County Board

Board Advertises No Change to Real Estate Tax Rate

By ARLnow.com

arlington-va-logoThe Arlington County Board on Saturday voted to advertise no increase to the county’s real estate tax rate.

That means that the tax rate can only go down or remain the same ($1.006 for every $100 in assessed value) in the Board’s budget, which will be crafted over the next two months before final approval on April 22.

Two residential fees, meanwhile — the water-sewer rate and the household solid waste rate — are proposed to increase 3.4 and 2.4 percent respectively in County Manager Barbara Donnellan’s budget, which will be used as a jumping off point by the Board.

In all, thanks to a 5.9 percent increase in residential property assessments, the total tax and fee burden on the average Arlington household is expected to increase by $368, or 5.3 percent, to $7,371 if the Board follows Donnellan’s proposal to hold the real estate tax rate steady.

Additional information on the budget and the budget process can be found in our previous article and on the county website.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

"Nailed it" (Flickr pool photo by Wolfkann)

County Board Approves Projects — The Arlington County Board approved a number of projects at its Saturday meeting. Among the projects approved: Arlington’s portion of the $10.3 million Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway, a new half-million-dollar tot playground at Chestnut Hills Park, and six Neighborhood Conservation Projects in Waverly Hills, Arlington Ridge and elsewhere.

Two Rescued from I-66 Storm Sewer — Two people were rescued Saturday afternoon from a storm sewer on I-66. The confined space rescue tied up traffic on westbound I-66 near Sycamore Street. The individuals were not injured. [Twitter]

Blind ‘Dad’ Mentors Blind Triplets — Born blind and raised by a single mother, the Argel triplets are now 14-years-old and have a new outlook on life thanks to a man who has become like a father to them — so much so that he’s now in the process of formally adopting them. Ollie Cantos, a blind man who lived in the boys’ Arlington neighborhood, has changed the brothers’ lives for the better by helping with their homework, teaching them how to use their canes more effectively and providing moral support during tough times. [NPR]

Advocates Decry Arlington Mill, Langston Changes — Arlington Public Schools Superintendent Patrick Murphy will unveil his proposed FY 2015 budget this week, but before he does supporters of Arlington Mill High School and the Langston High School Continuation Program are speaking out against possible changes. The advocates are concerned that Murphy may merge the two programs or may do away with APS’ policy of providing education to immigrants after the age of 22. [Sun Gazette]

Del. Sickles: ‘I Am a Proud, Gay Man’ — Del. Mark Sickles (D-Fairfax), one of the 11 Democrats vying to replace Rep. Jim Moran (D) in congress, has revealed that he is gay. That makes Sickles the second openly gay member of the Virginia General Assembly. The first was state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria), who is also running for Moran’s seat. [Washington Post, Richmond Times-Dispatch]

Flickr pool photo by Wolfkann

County Seeking to Acquire Ballston Park Apartments

By ARLnow.com

Ballston Park apartments (photo via Google Maps)

Arlington County, via a complicated real estate transaction, is seeking to acquire the sprawling Ballston Park apartments on the 300 block of N. Glebe Road.

The 20-acre, 52-building complex has 513 apartments, 233 of which are committed affordable to those making 60 percent or less of the area median income. If the county’s purchase were to go through, the county would increase the number of units committed as affordable and keep them affordable for another 75 years.

The complex is expected to sell for around $100 million, but the net cost to the Arlington — from the county’s Affordable Housing Investment Fund — is not expected to exceed $16 million. That’s because the county already has a partial stake in the apartments, and because the county is only providing 25 percent of the sale price. The rest is being supplied by affordable housing nonprofit AHC Inc., through loans.

The terms of the proposed sale specify that the county will own the title to the apartment complex, but will grant AHC a 75-year ground lease and will help provide AHC with partial financing. Barring the sale, the existing affordable units would expire in 2027 and become market rate units.

“The County is taking this action in order to preserve the Ballston Park community – an important affordable housing asset,” said Arlington County Housing Director David Cristeal. “We believe that through this transaction, the County can preserve long term affordability and acquire a historically valuable asset for less than an estimated $70,000 per unit.”

“This transaction offers the opportunity to not only to extend the duration of current affordable units but to increase the number of affordable units within the property, obtain greater control over the long-term future use and development of the property and receive residual income in the form of lease payments for 75 years,” Cristeal continued.

