Zimmerman Continues Metro's 'Safety Last' Agenda

Anyone else read the Post's Metro Section report regarding WMATA's comprehensive employee safety survey?

First paragraph from the Post report:

Saftey breaches seen by many

METRO SURVEY OF CULTURE

Few report problems; some fear retaliation

By Ann Scott Tyson

"Only 10 percent of Metro employees said they had not witnessed a safety breach in the past year, according to an unprecedented safety survey completed by more than 9,300 workers. Almost 30 percen6tt said they did not know if they had."

Chris Zimmerman could care less about passenger and Metrorail employee safety. All he cares about is station cosmetics. No way I will vote for Chris Zimmerman on Tuesday; he should be off the Metro Board and County Board.

Former Metro Rider

Vote NO on All Three Virginia Constitutional Issues

A.Y. recommends that Arlington Voters vote NO on all three Virginia constitutional ballot questions.

Question 1: Should Virginia's counties and cities be able to determine how poor or disabled a person must be before qualifying for an exemptiomn from paying local real estate taxes?

BEFORE Virginia goes down the Frost Belt states' road of awarding homeowners partial to total real estate tax exemptions for anything or everything, the General Assembly must determine what that profligate give-away will cost ALL of Virginia's homeowners.

Question 2: Should Virginia's veterans who are 100% disabled receive a total tax exemption on property taxes paid on their primary residences?

Totally disabled Veterans receive between $2600 and $3400 per month tax free, as well as lifetime free health care, mortgage benefits, and other federal veterans benefits. Congress should determine whether to award additional federal Veterans benefits based upon actual need.

Question 3 would allow the State of Virginia to set aside more "rainy day" funds during "good times".

The State of Virginia experiences a population growth of between 80,000 and 100,000 per year, year after year and decade after decade. The State of Virginia must base budgets on actual and projected needs, not upon the wants and desires of the Governor and General Assembly.

Arlington Yupette

Vote NO to Reitsfuhrer Zimmerman's Parks Bond Taxpayer Rip Off

Hi Yupette,

Have you seen the Vote Yes for Park Bonds signs on the streets? Well. the signs were paid for by Boss Zimmerman's pals who want the 2010 bond fund revenue to be put into the parks bond slush funds with previous bond revenue. These park bonds don't go for parks that benefit everyone - they go to Zimmerman's, Fisette's, etc. pet vanity projects.

Please vote no to more of Reitsfuhrer Zimmerman's taxpayer rip offs on November 2nd.

Cindy, 22206

Zimmerman, County Board, Creating Township-Village Tax Structure

Hi Yupette,

Do you know what the TIF really is? It's a scheme to create a de facto township - village tax structure, as exists in the states where Zimmerman, Favola, and Fisette grew up (New York, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania). Neighborhood Conservation creates de facto urban villages. So if a TIF /township is created for East Falls Church, Tuckahoe could be a village inside the TIF. Don't live within a TIF? Don't live within a neighborhood / urban village that contributes heavily to re-elect incumbents? You lose both ways. TIF gets your tax dollars for infrastructure, urban village gets your tax dollars for traffic calming and beautification, or whatever the County Board's ward heelers and County Board members think the urban village "needs".

Sandi, Arlington Ridge

Zimmerman-Baird Crystal City, Pentagon City, Potomac Yards TIF Makes 2010 Bond Referenda "Extremely Risky".

Hi Yupette,

Do Arlington Voters know what they are really voting for when they/we are asked to approve the 2010 Bond Issues on this year's ballot? The 2010 Bond Referenda are going to be extremely risky to Arlington County's credit rating given that Zimmerman and Baird committed County Government to strip General Revenue funds to provide Zimmerman, Fisette, Tejada, and Favola with between $14 million and $20 million each year for the next 6 years via the Crystal City, Potomac Yards, and Pentagon City TIF to build their pet vanity projects. These projects will be not only very expensive to build but to staff and maintain. Another $14-$20 million a year or more.

Given that County Government will face a $14 million deficit next year, how long can Baird and Zimmerman keep the fiscal mismanagement bubble growing (with tacit support from their Republican pals) before it bursts?

My view - voting for the 2010 Bond Referenda would be extremely unwise.

I no longer wonder why Mike Brown departed the scene. Who wants to be responsible for operating a ship where the captain and crew are fiscal looney tunes?

