Anonymous wrote:Don't vote "D" unless your primary concern is affordable housing. The plans the D candidates have for the increase in AFH is horrifying. They also want to push a huge amount of it into new areas. This at the lack of attention given to the over-crowded school problem and large commercial vacancy. Too many Arlington Dems blindly vote 'D' every.single.election. without knowing any of the issues at stake. The Co Board has been a rogue entity for the past few decades because they are all Ds that pass anything they want without constituent input. They can't be trusted to do the right thing.

Independent is the way to go this Election.

You didn't even bother to mention the name of the "independent" candidates. Or their actual party affiliations.

Bump- not sure OP is knows his thread was moved.

Read Arlnow, especially the columns by Peter Rousselot. He is very smart and savvy in local politics. He tends liberal but he is looking at candicates very closely on how they plan to fund the affordable housing and still take care of overcrowded schools, parks etc.

Not todisparage young woemn, but Cristol is an "educational consultant" who is push testing and has no realistic plan for overcrowding in the schools and issues related to educating the emigre children who are always going to be part of the Arlington school equation. If middle class people sacrifice to get their kids into top schools, the emigres will live in cruddy old red brick apartments along Lee Higway to get their kids into good schools.

Look for the best voice on the school issues and the rest will follow. There are very good candidate fora as well.

The two candidates with the highest # of votes will win. If you want McM to win, you will use just one of your two votes. (This way, you don't cast a vote for one of his opponents- a vote toward their tally that he would have to exceed in the final count.) This is called bullet voting. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullet_voting

Anonymous wrote:OP, usually www.arlnow.com has good information about the candidates. And yes, affordable housing has been a real hot-button issue lately. Even those of us who reliably vote D have been rethinking that stance when it comes to county politics. (though I initially voted Vihstadt because I thought the streetcar was stupid and wouldn't benefit anyone but developers.)

Many of us feel the same way about affordable housing. I think it's a boondoggle for developers as well. We are a wealthy county and lots of people want to dip their hands into the till.

OP, usually www.arlnow.com has good information about the candidates. And yes, affordable housing has been a real hot-button issue lately. Even those of us who reliably vote D have been rethinking that stance when it comes to county politics. (though I initially voted Vihstadt because I thought the streetcar was stupid and wouldn't benefit anyone but developers.)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't vote "D" unless your primary concern is affordable housing. The plans the D candidates have for the increase in AFH is horrifying. They also want to push a huge amount of it into new areas. This at the lack of attention given to the over-crowded school problem and large commercial vacancy. Too many Arlington Dems blindly vote 'D' every.single.election. without knowing any of the issues at stake. The Co Board has been a rogue entity for the past few decades because they are all Ds that pass anything they want without constituent input. They can't be trusted to do the right thing.

Independent is the way to go this Election.

I agree with this.
I am a life long democrat and will vote D both statewide and nationally. Locally however, we need a better balance. The school issue is huge and the current county board and dem candidates will not have an honest conversation about the challenges, or the fact that housing policy ( density/concentrated poverty) have anything to do with over crowding and performance.

You might hear some hysterics about the independent candidate actually being a republican, but I can assure you - no national stage republican would recognize them as such. Mike McMenamin is about as moderate / middle of the road as they come.
No interest in hot button social issues. Just wants to fix roads, water mains, schools, and fund the fire dept.
Back to basics.

Another Democrat here who is also voting for McMenamin. But who should I vote for for the other seat? Dorsey?

It is suggested they only cast the vote for McMenamin.

This is correct. If you really want an independent elected - only vote for him. If not- your second vote will end up putting both dems on the board.

I don't understand this. If you only vote for one...someone is still going to win the second seat. Shouldn't it be someone you want in office?

No. Most people will vote Cristol/Dorsey
If some vote McMenamin and then Cristol or Dorsey - the Dems still get elected, because your second vote puts which ever of the two don't have the most into second.
The only way McMenamin wins is if he is your only vote.
There is an article in ARLNoW explaining this. When I have second I'll link it.
It's called bullet voting I believe. Minorty communities have used it to help get better representation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't vote "D" unless your primary concern is affordable housing. The plans the D candidates have for the increase in AFH is horrifying. They also want to push a huge amount of it into new areas. This at the lack of attention given to the over-crowded school problem and large commercial vacancy. Too many Arlington Dems blindly vote 'D' every.single.election. without knowing any of the issues at stake. The Co Board has been a rogue entity for the past few decades because they are all Ds that pass anything they want without constituent input. They can't be trusted to do the right thing.

Independent is the way to go this Election.

I agree with this.
I am a life long democrat and will vote D both statewide and nationally. Locally however, we need a better balance. The school issue is huge and the current county board and dem candidates will not have an honest conversation about the challenges, or the fact that housing policy ( density/concentrated poverty) have anything to do with over crowding and performance.

You might hear some hysterics about the independent candidate actually being a republican, but I can assure you - no national stage republican would recognize them as such. Mike McMenamin is about as moderate / middle of the road as they come.
No interest in hot button social issues. Just wants to fix roads, water mains, schools, and fund the fire dept.
Back to basics.

Another Democrat here who is also voting for McMenamin. But who should I vote for for the other seat? Dorsey?

It is suggested they only cast the vote for McMenamin.

This is correct. If you really want an independent elected - only vote for him. If not- your second vote will end up putting both dems on the board.

I don't understand this. If you only vote for one...someone is still going to win the second seat. Shouldn't it be someone you want in office?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't vote "D" unless your primary concern is affordable housing. The plans the D candidates have for the increase in AFH is horrifying. They also want to push a huge amount of it into new areas. This at the lack of attention given to the over-crowded school problem and large commercial vacancy. Too many Arlington Dems blindly vote 'D' every.single.election. without knowing any of the issues at stake. The Co Board has been a rogue entity for the past few decades because they are all Ds that pass anything they want without constituent input. They can't be trusted to do the right thing.

