Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My question to both Alexandria mayoral candidates as well as council candidates is:

How are we going to pay for all things Alexandria? The list keeps growing and growing. Residential taxes and fees alone can't possibly pay for the current "to do" list without risking driving residents out of Alexandria. We are a city at risk if we don't get real about our fiscal situation.

Silverburg at least seems a fiscal conservative (necessary as we residents have a right to not be taxed beyond our ability). Justin Wilson embraces taxes. Will the newly elected council be able to think individually? Safety, public education, young through old resident well being. Maybe we could fill more Alexandria jobs with people already living in Alexandria. Lots of expertise here by our retired residents.

Well the answer literally is to build this metro station and the development it would bring. What Arlington has over us is a commercial tax base. That's what we need to find a way to create, because you can't solve this problem on the backs of residential taxpayers and restaurants anymore.

And Arlington Public Schools which academically are way above ACPS.

Because they have the commercial tax base to fund their schools. From the 1970s on, Arlington invested in commercial development and smart growth along their metro corridor. The result is a huge commercial tax base that pays for great public infrastructure - schools, parks, etc. Alexandria took the opposite approach - shunned all development around metro. The result is no meaningful commercial tax base and little to no investment in public infrastructure for decades. Now Alexandria has to play catch up with crumbling infrastructure, high demands for schools because of all the residential, and no way to pay for anything other than to raise residential taxes. The only way to solve that problem is to develop around the metro corridor to attract businesses to the city. Grow the commercial tax base and you relieve the pressure on residents while being able to serve them better. Or, we can do what the current mayor wants to do: nothing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:bump

Not much to bump. Nobody is talking about the FOIA release much, none of the local news outlets are discussing it, so outside of certain passionate groups of citizens, no one is paying attention. My guess is this won't have much impact next week. That's not to say there won't be some ramifications later on as more documents are released after contract award but it won't be "in time" for the primary.

Absolutely correct. This is really unfortunate, but the cabal that runs City Hall from a corner in Del Ray has won already anyway.

Ehh, I wouldn't say that at all. Julie Carey is on it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:bump

Not much to bump. Nobody is talking about the FOIA release much, none of the local news outlets are discussing it, so outside of certain passionate groups of citizens, no one is paying attention. My guess is this won't have much impact next week. That's not to say there won't be some ramifications later on as more documents are released after contract award but it won't be "in time" for the primary.

Absolutely correct. This is really unfortunate, but the cabal that runs City Hall from a corner in Del Ray has won already anyway.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:bump

Not much to bump. Nobody is talking about the FOIA release much, none of the local news outlets are discussing it, so outside of certain passionate groups of citizens, no one is paying attention. My guess is this won't have much impact next week. That's not to say there won't be some ramifications later on as more documents are released after contract award but it won't be "in time" for the primary.

Shame on us all in Alexandria City. These are our moments to reflect, choose, and vote. I for one am aghast living here.

Agree but the incumbents are being pretty smart about it. They know discussing the FOIA release only makes them look bad so they've just stopped talking about it. The less they talk about it, the better so it's all silent on that front. Sadly, the full fallout won't be until after everything is done and dusted for the primary next week.

And let's face it, this is local politics so very few people care in the first place. These are the politicians that often have the largest impact on your day to day lived experience but it doesn't get talked about.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:bump

Not much to bump. Nobody is talking about the FOIA release much, none of the local news outlets are discussing it, so outside of certain passionate groups of citizens, no one is paying attention. My guess is this won't have much impact next week. That's not to say there won't be some ramifications later on as more documents are released after contract award but it won't be "in time" for the primary.

Shame on us all in Alexandria City. These are our moments to reflect, choose, and vote. I for one am aghast living here.

Anonymous wrote:bump

Not much to bump. Nobody is talking about the FOIA release much, none of the local news outlets are discussing it, so outside of certain passionate groups of citizens, no one is paying attention. My guess is this won't have much impact next week. That's not to say there won't be some ramifications later on as more documents are released after contract award but it won't be "in time" for the primary.

bump

Why does our City do everything half a*s backwards time and time again over the decades and not take accountability. Businesses, sewers, ACPS, infrastructure, Potomac Yards and more?

