County Board

Weekend News Roundup

By ARLnow.com

Heavy Rains Bring Flooding — Persistent, often heavy rain made for a miserable weekend weather-wise. But the real misery is happening in nearby Alexandria, where part of Old Town is under more than a foot of water. More from NBC4.

Board Passes Temporary Snow Removal Ordinance — The Arlington County Board passed a 60-day emergency snow removal ordinance by a vote of 3-2. Dissenting board members Jay Fisette and Barbara Favola joined the Arlington Chamber of Commerce in questioning why an ordinance should be rushed into law, saying it will be difficult to enforce in the unlikely event that Arlington gets a significant snowfall between now and May.

Arlington Diocese Declares Monday a Day of Prayer — Bishop Paul Loverde says Arlington Catholics should pray and fast today (Monday) to ask God for passage of a health care bill that does not “come at the expense of the respect for life at all stages, from natural conception to natural death.” More from LifeSiteNews.

County Passes Temporary Snow Removal Ordinance

By ARLnow.com

The Arlington County Board voted this morning to enact an emergency snow removal ordinance. The measure is effective immediately and will remain in effect for 60 days.

The ordinance requires businesses to clear sidewalks in commercial districts after a snowfall of more than two inches. This is the first time that Arlington has enacted such a requirement. It does not apply to residential areas or to persons over the age of 65.

The ordinance, sponsored by board vice chairman Chris Zimmerman, assesses a fine of up to $100 for non-compliance. It passed by a vote of 3 to 2.

Dissenting board members questioned the need to enact a temporary ordinance just before the start of spring, when significant snowfall is unlikely. The Arlington Chamber of Commerce also opposed the emergency measure.

The board will discuss a permanent ordinance in April.

Arlington Mulls Tour Bus Parking Meters

By Uriah Kiser

Officials said a proposal to install new tour bus parking meters could net Arlington thousands in fees and could help the county bring in $1 million in new visitor spending.

County officials have proposed installing the meters at popular tourist spots such as the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, the Village at Shirlington, Crystal City, and Ballston. Bus operators would have to cough up $3 per hour to park along curbs, where they currently park in designated spots for free.

County officials said the parking meters alone would generate an estimated $90,000 per year. But a private research firm and the Arlington Economic Development Commission Tourism Committee said a growing tour bus industry could bring in new revenue to local restaurants that cater to large groups, netting the county over $37,000 in combined new sales, meals and transient occupancy taxes, according to county documents.

“It’s just time that we do this,” said Arlington parking manager Sarah Stott. “In a recent parking review, the county board said we should look at every space available and make sure that it’s used properly, and this is just part of that effort.”

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Moran Pushes for Northrop Grumman HQ in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com

Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA) is pushing for Northrop Grumman to relocate to Rosslyn. He told the Arlington County Board that he personally called Wes Bush, president and CEO of Northrop Grumman, to make the case for the huge defense contractor moving its corporate headquarters to Rosslyn.

“[I] let him know that while there can’t be any quid pro quo, of course, I would like to see Northrop Grumman locate in Rosslyn, and if not in Rosslyn at least in the eighth district,” Moran said during a work session with the board on Monday.

“I think Rosslyn has advantages that other places don’t,” like close proximity to defense and intelligence facilities as well as easy Metro access, Moran said.

“We agreed upon the boundaries of the eighth district,” Moran added, haltingly, although it’s not clear whether he was referring to any specific commitment made by Bush. The eighth congressional district includes Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church and parts of Fairfax County.

Northrop announced in January that it would move to Washington by 2011 to be closer to its biggest customer, the U.S. government.

Arlington is competing with the District, Montgomery County, and other local jurisdictions for the company’s headquarters. The competition has included insults thrown at Arlington from a D.C. Council member.

During Monday’s session Terry Holzheimer, the director of Arlington Economic Development and the county’s lead for the Northrop headquarters bid, told Moran that he believes a decision will be made by Northrop in the near future.

Holzheimer said he believes efforts by the state, including efforts by Gov. Bob McDonnell, make it likely that Northrop will locate in some Northern Virginia locality.

“I believe Virginia has a strong position,” Holzheimer said, adding that he’s been in weekly negotiations with Northrop.