Ken - 22207

Zimmerman + Baird = Trailer Classrooms for Arlington's Students

Hi Yupette,

What's one big result of the County Board's funding pet projects and its giveaways to the real estate trusts? The school system will have to rent or buy a lot more trailer classrooms. As many as 200 in 5 years, up from 60 today (which is bad enough).

Thanks to profligate taxation and spending by Zimmerman and now diversion of General Fund revenues to Zimmrman's, Fisette's, Favola's and Tejada's pet projects through the TIF rip-off our children will be spending years more in trailer classrooms.

This is the same pirate crew that endorsed Sally Baird, in case you haven't noticed Sally's campaign signs.

Wakefield Parent

Fiscal Responsibility Activists Censure County Board Over Crystal City 'Slush Fund'

Hello Yuppete,

A friend called me this morning and said I had to go to the Arlington County Government Web site (arlingtonva.us) and watch the fireworks at last night's County Board meeting over the County's TIF for Crystal City. It was Item 38 on the agenda.

Incredible - the County Board not only approved funding it's own $200 million-plus "slush fund" from General Fund tax revenues for it's pet vanity projects but let the REITS and developers off scot free of having to pay for any new public infrstruture not only in Crystal City, but in Pentagon City and Potomac Yards too. What a taxpayer rip off.

Thank you Mr. Atkins, Ms. Quinn, and Mr. Hurysz for going after these reprehensible people who get themselves elected year after year and even call themselves "Democrats". What a pack of scoundrels.

Margaret 22207

Christmas in October Continues - October 26th County Board Meeting

Hey, Yupette,

Christmas in October continues this evening at the County Board meeting. Items on the agenda include gifts for the Artisphere, the Washington Golf and Country Club, and an $82 million pot of gold from establishing a special tax district encompassing Crystal City, Pentagon City, and Potomac Yards for the County's Board's pet vanity projects (Fisette's Aquatic Center, Zimmerman's light rail, etc).

Looks to me that any benefits that may accrue to ordinary citizens as the result of this "Christmas in October" session will be purely co-incidental.

Bonnie - Arlington Ridge

Sun Gazette Slams Baird, School System

Hello Yupette:

The Arlington Sun Gazette slammed both Sally Baird and the Arlington School System today, providing a laundry list of serious problems and failures ranging from extravagant unnecessary spending to a drop-out rate that's a "barely-concealed scandal".

The Sun Gazette confirms what I and other parents have known all along - four more years of Sally Baird on the School Board will be a disaster for our children.

Donna - Wakefield Parent

Citizens Slam County Board for Lies, Dishonesty, at County Board Meeting

Hi Yupette,

Did you see the citizen comments at the beginning of yesterday's County Board meeting? The County Board was criticized by ordinary citizens not connected to the Republicratic Machine for lies and dishonesty related to public library funding, EFC redevelopment, and the County's traffic calming charades.

Thanks for this blog. The view in my neighborhood is that it's time for a change - starting by voting out Zimmerman and Baird on November 2nd.

Linda - Arlington Ridge

Arlington Planetarium - From Embarrassment to Fiasco

Hello Ms. Yupette,

I'm a Democrat and I'm fed up with my party and with county government. The failure of the school system and county government to raise $400,000 to renovate the Planetarium is beyond being an embarrassment, it's become a fiasco.

In case you wondered, $400,000 is less than 1/10th of 1 percent of the school system's budget. The County Board thinks nothing of spending $60,000 for underwater art and $460,000 on the planning phase of beaver pond restoration.

But never mind the school system and county government. Where are the civic-minded citizens of this County? Where are the REITs? Where is the Chamber of Commerce? Where are the local media? Lining up at the County Board offices for corporate welfare. Or, telling us how we should lead our lives (special mention to Scott "Big Mouth" McCaffrey).

It's outrageous, but understandable, that School Board Democratic Party activists Libby Garvey and Sally Baird should go to Jim Moran to get federal funding for the Planetarium. The School Board is just another sub-committee of the Arlington County Democratic Committee.

Ms. Yupette, I am following your recommendations and voting for Ron Fisher, Kevin Chisholm, and Miriam Gennari on November 2nd. Thirty years of Democratic antics are enough.

Christmas in October - October 23rd County Board Meeting

Hey Yupette,

It's Christmas in October this Saturday, October 23rd, at the County Board meeting. Neighborhood Conservation funds get parceled out for neighborhood wants. When does my street get repaving and energy efficient lights that light the street get installed?

