Opinion | ARLnow.com

Letter to the Editor: Amazon is a Perfect Fit for Crystal City

Published February 25, 2019 at 4:15PM | Updated February 25, 2019 at 5:13PM

The following Letter to the Editor was submitted by Gary Shapiro, the president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), who writes in support of Amazon’s plans to open up a new headquarters in Crystal City and Pentagon City.

The Crystal City-based group lobbies on behalf of more than 2,200 consumer technology companies, Amazon included, and it has recently come out in strong support of the company’s vision for Arlington. Shapiro appeared at a recent forum of Amazon executives and regional leaders, and the CTA even organized a pro-Amazon demonstration at the event.

Progressive Voice: Do We Really Live in a Democracy?

By Progressive Voice

Published February 25, 2019 at 3:00PM

By Charles Head

Gerrymandering: an odd partisan game played by politicians. A quaint tradition of American electioneering played out in smoky back rooms, but of little consequence. Is that really true?

ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By Alex Koma

Published February 22, 2019 at 5:30PM

It may not be the snow we saw earlier this week, but the weather is looking a bit wet this weekend.

Forecasters expect a full day of rain Saturday, though most showers should clear out by Sunday.

Peter’s Take: Ranked-Choice Voting Will be Good for Arlington

By Peter Rousselot

Published February 20, 2019 at 2:30PM

A year ago, my fellow ARLnow.com columnist, Mark Kelly, posted a column welcoming the legislative defeat of a bill sponsored by House Del. Patrick Hope (D-47th District). Hope’s bill would have granted the County Board the option to utilize a ranked-choice (or instant-runoff) voting system in County Board elections.

Ranked choice voting has been adopted in an increasing number of jurisdictions, including San Francisco, Oakland, Utah and Maine.

The Right Note: Budget Gap ‘Erased’

By Mark Kelly

Published February 19, 2019 at 3:00PM

Arlington County Manager Mark Schwartz is set to unveil his proposed budget over the next few days at a County Board work session and the regular monthly meeting.

According to a Schwartz email, his budget will include just $5 million in cuts to existing staff and programs. This is $30 million less than the worst-case scenario laid out over the the past few months.

Progressive Voice: Help Pave the Road to Resilience Among Arlington Youth

By Progressive Voice

Published February 19, 2019 at 2:30PM | Updated September 23, 2020 at 11:23AM

By Sheila Fleischhacker

“I don’t have any friends.”

ARLnow Holiday Weekend Discussion

By Alex Koma

Published February 15, 2019 at 5:30PM

Enjoy this unseasonably warm weather while you can, as the holiday weekend looks set to feel a bit more like February.

Forecasters say a cold front will roll through tomorrow (Saturday), giving us the chance of seeing a bit of snow, or perhaps just rain. But the worst of that should fizzle out by tomorrow night, with a dry Sunday and Presidents Day on tap after that.

Peter’s Take: Up-Zoning Plans, New APS Enrollment Projections Spur Need for Long-Range Planning

By Peter Rousselot

Published February 13, 2019 at 4:30PM

Two stories posted on ARLnow.com last week underscore the urgent need for the County and School Boards to expedite long-range public facilities and fiscal planning.

The first story (“Never Let A Crisis Go To Waste”) quoted various activists and County Board members stressing the need to make Arlington housing more affordable by up-zoning in order to substantially increase housing supply. (Up-zoning = approving more dense development than permitted by current zoning.)

The Right Note: Budgets May Be A Little Tighter

By Mark Kelly

Published February 12, 2019 at 2:30PM

The members of the Arlington School Board are beginning to ramp up the pressure to increase tax rates this year in order to gain more flexibility in the APS budget. While the County Board will almost certainly advertise a higher rate to give themselves options heading into the budget process, the School Board was not going to wait before getting on the record supporting it.

The fear is that the County Board will not raise the rate, or not enough in the School Board’s view, and instead ask everyone to tighten their belt a little. While the term “austerity” is being thrown around, our elected leaders’ use of austerity may not be the same as the average person would define it.

Progressive Voice: Make Arlington a Leader in Renewable Energy and Fighting Climate Change

By Progressive Voice

Published February 11, 2019 at 3:00PM

By Paul Ferguson

“Ready For 100” is a commitment to use 100% renewable electricity by the year 2035. Localities making this commitment send a signal to the nation and world that the United States is still moving forward with emission reduction plans that will mitigate the effects of global warming.

ARLnow Weekend Discussion

By Alex Koma

Published February 8, 2019 at 5:30PM

Say goodbye to all that unseasonably warm weather we’ve had recently — it seems winter is making a comeback.

Forecasters say temperatures will plummet tonight, with plenty of gusty winds returning for both Saturday and Sunday. There’s even some chance of snow early next week.

Letter to the Editor: Demand for New Sports Fields in Arlington is Growing, Not Shrinking

By ARLnow.com

Published February 8, 2019 at 2:30PM

The following letter to the editor comes from Craig Esherick, a former chair of the Arlington County Sports Commission, former coach of the Georgetown Hoyas and husband of Commonwealth’s Attorney Theo Stamos.

Esherick writes to express his support for the county’s recommendations in a draft of an updated Public Spaces Master Plan, a process otherwise commonly known as a “Plan for Our Places and Spaces” or POPS.