Anonymous
Post 01/24/2025 12:30     Subject: The Downfall of Alexandria
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:But what about all the bike lanes?!?!?

Bike lanes are what make people move to a city in the first place!


I blame that nimrod Justin and his bowing to the Biker Beta Boys. All that really works well in Alexandria are the trash, recycling, and yard waste collectors and the men who fix the rampant water main breaks. Can't wait for Alex to pass their form of Missing Middle and we are dumping our house on a 16,000 lot for affordable housing or whatever the new chick mayor wants to call it.


Good luck with that the investors are already pulling out of the city projects.


+100000
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2025 12:29     Subject: The Downfall of Alexandria
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The decision to remove school buses from the city is deeply concerning. Taxpayers deserve access to adequate transportation for their children, yet the City has failed to provide this basic necessity. Adding to the frustration, the Mayor and City Manager have proposed raising taxes, further burdening residents without addressing these critical issues. It’s unacceptable and highlights a lack of accountability.


How will kids get to school?? City buses?



I love how the entire article about it doesn't even make mention to basic common sense like WHY is the city paying for both bus systems when they don't have it. Why not use FREE federal money from DASH to take the kids to school they've been using it anyway. No mention of paying for two bus system and only complaints about the lack of school bus drivers and staggered release. This is part of the problem with the city they lack any common sense, won't admit fault (ever), and make no real useful changes.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2025 12:27     Subject: The Downfall of Alexandria
Anonymous wrote:A lot of school districts around the country don't offer bus service, any kind of bus service. Not for high school.


Low-income families or not, school buses should be a given right for all students. Residents already pay taxes to fund essential city services, including transportation, so it’s reasonable to expect safe and reliable school bus access for every child.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2025 12:24     Subject: The Downfall of Alexandria
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The decision to remove school buses from the city is deeply concerning. Taxpayers deserve access to adequate transportation for their children, yet the City has failed to provide this basic necessity. Adding to the frustration, the Mayor and City Manager have proposed raising taxes, further burdening residents without addressing these critical issues. It’s unacceptable and highlights a lack of accountability.


How will kids get to school?? City buses?


Why not? Does it make sense to run two bus systems and one of them only 9 months out of the year? No doubt, ridership is down due to WFH on DASH and DASH is going fare free.


With DASH achieving record-high ridership in 2023—over 4.5 million boardings—it’s clear that the system has become a vital part of the community, even thriving post-COVID. In fact, rather than hindering public transit, the pandemic brought forward innovations and service enhancements that increased accessibility and convenience for riders.

However, I would ask the previous poster: would you feel comfortable allowing your 5- or 6-year-old to ride a DASH bus, especially during a 2:30 p.m. drop-off, without knowing who might be waiting at the stop? Can you honestly say your child would feel secure in such an environment, given the lack of control over who shares the space? Public transit thrives on inclusivity, but the reality of shared spaces raises questions about safety and comfort for our youngest riders. Would you trust this system for your child under these circumstances?
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2025 11:48     Subject: The Downfall of Alexandria
A lot of school districts around the country don't offer bus service, any kind of bus service. Not for high school.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2025 11:46     Subject: The Downfall of Alexandria
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The decision to remove school buses from the city is deeply concerning. Taxpayers deserve access to adequate transportation for their children, yet the City has failed to provide this basic necessity. Adding to the frustration, the Mayor and City Manager have proposed raising taxes, further burdening residents without addressing these critical issues. It’s unacceptable and highlights a lack of accountability.


How will kids get to school?? City buses?


Why not? Does it make sense to run two bus systems and one of them only 9 months out of the year? No doubt, ridership is down due to WFH on DASH and DASH is going fare free.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2025 11:43     Subject: The Downfall of Alexandria
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:In every thriving community, leadership plays a pivotal role in attracting and retaining top talent. Yet, in our city, an unsettling trend has emerged: highly skilled employees are leaving their positions, and many point to the same cause the city manager. If the city is bleeding talent, shouldn’t we be asking why?


Alexandria is not a city where people ask why, as the pp claiming the city "runs on autopilot" demonstrates. Take the school system as an example, it's horrible and has only one single high school to serve their huge population. No one ever questions any of it


No ones questioned that many school goer's for that population size. They've turned a blind eye to md and dc students "using" their school. Spent millions and millions of tax payers dollars on redoing the elementary school, hs and middle school knowingly turning blind eyes the whole time. A good portion of those pupils aren't city residents at all.


Our local elementary school was re-done last year. The head of our civic association (who has kids in the school) has talked to people dropping off kids with DC and Maryland plates all under the guise of joining the PTA. Most of the people are very rude to her and say they have joint custody of the kids whose father or mother live in Alexandria. A lot of the kids also use addresses for properties adminsitered by Alexandria Redevelopment Housing Authority and are paid a small fee to use the address. If you look at the parking lots, they also have Maryland and DC tagged cars because "a grandson just got out of prison and is staying with his stepmother, cousin, grannie, etc. etc." Alexandria is one big scam on schools and public housing.
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2025 08:27     Subject: The Downfall of Alexandria
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The decision to remove school buses from the city is deeply concerning. Taxpayers deserve access to adequate transportation for their children, yet the City has failed to provide this basic necessity. Adding to the frustration, the Mayor and City Manager have proposed raising taxes, further burdening residents without addressing these critical issues. It’s unacceptable and highlights a lack of accountability.