Kim

Zimmerman's Republicrat Ward Heelers Moving On - From 'Suspected Person' to 'Suspected Driver'

Hello, Yupette,

If you own a radio scanner, as I do, and monitor the dispatch calls on the Arlington Police frequencies, you will soon hear that Zimmerman's 'Nanny Nancy' Republicrat Ward Heelers have gone from calling in complaints about 'suspicious persons' they see taking groceries out of their vehicles to calling in 'suspicious driver' complaints whenever they see a person who doesn't conform to Chris Zimmerman's 'vision' for Arlington driving down a street, road, or interstate. So if you are pulled over by the Arlington Police and issued a ticket for 'reckless driving' you may not have driven recklessly.

Bethany - 22204

How Many of Arlington's K-12 Children are Malnurished?

Hi Yupette,

Although Arlington taxpayers give the school system $452 million to educate 21,000+ children it appears that thousands of children enrolled in Arlington schools are malnourished and / or undernourished. How does a school system that seems to have a program for every student allow so many children to come to school each morning hungry? And why with the millions spent on food service does the school system serve students meals they won't eat? This has been going on for years. My daughter and her friends claim the school system serves "rabbit food". They do not eat 'junk food' and seldom consume soft drinks. All we get from the School Board are constant promises to make improvements. Why do we keep re-electing these insipid people?

Kathy - Wakefield Parent

Arlington Yupette Endorsements - 2010 Elections

For U.S. House of Representatives - 8th District

Ron Fisher


For Arlington County Board

Kevin Chisholm


For Arlington School Board

Miriam Gennari


Special Mention - For United States Senate, Wisconsin

Senator Russ Feingold

Baird Ignores Overcrowding, Achievement, Focuses on Gay and Lesbian Issues

Hello Yupette,

Why on earth would I vote for Sally Baird for School Board? She ignores critical issues like overcrowding and student achievement and talks about gay and lesbian events like "Coming Out Day" instead. We can't afford another four years of Sally Baird on the School Board. Neither can our children.

Heather - N Utah St

Why More of the Same? Country Club Republicans Go Along.

Hi Yupette,

I'll tell you why there is more of the same old same old tax and spend to fund the luxuries while basic infrastructure is allowed to crumble - Arlington's Country Club Republicans go along with and vote for the YuppieCrats. That's why Marymount's monstrosity was inflicted on my neighborhood, Favola's pet Republican 'community leaders' went along in return for having their crumbling streets paved.

Joan 22207

Planetarium a "Wake Up' for Future Infrstructure Maintenance and Renovation

Hi Yupette,

If the school system can't find $400,000 in a $452 million budget to renovate the Planetarium how will they be able to maintain all the expensive recreation infrastructure in and around the Taj Mahal high schools they are building? Where is the money going to come from in 10 years to replace all the synthetic surface playing areas?

Wakefield Parent

County Board to Privatize More Public Land for Private School Use

Hey Yupette,

Do you know what Barbara Favola is up to in her County Board office? Working on still more deals for her employer, Marymount University, this time to get exclusive use of public land in East Falls Church for Marymount's soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey teams.

2200

NO to All Four 2010 Bond Referenda

Arlington Yupette does not endorse any of the four bond referenda that will be on the ballot this year in Arlington.


A.Y. endorses a new Wakefield High School that puts education, not recreation, first and will include brick and mortar classrooms to accommodate at least 1900 students.

A.Y. does not endorse "transportation" bonds that allow Chris Zimmerman to make more cosmetic improvements to an obsolete 2-track Metrorail system and impose more traffic followed by more traffic calming on Arlington.

A.Y. does not endorse local infrastructure bonds that allow the County Board to strip pay-as-you-go funds to build vanity projects while streets are unpaved and badly lighted.

A.Y. does not endorse using more bond funds for the County Board's pet recreation and entertainment projects while millions in previously approved bond funds are unspent.

Future Zimmerman-Baird Mega-Development Will be Devastating for our Kids

Wake Up Parents !

