In a related development, Mitt Romney has announced that he will be joining Blue Virginia as an occasional contributor, as he agrees with our progressive views and wants to help promote them in Virginia. Oh wait, I just made that up, but back in 2002, when Romney was running as a non-Republican “progressive,” that wouldn’t have been particularly far-fetched now would it have? Heh.

Arlington is gearing up for a special election to replace Senator-elect Barbara Favola on the County Board, with the caucus dates now set for 2/2 and 2/4 (at the NRECA Building and Kenmore Middle School, respectively), and with numerous candidates announcing at this past Wednesday’s ACDC meeting (see videos of their speeches here). I recently sent out questionnaires to all the announced Democratic candidates, with a deadline of this morning. The first interview, with Elmer Lowe, is available here. The second interview, with Melissa Bondi, is available here, and the third interview, with Terron Sims, is available here. The fourth interview, received a bit after the deadline, was with Kim Klingler. The fifth interview, also received a bit after the deadline, is with Libby Garvey (see here). The final interview, which you can read below, is with Peter Fallon, a bit past the “early Monday” deadline. Thanks to Mr. Lowe, Ms. Bondi, Mr. Sims, Ms. Klingler, Ms. Garvey, and Mr. Fallon for returning their Blue Virginia surveys (and to the first three for returning them on time). May the best candidate win!

1. Why are you running for Arlington County Board and what makes you the most qualified candidate at this time?

I am running to continue Arlington’s tradition of good government built upon qualified candidates with years of broad-based community experience, strong record of commitment to local public service, while embracing Arlington’s community values.

Local issues have always been important to me, and over the past 20 years I’ve devoted thousands of hours to a broad range of issues in Arlington.  These issues have included schools, transportation, zoning, parks and recreation, fiscal management, and public safety among others.  The Code of Virginia requires that every town, city and county have a planning commission to advise it on these matters.  

I have served on the Arlington County Planning Commission since 2004, serving as chair in 2009.  I chaired our zoning ordinance review committee for three years. I have been an active participant in all long range planning efforts during this period.  I have a voice at the table and have had a direct impact on the formation of County policy for the past seven years.  I can see the results of my contributions, and of others, as I walk throughout Arlington. I have reviewed dozens of site plan application proposals and advocated for shared community benefits.  I have supported many site plans, but opposed proposals when I concluded it was not in the best interests of Arlington.  For the past two years, I have served as the commission’s liaison to the County’s Affordable Housing Commission. During this time I have advocated for more housing benefits on each site plan.  I served on the Arlington Transportation Commission for three years, spending many hours on the County’s Master Transportation Plan (MTP) Plenary Group.  My campaign web site includes a more complete list of my community involvement over the past two decades.  

My service on the Planning Commission has given me a unique experience necessary for developing balanced solutions among competing priorities.  I have learned firsthand the importance of diving into the details, while not losing sight of the bigger picture and our overall policy goals.  As a member of the County Board, I would be voting on the very policy matters I am currently studying as a Planning Commissioner including changes to our sign ordinance, adoption of long range plans, and evaluating development proposals in exchange for tangible community benefits.  We need to be willing to solve problems, not look for convenience.

I am known for being fair, balanced, thoughtful, and objective in my decision making. I respect the diversity of opinion that commonly accompanies community discourse in Arlington. I know that compromise is an effective tool towards achieving consensus in a divided community.  I know that policy must evolve to remain relevant. We need to be willing to revisit decisions and learn from them.

Many of my extended family is involved in education and education has always been a priority to me.  Now, as a parent of a preschooler, I realize the County needs to take more significant steps to help our elected school board resolve classroom overcrowding. The County has control over the annual budget appropriation and controls access to bond funding. The County also has control over the zoning and construction permitting process. The County also determines the public discussion process and use permit approvals. Simply put, the school system has responsibility to carry out their educational mission, but in effect has limited authority, especially in terms of obtaining fiscal resources. In the past, the County Board and School Board have worked together and I am confident they will in the future. However, there should be a parent of a young child on the County Board side to look out for the schools too. I am NOT a seeking a seat on the school board. There are others that are qualified for service there. I am qualified to serve on the County Board, and ensure a fair deal for our schools in that capacity.

