County Board Majority Working to Bail Out Artisphere

Hi Yupette,

Latest on the Artisphere is the County Board Majority  (Fisette, Hynes, and Tejada) are working on a bailout much like they recently bailed out the wealthy elite who run the Signature Theater.

Under the deal that's being considered, the County would pay many of the Artisphere's operating expenses, like utilities, and give the Artisphere's Board of Directors a long-term loan at 1% interest. The County would also pay a theatrical management firm to run the Artisphere. Losses from the Artisphere's operations, like live theater flops, would be camouflaged as "community benefits", paid for by the County and hidden in the budget.

Hynes and Tejada are increasingly outta here and Jay Fisette never met a performing arts group he didn't want to build a live theater for. I was afraid the Signature bailout wouldn't be the last taxpayer bailout for the performing arts groups. It won't.

2100

Media Boosters of the Status Quo Shouldn't Complain About Tax Rate Increases

Hey, Yupette,

I just read $cott McCaffrey's annoyed comments about the County Board's proposed 1.5 cent tax rate increase. What a hoot. Same old $ara$ota $cott who never saw a proposal, activity, program, personal, corporate, non-profit, or government agenda, he didn't want to promote via his Inside Nova blog and Sun Gazette newspaper? Starting with Frank O'Leary's car tax decal design competition that's not only illegal but has mushroomed into an annual festival costing the taxpayers several hundred thousand dollars. Sheesh.

While $cott's expressing his annoyance with the County Board and its proposed tax rate increase he's been preparing to join APS's winter junket to San Diego for the coronation of Coach Patrick Murphy as National School Superintendent of the Year. How much did that P.R. campaign cost taxpayers? Maybe $cott can find out when he's out wining and dining with APS's VIPs.

I have to agree with what I  hear around the County: "The waste in Arlington County Government could fund the operation of two small counties downstate, and the waste in APS could fund the school systems in those counties".

Thanks for your blog.

Larry, 22201