Saturday, July 9, 2011

Christmas in July: County Board Funds Vanity Projects Over Human Needs

Hi Yupette,

County Board did it again. Cut human services funding and appropriated $800,000 for beautifying the wastewater treatment plant. Also gave the wealthy $ignature-$ynetic theater group an $89,000 stipend. Also arranged a couple of land swaps with (apparently) no independent appraisal of the value of the land being swapped.

Stay tuned for Tuesday's continuation meeting where major land use plan (gentrification) changes for the Bergmann's site and surrounding neighborhood on Lee Hwy may or may not be on the agenda.

Ted

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

What about the land swap with Monument Realty? Two large parcels near Longbridge Park.

Anonymous said...

County Board slashed affordable housing and employment training funding to beautify the sewage treatment plant? How irrational can you be?

Anonymous said...

$$$ignature Theater received it's usual stipend. How many billions are they worth?

TY said...

Only more proof that the County Board, County Staff, and their pet 'Community Leaders' are all CORRUPT PIGS.

Anonymous said...

Someone should determine how many problems will be encountered developing the former Twin Bridges Marriott site

Peter said...

Artisphere is up for an additional cash infusion on Tuesday.

Anonymous said...

Zimmerman is spending how much on an an inventory of 'historic' apartment buildings and residences? To be turned over to Dover, Kohl and the other out of state planners and developers?

Anonymous said...

Yes, County taxpayers are funding the pre-planning for the destruction of their own neighborhoods.

KM said...

The staff in the County Board offices were instructed to lie about the inclusion of the proposed Bergmann's GLUP changes to anyone who called asking whether they would be an agenda item this County Board meeting.

BTW, anyone with any decision-making authority on the County Board's staff is not a County resident. Surprised?

Anonymous said...

The current so-called County Board only gives a rip about rich developers and their rich yuppie buddies. Its been that way for at least the past 15-20 years. If you are regular middle class of any race or ethnic background, much less lower income or poor, all they want is for you to shut up, sit down, and get out of the way for another gentrification project, high rise offices/condos, McMansions, trolley follies, artispheres or other vanity projects. How about renovating existing vacant houses and older apartments so Arlington's teachers, fire fighters, paramedics and police can actually afford to live here with good housing and good neighborhoods? How about genuinely preserving historic neighborhoods instead of talking about it? The current "board" is just a bunch of elitist rich limousine liberals who talk a lot of "progressive" talk but whose actions say "unless you are a rich developer or rich yuppie "community leader, we don't have the time of day for you."

Anonymous said...

As mentioned on this blog, the same is occurring elsewhere. Limo Liberals who control Westchester County New York won't let the middle class, let alone minorities, live in yupscale upper Weschester, e.g., Chappaqua, home of Bill and Hill.

22205 said...

Middle class is fast being gentrified out of Dominion Hills, Nada Tejada's neighborhood - tear downs and expensive home additions.

Anonymous said...

22205 wrote: "Middle class is fast being gentrified out of Dominion Hills, Nada Tejada's neighborhood - tear downs and expensive home additions."

Isn't that the truth! The same thing is happening in Bluemont, both north and south of Wilson Blvd. A few years ago, the woods across from my home were cleared out with 5 huge McMansions built on my street and 3 built on the next street over from mine. Twice the size of the houses on my street that are nice decent 1940-41 vintage. They suck up all the electricity. Before these monsters were built, we rarely had power outages in my neighborhood. Now even a little wind knocks out power in our neighborhood, thanks to these behemoths. If I had not inherited the house I live in when my father died, I could not afford to live in this neighborhood. A perfectly decent older home at Wilson and the south side of N. Harrison was torn down not too long ago and two huge McMansions are being built in its place. Another decent older home at N. George Mason and N. 15th was torn down and guess what's replacing it.....another "Arlington Way" McMansion twice the size! And the "board" bloviates about "smart growth" and "going green"....my wide Aunt Fanny!

Anonymous said...

Regarding the Twin Bridges Marriott site, there are major geotechnical issues, primary issue being ground water. There is apparently no concern whatsoever about the effect of global warming on the rise in tides along the tidal Potomac where development is being planned.

PL said...

I want to see their 2010 IRS Form 1040s. Starting with Tejada's , Fisette's, and Fisette's domestic partner's. Also the corporate tax return and client list for Fisette's domestic partner's corporation - Healthy Companies International.

Anonymous said...

PL wrote: "I want to see their 2010 IRS Form 1040s. Starting with Tejada's , Fisette's, and Fisette's domestic partner's. Also the corporate tax return and client list for Fisette's domestic partner's corporation - Healthy Companies International."

I'd bet there would be a lot of very interesting stuff in them, like how many developer "contributions" were made, investments in developers, etc., etc., etc.

Anonymous said...

I want to see Tejada's 2010 Form 1099s - miscellaneous income.

Anonymous said...

Never mind good old cash, good old $50 and $100 gift cards are what boards of supervisors members with college-age children are looking for.

former ACDC precinct captain said...

Back-to-School time is not that far off. Please be kind to your local supervisors. Hundred dollar gift cards from Macys, Orvis, Nordstrom, etc., are especially appreciated.

Anonymous said...

I wonder how much the wealthy theater groups will have to kick back in campaign contributions?