Great schools are a core community value of Arlington and must be protected.  Great schools provide the start in life to help the less fortunate to realize their full potential in life. Great schools are an economic driver and attract new employers. Great schools are essential to maintaining a thriving middle class in Arlington.

I am a Democrat and seek the endorsement of my party in the upcoming firehouse primary.  I ask for your support and vote. My contact information is available on my web site.

2. What would you say are the top three challenges facing Arlington County right now?

1) Prioritize and fund infrastructure.

A challenge we face is the overcrowding of schools due to growing enrollment. We must work to build new classrooms and replace our aging inventory of libraries, recreation centers, fire stations and other public buildings. We need to examine the fiscal realities and how to best use these resources for the most good.

2) Manage change.

We are seeing more and more encroachment of development into edge areas between Metro corridors and established neighborhoods. Areas that were previously ignored by developers are getting attention with applications for projects along Lee Highway and Columbia Pike. We are also seeing changes in our community demographics. We have longtime residents and senior citizens who are looking to age in place in Arlington. We have people starting families with children adding to the school growth. We have a high number of households without children, but require services too. All three see Arlington as a great place to live and want to be part of it. It is evidence that Arlington is a thriving community.

3) Engage the community.

Some people are engaged in the Arlington Way, but others are not. Arlington is the community. We need to continue to take advantage of this human capital for the benefit of all.  There is a specific question on the Arlington Way further down.

3. What rules do you believe should apply to Arlington County Board members with regard to campaign contributions from donors with past, present, or upcoming business before the board?

Candidates should be mindful of who they accept contributions from and be prepared to return contributions if previously unknown information comes to light which would have precluded accepting the contribution in the first place. If a candidate cannot act independently, they should not seek elected office. If there is any doubt as to the ability to maintain independence and act in the public’s interest, the contribution should be immediately declined. Candidates must earn the public trust and elected officials must maintain that public trust. Good government starts with good candidates.

4. In general, do you believe that Arlington County Board members should conform to the Arlington County Code of Ethics, including items such as “Adhere to conflict-of-interest rules and avoid activities with real or perceived conflicts of interest?” Do you believe the Arlington County Code of Ethics should be revised? If so, what specific changes should be made to them?

As I noted above, every elected official, no matter where they may be, should act in the best interest of the public.  Official business should be conducted in an open and transparent manner with the highest ethical standards to maintain the public trust. Obviously you must follow the law and seek advice of counsel if unsure how standards are to be applied in a given situation. Elected officials should disclose relationships that can create the appearance of a conflict of interest in the eyes of the public. When appropriate, an elected official should recuse himself/herself from involvement in such matters.  

The Arlington County Code of Ethics was adopted to apply specifically to civil servants, not already covered under other policies. Elected officials and members of advisory commissions (including the Planning Commission) are subject by state law to the Virginia Code of Conduct requirements. This policy defines conflicts of interest in the context of direct financial interests. However, while setting clear limits, in practice it is important to go beyond these levels to ensure public confidence is maintained in good government by putting Arlington first. An elected official should conduct business in a manner that goes to the spirit and intent of the law (to maintain public trust), not merely follow a limited or perceived letter of the law.

5. How, in your view, should Arlington County best work within the constraints of the Dillon Rule and a state government dominated by Republicans in order to achieve the most environmentally friendly and most progressive community (e.g., in the areas of human rights and immigration) possible?

Arlington is part of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Dillon Rule, and its limits on the authority of local governments, is a reality that local communities have lived with for over 100 years.  The Dillon Rule limits our local authority, by concentrating decision-making at the state level.  

Local government has responsibility to govern in the best interests of its citizens. Therefore, we must also have the authority and tools to best solve our own challenges based on our shared community values. To accomplish this, Arlington needs specific enabling legislation from the VA General Assembly. This is the responsibility of our elected delegates and state senators, but they cannot adopt this legislation without the support of lawmakers in other parts of Virginia.  

Virginia is a diverse state. We have highly urbanized areas in Northern Virginia, Greater Richmond, and Tidewater. Many of the residents are transplants from other places, drawn by our strong economy and high quality of life. Other parts of Virginia are more sparsely populated and residents have longstanding ties to their communities. Yet, we are one Virginia and common agreement can be hard to reach.

