Check out this afternoon's County Board meeting on arlingtonva.us - part where County Board went back and forth about the stupid Pike streetcar system.
Then County Transportation Staff weighed in about its meeting with the Federal Transit Administration about the Pike streetcar. Turns out the County significantly underestimated what the cost of the Pike streetcar is going to be - at least $310 million - and so the project was too expensive to qualify for a Federal Small Starts transportation grant. Oh, FTA also estimated that the Pike streetcar system would require a contingency for another $90 million or so
Only one on the dais who didn't go along with Zimmy's program was Libby Garvey. Go Libby!
Pike Rider
46 comments:
I'll admit that over the years I've become more and more disenchanted with Democrats and in more recent years disenchanted with Republicans. I have no use for any of the "board" members with the exception of Ms. Garvey for her stand on this issue. She sees it for what it is - a colossal waste of money and a boondoggle. Just like Fisette's "artisfail" legacy, Zimmie wants his own legacy. Way back in the day, I remember Democrat, Republican, and Independent County Board members who actually focused on what was really necessary and needed by ALL Arlingtonians and didn't give a fig about leaving some big hoo-ha of a "legacy" to swell their egos. Those days are, sadly, long gone. Look at what we've had for the past 15-20 years.
poor to non-existent internal audit capacity + fiscally irresponsible streetcar planning = AAA bond rating
Remember the baseball stadium fight ten years ago? Same stupid promises made by chamber of commerce boosters. Arlington said no. DC taxpayers got stuck with a $670 million stadium that's used about 90 days a year. Surrounded by mostly empty high rise buildings.
Instead of the County Manager's Executive Leadership Team meeting to decide which nature centers, community centers, and libraries to sell to pay for Zimmerman's trolley she and they should be meeting to decide which suburb of Charlotte they will retire to.
Disgusting? Last night the County Board awarded certificates and plaques to retiring North Arlington residents in recognition of their stewardship of Arlington's open-space parks and nature centers - same open-space parks and nature centers the County Board wants to sell to their corporate pirate cronies to pay for the Pike Streetcar, Artisphere, Aquatic Center Phase 3, and dozens more semi-professional synthetic sports fields.
poor to non-existent internal audit capacity + fiscally irresponsible streetcar planning = federal grand jury investigation
I want to know what the County Manager told the bond rating houses and what the bond rating houses told the County Manager.
RE Democrats and Republicans - Green Party is already exclusive and is meeting on Saturday to vote to become even more exclusive.
Green Party is a little club that's increasingly tolerant of Audrey Clement's increasingly irrational "my way or the highway" behavior.
Where are the Republicans? Attending Nats games in the corporate suites owned by the REITs, when they aren't partying in corporate hospitality suites at events like the U.S.S Arlington commissioning.
Green Party is run by and for a bunch of old Hippies.
Streetcar From Hell? The entire damn County Government, except for Libby Garvey, is being driven by streetcar fanatics.
What exactly did the FTA say to Dennis Leach and the County's other streetcar facilitators?
I want to know why the streetcar facilitators in the County Manager's office weren't read their rights by the FBI during their meeting with the FTA.
Why weren't they? Why did the FBI's second-in-command Mark Felt have to met up with Woodward and Bernstein in underground parking garages at midnight 40 years ago?
The Greens have endorsed a candidate for County Board who's far superior to the Republicrats' bi-partisans. She's bi-polar.
Stop all design, engineering, planning, contracting for all major County Government programs and projects until there is a competent and capable audit office in operation at 2100.
Yes, WHY do they continue to spend massive amounts of money on big projects when there is little or no internal audit capacity or capability to determine where the money is actually spent?
Anonymous wrote: "poor to non-existent internal audit capacity + fiscally irresponsible streetcar planning = federal grand jury investigation"
Exactly! I live for the day when that federal grand jury investigation is conducted.
Anonymous wrote: "Streetcar From Hell? The entire damn County Government, except for Libby Garvey, is being driven by streetcar fanatics."
That's the truth! The "county government" (so called) is bound and determined to force Zimmie's trolley and the fancy-schmancy big pool and Long Bridge down our throats the way they did the so-called "artisphere". They don't give a fig about the regular people in this county, who - in their view - are to shut up, sit down, and pay increasingly burdensome property taxes to fund their Hindenburg "legacies". They only "listen to" their fellow elitists, developer buddies, and those who can make big "donations" to their "election campaigns".
Anonymous wrote: "Stop all design, engineering, planning, contracting for all major County Government programs and projects until there is a competent and capable audit office in operation at 2100."
Amen, amen, and right on!
