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
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
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
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Clement-Garvey AGENA Debate Reveals Garvey Ignores Parents, Communicates With Insiders Regarding School Capacity
Hello Yupette,
I attended the AGENA (Arlington General Employees Association) debate this afternoon between Audy Clement and Libby Garvey (Mark Kelly did not attend).
Libby stressed her management of Arlington's school system. Audrey Clement stressed the need for fiscal responsibility in County Government. Both disagreed with County Manager Barbara Donnellan's handling of the dispute between the County and AGENA over defined benefit vs. defined contribution retirement plans.
One part of the debate that was very interesting occurred when Audrey asked why Tuckahoe parents were left out of the loop regarding new classroom construction. Libby responded by disparaging Tuckahoe parents who did not agree with the capacity planning 'decision makers'.
One of Libby's Fairlington neighbors attended the debate and repeatedly asked Libby when the ambitious plans for Abingdon School (which does not have capacity problems) were going to be revealed to the Fairlington community and when she would appear at a Fairlington Citizens Accociation meeting to discuss plans for Abingdon School with her neighbors. Libby would not only not commit to discuss Abingdon School planning with her neighbors, she stated she already met privately with several members of the Abingdon School PTA.
So, folks, here's the deal...whatever deal is worked out among Democratic Machine insiders about school capacity is gonna be a done deal before parents learn about it.
BTW, Audrey won the debate. I gave her and A and Libby a B-minus.
2100
I attended the AGENA (Arlington General Employees Association) debate this afternoon between Audy Clement and Libby Garvey (Mark Kelly did not attend).
Libby stressed her management of Arlington's school system. Audrey Clement stressed the need for fiscal responsibility in County Government. Both disagreed with County Manager Barbara Donnellan's handling of the dispute between the County and AGENA over defined benefit vs. defined contribution retirement plans.
One part of the debate that was very interesting occurred when Audrey asked why Tuckahoe parents were left out of the loop regarding new classroom construction. Libby responded by disparaging Tuckahoe parents who did not agree with the capacity planning 'decision makers'.
One of Libby's Fairlington neighbors attended the debate and repeatedly asked Libby when the ambitious plans for Abingdon School (which does not have capacity problems) were going to be revealed to the Fairlington community and when she would appear at a Fairlington Citizens Accociation meeting to discuss plans for Abingdon School with her neighbors. Libby would not only not commit to discuss Abingdon School planning with her neighbors, she stated she already met privately with several members of the Abingdon School PTA.
So, folks, here's the deal...whatever deal is worked out among Democratic Machine insiders about school capacity is gonna be a done deal before parents learn about it.
BTW, Audrey won the debate. I gave her and A and Libby a B-minus.
2100
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Garvey, School System, Are Anti-Environment, Anti-Green
Hello, Yupette,
Want to know how 'green' and 'environmentally friendly' Libby Garvey, the School Board, and School Administration are? Well, they're not. Just check out their 'capacity planning' drawings on the School System's capacity Web pages....apsva.us/capacity.
What you will see are architectural renderings of Libby Garvey's and the School System's preferred plans for Arlington's elementary schools...more of the same kind of energy inefficient and anti-green 'planning' that gave us W-L High School. More parking. More focus on educational amenities rather than classroom learning. More turning green space into impervious surface. No apparent interest in on-site renewable energy, at least none is depicted on the architectural renderings. Extravagant spending on schools that are not over-capacity - e.g., Abingdon School.
Like W-L and Wakefield, it appears that school capacity planning was a result of interactions among the School Board, School Administration, the School System's pet architects, and the School Board's pet 'community leaders'. It was interesting to note - during the meeting at Reed School last night - how many parents and residents who don't have children in the school system are 'out of the loop'.
So, more green charades from Libby and the School Board. Any action Libby would take to be 'independent' of Zimmerman on the County Board would be purely coincidental to their shared status quo agenda.
Want to know how 'green' and 'environmentally friendly' Libby Garvey, the School Board, and School Administration are? Well, they're not. Just check out their 'capacity planning' drawings on the School System's capacity Web pages....apsva.us/capacity.
What you will see are architectural renderings of Libby Garvey's and the School System's preferred plans for Arlington's elementary schools...more of the same kind of energy inefficient and anti-green 'planning' that gave us W-L High School. More parking. More focus on educational amenities rather than classroom learning. More turning green space into impervious surface. No apparent interest in on-site renewable energy, at least none is depicted on the architectural renderings. Extravagant spending on schools that are not over-capacity - e.g., Abingdon School.
Like W-L and Wakefield, it appears that school capacity planning was a result of interactions among the School Board, School Administration, the School System's pet architects, and the School Board's pet 'community leaders'. It was interesting to note - during the meeting at Reed School last night - how many parents and residents who don't have children in the school system are 'out of the loop'.