The more populous regions are natural allies for Arlington. We share similar challenges with respect to transportation, education, fiscal resources, the environment, and more. Our communities include more newcomers that do not speak English as their first language. Other urban areas of Virginia would benefit, along with Arlington, by receiving the necessary local authority to develop appropriate solutions to our challenges. The urban areas are the economic driver of Virginia and provide tax revenue which benefits people throughout the Commonwealth.  Greater control over local affairs will help us remain competitive nationally. All of Virginia would benefit as a result.

Working with our state delegation, we need a strategic approach to legislative priorities leading to more local authority. We must stop making excuses for what we are unable to do under the Dillon Rule and work towards acquiring the tools we need. Given the current composition of the General Assembly and the unwillingness of some members to work cooperatively, it is unlikely that we will see results in the next legislative session. We can’t think short term and incremental progress, while slow, will bring us closer to our goals. We don’t want to have the same constraints in 5, 10, or 20 years.  

As we’ve seen in the recent redistricting process, Virginia’s population is growing. More people are moving into Arlington and other urban areas. Over time, this will lead to a greater proportional representation for the urban areas of VA. Again, these are the parts of VA with similar challenges to Arlington. Arlington will not be the only community seeking greater control over local affairs.  

We can also work with people in other parts of VA in support of General Assembly candidates with common progressive values, willing to work together for the benefit of all Virginians, and willing to grant more authority to local governments to manage their own affairs.  This will take time, but we can’t resign ourselves to a defeatist attitude that it can’t be done.  We have learned how important it is that we have a working majority in the state senate to stop bad legislative proposals in its tracks.  We need lawmakers in the General Assembly willing to support equality and human rights. We can also support progressives throughout the country, to bring about change at the national level, rather than wait on a state by state approach.

6. Do you support requiring, or at the minimum strongly incentivizing, all new commercial buildings constructed in Arlington County being constructed to the highest possible energy efficiency and “green” standards (e.g., LEED Gold or Platinum) possible? If you favor incentives, what specific incentives do you favor? If not, why not?

In Virginia, there are limits to local government’s ability to add new requirements. However, offering an incentive in exchange for voluntary efforts is an accepted alternative. As a Planning Commissioner, I review these aspects of all major site plan development proposals. During my 7 years on the commission, I have seen Arlington go from being an early advocate of green building to a leader. 7 years ago, it was a challenge to convince developers to seek the LEED “certification level.” Opposition was generally due to additional compliance and higher upfront cost. Now, recognizing the business case supporting green buildings, developers are routinely building to the “silver” and “gold” levels.  Tenants recognize that green buildings have lower operating costs and are healthier environments in which to live and work.  Green buildings have become a desirable feature in the marketplace and Arlington should position itself as a leading community in this way.

LEED scorecards offer an objective measure to compare green buildings and it has evolved for different uses and changing technologies, but there are other performance metrics that can be considered. LEED measures different criteria and we need to decide which are the most worth incentivizing. For example, is it overall energy efficiency, or use of recycled building materials, or something else?  To be successful, an incentive has to offer value to the applicant, but it should also support public goals and thereby give value to the community in return. We must be open to different tools and incentives, but should evaluate the results and make changes as necessary. Simply put, are builders and homeowners taking advantage of the incentives?

Arlington has focused on green building in the context of new high rise buildings. However, most of Arlington’s single family housing was built before 1960. We can do more to incentivize homeowners to make their older homes more energy-efficient. We are partially constrained by the state building code adding local requirements, but we can offer incentives to “go green.” For example, we could consider reducing building permit fees or reduce the turnaround for an inspection in exchange for greater energy efficiency.  

We must look at proven technologies as well as the latest innovations. It’s easy in a progressive community to be the early adopter, but we need to look at long-term reliability and efficiency. This is especially important when constructing public buildings such as schools, recreation centers, and libraries. We want green public buildings, but we need to consider the maintenance and replacement costs to seek value for taxpayers and the comfort of our residents using the buildings. We must learn from the experience in other communities, especially those with similar climates to Arlington.

We need to look beyond a building by building approach and ask how we move toward a greener, more efficient community overall. The density of our Metro corridors and long range planning efforts could create opportunities for district energy. The higher density corridors also help make us a greener community because of the heavy use of transit and walk ability, reducing the need to rely on personal cars to get around.

7. At the present time, do you see Arlington County as not friendly enough to small business, just about right, or overly permissive?

