This week we tracked a number of big breaking stories, a Trump-related tempest in a teapot, and a major change for a local cultural institution.
The week also marked the installation of Michael Burbidge as the new bishop of the Diocese of Arlington.
Opinion
Every December our leaders in Arlington begin talking about a mythical budget gap. It is the first step in building a case with the public to pay more next year in taxes.
It’s a mythical gap because every year, at about the same time, the County Board is spending tens of millions of dollars in the closeout process. This year end budget boost comes from additional tax revenue and reallocation of other unspent funds in the budget.
In 1972, the eye of Hurricane Agnes passed directly over the DC metropolitan area. Agnes caused major flooding in Arlington, collapsing the Walter Reed Bridge, and severely damaging the rest of the Four Mile Run watershed. The Four Mile Run watershed is particularly flood prone — even in storms far less severe than Agnes.
Discussion
By: Gillian Burgess
2016 has been a tough year and as it draws to a close, many are looking for hope for the future. Arlington County is in a tough position: we continue to grow, have excellent schools and County services and live near the center of the dynamic capital region. Yet growth is also straining public services and transportation systems; and winds of political change bring uncertainty to our 26 square miles.
This past week started off slow but ramped up as everyone recovered from their Thanksgiving weekend.
Friday’s house fire in Penrose might have attracted the biggest emergency response this week, but it barely even cracked the top 20 most-viewed stories of the week.
According to the Washington Area Boards of Education, Arlington is spending $18,957 per pupil for Fiscal Year 2017. That number went up by $341 over last year. And according to page 31 of the report, Arlington ranks highest in the region, by more than $500 per student.
If Arlington spent only as much per student as Falls Church, the next highest spender, it could save the taxpayers $14.2 million for the year or 2.4%. One local activist pointed out that by lowering our per pupil spending to be even with Fairfax County would lower total costs by $112 million, or 24%.
By: Rip Sullivan
As we’ve watched the Trump transition with more than a little trepidation, the President-Elect has begun walking back some of the promises that most defined his campaign: repealing the ACA; building the wall; torture; climate change.
In February 2017, the Williamsburg Field Site Evaluation Workgroup (WFWG) must report to the County Board on whether field lights can be installed at Williamsburg Middle School (WMS) without unduly degrading neighborhood character and quality of life.
Discussion
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(Updated at 6:15 p.m.) ARLnow.com wishes you and yours a happy Thanksgiving weekend.
Except for regularly-scheduled features and breaking news, we will be not be publishing for the remainder of the weekend.
Especially when the family is divided politically, such conversations can apparently go downhill fast.
Are you among those who cringe at the idea of Uncle Bob passing along his political views with the gravy and stuffing? Or is that not a concern for you?
So this the point at which we mention local events that are happening this weekend, possibly recap some of the past week’s big stories and encourage you to listen to our latest podcast (it was actually a really good one and is on track to being our most listened-to episode.)
This post usually wraps up with us encouraging you to discuss any topic of local interest. But let’s be honest: you’re going to be discussing Donald Trump, just like you (the commenters) did last week.
The Arlington County Board is considering the passage of Airbnb regulations as early as December. The regulations leave a lot of unanswered questions, and here are just a few.
Should Arlington keep the requirement that the location must be the primary residence of the owner? Why couldn’t the owner of a rental unit use Airbnb to fill an empty space temporarily while he was waiting for a long-term renter?