Full disclosure I’ve previously signed the petition as I think that Arlington needs to decide if the current at large system is protecting neighborhoods and ensuring an open process around sighting county facilities.
At the same time I’m increasingly uncomfortble with the likely flood of Dillon Rule lawsuits and the fact that it will put Richmond back in charge of health inspectors, daycares and housing.
Today I had a decisive moment that came from an unlikely source. I was walking into the CVS when I was asked to sign the petition by a signature gatherer. I asked her why she supported it and she said that she wanted to have direct elecfion of the county manager. I pointed put that in fact the proposed resolution would not do that.
However she challenged me and began telling me that I was wrong and she had a pamphlet that showed it. When I pressed her to show me where in e pamphlet it said that, she refused to let me see it. She even said that if I didn’t believe the pamphlet I was calling the chief of police and head of the fire department a liar. Then she said that the chief of police was for it and I should do what the police told me.
I simply tried to correct her, and asked here which group she was working with. She said she was a volunteer and unpaid. Which was odd since I didn’t ask her if she was paid. Seeing that the conversation was at an impasse I went in and did my shopping, when I was done she’d left.
So anyway I’ve reached the end of my ramblings on this proposed change. A better Arlington direction would probably be to apply for city charter or join with the rest of Nova and form the new state of Real Virginia.
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