As a matter of policy, the County wants to be friendly with small business. However, in practice, this is not always the intended result. Throughout my time in Arlington, I have made an effort to patronize locally-owned small businesses because I feel a responsibility to support my neighbors.  We have a wealth of locally-owned businesses along Lee Highway, Glebe Road, Columbia Pike, and in areas such as Westover Village.  Some of these businesses are family-owned and others are new to Arlington. Some are lost as property redevelops and the business doesn’t have the resources to relocate easily. Others never become successful and fail, in part because they were unable to attract customers

Unlike large national chains, small businesses and start ups do not have the capital or resources to fall back on if they’re unable to open for business quickly or attract customers, contributing to high failure rates. Large organizations often have in-house expertise or can hire specialists to guide them through the myriad of licensing and regulatory issues. These requirements were originally adopted to protect the public interest. However, small organizations do not have the capital or other resources, to weather delays until they can generate sufficient operating cash flow for payroll and other costs. These challenges contribute to high failure rates.   Arlington’s Commissioner of the Revenue office has a program to help small businesses navigate through the various county requirements. This walk through approach has helped many businesses. However, we should survey the business community and find opportunities to reduce redundant or unnecessary rules and make the process simpler.

As a Planning Commissioner, I have advocated for additional efforts to help locally owned businesses. Currently, we are looking at proposals to change the sign ordinance. I support adding flexibility for small business to help them become successful. Arlington suffers when we have vacant office space and empty storefronts.

We have seen the building of much office space in recent decades of Arlington. However, smaller businesses often cannot afford to the rental rates and other costs in the Metro area corridors. Also, small businesses may have a customer base that cannot always be served by transit. Therefore, the availability and convenience of parking is often a consideration for small business.  We need to encourage the creation of affordable quality office space for local business. This can be accomplished with community support, through site plan incentives or by other zoning changes. Another option would be to have developers offer in effect relocation assistance to displaced small businesses. Currently, the County’s Office of Economic Development tries to find new locations for displaced businesses, but we can do more. Successful businesses contribute to Arlington’s tax revenue and provide convenient services to our residents, adding to the vibrancy of our overall community.  I support greater use of the zoning ordinance to support small business in Arlington.

8. Would you support putting strong incentives in place to encourage homeowners, businesses, and county facilities to install permeable pavement and other measures to prevent runoff of water?

As a general practice, I support incentives to encourage behavior that supports public goals and our shared community values. As we develop and urbanize the county, storm water has nowhere to go and gets collected in our storm drains, carrying various waste materials with them. These storm drains feed into our local stream system, the Potomac River, and into the Chesapeake Bay. As a planning commissioner, I have worked on Arlington’s storm water management plan. Better management of storm water runoff will help us invigorate Arlington’s natural stream valleys and support our local wildlife.

A more environmentally sustainable approach is to capture the storm runoff on site. This is done naturally where the ground can absorb the water. The runoff is naturally filtered as it percolates down into the soil. Greater use of permeable surfaces for driveways and patios, along with existing limits on lot coverage (building footprints) can give the water a place an alternative to draining into the storm sewers. Segments of our storm sewers are over 50 years old and require expensive maintenance or replacement.

Another alternative for capturing storm runoff onsite is with the use of storage tanks or cisterns. Storage tanks are commonly used in Arlington and allow for the controlled release of the water. Controlled release is critical to limiting erosion damage and flooding around our local streams. Cisterns have been used on public buildings and elsewhere to collect rainwater off a roof. This water can then be safely used to irrigate landscaping.

Rain barrels are available through Arlington County. Better education, along with incentives (e.g. reduced building permit fees, expedited plan reviews, credits on utility bills) should all be reviewed. We are not the only community dealing with these issues, and need to look for other success models. Again, incentives have to be examined to determine if we’re getting the desired outcome and at reasonable value to the community. If not, then the incentives need to be adjusted to get the desired result.

9. When the county orders the height of new residential buildings near Metro reduced in the name of aesthetics, what benefits do Arlingtonians see, and does that benefit offset the resulting reduced availability of housing?

