Arlington 'Counter-Terrorrism' Exercises Referred to Arlington Greens as 'Terrorists' in Training Scenarios

Hello Yupette,

More bad news regarding the rightward drift of Arlington County Government.

There was a big 'anti-terrorist' training exercise in Arlington this morning. Police, Fire, EMS, ATF, FBI, etc., all took part.

Apparently anyone who is to the left of the Arlington County Democratic Committee and/or doesn't go along with ACDC's program is a 'terror suspect' these days.

So local 'law enforcement' characterized 'Greens' as 'Terrorists' in several SWAT Team training scenarios.

What next? Round up anyone who doesn't go along with Zimmerman's program and throw us all in a concentration camp?

Stay tuned.

2100

'Pike Transit' Meeting - All About Streetcars and Pike 'Clarendonization'

Hello,

We received e-mail from several persons who attended yesterday's 'Pike Transit Policy Committee' meeting at the Annandale Government Center on the Pike. The two elected officials who attended were Jay Fisette and Penny Gross (the Fairfax County Supervisor whose district includes the Pike within Fairfax County). Also transportation lobbyists, county staff, planners, corporate facilitators, developers, and their attorneys.

None of these people cared about what the alternative transportation analysis determined and none of them care about what the environmental analysis will determine. They want to massively lobby the Federal Transit Administration so they can get their streetcar system funded and the equivalent of Clarendon constructed on the Pike. They didn't talk about transportation, they talked about development. Much of what they talked about was a proposed streetcar station at Skyline which Vornado and Target are heavily involved in planning. None of the 'decision makers' at the meeting cared at all what Arlington and Fairfax County residents think...we're just nuisances to them.

Cindy

Enhanced Pike Bus Service - Same Level of Service as Pike Streetcars at 1/5 the Cost

Hello Yupette:

If you haven't seen WMATA's analysis of enhanced bus vs. streetcar service costs and benefits, you should go to www.piketransit.com and click on 'View the February Community Group Presentations' under Pike Transit Initiative.

For just over $50 million spent on higher capacity buses we can get about the same level of transit service on the Pike as we would by paying $250 million for streetcars. WMATA should analyze the economics of double-deck buses as well as so-called articulated buses.

Moreover, with enhanced bus service on the Pike there would be money left over for expanding the ART Bus network and for other new transportation projects. It appears the Pike streetcar system would consume all the revenue from the commercial property surtax that's supposed to fund new transit projects.

Zimmerman's Pike streetcar is all about massive development along the Pike, not about efficiently and effectively moving people. Why else would the County pay 5 times more than it needs to spend for public transit on the Pike.

Enough wasteful spending is enough. I'm going to send Zimmerman a strong message by voting for Audrey Clement on March 27th. You should too.

Pike Rider