The sale was quietly approved by the County Board at the end of its Tuesday, Jan. 28 meeting. The item was not originally on the Board’s public agenda. The sale agreement provided by the Board caps the total sale price at no more than $105 million.

Photo via Google Maps

County ‘Poised to Move Ahead’ With Crystal City BRT

By Ethan Rothstein

Future Metro 9X and 9S BRT linesThe Arlington County Board is set to approve a $10.2 million construction contract to build a network of dedicated bus lanes in Crystal City and Potomac Yard.

The construction is part of the Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway Project, a project that, when completed, will see a bus rapid transit system connect from Crystal City and Pentagon City down to the Braddock Road Metrorail Station in Alexandria.

The project’s construction is expected to start this spring and last for 10 months. Alexandria’s portion of the Transitway is already under construction, according to county staff. In Arlington, the bus will operate in dedicated lanes near Potomac Yard, with stops on Crystal Drive, S. Bell Street, Clark Street, 15th Street, 20th Street and 26th Street.

During morning and evening rush hours, the buses — which will be a new 9X Metrobus route — will use a dedicated lane south on S. Bell and Clark Streets and north on Crystal Drive, replacing an existing traffic lane. The lane will be open to normal traffic during other times.

A little more than $1 million of the project’s funds will come from county funds and bonds, while the rest will come from state and federal transit grants, according to the county’s staff report. The project is designed to support the redevelopment of Potomac Yard and provide another transit option for commuters and residents of the Jefferson Davis Highway corridor.

Last year, Metro announced that the Transitway would be WMATA’s first BRT service. The dedicated lanes are expected to expedite travel times and keep buses running on a more reliable schedule.

Chestnut Hills Park Playground to be Replaced

By Ethan Rothstein
1/3

Chestnut Hills Park’s pre-school playground, near Yorktown High School, is expected to be torn down and replaced.

The existing playground (2807 N. Harrison Street) is “one of the most popular playgrounds in the county” according to Arlington Department of Parks and Recreation staff. It is also more than 26 years old and “beyond reasonable repair.”

The Arlington County Board will likely award a construction contract of $521,064 at its meeting this Saturday, Feb. 22. About $489,000 of the contract is for construction and design, while the remaining $31,000 is for contingency purposes.

The new playground, designed for children from ages 2-5, will have a climbing arch, crawl tunnels, “talk tubes,” sound columns, “abacus-like arches with moveable foam blocks” and a sand play area with a water feature. A swing set will remain. There will also be a new track that encircles the park, complete with traffic signs.

Images courtesy Arlington Parks and Recreation

Bernick Withdraws from County Board Race

By ARLnow.com

Evan Bernick (photo via LinkedIn)Libertarian candidate for Arlington County Board Evan Bernick is dropping out and shifting his support to Republican- and Green-endorsed independent candidate John Vihstadt.

Bernick, a legal fellow for the conservative Heritage Foundation, staked his campaign on opposition to “jaw-droppingly reckless expenditures, like a million-dollar bus stop.”

In a statement this morning, Bernick says Vihstadt shares his vision of “responsible and responsive government.”

I announced my run for Arlington County Board because I wanted to make freedom work for Arlington. I believe in giving people the opportunity to make their own decisions about how to pursue and achieve their dreams and strengthen their communities.

After careful consideration, however, I’ve decided to withdraw from the race and defer to someone with both the right vision for Arlington and the right experience to realize that vision.

I know that I haven’t been in Arlington very long. And one of the candidates for office not only shares my views concerning the need for responsible and responsive government, but has decades of experience in local government. That candidate is John Vihstadt, whom I am proud to endorse in this special election.

Arlington needs someone on the Board who is willing to challenge prevailing assumptions about how the government should spend our money, is prepared to cooperate with fellow Board members, and has first-hand knowledge of what the business of local government in Arlington consists in. I think that John Vihstadt will serve our community well.

Notwithstanding my endorsement of John, I wish the best of luck to all the candidates. I think that the participation of many voices in our political process makes our community strong. I’ll be following the debates closely, and I’m excited to see the results. I hope that the election brings out the best in us.

Sincerely,

Evan Bernick

Zimmerman Officially Resigns from Board

By Ethan Rothstein

Chris Zimmerman announces his retirementArlington County Board member Chris Zimmerman has officially resigned from his seat, effective at 5:00 p.m. yesterday (Monday).

