DES Staff: County Manager Is 'Repurposing' CIP Paving Funds for Aquatic Center, Pike Streetcar, Artisphere

Hey, Cindy,

I contacted Department of Environmental Services Staff last week to ask when my crumbling street (photo enclosed)  is going to be repaved. After all, we voted about $72 million for street paving the last capital improvement bond issue. So we'll have plenty of money to repave Arlington's crumbling residential streets. Right? Wrong! According to DES Staff, bond funds that would have been used for street repaving are being 'repurposed' by County Manager Donnellan for the County Board's pet vanity projects. And BTW, according DES Staff, my residential street is going to have to become a total mess before its repaved in 2016 or 2017. Thanks for this blog.

Fairgirl - 22206

Chris Zimmerman's Legacy

Hey, Yupette,

Today, February 10th, is Chris Zimmerman's last day as a County Board member. Same Chris Zimmerman who approved the construction of almost 12,000 new parking spaces in Arlington between January 2012 and January 2014. Same Chris Zimmerman who promoted the Form Based Code for Columbia Pike which will add at least 10,000 additional parking spaces in the Pike Corridor. Same Chris Zimmerman who promoted a streetcar system on the Pike that will cost $500 million before it's completed. Same Chris Zimmerman who tirelessly promoted the gentrification of service workers and restaurant workers out of the affordable apartments a few blocks from where they lived. Same Chris Zimmerman who approved packing people and vehicles into a tiny suburban county to benefit his non-profit and corporate cronies. Chris Zimmerman's Legacy to Arlington?  A formerly socially and economically diverse suburban county that will become an expensive gridlocked urban mess by the end of this decade.

Pike Rider