Fifteen Years of Wants-Not-Needs Government in Arlington - Enough

Hi Yupette,

Happy to see an independent is running against whichever Chris Zimmerman clone is selected by Arlington Democrats. After 15 years of wants-not-needs driving County Government, with Jay Fisette and Chris Zimmerman alternately in the driver's seat, it's time to reverse course and fund the basics first, not last.

Chris Zimmerman is getting the gold mine along with his corporate cronies who he'll be working with and for when he leaves the County Board. Jay Fisette already got the gold mine, through his domestic partner's management consulting firm whose clients include dozens of major corporations, many having appeared before the County Board seeking and receiving various gimmes over the years.

Only thing that would make me happier than seeing Chris Zimmerman leave the County Board would be Jay Fisette announce he's also retiring, to become a fund raiser for his pet non-profit arts organizations to take them off the taxpayer dole.

Thanks for your blog.

Joan, 22207

Democratic Smart Growth Facilitators Call on Police to 'Supervise' Citizens Association Election

Hey Yupette,

Having angered residents who live near the Fairlington Community Center with plans for a Sunday farmer's market, never mind the impact of traffic on the neighborhood, the Fairlington Citizens Association called on the Arlington Police Department to attend its annual election meeting to ensure the Democratic incumbents are re-elected. And the same Democratic 'facilitators' - with a few new faces - have been tapped by Chris Zimmerman to fast-track the approval of the massive Park Shirlington luxury apartment redevelopment adjacent to North Fairlington.

Same police who Zimmerman has lurking undercover in the back of the County Board meeting room and secretly recording what citizens are saying and doing inside and outside the County Board room during County Board meetings and other public meetings.

What else is new in Fairlington? Same old from the same Democratic facilitators who had the cops attend election meetings a decade ago, and threatened Fairlington residents with arrest for complaining about the Shirlington redevelopment giveaways, lack of affordable housing, increased traffic, massive parking, and so on. And they're again engaging in the usual Democratic Party rumor-mongering, slander, and so on against Fairlington residents who don't go along with the program.

Later,

Fairgrrl

Democrats to Select Zimmerman Clone for County Board

Hello Yupette,

I attended Wednesday's ACDC monthly meeting and heard Peter Fallon, Alan Howze, and Cord Thomas attempt to out-Zimmerman Chris Zimmerman. What a hoot. Aren't we giving enough corporate welfare to the REITs who are creating both a office space and housing bubble, and corporations that are bringing thousands of low-paid jobs to Arlington? Peter, Alan, and Cord never met a greedy corporate executive they didn't like.

Oh, speaking of C.Z., he's going to be spending more time in the County Board offices next year lobbying to inflict New Urbanism on our neighborhoods than he's spending this year as a County Board member.

But what can you expect from a political party that's been in power and controlled everything for more than 30 years?

fed up Dem

Park Shirlington Redevelopment - Huge Brick Warehouse Apartment Buildings Pre-Approved by County Board

Hey, Yupette,

Home Properties Incorporated (an Upstate New York Corporation that's been de-investing in Upstate NY for more than two decades) filed a preliminary site plan for Park-Shirlington redevelopment with Arlington County. The plans depict massive sprawl warehouse apartment buildings with many windows that supposedly conform to nearby Fairlington's architecture. No way does this site plan have anything whatsoever to do with Fairlingon's historic suburban planning.. Based upon what I could determine from the plans, this project will massively impact Fairlington in a massively negative way. Project was pre-approved by County Board Members Favola, Fisette, Hynes, Tejada and Zimmerman  during private meetings with Home Properties in early 2011. Did I mention that County "Planning" Staff is already trashing Fairlington residents who won't "go along with the program"?

FairGrrl - 22206

FY 2015 Financial Forecast and Budget Guidance: County Can't Afford Zimmerman's $treetcar

Hey Yupette,

Did you read Barbara Donnellan's FY 2015 FY 2015 Financial Forecast and Budget Guidance Report - Agenda Item 30 at tonight's County Board meeting? We can expect low to moderate growth in revenues between FY 2015 and FY 2020, with increasing costs for schools, for County Government, and for the County Board's pet projects - Artisphere, Aquatic Center, and Zimmerman Streetcar.  No mention of where the money would come for the $500 million Zimmerman Streetcar except from the Transportation Fund. Anyway, budget deficit is projected to be $7.7 million for FY 15, increasing substantially every year until at least FY 20. Check out the report at arlingtonva.us.

Ted - also from 2100

Zimmerman's Legacy to Arlington: Neighborhoods as Regional Party Zones

Hey Yupette,

Thanks for info about the Jumbotronzation of our neighborhoods. Know what's behind this? In the event you missed Saturday's County Board meeting, Chris Zimmerman wants his "Legacy" to Arlington to be the complete yupscale urbanization of Arlington's neighborhoods into regional party zones. Including the entire Pike corridor. That's why anything goes when comes to sector plans, general land use plan, zoning, and site plans. As Roving Ambassador for Smart Growth Zimmy isn't going to be around Arlington to suffer the consequences, nor will VIP County Staff who make the so-called "planning" decisions, don't live in the County, and are near retirement. Zimmy et. al. are seeing the County lose high-paying federal and federal contractor jobs and are desperate to keep the economic bubble growing. So their "planning" for the next 20 years involves bringing people with huge amounts of disposable income to live, play, and pay taxes of all kinds in Arlington County. Of course, as in all Ponzi schemes, that assumes there are an infinite number of people with large amounts of disposable income who want to live, play, and pay ever-increasing taxes in Arlington County.

Later,

2100

Zimmerman's Urban Village Jumbotronization Goes to Planning Commission, County Board

Hey, Yupette,

In the event you wondered what's next on Chris Zimmerman's urbanization agenda, it's putting a Jumbotron in your neighborhood. Yep, already went to the Planning Commission on Monday, going to the County Board next week on the consent agenda and in December for approval. The Jumbotrons would be huge, up to 750 square feet, that's 37 feet by 20 feet.

County Planning Staff ran the idea of Jumbotrons in neighborhoods like Shirlington Village past three Arlington residents and received a thumbs up from all three.

What was the Planning Commision to do? They serve at the pleasure of Chris Zimmerman.

Later, 2100