Zimmerman handed in his letter of resignation in advance on Jan. 1, according to County Board Clerk Hope Halleck. At the County Board’s meeting two weeks ago, Zimmerman was the last to speak and gave a 10-minute farewell address (beginning at the 3:16:31 mark).

The main theme of Zimmerman’s speech was striking a balance between listening and leadership:

It is expected that the citizenry will be actively engaged throughout the decision-making process. That is the meaning of the Arlington Way. A board member must always be seeking input from the people of this community. That advice and counsel is no less important than the recommendations of the manager and the professional staff, which must also be carefully understood and taken into account. This is the listening part.

But listening does not mean taking a poll. It does not mean reacting to every stream of controversy fomented on listservs, in emails and on blogs before coming to a decision. In the end, each board member has to make a judgment about what is best for the community.

Leadership is the unflinching exercise of that judgment without regard to momentary swings in popularity. I believe that the great success Arlington has had is the result of the combination of leaders who actively engage the people; listen closely to what they’re saying; and then chart a path that they, in their best judgment, believe is most likely to result in the ultimate happiness of the community; and the willingness of the people in this community to let them do so.

The Board will now operate with four members until a special election is held to fill Zimmerman’s seat, which is expected to be held April 8. Running for his seat are Democrat Alan Howze, who won the party’s primary last weekend, Republican-endorsed independent John Vihstadt, Libertarian Evan Bernick, Independent Green candidate Janet Murphy and independent Stephen Holbrook.

Zimmerman announced he was resigning the day after Election Day last fall. His last Board meeting was 18 years to the week after his first. He will now join Smart Growth America as vice president of economic development.

“I will bring all of the lessons I have learned to the effort to help other communities across this country succeed in building a more sustainable, prosperous and more equitable future,” he said to conclude his speech, “and I will continue to be a proud Arlingtonian.”

Homeless Shelter Bids Arrive On-Budget

By ARLnow.com

2020 14th St. N. (photo via Google Maps)Construction of a new homeless shelter in Courthouse is expected to cost more than $5 million.

Arlington County received two bids on the construction of a new “Homeless Services Center” at 2020 14th Street N., across from Arlington police headquarters. KBE Building Corporation bid $5.7 million and Miller Brothers Inc. bid $5.2 million for the project, which will involve interior alterations on two floors of the county-owned office building and the enclosure of an open parking area on the ground floor. The figures do not include project contingencies and some material costs.

“The total amount is within budget,” Arlington County spokeswoman Mary Curtius told ARLnow.com on Monday. The Arlington County Board is expected to award a construction contract at its meeting later this month.

The Homeless Services Center will be a year-round facility, replacing the county’s aging, part-time Emergency Winter Shelter, located two blocks away. The total cost of the project — including last year’s purchase of the building, tenant relocations and the two-floor build-out — is projected at just over $38 million. The building purchase alone cost the county $27.1 million.

Other floors of the building are expected to eventually be used for county offices, displacing the private tenants there now. That may happen when the county’s below-market lease on office space at Vornado-owned Courthouse Plaza (2100 Clarendon Blvd) expires, insiders tell ARLnow.com.

A timeframe for construction will not be available until the county staff report is issued on Feb. 14, Curtius said. Last year officials were hoping to have the new homeless shelter built and ready to open by fall 2014.

The decision to build the new homeless shelter attracted considerable controversy last year as nearby condo residents told County Board members they were fearful for their safety and property values. As a compromise measure, the Board agreed to require a security guard at the center from 4:00 p.m. to midnight..

Republicans Endorse Vihstadt for County Board

By Ethan Rothstein

John VihstadtThe Arlington County Republican Committee (ACRC) has endorsed John Vihstadt to fill the County Board seat Chris Zimmerman plans to vacate this month.

Vihstadt is running as an independent against Democratic nominee Alan Howze and libertarian Evan Bernick. Perennial Independent Green candidate Janet Murphy and Stephen Holbrook, a retired FBI agent who ran an unsuccessful write-in campaign for the County Board last year, have also filed paperwork indicating that they are running.

Vihstadt now has the endorsement of Arlington Republicans, the Arlington Green Party and several high-profile local Democrats, including County Board member Libby Garvey, Commonwealth’s Attorney Theo Stamos and former Arlington County Democratic Committee Chair (and ARLnow.com opinion columnist) Peter Rousselot.