As a planning commissioner, I am a member of the site plan review committee that reviews the height, covering and massing of all new site plan development proposals. I also have to balance competing public policy goals. A common conflict occurs between good urban designs principles, including height limits, floor step-backs, and building set-backs. While these features promote good urban designs and help place a building in a surrounding context, it also comes at a loss of potential community benefits. I would like to be clear that I do support established county policy that allowed site plan height and density is NOT an entitlement of development. Height and density must be earned, through community benefits, and take into consideration competing adopted policy goals.  

The more density and height an applicant receives over the base, the more community benefits that are required in exchange. This applies not only to affordable housing benefits, but also transportation improvements, streetscape, public art, utility undergrounding and more. Good policy means finding out where tall heights and highest density makes sense to consider. An example of competing public goals would be maximizing the height and capacity of a building, thereby maximizing the affordable house fund contribution, versus tapering off building heights that avoid encroachment on the nearby community. We have established planning principles in Arlington to minimize negative impacts on nearby communities, but these do come at a trade off of reduced community benefits.  

Our affordable housing ordinance is about 5 years old and codified in state law. It is time to reopen this discussion with housing advocates, community members, and private developers to consider changes to the contribution formulas and goals. This was how agreement was reached in the past. We may need to consider additional incentives, but should also seek to use the ordinance to more effectively obtain onsite and nearby committed affordable housing units (CAFs) and further incentivize preservation of existing market rate affordable units. We need to expand the ordinance’s applicability to other existing high density areas of Arlington. If we are unsatisfied with the progress or direction of these discussions, the existing ordinance remains in place. We need to get more in community benefits in exchange for what we are granting a developer through site plan. Developers are not taking the same financial risks building in Arlington as they did many years ago.

When we make decisions to scale back development proposals, we need to acknowledge that we lose some community benefits. However, we do need to have limits on development to protect the greater community. Good government needs to balance competing priorities for the benefit of the entire community.  

10. What is your definition of “The Arlington Way,” do you believe our county’s been living up to it, and what can be done to strengthen it?

My definition of “The Arlington Way” is allowing citizens to have a role in local government decision making, to offer their time, talent and expertise to the community for the greater benefit of Arlington. Allowing for people to come together and help define common Arlington values, participate in democracy and affect an outcome. We acknowledge that there can be common agreement among people to develop a consensus based solution. Everyone together gets to help build a better community. It encourages citizens to share the responsibility for good government. County staff and elected officials can be made more accountable me because of frequent contact with resident stakeholders.

Arlington’s level of civic engagement is the envy of most communities. Still, we are right to expect even more of ourselves because we can do better. We need to eliminate barriers to participation, bring more people and different viewpoints into the process, increase transparency, and consider alternative solutions. The input and contribution of participants should be respected, not discounted. We must put forward a meaningful effort to engage people in the Arlington Way.  Past mistakes have weakened public trust and the County’s credibility in the eyes of some residents.  

Arlington is a great place to live, work, shop, and play. Credit goes to the many longtime community members with the vision to have gotten us here. Times were different and folks just got involved and brought a friend or neighbor along to help too. Times have changed and so have our lifestyles. Many wish to contribute, but can’t find the time required to participate. We need to use new technology tools to engage the community, but also have to come together face to face. Actual meetings allow people to benefit from other points of view and learn from each other. Task forces have been helpful and will continue, but we also need to find simpler approaches for working issues in the community. We need to reach the new stakeholder community and bring them into our process.

11. Do you believe Arlington has the best possible process for determining which new capital projects to undertake and which to defer? If you believe this process could be improved, which specific improvements do you recommend and why?

No, we probably don’t. Arlington has always been limited by what projects we can take on, when we could build, and how much we could spend. During years of rapid growth in our tax revenue and borrowing capacity, this didn’t appear to matter as much to some. Yet, the decisions and choices we made in the past on capital improvements limit what we could do in the future. The future is now.  We made a choice to renovate our schools, but didn’t seriously consider the possibility that more people would remain in Arlington and start families. Focusing our CIP on a 6 year timetable didn’t give us the longer term perspective to consider the effects of deferred capital maintenance on our aging public buildings. We are bumping up to our debt ceiling limits and cannot reasonably expect the tax base to grow rapidly enough to support our borrowing needs.  

We need to have an honest conversation with the community about capital projects. This includes adding more transparency and sharing more analysis with the community, giving them a meaningful voice in setting priorities beyond mere advocacy or creating wish lists. While unpopular, we do need to remind the community that while we are fortunate to be able to do many things, we can’t do everything immediately. We have to set reasonable budgets to ensure we can build many projects. One or two projects can’t use all of our resources.

