county to restore funds to the outdoor amphitheatre at Lubber Run Park. Another speaker, Janet Irwin, said the 1,200 seat facility is being severely neglected.

“It would be a travesty to allow the Lubber Run amphitheatre to deteriorate to a point where it would need to be rebuilt,” Irwin said.

HB Woodlawn senior Benjamin Hubbert presented the board with a student petition against cutting Sunday hours at libraries, saying Sunday is one of the only free days available for busy students. Hubbert also spoke out against cutting periodicals from the libraries.

Other presenters spoke on behalf of Bike Arlington, Encore Stage and Studio, Northern Virginia Community College, and the Clarendon House rehabilitation program, among others.

Sixty-five speakers are already registered for a second budget hearing, scheduled for 7:00 tonight (Wednesday). A public hearing on the proposed tax rate increase will be held Thursday night.

Public Budget Hearing Tonight

By ARLnow.com

Arlington leaders will now get to hear what the public has to say about the county’s proposed 2011 budget, which includes a tax increase as well as significant cuts to parks, libraries and community policing.

The Arlington County Board is holding a public budget hearing at 7:00 tonight in the board room at 2100 Clarendon Blvd. Another public budget hearing will be held at the same time on Wednesday.

A public tax rate hearing with more restrictive rules on public comment will be held at 7:00 Thursday night.

Astronaut’s Family Opposes Arlington Planetarium Closure

By ARLnow.com

The family of the late astronaut David Brown, for whom the David M. Brown Planetarium is named, has written a letter opposing Arlington Public Schools’ plan to close the 40-year-old facility, according to the Washington Post.

Brown was killed in the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. Brown’s brother, Douglas Brown, asked school officials why it’s necessary to close the only public planetarium in the country’s 10th-richest county.

Facing with a multi-million dollar budget deficit, APS says it cannot afford the nearly half million dollars worth of mechanical upgrades needed to keep the planetarium open.

Del. Englin Reacts to Proposed State Arts Cut

By ARLnow.com

Del. David Englin (D), who represents part of Arlington in the Virginia House of Delegates, released a statement today about the proposed elimination of the Virginia Commission for the Arts. Englin called the Republican-backed measure a “shortsighted, high-risk scheme.”

Del. Englin’s full statement, after the jump.

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