Vihstadt opposes the Columbia Pike Streetcar and the planned Long Bridge Aquatics Center, now on hold after constructed bids came in above the allotted budget. Vihstadt said he’s a Republican when he announced his campaign in December, but chose to run as an independent with the hopes of securing the Republicans’ endorsement.

The endorsement signifies the second consecutive County Board election the Republicans have not run an official candidate. There was no Republican challenger when now-Board Chair Jay Fisette ran for re-election in 2013.

Arlington County Democratic Committee President Kip Malinosky issued a statement after Vihstadt secured the endorsement.

“Mr. Vihstadt has shown us his true Republican colors,” Malinosky said. “He has a long history of supporting conservative candidates and now he has the Republican Party’s endorsement. Voters now have a clear choice: Alan Howze is a real progressive leader who will move Arlington forward, while Mr. Vihstadt will be another Republican obstructionist.”

The special election to replace Zimmerman is expected to be held on April 8. The date is expected to be officially set on Tuesday, Feb. 11, a day after Zimmerman formally resigns.

Update at 1:15 p.m. — This afternoon, ACRC issued the following press release about their Vihstadt endorsement.

Yesterday, the Arlington County Republican Committee voted to endorse the Independent candidacy of John Vihstadt for the upcoming Arlington County Board special election.

At the special meeting of the Arlington GOP, Vihstadt spoke to attendees on a large number of topics, including Arlington’s fiscal health, school capacity issues, and needed improvements to the County’s economic development efforts.

Vihstadt discussed the need for fresh thinking on the County Board. The central theme of Vihstadt’s speech was that the County needs to reassess its current spending priorities, saying, “the proposed $310,000,000 Columbia Pike streetcar and $1,000,000 bus stops are imprudent expenditures that ought to be replaced with more effective and less costly alternatives.” Vihstadt continued, “In addition, the $80,000,000 Long Bridge Park Aquatics Center needs to be scaled back. In a time of economic uncertainty, surging school enrollment, and rising household taxes on working families and seniors, the County Board needs to rethink its priorities.”

Vihstadt asserted that his campaign will continue to highlight the importance of a new perspective, stating that “we need a recalibration of Arlington’s spending priorities to stress core services like public education, public safety, and infrastructure maintenance.”

While not shying away from his Republican background, Vihstadt explained to attendees that his independent candidacy allows a broad spectrum of voters an opportunity to support a candidate willing to put the needs of Arlingtonians before partisan politics.

Chairman Ian Meyeroff added after the meeting that “John’s work for Arlington Republicans is only a tiny fraction of who he is.” Meyeroff noted the Arlington GOP’s 2008 selection of Vihstadt for its Delyannis-Finta Award for Distinguished Community Involvement, attributed to Vihstadt’s decades of civic engagement in the public schools, in the neighborhoods, and across the County on various boards and commissions.

In addition to the Republican Party endorsement, Vihstadt has also been endorsed by the Arlington Green Party and prominent Arlington Democrats including County Board member Libby Garvey and Commonwealth Attorney Theo Stamos. The County Board special election is expected to be held on April 8, 2014.

Alan Howze Captures Democratic Nod for County Board

By ARLnow.com

Alan Howze at an Arlington County Democratic Committee debate Alan Howze has captured the Democratic nomination for the upcoming Arlington County Board special election.

Howze received 52 percent of the vote during the two day Democratic nomination caucus, which concluded Saturday night. The other two candidates, Cord Thomas and Peter Fallon, received 30 and 18 percent of the vote respectively.

“Tonight I am honored to earn the confidence of Arlington Democrats and win the Democratic nomination for the Arlington County Board,” Howze said in a statement.

Howze will now face independent candidate John Vihstadt and libertarian Evan Bernick in the special election, which is being held to replace the retiring Chris Zimmerman. The date for the election has not yet been set, but it is expected to take place in early April.

The Arlington County Democratic Committee issued the press release about the caucus results.

Alan Howze, long-time community leader with experience in government and business, has been nominated as the Democratic candidate for the April Special Election to fill the Arlington County Board seat vacated by the resignation of Chris Zimmerman.

