County Board | ARLnow.com

Budget Recommendation: Cut Programs, Find Efficiencies

Published October 4, 2010 at 3:48PM

“The County may have to make structural changes to accommodate continued significant financial challenges,” the commission said in a three-page report to the county board. “Those changes may include improved efficiencies, outsourcing (to realize improved efficiencies and reduced labor costs) and changes in service levels.”

FAAC recommends that the board “require departments to identify and implement operational efficiency improvements,” and “reduce or eliminate funding for programs that are no longer needed, are not effective, or are no longer affordable.”

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Feds Slap Down Arlington’s Immigration Resolution

By ARLnow.com

Published October 1, 2010 at 8:46AM

The program checks the immigration status of individuals arrested by local police agencies by using fingerprints submitted to the FBI. If an offender is a known illegal immigrant, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement asks the local agency to hold the prisoner until immigration officers can take appropriate action.

The Washington Post reports that since local police need to check prisoners’ wanted status via the FBI database, withholding fingerprints from the Feds is not feasible.

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Other County Board Actions Last Night

By ARLnow.com

Published September 29, 2010 at 10:03AM | Updated September 29, 2010 at 11:14AM

The board heard a presentation by County Manager Michael Brown regarding staff research into the proposed development plan for East Falls Church. Details are available on the county’s web site.

Funds for the design of a better Ballston beaver pond were approved unanimously. The $471,842 contract calls for a new design that will allow the pond to do a better job of treating stormwater while still providing a habitat for wildlife.

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Board Passes Sweeping Plan to Redevelop Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Published September 29, 2010 at 7:00AM

Then, with five “ayes,” the board set in motion a 40-year development process that will transform the dated, hodgepodge apartments and office buildings in Crystal City into a gleaming, high-density, pedestrian-friendly urban district.

Initially conceived as a response to Crystal City’s impending loss of thousands of jobs as a result of BRAC, the Crystal City Sector Plan is meant to ensure a bright future for the oft-maligned but economically-crucial neighborhood. On numerous occasions last night, speakers pointed out that Crystal City currently produces the lion’s share of commercial tax revenues for Arlington County.

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County Manager Raises Specter of More Budget Cuts, Tax Hikes

By ARLnow.com

Published September 28, 2010 at 7:22PM

Brown told the county board that his preliminary forecast anticipates a combined $25-35 million shortfall for the county government and the school system. Brown projects a slight increases in real estate assessments and in tax and fee collections. However, he says expenses are rising due to increasing student enrollment, new school facilities and high county personnel costs.

“Current revenue projections could require program cuts and revenue increases,” Brown said. That’s in addition to the past two years of budget cuts and tax hikes.

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BREAKING NEWS — County Board Votes to Withdraw from Immigration Enforcement Program

By ARLnow.com

Published September 28, 2010 at 5:38PM | Updated September 28, 2010 at 10:30PM

Following an impassioned presentation by board member Walter Tejada, and without further discussion, the board voted 5-0 to direct County Manager Michael Brown to formally notify Virginia State Police and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement of Arlington’s intention to withdraw from the program, which Virginia implemented statewide earlier this year.

“This is something that was imposed on Arlington County and other jurisdictions,” Tejada said. “They didn’t ask our opinion, there was no public process.”

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Crystal City Development Plan Faces Vote Tonight

By ARLnow.com

Published September 28, 2010 at 3:09PM

The board is scheduled to vote on the Crystal City Sector Plan at its 6:30 p.m. meeting tonight. But Aurora Highlands urban planning committee chairman Ted Saks says the county was unable to deliver an updated version of the plan to the association’s emergency meeting last night, prompting the call for a delay.

Saks says a meeting with County Manager Michael Brown two weeks ago has produced positive changes, including pledges of a traffic monitoring plan, a citizen advisory board, and a study of ways to smooth the transition from the high-density development that will surround Route 1 and the single-family home neighborhood to the west.

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County Board to Consider Immigration Enforcement Resolution

By ARLnow.com

Published September 28, 2010 at 10:21AM | Updated September 28, 2010 at 7:00PM

According to a group that supports the “controversial” resolution, its passage would “limit participation” by Arlington police in the federal Secure Communities program and would make Arlington the first Virginia county to “take measures protecting the sanctity of local law enforcement.”

“We support the Board’s efforts to distinguish Arlington law officers from federal immigration agents,” Tenants and Workers United spokesperson Esteban Garces said in a statement. “This resolution in an important step in the right direction. We fully expect continued leadership from local officials on this important issue.”

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County Board Meeting Roundup

By ARLnow.com

Published September 27, 2010 at 1:07PM

In case you wanted to enjoy Saturday morning outside rather than spend it inside watching the first county board meeting following the summer break, here’s a summary of what happened.

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Artist’s Rendering of the New Rosslyn Metro Station Entrance

By ARLnow.com

Published September 24, 2010 at 2:29PM

Two months ago the county board approved funding for construction of a second entrance to the heavily-used Rosslyn Metro Station. The new entrance will be built between North Moore Street and Lynn Street, across the street from the existing Metro entrance.

This week, the county released artist’s renderings of what the entrance will look like.

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Energy Recommendations Include Renovation Restrictions

By ARLnow.com

Published September 21, 2010 at 10:03AM | Updated September 21, 2010 at 3:20PM

The ambitious and sometimes ambiguous recommendations range from tax incentives for energy efficiency to installing 160 megawatts worth of solar electricity generating capacity to migrating high density neighborhoods to district energy systems (centralized heating and cooling plants serving numerous buildings).

One recommendation that may receive particular resident scrutiny is a requirement that all new home renovations, starting in 2015, must prove a 30 percent gain in energy efficiency (over today’s average). Likewise, all new commercial building renovations must prove that the work will provide a 50 percent gain in efficiency.

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Columbia Pike Transfer Approved by State Board

By ARLnow.com

Published September 15, 2010 at 5:12PM | Updated September 16, 2010 at 9:01AM

The Commonwealth Transportation Board passed a resolution this afternoon that will allow the transfer of Columbia Pike to move forward.

The transfer of the Pike from state to county control could take place as soon as October 1, but first VDOT Commissioner Gregory A. Whirley must execute a “Memorandum of Agreement” with the county. After the county re-ratifies the agreement at its Sept. 25 board meeting, and once Whirley executes the agreement — no earlier than October 1 — the handover will take effect.