Independent is the way to go this Election.

I agree with this.
I am a life long democrat and will vote D both statewide and nationally. Locally however, we need a better balance. The school issue is huge and the current county board and dem candidates will not have an honest conversation about the challenges, or the fact that housing policy ( density/concentrated poverty) have anything to do with over crowding and performance.

You might hear some hysterics about the independent candidate actually being a republican, but I can assure you - no national stage republican would recognize them as such. Mike McMenamin is about as moderate / middle of the road as they come.
No interest in hot button social issues. Just wants to fix roads, water mains, schools, and fund the fire dept.
Back to basics.

Another Democrat here who is also voting for McMenamin. But who should I vote for for the other seat? Dorsey?

It is suggested they only cast the vote for McMenamin.

This is correct. If you really want an independent elected - only vote for him. If not- your second vote will end up putting both dems on the board.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't vote "D" unless your primary concern is affordable housing. The plans the D candidates have for the increase in AFH is horrifying. They also want to push a huge amount of it into new areas. This at the lack of attention given to the over-crowded school problem and large commercial vacancy. Too many Arlington Dems blindly vote 'D' every.single.election. without knowing any of the issues at stake. The Co Board has been a rogue entity for the past few decades because they are all Ds that pass anything they want without constituent input. They can't be trusted to do the right thing.

Independent is the way to go this Election.

I agree with this.
I am a life long democrat and will vote D both statewide and nationally. Locally however, we need a better balance. The school issue is huge and the current county board and dem candidates will not have an honest conversation about the challenges, or the fact that housing policy ( density/concentrated poverty) have anything to do with over crowding and performance.

You might hear some hysterics about the independent candidate actually being a republican, but I can assure you - no national stage republican would recognize them as such. Mike McMenamin is about as moderate / middle of the road as they come.
No interest in hot button social issues. Just wants to fix roads, water mains, schools, and fund the fire dept.
Back to basics.

Another Democrat here who is also voting for McMenamin. But who should I vote for for the other seat? Dorsey?

It is suggested they only cast the vote for McMenamin.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't vote "D" unless your primary concern is affordable housing. The plans the D candidates have for the increase in AFH is horrifying. They also want to push a huge amount of it into new areas. This at the lack of attention given to the over-crowded school problem and large commercial vacancy. Too many Arlington Dems blindly vote 'D' every.single.election. without knowing any of the issues at stake. The Co Board has been a rogue entity for the past few decades because they are all Ds that pass anything they want without constituent input. They can't be trusted to do the right thing.

Independent is the way to go this Election.

I agree with this.
I am a life long democrat and will vote D both statewide and nationally. Locally however, we need a better balance. The school issue is huge and the current county board and dem candidates will not have an honest conversation about the challenges, or the fact that housing policy ( density/concentrated poverty) have anything to do with over crowding and performance.

You might hear some hysterics about the independent candidate actually being a republican, but I can assure you - no national stage republican would recognize them as such. Mike McMenamin is about as moderate / middle of the road as they come.
No interest in hot button social issues. Just wants to fix roads, water mains, schools, and fund the fire dept.
Back to basics.

Another Democrat here who is also voting for McMenamin. But who should I vote for for the other seat? Dorsey?

Anonymous wrote:Don't vote "D" unless your primary concern is affordable housing. The plans the D candidates have for the increase in AFH is horrifying. They also want to push a huge amount of it into new areas. This at the lack of attention given to the over-crowded school problem and large commercial vacancy. Too many Arlington Dems blindly vote 'D' every.single.election. without knowing any of the issues at stake. The Co Board has been a rogue entity for the past few decades because they are all Ds that pass anything they want without constituent input. They can't be trusted to do the right thing.

Independent is the way to go this Election.

I agree with this.
I am a life long democrat and will vote D both statewide and nationally. Locally however, we need a better balance. The school issue is huge and the current county board and dem candidates will not have an honest conversation about the challenges, or the fact that housing policy ( density/concentrated poverty) have anything to do with over crowding and performance.

You might hear some hysterics about the independent candidate actually being a republican, but I can assure you - no national stage republican would recognize them as such. Mike McMenamin is about as moderate / middle of the road as they come.
No interest in hot button social issues. Just wants to fix roads, water mains, schools, and fund the fire dept.
Back to basics.

Don't vote "D" unless your primary concern is affordable housing. The plans the D candidates have for the increase in AFH is horrifying. They also want to push a huge amount of it into new areas. This at the lack of attention given to the over-crowded school problem and large commercial vacancy. Too many Arlington Dems blindly vote 'D' every.single.election. without knowing any of the issues at stake. The Co Board has been a rogue entity for the past few decades because they are all Ds that pass anything they want without constituent input. They can't be trusted to do the right thing.

Independent is the way to go this Election.

You can check out the discussion going on about county board members in this thread, as it relates to low income housing and the schools, a hot issue in Arlington right now: http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/465/497609.page" target="_new" rel="nofollow"> http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/465/497609.page

So I am noticing a lot of signs for county board and of course I think my state senator is also running for election. The state senator thing is pretty easy for me. I have a set of policies I care about (I'm pro-choice, want less focus on SOL testing scores, and would like gun safety laws passed) and the state legislature takes positions on most of these and it's pretty easy to evaluate who I should vote for.

The county situation is really confusing to me. How do I know what issues the County Board determines, and how do I know where the candidates stand on these various issues. I thought I'd post here in case anyone has a candidate whose positions they are familiar with, who could tell me more about him or her and why the position taken is a good or bad one... I just want to start thinking about the county election and what matters, etc.

TIA!