County Board | ARLnow.com

Published March 24, 2010 at 9:56PM | Updated March 25, 2010 at 12:54AM

The following represents the views of the author, not of ARLnow.com.

We are pleased that Arlington County actively promotes cycling, and that County Board Chair Jay Fisette has made it a central part of his agenda this year. In fact, the County Manager’s proposed budget does not specifically target any bike-related funding for cuts (to the best of our knowledge). But we do worry that some may mistake such funding for simple recreational funding. This is not the case and the County Board should resist any such suggestion as it finalizes the budget, perhaps being tempted to cut already-low funding further.

News

Fewer Cops + Pay Freeze = Low Morale

By ARLnow.com

Published March 24, 2010 at 3:32AM

In addition, certain regularly-scheduled pay increases would be frozen and health care costs would increase. Officers say despite promises and words of praise from Arlington leaders, compensation is lower than many comparable local jurisdictions.

“We’re falling behind,” said Ken Dennis, president of the Arlington Coalition of Police union. “We need to keep up with the Joneses.”

News

UPDATED: Residents Speak Out Against Budget Cuts

By ARLnow.com

Published March 23, 2010 at 11:49PM | Updated March 24, 2010 at 3:40AM

Nearly 80 speakers came to the podium during the three hour public hearing. County residents and employees spoke out against proposed cuts to public safety agencies, substance abuse programs, senior centers, and libraries, as well as environmental, educational and recreational programs and facilities.

Resident Andrea Walker started the night off on a humorous note, saying board members should consider “self-preservation” before cutting funding to the Aurora Hills Senior Center, which regularly serves about 100 “cranky seniors.”

News

Public Budget Hearing Tonight

By ARLnow.com

Published March 23, 2010 at 11:46AM

The Arlington County Board is holding a public budget hearing at 7:00 tonight in the board room at 2100 Clarendon Blvd. Another public budget hearing will be held at the same time on Wednesday.

A public tax rate hearing with more restrictive rules on public comment will be held at 7:00 Thursday night.

News

Board Approves Community Improvement Projects

By ARLnow.com

Published March 17, 2010 at 10:01AM

Arlington will spend more than $2 million for street, sidewalk, streetlight and other community improvements in various locations around the county. The board approved the projects at its meeting last night.

Neighborhoods where projects will take place include Boulevard Manor, Arlington Heights, Bluemont, Alcova Heights, Madison Manor, Arlington-East Falls Church and Waycroft Woodlawn.

News

Weekend News Roundup

By ARLnow.com

Published March 15, 2010 at 12:26AM | Updated March 15, 2010 at 6:59AM

Heavy Rains Bring Flooding — Persistent, often heavy rain made for a miserable weekend weather-wise. But the real misery is happening in nearby Alexandria, where part of Old Town is under more than a foot of water. More from NBC4.

Board Passes Temporary Snow Removal Ordinance — The Arlington County Board passed a 60-day emergency snow removal ordinance by a vote of 3-2. Dissenting board members Jay Fisette and Barbara Favola joined the Arlington Chamber of Commerce in questioning why an ordinance should be rushed into law, saying it will be difficult to enforce in the unlikely event that Arlington gets a significant snowfall between now and May.

News

County Passes Temporary Snow Removal Ordinance

By ARLnow.com

Published March 13, 2010 at 7:15PM

The Arlington County Board voted this morning to enact an emergency snow removal ordinance. The measure is effective immediately and will remain in effect for 60 days.

The ordinance requires businesses to clear sidewalks in commercial districts after a snowfall of more than two inches. This is the first time that Arlington has enacted such a requirement. It does not apply to residential areas or to persons over the age of 65.

News

Arlington Mulls Tour Bus Parking Meters

By Uriah Kiser

Published March 10, 2010 at 7:37AM | Updated March 10, 2010 at 3:09PM

County officials have proposed installing the meters at popular tourist spots such as the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, the Village at Shirlington, Crystal City, and Ballston. Bus operators would have to cough up $3 per hour to park along curbs, where they currently park in designated spots for free.

County officials said the parking meters alone would generate an estimated $90,000 per year. But a private research firm and the Arlington Economic Development Commission Tourism Committee said a growing tour bus industry could bring in new revenue to local restaurants that cater to large groups, netting the county over $37,000 in combined new sales, meals and transient occupancy taxes, according to county documents.

News

Moran Pushes for Northrop Grumman HQ in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com

Published March 4, 2010 at 7:55AM | Updated April 27, 2010 at 3:32AM

“[I] let him know that while there can’t be any quid pro quo, of course, I would like to see Northrop Grumman locate in Rosslyn, and if not in Rosslyn at least in the eighth district,” Moran said during a work session with the board on Monday.

“I think Rosslyn has advantages that other places don’t,” like close proximity to defense and intelligence facilities as well as easy Metro access, Moran said.

News

Arlington GOP, Green Party, Unions Join Forces

By ARLnow.com

Published February 26, 2010 at 1:03AM | Updated April 22, 2010 at 12:45PM

A coalition of unlikely allies is pushing for a major change in the structure of Arlington’s government. On Wednesday, the Arlington Republican Party voted to join the Green Party, the police union, and the firefighters and paramedics union, in petitioning for changes to county leadership.

The proposed change would shift power away from the (unelected) county manager. Instead, more responsibility would lie with the county board, which would be elected by districts rather than at-large. Republicans hope this might result in the first Republican board member in more than 10 years. The Greens see a similar glimmer of hope for reversing electoral futility.

News

UPDATE: County Board to Consider Emergency Snow Ordinance

By ARLnow.com

Published February 23, 2010 at 5:30PM

The measures were proposed by board member Chris Zimmerman, who cited numerous examples of snow still covering sidewalks on busy Arlington streets.

Board chairman Jay Fisette and board member Barbara Favola voted, unsuccessfully, to remove consideration of the temporary ordinance from Zimmerman’s resolution.

News

Parking Fines Going Up?

By ARLnow.com

Published February 22, 2010 at 4:56PM

Arlington County, long known for its stringent parking enforcement, may be on the verge of raising parking fines by 25 to 40 percent. The county board gave itself the option to raise parking violation fees during Saturday’s board meeting, according to the Sun Gazette.

It’s unclear whether the measure will make it into the county’s final FY 2011 budget.