How will kids get to school?? City buses?



https://www.alxnow.com/2025/01/21/alexandria-could-ditch-school-buses-for-high-school-students-and-switch-to-dash/
Anonymous
Post 01/24/2025 08:25     Subject: The Downfall of Alexandria
The issue at hand reflects a broader systemic challenge within the City of Alexandria, specifically regarding its ability to manage resources, personnel, and infrastructure to accommodate the community’s growing needs. The capacity of Alexandria High School to serve its population has become strained, raising legitimate concerns about overcrowding, resource allocation, and the city’s prioritization of education funding.

Additionally, reports of high turnover among teachers and city staff, combined with dissatisfaction over compensation and working conditions, suggest potential failures in labor negotiations and workforce retention strategies. These issues, if left unresolved, could have cascading impacts on the city’s ability to deliver essential services, including education.

Moreover, allegations of inefficiency within city management and the school board, coupled with tax increases without corresponding improvements in infrastructure or services, highlight the need for increased transparency and accountability in governance. If funding requests, such as raises or school expansions, are made without detailed fiscal planning or community engagement, the resulting decisions may exacerbate public discontent.

This situation warrants a comprehensive review of the city's operational and financial strategies to ensure that governance decisions are informed, equitable, and reflective of the community's long-term needs.
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2025 23:30     Subject: The Downfall of Alexandria
Anonymous wrote:The decision to remove school buses from the city is deeply concerning. Taxpayers deserve access to adequate transportation for their children, yet the City has failed to provide this basic necessity. Adding to the frustration, the Mayor and City Manager have proposed raising taxes, further burdening residents without addressing these critical issues. It’s unacceptable and highlights a lack of accountability.


How will kids get to school?? City buses?
Anonymous
Post 01/23/2025 23:24     Subject: The Downfall of Alexandria
The decision to remove school buses from the city is deeply concerning. Taxpayers deserve access to adequate transportation for their children, yet the City has failed to provide this basic necessity. Adding to the frustration, the Mayor and City Manager have proposed raising taxes, further burdening residents without addressing these critical issues. It’s unacceptable and highlights a lack of accountability.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2025 23:10     Subject: The Downfall of Alexandria
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:As attorneys, we often assess systemic failures through the lens of legal and organizational accountability. The City of Alexandria presents a concerning case study of a municipal government on the brink of operational collapse due to an alarming exodus of personnel across critical departments.

In the past year, the city has faced a mass departure of key employees, including the resignation of its Chief Labor Relations Officer within just four months of employment. Even more alarming, Alexandria has seen the departure of transportation engineers critical personnel for managing infrastructure in an urban setting. This is compounded by the loss of additional leadership and staff members in vital roles, including the Deputy Director of Emergency Customer Communications, Deputy Human Resources Director, Director of Parks and Cultural Activities, Infrastructure Maintenance Program Manager, Portfolio Manager, Public Information Officer, and Debt Investment Manager. These roles are fundamental to the city’s operations, ranging from emergency preparedness to public engagement, fiscal management, and cultural enrichment.

The Human Resources department has also been unable to retain a personnel for more than 90 days, further destabilizing the organization. From a legal standpoint, this pattern is indicative of deeper systemic issues. High turnover and the inability to retain personnel signal potential breaches in organizational management, workplace culture, and employee relations. When leadership fails to address these concerns particularly at the city manager level it raises questions about governance, liability, and the fiduciary duties owed to the residents of Alexandria.



As "attorneys" you should know better than drawing sweeping and hyperbolic conclusions from a few cherry-picked anecdotes. God help your clients if you have any.


Np you're a moron. Op wrote a thoughtful and through post. Most of the city leadership is leaving. This is dire. You just insulted op for no other reason than you are a resident with falling real estate in the city. There is nothing to discredit op for but everything to discredit you for. Good luck selling your overpriced dump in a crime ridden hell scape city with no management.


Have to really disagree. OP’s post was just plain stupid. Alexandria is thriving. There are in fact no big issues coming. This is a hit piece by one of those former officials. Fact is that a place like Alexandria runs on autopilot. OP is the problem.


Alexandria has many strengths, thriving communities don’t run on 'autopilot.' Behind the scenes, leadership plays a crucial role in addressing challenges and planning for the future. Unfortunately, there are valid concerns that the current city manager is falling short in meeting the needs of our residents.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2025 20:32     Subject: The Downfall of Alexandria
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:In every thriving community, leadership plays a pivotal role in attracting and retaining top talent. Yet, in our city, an unsettling trend has emerged: highly skilled employees are leaving their positions, and many point to the same cause the city manager. If the city is bleeding talent, shouldn’t we be asking why?


Alexandria is not a city where people ask why, as the pp claiming the city "runs on autopilot" demonstrates. Take the school system as an example, it's horrible and has only one single high school to serve their huge population. No one ever questions any of it


No ones questioned that many school goer's for that population size. They've turned a blind eye to md and dc students "using" their school. Spent millions and millions of tax payers dollars on redoing the elementary school, hs and middle school knowingly turning blind eyes the whole time. A good portion of those pupils aren't city residents at all.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2025 20:00     Subject: The Downfall of Alexandria
How over crowded is it? Alexandria is not that big a place. If all can be served by 1 high school, that's more fair for everyone
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2025 19:17     Subject: The Downfall of Alexandria
Anonymous wrote:In every thriving community, leadership plays a pivotal role in attracting and retaining top talent. Yet, in our city, an unsettling trend has emerged: highly skilled employees are leaving their positions, and many point to the same cause the city manager. If the city is bleeding talent, shouldn’t we be asking why?


Alexandria is not a city where people ask why, as the pp claiming the city "runs on autopilot" demonstrates. Take the school system as an example, it's horrible and has only one single high school to serve their huge population. No one ever questions any of it