Arlington County Manager presented the FY14 Budget to the County Board yesterday. Basically ignored any effects of federal cutbacks and Arlington's budget cuts due to real estate tax shortfalls will largely come from essential services, with a 3.9% increase in taxes and fees for homeowners. No word on the schools budget yet and how much the school system will need. The County Board goes on pretending it's 2003 and that the Feds are going to keep printing money to fight wars in the Third World, when the reverse is happening. Only County Board Member who recognized that the County is going to get fiscally and economically slammed by federal employee furloughs and loss of contractor employment was Mary Hynes.
No significant cutbacks to the County Board's pet projects, streetcars, sports, entertainment, recreation. Oh, the Artisphere's budget is being cut 50% so the performing arts groups who use the Artisphere are going to have to finally resort to philanthropy.
This is what we get for electing and re-electing people, like Jay Fisette, with a "party's over here" mindset who live in a bubble.
Thanks for your blog.
Tom, 22205
