Opinion

The Right Note: County Spending, Debt and More

By Mark Kelly

As expected, the County Board put more pressure on Arlington taxpayers’ checkbooks at its July meeting. The Board voted unanimously to adopt a prevailing wage for contracts over $250,000. That is expected to add 15% to the cost of almost everything we build and buy moving forward.

Then the Board voted to increase our annual debt service obligations by $10.7 million by authorizing an additional $86 million in bonds. Technically the voters will have to approve it in November, but local Democrats will endorse the bond measures on their sample ballot which means it is all but certain to pass. Presumably, the latest round of borrowing would have cost taxpayers just $75 million before the prevailing wage vote.

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The Arlies: Vote for Your Favorite Real Estate Agent for Sellers + Home Renovation Company

By ARLnow.com

The Arlies continue today with a two new categories, but first, the results of last week’s voting.

Your favorite preschool/daycare is Trinity School of Early Learning on Columbia Pike, followed by Overlee Preschool on Military Road and Maria Teresa’s Babies Early Enrichment Center on 23rd Street S.

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Morning Poll: School in an Office Building?

By ARLnow.com
Office buildings in Crystal City (Staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The capacity crunch at Arlington Public Schools is not as dire as it once was, particularly after the pandemic, but there is still a need for more school seats in certain areas.

One place where a school might be needed: the National Landing area, where hundreds of new apartments are planned and where the nearest elementary school — Oakridge, in the Arlington Ridge neighborhood — is getting increasingly overcrowded, according to APS projections.

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Modern Mobility: Balancing Fire Safety, Street Safety

By Chris Slatt
Residential Street From Above

The 20′ Clear Width rule of the VA Fire Code has removed on-street parking that had existed safely for decades, prevented the installation of protected bike lanes and made new sidewalk installations politically infeasible — and you’ve probably never heard of it. This rule can save lives by speeding fire response or cost lives by preventing safer street designs. Is Arlington finding the right balance?

What is the 20′ Clear Width Rule?

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Community Matters: Growing Our Authentic Community Influence

By Krysta Jones

I was recently asked for my thoughts on influence. I have always been intrigued by influence – how it works, what makes some more influential than others and exactly how one can consistently influence others for greater impact.

When I think about the people and institutions in Arlington who have the potential for the most impact, in addition to elected officials, business leaders, etc., our organizational and civic leaders at all levels top the list. As we push for Arlington to evolve, I think it is critical that each of us truly understand influence.

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Peter’s Take: Mental Health is Community Health

By Peter Rousselot

One in five adults in the United States experiences a mental illness or mental health crisis every year. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among people ages ten to thirty-four.

Arlington is not exempt. Virginia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services estimates any as one in twenty Arlington County adults have a serious mental illness in which their symptoms seriously impair adult functioning.

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