Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Schools, Not Streetcars

Hello,

With installation of classroom trailers at W-L High School (completed in 2008) realization is slowly dawning on the County Board and School Board that, in fact, 5,000 more students will be attending Arlington's public schools in 2016.

But what are they going to do about it, beyond ordering a couple hundred more classroom trailers? Nothing that I can discern. During FY 11 Arlington County spent $1.5 million for Columbia Pike streetcar planning and $474,000 for Dover, Kohl's Pike in-fill planning and facilitation services. Nothing mentioned about schools, although more schools and brick-and mortar classrooms are Arlington's critical needs right now. Especially if population density along the Pike corridor doubles or triples over the next five years.

Now there is consternation at the School Board offices because it appears that the new Wakefield High School will be short classrooms the day it opens in 2013, something School Board candidate Miriam Gennari predicted last year.

Who's being irrational here? The Greens, Independents, Republicans, and fiscally responsible Democrats who want an end to reckless and irrational spending for the County Board's pet transportation, entertainment, recreation, and sports vanity projects? Or Mr. Zimmerman and the County Board, and their pet political cronies, special interests, REITs, and developers?

No Contest. Enough is Enough. Our kids' needs come first. Scrap Chris Zimmerman's plans for a wasteful and unnecessary $160 million streetcar system and build real schools and classrooms for our children instead.

Susan

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Audrey Clement for County Board

Anonymous said...

Miriam Gennari for School Board

TY said...

County Board wants Arlington to be Disney World. Reality is we're becoming downtown Orlando.

Anonymous said...

Have you noticed that now that none of the County Board have kids in the school system trailer classrooms are appearing?

Anonymous said...

Susan, you know how Arlington loves to emulate Portland? Well, Portland got its streetcars, so earlier this spring they voted down the school bond....

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/05/portland_public_schools_bon\
d_h.html

And they don't bother paving their streets....


http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-17460-dirt_roads_dead_ends.html

The Portland of today is the Arlington of the future.

Barcrofter said...

Susan, Arlington is going to build a NCAA-approved baseball field in Barcroft Park.

Ted said...

Not surprising about Portland and school bonds, it's one of the top-10 retirement places for seniors to relocate to. Only thing positive about Portland's economy is healthcare, all those seniors need multiple healthcare services.

Anonymous said...

While the Sun Gazette makes fun of the Falls Church News-Press its Editor, Scott McCaffrey, is becoming just as much a sycophant of Arlington's ruling political elite.

Anonymous said...

Why does everyone in this region believe the USA is going to be fighting expensive wars in the Third World forever? We're not.

Anonymous said...

There is a County Board meeting on Saturday, July 9th. Public comments start at 8:30 AM.

Anonymous said...

'Nada' Tejada has promised the Latino Community a $200 million indoor World Cup soccer arena to be constructed next to the $60 million aquatics center.

Anonymous said...

Isn't there space available in the community centers between 8 AM and 3 PM?

Anonymous said...

Back when I was growing up in Arlington (1960s/1970s), the Boards in those days would have considered schools first. They would have made resolution of overcrowding a priority before some trolly. But in those days, the County Board genuinely cared about ALL Arlingtonians, not a select elite and their developer buddies.