Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Federal Employees May Spend 'Many Days' on Unpaid Furlough

Hello Ms. Yupette:

Thanks for this blog.

I'm very uneasy about the Arlington County Board spending so extravagantly on projects like the Columbia Pike streetcar, which I understand will cost $138 million for a dozen streetcars.

I work for a large federal non-defense, non-national security agency and the talk is of one or two unpaid furlough days for federal non-military, non national security employees during FY 2012. That would be 12 or 24 days that we would not be paid.

I cannot support anyone in local government who is spending so extravagantly as the Arlington County Board and Arlington School Board members. There is apparently no consideration for taxpayers, only spending charade after spending charade orchestrated by the County Board and School Board, whether the spending is for pet projects like streetcars or pet non-profits like Marymount University. This has been going on for two decades with no end in sight. We are governed by irrational and irresponsible people and it's bi-partisan, Republicans are rubber stamps for the County's extravagant spending. Who speaks for us? A few local activists who are fed up, as we are. The newspapers are shills for local government and promoters of the status quo.

Thanks again for your blog.

T.Y.

28 comments:

Joan22207 said...

If you are fed up please do not vote for incumbents in this year's elections - Libby Garvey, Abby Raphael. Mary Hynes, Walter Tejada.

Anonymous said...

My streets are full of pot holes and we have third world street lighting. Yet the County Board continues the neighborhood conservation program which provides infrastructure and beautification funds for County Board and School Board members' neighborhoods and to the neighborhoods of pet Republicans and Democrats. Even the County Board's all-time favorite planning commissioner said it's time to end the neighborhood conservation program.

Anonymous said...

The County Board and School Board should have announced an immediate and total freeze on any spending for any new projects a month ago.

Anonymous said...

We may have to take an unpaid furlough week if the government is shut down next month.

22205 said...

Don't vote for any incumbent anymore. At least half their pet vanity projects benefit consultants, lawyers, planners, promoters, newspaper publishers, real estate trusts, and county staff who don't live in Arlington.

Williamsburg said...

Where is the "community benefit" from any of their pet vanity projects? Latest is Barbara Favola's lobbying for the Marymount-O'Connell lighted team sports complex at the neighborhood's expense. How much more money is the County going to spend on team sports? And where is the benefit from team sports?

fed said...

Appears the federal government will be shut down for a week if there is no budget compromise.

Anonymous said...

Where are Arlington County's plans?

Anonymous said...

We will see tax increases this year no matter how many days federal workers are laid off. It's all about thm and their interests, we ceased being meaningful to them, except as a source of tax revenue, years ago.

Peter said...

Ask them at the next County Board meeting, I think it's in 2 weeks.

Anonymous said...

Hi Arlington Yupette, how can I contact you with questions?

Pike Wire said...

Hello Arlington Yupette, I am the editor of pike wire (piketowncenter.com). We are interested in profiling you on our website. How can I get in touch with you? My email is contact@piketowncenter.com

AY said...

arlingtonyupette at yahoo dot com

Pikester said...

Pikewire is a pro gentrification, pro trolley, pro zimmerfication blog.

Barcrofter said...

Pikewire sucks, promotes more massive yuppification for the Pike.

Anonymous said...

Time for Zimmerman to move to McLean, live near the developers and their lawyers.

Susan said...

Thirty years of Yuptards. Enough. Leave the Pike alone.

Anonymous said...

Pikewire is Yuptard Eliteism at its worst.

Pikester said...

C'mon, Pikewire Yuptards are more gentrify the immigrants out urban village idiots.

Anonymous said...

Pikewire can't wait until total zimmerization occurs on the Pike.

Barcrofter said...

Pikewire, move to McLean, and take the County Board with you.

Anonymous said...

I wonder what gated community in which luxury enclave the Whipples will retire to? Mary Margaret was one of the crew that got the gentrification train rolling 30 years ago. One thing that's as certain as Arlington's taxes increasing every year is the elite do not have to suffer the consequences of their actions.

Jorge said...

Insofar as Pike Wire is concerned the Latinos and Latinas who live on the Pike may as well be living on the Moon.

Pikester said...

Contact person for Pike Wire is David Talley, 600 South Walter Reed Drive.

Lourdes said...

There is almost zero about Latinos who live on the Pike from this pikwewire blog. It's all about Yuppies.

Pike Rider said...

David Talley is another irrational and irresponsible Pike Gentrification Booster.

Julie said...

FYI - Pike Wire censors blog posts that don't go along with Zimmerman's Pike Gentrification Program.

Pikester said...

Pike Wire aka David Talley is another Pike Yuppification blog whose owners and operators want to make a bunch of bucks from Pike gentrification and then split for an exclusive Yuptard gated community.