Alan Howze won with 52% of 3,585 votes cast during the two caucuses held Thursday January 30 and Saturday February 1 by the Arlington County Democratic Committee (ACDC). Cord Thomas received 30%, and Peter Fallon received 18%.

For the first time, ACDC used “instant run-off voting” to ensure that the winning candidate was the preference of a majority of voters. Instead of voting for a single candidate, voters were given the opportunity to rank candidates in order of preference. However, IRV was not needed as Mr. Howze received a majority of the first preference votes. The vast majority of caucus voters used the IRV system and voted for more than one candidate.

Alan Howze was born in Arlington, and he and his wife Pam and three young children live in the Highland Park-Overlee Knolls neighborhood. He has a strong history of civic work in Arlington, and currently serves as the President of the Highland Park-Overlee Knolls Civic Association, Vice-Chair of the Fiscal Affairs Advisory Commission (FAAC), and a Board Member of the Alliance for Housing Solutions. A graduate of James Madison University with an MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, Alan is a management consultant at IBM where he has worked with federal, state and local government leaders on a variety of strategy and transformation initiatives to reduce costs and improve the delivery of government services. For more information: http://www.alanhowze.com

Democratic Nominee Alan Howze stated: “Tonight I am honored to earn the confidence of Arlington Democrats and win the Democratic nomination for the Arlington County Board.” Howze added, “I want to thank Peter Fallon and Cord Thomas for running campaigns that highlighted important issues in our community. Peter has a long record of public service in Arlington. Cord has developed businesses in our community and can play a meaningful role in our Party. I look forward to working closely with Peter and Cord and their supporters, both to win the special election in April and to govern effectively as a Board member.”

Arlington County Democratic Committee Chairman [Kip Malinosky] stated: “Arlington Democrats are thrilled to rally around Alan Howze. He has an outstanding record of service to our community and a vision for a greater Arlington. We know how important it is to have our Democratic values represented at all levels of our government.

The date of the Special Election will be set by the Circuit Court; most likely it will be on Tuesday, April 8, 2014.

Cord Thomas: Why You Should Vote for Me

By ARLnow.com

Democratic County Board candidate Cord ThomasThis week, we asked the Democratic candidates for Arlington County Board to write a sub-750 word essay describing why Arlington residents should vote for them in the Democratic caucus. The caucus is being held from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. today and from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Here is the unedited response from Cord Thomas:

This election is about asking several very important questions:

  1. Would Arlington benefit from a different perspective?  Or do you want the status quo (more of the same)?
  2. With a 20 percent commercial vacancy rate and dwindling tax revenue, who is the best person to improve our small business relationships, recruit new business, and support entrepreneurs? A consultant, and accountant or a small business owner and entrepreneur?
  3. Do you want a candidate who continues to spend on large, unnecessary capital projects? Or do you want a small business owner who understands how to deliver projects on time and on budget?
  4. Do you think a non-establishment candidate with strong Democratic values and business experience would be an added benefit to the board?

If you answered these questions like the majority of Arlingtonians, then please allow me to introduce myself … My name is Cord and I am running for Board!

Like the opinions of thousands of Arlingtonians, I too believe that the greatness of Arlington is in its diversity of experiences — and that is why I’m running for Board. I believe in the importance of real-life experience. At 15 years old, I had lost both of my parents; my mother to a violent crime and my father after an auto accident.  As an orphan, I had to rely on social safety nets and the kindness of a school teacher.

Nearly 10 years ago, I moved to Arlington and started enviroCAB, the nation’s first all-hybrid taxi company. EnviroCAB changed an industry proving that transportation and the environment are not mutually exclusive. I am also a founding partner of Elevation Burger’s Franchise Company. Today, Elevation Burger operates over 40 restaurants in seven different countries. Because of my experience in business, I know how to build relationships and get things done. I will bring these same skills-sets and resolve to the Arlington County Board.

Arlington is a great place to live, shop, and work. However, our communities are growing and schools face overcrowding while our tax base is shrinking. Now more than ever, we need to bring new business to Arli

ngton and focus on ensuring our tax dollars are spent wisely. I am the only Democratic Candidate that has said publicly that I lack confidence in Arlington’s ability to build the “Columbia Pike Streetcar.”  I am also the only candidate that has taken issue with the Long Bridge Aquatics Center and its outrageous costs.

(more…)

View More Stories