Anonymous wrote:Dem here voting for V. It would take some pretty specific statements from any other challenger to change that, as in "Shift scheduling? Over my dead body!"

Even with statements like that, I wouldn't vote for de Ferranti. He started his campaign with a position on schools that was very "we've invested enough in them, APS just needs to use what they have better," and then he changed his message to "we should invest in schools, but we should also cut per pupil spending to cover that investment and make APS use what they have better" when he realized his original message wasn't playing well with voters. I don't believe he has a commitment to investing in a way that maintains the quality of our schools, but I do think he'll say whatever he thinks will get him elected.

Dem here voting for V. It would take some pretty specific statements from any other challenger to change that, as in "Shift scheduling? Over my dead body!"

Anonymous wrote:I still don't understand why millenial Marylander Cristol is on the board.

Because she's the ideal daughter/granddaughter material for liberal grannies for whom schools are dead last priority?

I still don't understand why millenial Marylander Cristol is on the board.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IMO a CB candidate can say the right things on schools if he’s so inclined, but the key issue from the CB perspective is not setting APS up to fail by relentlessly pushing density, particularly concentrated AH, with no related infrastructure. Vihstadt seems to say the right things on AH. He also seems to approach spending issues sensibly. I’m concerned a typical Arlington Dem will be a downgrade in both areas. Barring some dramatic new info, I’m sticking with Vihstadt.

I agree. So how do we make sure APS parents get out and vote to overpower all the Democrat sheep with no kids in school who are hellbent on getting rid of Vihstadt merely because he is not a Democrat?

I don't have a good answer to that, but would be happy to accept suggestions. I do plan on talking to my neighbors, children's schoolmates' parents, and potentially posting to AEM. I'm considered a dyed in the wool lib by most of my friends/neighbors, and known to pay attn to school issues, so maybe I can be convincing to my fellow Arlingtonians.

In addition to thinking Vihstadt is better, full stop, I think it would send a terrible message to the CB incumbents regarding priorities and approach to depose Vihstadt now. I wonder if the Arlington Heights folks who were so vocal on 4th HS issues plan to use their new group to endorse or speak up?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:V 100%

We don’t need more dems on the board (and I am one). If you want to vote for the other guy, he’d be better for Arl than Cristol, but certainly no t better than John V.

I've seen JV signs from Nauck to Nottingham. I think he's likely to crush this November. He appeals to NA, which despite its liberal social attitudes, is basically moderate republican in practice and has been for decades. He appeals to SA - those who vote anyway - because he doesn't talk in platitudes or about pie in the sky development plans. He's got no one to please but his constituents. Everyone else is basically a cog in the AC/DC machine which inly cares about AH and spending closeout funds to burnish its liberal Nona dudes. That's the truth and people see it.

Darn auto correct! Nona dudes = bona fides

Anonymous wrote:V 100%

We don’t need more dems on the board (and I am one). If you want to vote for the other guy, he’d be better for Arl than Cristol, but certainly no t better than John V.

I've seen JV signs from Nauck to Nottingham. I think he's likely to crush this November. He appeals to NA, which despite its liberal social attitudes, is basically moderate republican in practice and has been for decades. He appeals to SA - those who vote anyway - because he doesn't talk in platitudes or about pie in the sky development plans. He's got no one to please but his constituents. Everyone else is basically a cog in the AC/DC machine which inly cares about AH and spending closeout funds to burnish its liberal Nona dudes. That's the truth and people see it.

V 100%

We don’t need more dems on the board (and I am one). If you want to vote for the other guy, he’d be better for Arl than Cristol, but certainly no t better than John V.

Anonymous wrote:IMO a CB candidate can say the right things on schools if he’s so inclined, but the key issue from the CB perspective is not setting APS up to fail by relentlessly pushing density, particularly concentrated AH, with no related infrastructure. Vihstadt seems to say the right things on AH. He also seems to approach spending issues sensibly. I’m concerned a typical Arlington Dem will be a downgrade in both areas. Barring some dramatic new info, I’m sticking with Vihstadt.

I agree. So how do we make sure APS parents get out and vote to overpower all the Democrat sheep with no kids in school who are hellbent on getting rid of Vihstadt merely because he is not a Democrat?

For being a former teacher, he has a number of grammatical errors on his website. That's not particularly encouraging. Also, if you read the various issue sections, none of them indicate any understanding of how they relate to each other. No mention of how transportation can support school needs. No suggestion that placement of affordable housing impacts schools' needs. And, off-topic, he has a paragraph about the need to keep the County's promise to Columbia Pike for transportation system - but then solicits people's thoughts on several questions, none of which have anything to do with transportation on the Pike. Talk talk talk talk. The only role mentioned for the CB related to schools is setting APS' budget and staying out of their way. Seats seats seats; but not a single thought or mention of an idea on how to help APS provide them other than innovative staffing.

IMO a CB candidate can say the right things on schools if he’s so inclined, but the key issue from the CB perspective is not setting APS up to fail by relentlessly pushing density, particularly concentrated AH, with no related infrastructure. Vihstadt seems to say the right things on AH. He also seems to approach spending issues sensibly. I’m concerned a typical Arlington Dem will be a downgrade in both areas. Barring some dramatic new info, I’m sticking with Vihstadt.

Anonymous wrote:He is a total AC/DC striver. Served on a bunch of commissions so that he could run for County Board and ultimately something bigger.

He has no kids - doesn’t truly get what we need. We already have Katie Cristol as the no kids CB member. Gutshall and Dorsey have school aged kids. The rest have older kids.

We need Vihstadt to keep the CB in check.

+100

He is a total AC/DC striver. Served on a bunch of commissions so that he could run for County Board and ultimately something bigger.

He has no kids - doesn’t truly get what we need. We already have Katie Cristol as the no kids CB member. Gutshall and Dorsey have school aged kids. The rest have older kids.

We need Vihstadt to keep the CB in check.

Anonymous wrote:So, it seems the County Board race campaigning is finally starting to get momentum. But I haven't heard any specifics about any issues from the challenger Matt DeFerranti. Does anybody have any USEFUL information about his agenda and what role he believes the County Board should play in school capacity needs or other supportive services? Any compelling reason to not vote for Vihstadt?

His campaign website says he's a former teacher. I'd expect more perspective than the carefully worded hedginng on his site.

So, it seems the County Board race campaigning is finally starting to get momentum. But I haven't heard any specifics about any issues from the challenger Matt DeFerranti. Does anybody have any USEFUL information about his agenda and what role he believes the County Board should play in school capacity needs or other supportive services? Any compelling reason to not vote for Vihstadt?