Arlington Budget - Playing chicken?

[Anonymous]

First they were ending gymnastics at Barcroft.

Now they are closing Cherrydale library?

Are they just pulling out worst case scenarios they can walk back after gaining concessions elsewhere?

There has been huge growth in APS administrators so has that increased expenses.

As well as direct housing assistance has ballooned to almost 10% of the budget.

[Anonymous]

Did Arlington ever get an independent auditor? (Not the one they hired to investigate themselves, an actual independent auditor)

[Anonymous]

Malicious compliance.

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately, it's just going to keep getting worse with the endless drive to keep giving out more housing assistance, driven by a belief that extreme density throughout Arlington (with handouts to people who can't afford to live in Arlington) is a good thing. And trust us, they're all teachers, firefighters, and police officers who need this assistance!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately, it's just going to keep getting worse with the endless drive to keep giving out more housing assistance, driven by a belief that extreme density throughout Arlington (with handouts to people who can't afford to live in Arlington) is a good thing. And trust us, they're all teachers, firefighters, and police officers who need this assistance!

All of the teachers, firefighters, and police officers I know want a house with a yard so are cool with commuting from Lorton to get it, rather than rental assistance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately, it's just going to keep getting worse with the endless drive to keep giving out more housing assistance, driven by a belief that extreme density throughout Arlington (with handouts to people who can't afford to live in Arlington) is a good thing. And trust us, they're all teachers, firefighters, and police officers who need this assistance!

Why not direct housing subsidies for community workers?

[Anonymous]

If you are interested in supporting gymnastics please check out our website at:

https://savearlingtongymnastics.com

From there you can learn about the gymnastics program in Arlington, sign our petition, and find ways to take action. We appreciate any support. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

I’m a Dem, but the portion of our budget allocated to housing assistance programs has gotten out control. They are cutting too many programs that Arlingtonians value. When we were flush with cash, it was great to direct more to affordable housing, but they shouldn’t be cutting services at the same time that they are trying to bring in more people that will need more very expensive services. Will be choosing my local votes more wisely next time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a Dem, but the portion of our budget allocated to housing assistance programs has gotten out control. They are cutting too many programs that Arlingtonians value. When we were flush with cash, it was great to direct more to affordable housing, but they shouldn’t be cutting services at the same time that they are trying to bring in more people that will need more very expensive services. Will be choosing my local votes more wisely next time.

It’s because money rules.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a Dem, but the portion of our budget allocated to housing assistance programs has gotten out control. They are cutting too many programs that Arlingtonians value. When we were flush with cash, it was great to direct more to affordable housing, but they shouldn’t be cutting services at the same time that they are trying to bring in more people that will need more very expensive services. Will be choosing my local votes more wisely next time.

Are you going to vote for someone even bluer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:First they were ending gymnastics at Barcroft.

Now they are closing Cherrydale library?

Are they just pulling out worst case scenarios they can walk back after gaining concessions elsewhere?

There has been huge growth in APS administrators so has that increased expenses.

As well as direct housing assistance has ballooned to almost 10% of the budget.

They are cutting all the “nice to have” things in Arlington, and at the same time increasing all the fees and costs for absolutely everything, as well as all taxes - by a lot!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a Dem, but the portion of our budget allocated to housing assistance programs has gotten out control. They are cutting too many programs that Arlingtonians value. When we were flush with cash, it was great to direct more to affordable housing, but they shouldn’t be cutting services at the same time that they are trying to bring in more people that will need more very expensive services. Will be choosing my local votes more wisely next time.

Are you going to vote for someone even bluer?

DP. No. It’s been awful to have only one party on the ballot. They don’t even have to try.

[Anonymous]

Folks - I’m a Dem and I vote Blue. But we brought this on ourselves. We kept telling the board housing affordability was priority one, and they listened, and now they are cutting the things we actually value to make it happen.

The commercial market is in the toilet so we need to start making choices now. Do we want to import more poverty, recognizing that there is literally no end to the demand for cheap housing, or do we want subsidized gymnastics and a library every 1.1 miles in North Arlington?

Not being snarky - but this what people mean by putting your money where your mouth is. Not everyone has a bottomless supply of cash to pay so you can have your feel goods and your nice to haves too.

[Anonymous]

I read today that there is a fight over not automatically giving the cash from the property tax increase to APS, which now consumes 42 percent of our money.

We have no kids. Lived here 40 years. Do our part, yadda yadda but sheesh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:First they were ending gymnastics at Barcroft.

Now they are closing Cherrydale library?

Are they just pulling out worst case scenarios they can walk back after gaining concessions elsewhere?

There has been huge growth in APS administrators so has that increased expenses.

As well as direct housing assistance has ballooned to almost 10% of the budget.

They need to freeze the housing assistance program to new applicants until it declines to 5% of the county budget or less. This is absurd to spend that much money on handouts.