So, more green charades from Libby and the School Board. Any action Libby would take to be 'independent' of Zimmerman on the County Board would be purely coincidental to their shared status quo agenda.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Garvey, School Board 'Desperate' for Classrooms
Hi Yupette,
You will be interested to know that Libby Garvey and the School Board are so desperate for classroom space that they are looking at using community centers as schools.
All the community centers are under consideration, Fairlington, Walter Reed, Aurora Hills, and so on.
Same school board that approved the ugly energy pig with too few classrooms that is W-L High school and the new sports-entertainment-recreation center that will be Wakefield High School.
Libby Garvey knew years ago that Arlington County was adding thousands of new housing units to the County's housing inventory every year. She's been constantly running for public office for a decade.
Libby Garvey should be running all right...for retirement. So should the other School Board members. The Superintendent should be asked to resign so he can do what he does best...coaching a sports team.
We've had 33 years of one-party rule here. Enough is enough.
K-12 Parent X 3
You will be interested to know that Libby Garvey and the School Board are so desperate for classroom space that they are looking at using community centers as schools.
All the community centers are under consideration, Fairlington, Walter Reed, Aurora Hills, and so on.
Same school board that approved the ugly energy pig with too few classrooms that is W-L High school and the new sports-entertainment-recreation center that will be Wakefield High School.
Libby Garvey knew years ago that Arlington County was adding thousands of new housing units to the County's housing inventory every year. She's been constantly running for public office for a decade.
Libby Garvey should be running all right...for retirement. So should the other School Board members. The Superintendent should be asked to resign so he can do what he does best...coaching a sports team.
We've had 33 years of one-party rule here. Enough is enough.
K-12 Parent X 3
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Hynes, Democratic Machine Host Big Fundraiser for 'Independent' Libby Garvey
Hi Yupette,
The Democratic Machine hosted a big campaign fundraiser and organizational meeting yesterday for Libby Garvey (who claims she will be an "independent voice" on the all-Democratic County Board).
Libby was having a good old time with her ACDC pals at Mary's home and is hard to see how she would be independent of Zimmerman. So look for more of the same if she's elected.
Ted
The Democratic Machine hosted a big campaign fundraiser and organizational meeting yesterday for Libby Garvey (who claims she will be an "independent voice" on the all-Democratic County Board).
Libby was having a good old time with her ACDC pals at Mary's home and is hard to see how she would be independent of Zimmerman. So look for more of the same if she's elected.
Ted
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Garvey and Kelly Sit Sucking Thumbs at County Board Meeting While County Board Socks Homeowners With Big Tax Hike
Hello, Yupette,
I am not only disgusted with the County Board for socking homeowners with a big tax hike to pay for its pet projects but outraged that Democratic candidate for County Board Libby Garvey and Republican candidate for County Board Mark Kelly sat in the back of the county board room sucking their thumbs. (I heard that Audrey Clement has a very ill sister who she's visiting, so she can be excused for not attending).
But really, I mean really, for a Democratic and Republican candidate to just sit there and not even call for fiscal restraint by a County Board that's already flush with taxpayer cash from assessment increases is unconscionable. Who is in charge of county government, a one-party Republicratic regime? Does anyone care about homeowners anymore? Does anyone feel sympathy for taxpayers who have not had a salary or cost of living increase in years? I would like to know who wrote the letters sent to the County Board asking it to raise taxes. Same people who show up en masse at County Board meetings asking that their pet recreation project be funded?
Libby Garvey and Mark Kelly are poor excuses for candidates. I'm going to ask Audrey Clement what she thinks about this outrageous treatment of residents and taxpayers when I see her at the farmer's market.
Thanks for your blog.
Julie
I am not only disgusted with the County Board for socking homeowners with a big tax hike to pay for its pet projects but outraged that Democratic candidate for County Board Libby Garvey and Republican candidate for County Board Mark Kelly sat in the back of the county board room sucking their thumbs. (I heard that Audrey Clement has a very ill sister who she's visiting, so she can be excused for not attending).
But really, I mean really, for a Democratic and Republican candidate to just sit there and not even call for fiscal restraint by a County Board that's already flush with taxpayer cash from assessment increases is unconscionable. Who is in charge of county government, a one-party Republicratic regime? Does anyone care about homeowners anymore? Does anyone feel sympathy for taxpayers who have not had a salary or cost of living increase in years? I would like to know who wrote the letters sent to the County Board asking it to raise taxes. Same people who show up en masse at County Board meetings asking that their pet recreation project be funded?
Libby Garvey and Mark Kelly are poor excuses for candidates. I'm going to ask Audrey Clement what she thinks about this outrageous treatment of residents and taxpayers when I see her at the farmer's market.
Thanks for your blog.
Julie
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