Curiously, the county apparently did not try to coordinate its efforts with Rep. Moran, who sits on the powerful House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. Northrop Grumman has been one of Moran’s top campaign contributors.

“I haven’t been involved,” Moran told the board, with a measured degree of exasperation. “Just a suggestion, particularly when you’re dealing with a large defense contractor, you might think about coordinating with our office at some point.”

Arlington GOP, Green Party, Unions Join Forces

By ARLnow.com

A coalition of unlikely allies is pushing for a major change in the structure of Arlington’s government. On Wednesday, the Arlington Republican Party voted to join the Green Party, the police union, and the firefighters and paramedics union, in petitioning for changes to county leadership.

The proposed change would shift power away from the (unelected) county manager. Instead, more responsibility would lie with the county board, which would be elected by districts rather than at-large. Republicans hope this might result in the first Republican board member in more than 10 years. The Greens see a similar glimmer of hope for reversing electoral futility.

More on how this coalition of competing interested formed, from the Sun Gazette.

UPDATE: County Board to Consider Emergency Snow Ordinance

By ARLnow.com

The Arlington County Board will consider an emergency snow removal ordinance at its March meeting, one week before the first day of spring. The board also directed itself to draft language for a permanent ordinance, for consideration at the board’s April meeting.

The measures were proposed by board member Chris Zimmerman, who cited numerous examples of snow still covering sidewalks on busy Arlington streets.

Board chairman Jay Fisette and board member Barbara Favola voted, unsuccessfully, to remove consideration of the temporary ordinance from Zimmerman’s resolution.

Favola questioned whether the temporary measure is necessary, given the low chance of significant snowfall after March 13. She said that while she would support a permanent ordinance that has received community input.

Acting county manager Barbara Donnellan cautioned that vetting the emergency ordinance on short notice will require county staff to be diverted from other projects. She also said it would be difficult to notify Arlington businesses of the proposed change in policy.

The proposed emergency ordinance, which will be voted on at the March 13 board meeting, requires property owners in commercial districts to clear snow from walkways bordering their businesses within 24 hours of snowfall ending. It would be put into effect for a period of 60 days.

Despite the objections of Favola and Fisette to the emergency ordinance, Zimmerman’s resolution passed unanimously.

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Board Sets Maximum Tax Rate for 2011

By ARLnow.com

Primary reporting for this article was provided by Barry Skidmore of People Powered Arlington.

Property taxes are going up, and on Saturday residents got a preview of just how high rates may go.

Arlington’s advertised property tax rate has been set at 96.5 cents per $100 in assessed value, a nine cent increase from last year. The Arlington County Board unanimously approved the rate during a budget meeting Saturday morning.

The advertised rate represents the highest rate the county can decide to tax for the 2011 fiscal year, which actually begins on June 1, 2010. The FY 2011 tax rate will be set by the board in April.

Although Acting County Manager Barbara Donnellan has proposed a tax rate of 94.2 cents – a 6.7 cent increase – board members said the higher advertised rate will give the county flexibility to meet unexpected budget shortfalls. The county is currently facing a $65 million deficit for FY 2011.

“This rate provides us the flexibility we need to address the unknowns presented since our budget guidance was provided in the fall – primarily the uncertain state budget cuts and Metro demands that we may face,” said Arlington County Board Chairman Jay Fisette.

“I have worked on a lot of these [budgets]” added board member Christopher Zimmerman. “I don’t think I have ever seen this degree of uncertainty.”

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Budget Would Raise Taxes, Slash Community Policing

By ARLnow.com

The county’s proposed budget for 2011 would raise taxes on the average Arlington family by $235 and — among other cuts — halve the county’s community policing force.

Acting County Manager Barbara Donnellan revealed her FY 2011 budget proposal at a county board meeting Wednesday. Facing a $65 million budget deficit, Donnellan said tough decisions needed to be made.

“My proposed budget includes some hard choices that will impact services in most areas across the community,” Donnellan said. “What I have tried to do is to cut only those things that will not change the values of our community or our basic expectations of responsible government.”

Donnellan, following guidance from the county board, gave priority to funding affordable housing, schools, and the social safety net at levels equal to or greater than the current budget. Also following the board’s guidance, Donnellan plugged half of the county’s $65 million budget deficit with spending cuts, and the other half with increases in revenue.

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