It's just surreal. Past time for professional, full time city council and unbiased staff and manager here in Alexandria City, our gem on the Potomac.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is absolutely blowing up on FB. Wilson is looking baaaaad. His base is in frantic defense mode. This is a gift to Allison 8 days in advance.

I'll be curious to see what tomorrow morning brings.

Really, it’s not. But keep trying to insist otherwise.

Exactly. Hi Team Allison!

This IS a big deal though - the city actively sought to conceal this info from residents, even as WMATA told them they didn't need to keep it confidential. It's a big decision that shouldn't have been made out of public view and as it turns out likely didn't need to be. This was either huge incompetence, an abdication of responsibility, or something worse, and both mayoral candidates are wrapped right up in it, as is every incumbent on the city council.

Agreed. It is hard to imagine that so many of our elected officials are so grossly incompetent but perhaps that is the case. On the other hand, it looks much more like a huge abdication of responsibility and outright dishonesty on the part of each mayoral candidate and every current sitting member of the council.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My question to both Alexandria mayoral candidates as well as council candidates is:

How are we going to pay for all things Alexandria? The list keeps growing and growing. Residential taxes and fees alone can't possibly pay for the current "to do" list without risking driving residents out of Alexandria. We are a city at risk if we don't get real about our fiscal situation.

Silverburg at least seems a fiscal conservative (necessary as we residents have a right to not be taxed beyond our ability). Justin Wilson embraces taxes. Will the newly elected council be able to think individually? Safety, public education, young through old resident well being. Maybe we could fill more Alexandria jobs with people already living in Alexandria. Lots of expertise here by our retired residents.

Well the answer literally is to build this metro station and the development it would bring. What Arlington has over us is a commercial tax base. That's what we need to find a way to create, because you can't solve this problem on the backs of residential taxpayers and restaurants anymore.

And Arlington Public Schools which academically are way above ACPS.

Anonymous wrote:My question to both Alexandria mayoral candidates as well as council candidates is:

How are we going to pay for all things Alexandria? The list keeps growing and growing. Residential taxes and fees alone can't possibly pay for the current "to do" list without risking driving residents out of Alexandria. We are a city at risk if we don't get real about our fiscal situation.

Silverburg at least seems a fiscal conservative (necessary as we residents have a right to not be taxed beyond our ability). Justin Wilson embraces taxes. Will the newly elected council be able to think individually? Safety, public education, young through old resident well being. Maybe we could fill more Alexandria jobs with people already living in Alexandria. Lots of expertise here by our retired residents.

Well the answer literally is to build this metro station and the development it would bring. What Arlington has over us is a commercial tax base. That's what we need to find a way to create, because you can't solve this problem on the backs of residential taxpayers and restaurants anymore.

My question to both Alexandria mayoral candidates as well as council candidates is:

How are we going to pay for all things Alexandria? The list keeps growing and growing. Residential taxes and fees alone can't possibly pay for the current "to do" list without risking driving residents out of Alexandria. We are a city at risk if we don't get real about our fiscal situation.

Silverburg at least seems a fiscal conservative (necessary as we residents have a right to not be taxed beyond our ability). Justin Wilson embraces taxes. Will the newly elected council be able to think individually? Safety, public education, young through old resident well being. Maybe we could fill more Alexandria jobs with people already living in Alexandria. Lots of expertise here by our retired residents.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now everyone that thinks the VM should have disclosed this is somehow "Team Allison"?

Thats setting the bar pretty low for expectations from teh zvm.

Uh no. It's just also setting expectations for *teh M*?!?!

Nope.

Anonymous wrote:Now everyone that thinks the VM should have disclosed this is somehow "Team Allison"?

Thats setting the bar pretty low for expectations from teh zvm.

Apparently having any sort of expectations for our elected officials, city employees, or city manager is ridiculousness on our part. After all, the PYM isn't that big of a deal, right? A tiny project, definitely not one of the biggest infrastructure projects facing the city. How could we expect them to be paying attention to it? They have other things to worry about, you silly goose.

Anonymous wrote:Now everyone that thinks the VM should have disclosed this is somehow "Team Allison"?

Thats setting the bar pretty low for expectations from teh zvm.

Uh no. It's just also setting expectations for *teh M*?!?!