Our community will always have infrastructure needs, both for new items and for replacement of aging facilities. We need to objectively prioritize which needs come first, and build in a way that we have the financial resources available for other equally worthy projects. Bond rates have been historically low in recent years. We’ve been able to borrow at very attractive rates. Over time, rates will increase and borrowing will be less attractive and more current tax revenue would need to be allocated to debt service. Our AAA/aaa bond rating gives us access to the lowest interest rates available, but we probably not as low as we’ve seen. Bonds are repaid over an average of 20 year and impact our future annual budgets.

We need to become more effective at building multiple capital projects at the same time to reduce backlog and get these assets into community service more quickly. Towards that end, we should consider creating an in-house design and construction group specializing in design and construction management process. Currently, these roles are assigned among various departments or outsourced.

It is worth noting that we have built many great public facilities in the past decade. Many schools were renovated. We built new fire stations, libraries, and recreational facilities. These are buildings that we can all be proud of and reflect the contribution of many stakeholders in the community. However, our planning and construction timetables were delayed many times and building costs were high. As a result, we have limited some of our options going forward in terms of what we can build and what we can spend. Unfortunately, our needs and the backlog of projects continue to grow.

12. What is your vision for the optimal Arlington County in the short term (5 years or less), medium term (10-15 years) and long term (20 years and out)?  How would you go about achieving that vision?

My overall vision is that Arlington remains a diverse community where people of different backgrounds and circumstances can live through the various stages of life. We can be a place people can start a career, then raise a family, own a home, and live with dignity in retirement. In particular, I’d like Arlington to be a place where the children currently in our schools, though life may take them elsewhere, can choose to return to Arlington and become the next generation of community stakeholders.  Arlington need not be a temporary stop on life’s journey.  That may sound overly sentimental, but isn’t the definition of “home” an emotional one? A vibrant community should not be a revolving door. We want to keep the folks that are here, not just attract newcomers to replace those that have left.

In the short term, we need to actively lay the groundwork for the future so that we can take advantage of new opportunities arise and are in the community’s best interest to pursue. Acquiring new open space and recreation opportunities would be an example. Arlington needs to builds on its strengths, but also learns from our mistakes. We need to focus on our capital improvement priorities, including building new classrooms for our growing school population. The County needs to be more actively engaged with the schools system to tackle this challenge now.  For our competing infrastructure projects, we need to prioritize our needs, set timetables, and identify a financing strategy to get us there. In other words, we need an action plan to get us where we need to be. If we don’t, we won’t make much progress.

Much of the general planning work has been done in the past few years through the adoption of various long term planning documents in Arlington. However, long range plans tend to be light on implementation details. Results are often accomplished in response to development opportunities. Going forward, we need to find ways to make more things happen independently, rather than wait patiently to see results. It is time to stop shaking our heads when we lose existing market affordable housing units or more of our tree canopy is lost.

In the medium term, we need to be well down the path of implementing our vision for Arlington. We must continue reinvesting in our infrastructure to accomplish our longer term goals. We will need to continue to capital maintenance of aging public buildings, but also will need to build new resources for our growing population. We will need to expand our transit network. While not exclusively a local issue, we will need to prepare ourselves for likely changes in the availability of energy supplies. Traditional fossil fuel sources are likely to be in shorter supply and more expensive. There will be increased demand for transit service in the established neighborhoods away from Metro. Arlington needs to be able to respond to this need. To minimize our own energy costs, Arlington will need to reexamine how we deliver services.

In the long term, we also need to be seriously considering the near build-out of some parts of our metro corridors. However, just as our public buildings are aging, so will the inventory of privately owned buildings and we’ll need to examine redevelopment opportunities in that light. This is an opportunity, to correct past mistakes. At the same time, we should be able to see that we’ve continued to protect the established neighborhoods from encroachment. We should be able to look back to today, and not have regrets that we failed to plan ahead to ensure our community remained vibrant. The ideal vision of Arlington’s future is not based upon one person’s thoughts. A community’s vision is for the community as a whole to decide.  I welcome the opportunity to be a leader in this discussion.

Thank you.

