Fi$ette's Friendships With Fossil Fuel Polluters Preventing On-Site Renewable Energy

Hey, Yupette,

Every wonder why the pace of on-site renewable energy installation in Arlington is so glacial? One big reason - Jay Fisette's friendships with the fossil fuel polluters. Yep, like other VIP Democrats Jay is best buds with the anti-renewable energy National Rural Electrification Cooperative Association, which is currently at war with the EPA. In fact, Jay's domestic partner's corporate consulting firm, Healthy Companies International, recently gave NRECA a big corporate makeover. Of course, NCREA also supplies the Arlington Democratic Committee with 'free' meeting and event space.

Jay's also good buds with anti-renewable energy Dominion and Washington Gas. Jay's so-called 'Citizen Energy Task Force' was another big charade. How big? Check out what's going on elsewhere in the Northeast. There is a massive move on to install on-site solar in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. Here's a photo of a Giant supermarket in eastern Pennsylvania where a 250 kilowatt solar array was installed a couple months ago. ALL the Giant supermarkets in Pennsylvania and Delaware are having big solar arrays installed.

Meanwhile back in Arlington, the County Board is still approving LEED Gold buildings that are energy pigs. Why are we still electing and re-electing turkeys like Jay Fisette?

Terri

Planning Commission Says NO, for Now, to More Bonus Density for Increased LEED Scores

Hey, Yupette,

Planning Commission met tonight. County Board sprung a Spring surprise on the P.C. in the form of a complex corporate welfare bonus-density-for-LEED-score deal that was only sent to Planning Commission members yesterday. Planning Commission said - let's think about this. And they are the County Board's hand picked pro-development "facilitators". Obviously, Arlington County is nothing more than a development and redevelopment opportunity for any developer gang wanting a corporate welfare steal from the County Board, as the Arlington Yupette blog has stated many times.

2100

Arlington's Fiscal Future - Train Wreck or Major Yearly Tax Increases

Hi Yupette,

Seen how the Arlington County Board intends to spend tax revenue over the next five years? About $550 million for the Columbia Pike and Crystal City streetcar systems. At least $100 million more for Long Bridge Park. Minimum of $250 million for school construction. Then there is an unknown but extravagant amount for new sports, recreation, and entertainment projects. Perhaps another $100 million. That adds up to $1 billion. All new capital construction projects.

Where's the money for maintenance and improvements of existing infrastructure? Where the money for treating stormwater (a big source of Potomac River pollution)? Where's the money for affordable housing that's truly affordable?

Appears we're headed for some big real estate tax increases and fee hikes over the next few years. There is no way the County Board can pursue its own extravagant agenda and keep the County operating without significantly raising taxes.

Thanks for your blog.

Ken 22204

County Government, Chamber of Commerce, Local Media Failing Arlington Restaurants

Hey, Yupette, I just viewed Tuesday's County Board meeting on arlingtonva.us. The County Board refused to give the Pines of Italy restaurant on the Pike a use permit for live entertainment. There's a laundry list of problems with the restaurant and its owner going back a decade.

Pines of Italy isn't the only restaurant with problems. Almost every week you can read in the blogs about a struggling restaurant closing. So where are the Chamber of Commerce, Arlington County Economic Development, CPRO, the local media, and other organizations who are concerned about the success of small businesses? No one on the County Board offered any assistance to the Pines of Italy at Tuesday night's meeting. Meaning advice to the owners about how to fix the problems. Apparently there is no meaningful assistance offered to other struggling restaurants. All I've ever heard about them is when they're in arrears in sending their meals tax receipts to the County Treasurer. And when they go out of business.

You would think that Walter Tejada would be concerned about this minority-owned restaurant. And Mary Hynes literally micro-manages the restaurants in her Clarendon neighborhood. But I wonder why anyone would want to start a restaurant in Arlington that's not a national chain franchise. BTW, Pines of Italy serves really good Italian food. Pike Rider

County Board to 'Shirlington' Rosenthal Auto, Bergmanns

Hello Yupette,

More bad news for those of us who live in Arlington and want our County to remain suburban. The County Board and its non-resident REITs, developers, lawyers, architects, county staff, etc., are going to replicate Shirlington on the Rosenthal auto dealer site on the Pike and the Bergmanns cleaners site on Lee Highway.

That is, massive parking and vehicle trips, little or no on-site affordable housing for all the restaurant and retail jobs that will be created, and no additional community infrastructure, playgrounds, community activities center, etc.

Another corporate welfare gift for the County Board's pet corporate cronies, facilitated by the usual crew of the County Board's pet 'community leaders'.

Oh, by the way, same Libby Garvey who has said nothing and done nothing about the Shirlington mess that affects her own community is now on the County Board.

Mike, 22204

Arlington Republicans Criticize School Board Mismanagement - In Private

Hi Yupette,

I'm a Republican who's fed up with the cozy relationship the Arlington Republican Party has with the Arlington Democratic Party.

Yes, there's a deal whereby hundreds of non-resident students can illegally attend Arlington schools at a cost to taxpayers of $18,400 per student per year. But there's much more waste and mismanagement in the school system that Arlington Republicans know about that you don't.

There is a huge under-utilization of Arlington's school bus system because parents are given tacit encouragement to drive their children to school and pick them up.

Arlington school HVAC systems break down because of inadequate maintenance and the repairs are expensive. Similarly, the cost of operating and maintaining the Oracle-based IT system is huge. A recent system crash cost more than $1 million to fix. The School Board spent extravagantly for custom architectural services for Wakefield HS but could have purchased off-the-shelf architectural plans for significantly less. The County funded a $1 million baseball field for W-L but the School Board is not even talking about the school itself, which is an energy pig that needs a $20 million classroom addition.

If ever a public institution deserved an Inspector General it's the Arlington School System. But until Arlington Republicans stop going along with the program and start being vocal the waste, fraud, and mismanagement will go on.

Eisenhower Republican

Clement Files Petitions, Will Appear on the Ballot in November

Hello,

Audrey Clement filed her petitions yesterday and will appear on the ballot as a Candidate for Arlington County Board in November. Her campaign e-mailed

AY a photo.

Cindy