Anonymous wrote: "Yes, WHY do they continue to spend massive amounts of money on big projects when there is little or no internal audit capacity or capability to determine where the money is actually spent?"
Exactly! The country is still not fully out of the woods from several years of a difficult economy. With the sequestering going on, Arlington and the rest of Northern VA will be feeling pinched and get a taste of what the rest of the country has gone through for the past 5-6 years. Yet, our county "board" spends money like a drunken sailor in the seedy part of a port.
Why did Barbara Donnellan essentially eliminate the County's internal audit capability in FY 2011?
Time for the U.S. Attorney's Office and Federal Bureau of Investigation to take a serious look at Arlington County Government.
Is Jim Moran getting out of Dodge before the U.S. Marshall arrives?
Anonymous wrote: "Time for the U.S. Attorney's Office and Federal Bureau of Investigation to take a serious look at Arlington County Government."
Amen!
Anonymous wrote: "Why did Barbara Donnellan essentially eliminate the County's internal audit capability in FY 2011?"
Good question. Maybe somebody knew something about her and let her know that she either eliminated it and kept quiet or stuff would be made public. Could be any number of reasons, none of them good. Besides, nothing seemed to be different when we had that internal audit capacity and what we have now. The last 15 years the "board" has spent money faster than it can be printed.
Anonymous wrote: "Is Jim Moran getting out of Dodge before the U.S. Marshall arrives?"
ROFLMAO! Excellent! Though I'd prefer that the corrupt and abusive momzer get caught had have to go through a public accounting of his shenanigans over the years. The man is a disgrace and an embarrassment.
Why did Barbara Donnellan essentially eliminate internal auditing in County Government during FY 11.
Because they were counting on Melissa Bondi being elected to the County Board after Barbara Favola left and then they could spend money anyway they damn well pleased with no one asking any embarrassing questions.
Get out of Dodge? Take a look at the hug-fest at Tuesday night's County Board meeting between the County Board and their Limo Liberal facilitators who are retiring elsewhere.
Message from the County Board of Smart Growth was clear - Say Hi to Ron Carlee and look forward to moving near you in an upscale low-tax North Carolina dumb growth retirement suburb.
So...$310 million divided by 10 streetcars = $31 million per streetcar. That's insane.
Go Libby...Go!
True. Melisa Bondi was going was going to be their fifth vote for "anything goes" for County Board spending.
Where is the FBI when we really need them?
Donnellan disabled internal auditing to about zero so the County Board could wheel, deal, and steal after Melissa Bondi was elected.
What's insane is the entire smart growth psychosis.
Fed Up Democrat wrote: "Because they were counting on Melissa Bondi being elected to the County Board after Barbara Favola left and then they could spend money anyway they damn well pleased with no one asking any embarrassing questions."
It sure seems that way! Wouldn't surprise me one bit.
Anonymous wrote: "What's insane is the entire smart growth psychosis."
Right on! Three terms make me react like vinegar across teeth: "smart growth", "vibrant", and "the Arlington Way". Way back in the day, there were sensible moderates of all parties on the Board and growth/development were sensible and reasonable. Then for the last 15-20 years, its been "hip" terms like "vibrant", "smart growth", and the Arlington Way", which really means: "We will tax you peons to death, do whatever we damn well please, allow developers a total free hand for McMansions, way too tall condos and office buildings, and you all are supposed to sit down, shut up, pay the taxes and never question us, who are so vastly "smarter" and "more enlightened" than you peasants." Oh, and if you don't like it, move the hell away so we can bring in even more elitist yuppies like us who will keep us in power forever". A very different Arlington from the one where I grew up.
I viewed the County Board's hug fest Tuesday night and wanted to throw up. If Arlington is so wonderful why are the Elite Facilitators of the Arlington Way of Smart Growth leaving for low-tax dumb growth suburbs in other states?
Where's the FBI? FBI is talking to a Post reporter in an underground parking garage at midnight.
I also wanted to throw up after viewing the County Board's send-off for it's Smart Growth Facilitators retiring to a Historic Low Tax No Growth Suburban Enclave in North Carolina.
"Drop by Charlotte City Hall and say Hi to Ron".
"Ron...looks like another drought emergency this year...Ron...looks like another traffic emergency this year...Ron...it's starting to feel just like Northern Virginia here".
Charlotte and the entire Piedmont of North Carolina is going to run out of water within 10 years, given present and future development. Why anyone who expects to live for another 20 years is retiring there is beyond me.
Well, what else are they gonna do in Charlotte? The have a big working class that has to be gentrified out and Ron was the right guy to take that on.
Post a Comment