The Arlington County Board has tapped the brakes on discussing any changes to the county’s governance structure, agreeing to return to the issue after some preliminary steps.
The 5-0 decision on Wednesday night, which deferred a vote on setting up a governance task force for at least seven months for further public outreach, represented a compromise between a deeply divided Board.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) has vetoed legislation that would have allowed Arlington County to change the structure of its government for the first time in 93 years.
Del. Patrick Hope (D-Arlington), who sponsored the bill, has vowed to continue fighting for the change that passed both chambers of the General Assembly. Locally, the legislation has the backing of the Arlington County Civic Federation but lacks support from the Arlington County Board.
As Arlington County eyes another possible tax increase this fiscal year, County Manager Mark Schwartz warns that trimming the county $1.65 billion budget would be no small task.
From the rising costs of compensation to funding commitments that can’t be altered in the short term, Schwartz suggested that cutting costs to fill an anticipated budget gap of $30 to $40 million — about 2% of Arlington’s $1.65 billion budget — isn’t as easy as some might think.
Federal-government employees irked at the prospect of being forced back into the office five days a week might want to check out job opportunities with the Arlington County government.
Arlington continues to offer a relatively flexible work-from-home policy, and would be happy to talk with those who might wish to avail themselves of it, the county’s top staffer said.
The organization most vigorously pressing for Arlington governance changes has affirmed its desire to see the General Assembly bestow blessings on the efforts.
The Arlington County Civic Federation earlier this month approved its 2025 legislative-priorities package, which includes requests to support measures related to changes in the county government’s governance structure.
Is Reagan National Airport a danger to the local community and to the traveling public?
And if so, what should be done about it?
Is a county-government task force the way to advance the ball down the field on proposed changes to the governance structure that has been in place in Arlington for nearly a century?
That’s a request being made by the Arlington County Civic Federation. Whether county officials take the group up on its proposal remains to be seen.
Arlington is facing a flood of questions about stormwater management around Lubber Run.
The county postponed a public meeting about potential flood mitigation measures in the watershed, originally scheduled for last Wednesday, “due to staff needing more time to respond to last minute community requests,” Stormwater Outreach Manager Aileen Winquist told ARLnow.
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Three years into his tenure as Penrose Neighborhood Association president, Alex Sakes can proudly say he got a grocery store to corral its shopping carts roaming Columbia Pike.
After a summer lull, politicking in Arlington is back in full swing.
For candidates, the first big stop on the campaign trail was an in-person and virtual forum hosted by the Arlington County Civic Federation, or CivFed, last night (Tuesday).
A battle over how to improve public confidence in county government has driven a wedge between two large community organizations in Arlington.
The Arlington branch of the NAACP is leaving the Arlington County Civic Federation after a bitter battle over two resolutions intended to recommit the local government to the “Arlington Way.”
Before four panelists could jump into discussing Missing Middle housing, moderators of Arlington County Civic Federation‘s forum last night (Tuesday) did something unusual.
They laid out ground rules for civil discourse, as other community discussions of the county’s proposed zoning changes have gotten loud, and even rowdy.