Four more years of Chris Zimmerman's and Sally Baird' development for the sake of development would be DEVASTATING for our children. The schools in many residential neighborhoods that are at capacity now would be seriously overcrowded. Our kids would be in danger walking to and from school from another big increase in traffic. Even worse, Chris and Sally want to make our kids ride bicycles to and from school on broken streets and through traffic. The "Smart Growth" Chris and Sally imposed on our suburban county was a bad idea. We are being overwhelmed. They didn't even try preserve more real open space, just use the County's bloated PR Machine to tell us that traffic islands are parks. And use our schools as recreation centers for everyone in Northern Virginia, while student performance is getting worse. We can't afford four more years of Chris Zimmerman and Sally Board. Our kids' lives are way way more important than the profits of the real estate trusts they cater to.

Susan - 22206

School Board, Media, Are Dishonest About School System's Performance

Hi Yupette,

Do you want to know how much the Arlington School System spends to educate 21,000 children? You have to wade through 20 pages of self-congratulatory PR on the School System's budget Web site to discover the School Board will spend $452 million to educate 21,000 children in FY 2011. That's $21,500 per child.

We read press release after press release from the Arlington School System printed by the newspapers with data that are untruthful. The students are being manipulated by the School Board to make the School System look better than it is. Did you know that students who are not interested in going to college were told not to bother taking the SAT tests? Wonder why SAT scores rose this year?

Wake up Parents. We have been repeatedly deceived by the Arlington School Board and a bloated school bureaucracy that increases class size, cuts teachers and instructional assistants, and promotes the personal agendas of School Board members. We can only expect more of the same if Sally Baird is re-elected.


Linda, Arlington Ridge

What Does Barbara Donnellan Do in the County Manager's Office?

Hello, Yupette,

Does anyone know what Barbara Donnellan does in the County Manager's Office besides transfer money from basic infrastructure accounts to vanity projects accounts?

Cindy - 22206

Artisphere Insider - Taxpayers Will Subsidize Artisphere for Many Years

Hi Yupette,

I spoke with a PRCR employee who works at the Artisphere and she said that Arlington taxpayers will be subsidizing the Artisphere way beyond the 3 years proposed by the County Board. And they don't expect much fund raising by the performing arts groups. Thought you'd like to know.

Meghan

O'Leary Rewards Sun Gazette With Confidential Candidate Tax Info.in Return for Supporting O'Leary's Decal Program

Hi Yupette,

Arlington County Treasurer Frank O'Leary rewarded the Sun Gazette for again endorsing Frank's total waste of tax dollars car tax decal program by providing Sun Gazette Editor Scott McCaffrey with extensive and confidential personal and corporate tax information about candidates who oppose Zimmerman and Baird for County Board and School Board. Much of this confidential information was obtained from O'Leary's political ally, Commissioner of the Revenue Ingrid Morroy.

McCaffrey recently admitted, in his personal Sun Gazette blog, that he is seeking all the "comps" he can get when interacting with people and organizations he contacts as Editor of several Sun Gazette newspapers.

Massive Traffic Calming Planned for EFC, Crystal City Adjacent Neighborhoods

Hi Yupette,

No matter what anyone might say at 2100 Clarendon Blvd., the reality is there is no way around massive traffic calming for the neighborhoods near the East Falls Church Metro station and Crystal City. That means many, many, speed tables installed in those neighborhoods.

George

It's Monday Morning, 52 Degrees, and Raining - Let's Bike to Work

Hi Yupette,

So commuting to work, school, shop, recreation, etc., via bicycles is supposed to be the answer to traffic congestion imposed by 'Smart Growth' on Northern Virginia? What do we do between between October and May?

George

Zimmerman's 'Safety Last' Traffic Calming Staff Can't Supply 'Keep Kids Alive' Signs to Neighborhoods

Hi Yupette,

Response from Chris 'Safety Last' Zimmerman's Traffic Calming Staff at 2100 Clarendon Blvd. is that they don't have the 'resources' to provide 'Keep Kids Alive Drive 25' signs to Arlington's neighborhoods that want to install and maintain them.

Same "Safety Last' Zimmerman who approved funding to install art in a stream bed last Tuesday.

Norm 22205

Brown Resigned Because Of County Board's 'Inverted Priorities'.

Hi Yupette,

In case you wondered why Mike Brown resigned it was because of the County Board's insistence on stripping money from essential public infrastructure to pay for the County Board's vanity projects. Mike was also tired of being overruled by Chris Zimmerman. Mike tried, but was unsuccessful, in changing the culture of corruption in areas like inspection services, which has become a cottage industry within County Government over the years.

2100