Peter Fallon

Democrat for Arlington County Board

www.FallonForCountyBoard.org

The following press release is the Sierra Club and Environment Virginia. Hmmmm…perhaps we should revise our slogan from “Dominion: Global Warming Starts Here” to “Dominion: Mercury Poisoning Starts Here?”

New Data Reveals the Heaviest Mercury Polluters in Virginia

Dominion is the biggest mercury polluter in the state; while American Electric Power (AEP) claims the title of biggest in the nation

ALEXANDRIA, VA – Today, representatives from Environment Virginia and the Sierra Club released new data on airborne mercury pollution emitted from coal-fired power plants throughout the nation with an emphasis on Virginia. The data reveals Dominion as the biggest mercury polluter in the state with a total of 491 pounds while American Electric Power (AEP) claims the title as biggest mercury polluter in the nation with 6,220 pounds emitted in 2010.  

Mercury is a dangerous neurotoxin that harms children and pollutes the environment. Coal-fired power plants are the largest source of mercury pollution in the country; emitting 2/3 of all airborne mercury pollution. Once in the air, mercury falls into waterways with rain or snow, where it builds up in fish and enters the food chain. Even a small drop of mercury is enough to make the fish in a 25-acre lake unsafe to eat.

“Parents in Virginia shouldn’t have to worry that their children’s bodies are toxic dumping grounds,” said Caroline Kory, State Associate for Environment Virginia.  “The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is moving forward to protect our children’s health from toxic mercury pollution, and we can’t let big polluters stand in the way.”

The data is part of an updated Environment Virginia report entitled Virginia’s Biggest Mercury Polluters that uses recently-released 2010 emissions data from the EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory. The announcement comes as the EPA is set to finalize, as early as next week, one of the biggest safeguards in the last decade by limiting mercury and other toxic air pollution from power plants.  

“Americans have been waiting over 20 years for limits on mercury pollution from power plants, but the coal lobby has blocked them every step of the way,” said Glen Besa, Sierra Club Virginia Chapter Director. “That’s why we are glad to see the EPA and the Obama Administration taking mercury pollution seriously by announcing new safeguards which will protect our health.”

In total, power plants in the U.S. emitted 66,050 pounds of mercury pollution into the air in 2010. Virginia ranked #27 out of all the states, emitting 659 pounds of mercury pollution. Dominion had the top 4 mercury emitting power plants in Virginia, and 9 of the top 17. AEP headed the national list of the top 25 mercury polluters emitting more than 1,635 pounds of mercury over the company in second place. If passed, the new EPA safeguard is predicted to reduce mercury in our air and water by over 90%, and save between 6,800 to 17,000 lives.

The entire report can be found at environmentamerica.org.

Arlington is gearing up for a special election to replace Senator-elect Barbara Favola on the County Board, with the caucus dates now set for 2/2 and 2/4 (at the NRECA Building and Kenmore Middle School, respectively), and with numerous candidates announcing at this past Wednesday’s ACDC meeting (see videos of their speeches here). I recently sent out questionnaires to all the announced Democratic candidates, with a deadline of this morning. The first interview, with Elmer Lowe, is available here. The second interview, with Melissa Bondi, is available here, and the third interview, with Terron Sims, is available here. The fourth interview, received a bit after the deadline, was with Kim Klingler. This interview, received a bit after the deadline, is with Libby Garvey. The final interview will follow (from Peter Fallon) this afternoon. Thanks to Mr. Lowe, Ms. Bondi, Mr. Sims, Ms. Klingler, and Ms. Garvey for returning their Blue Virginia surveys (and to the first three for returning them on time), and to the remaining candidate (Peter Fallon) in advance for his responses as well.

1. Why are you running for Arlington County Board and what makes you the most qualified candidate at this time?

I am running because Arlington is my home for almost 35 years and we are facing some big challenges. After 15 years leading change on the school board and helping to make our schools among the best in the nation, I have the proven leadership skills and experience coupled with a fresh perspective which Arlington needs on the County Board to help manage the unprecedented growth and change we’re experiencing at this time.  It is important to maintain what we value most about our community as we grow and change. In order to do that we need to be clear about our priorities and have transparent public processes.  This is how I’ve worked for 15 years.  

Back in 1996, when my children were young, there were inequities in our school system. Our capital program was a mess: the Washington Post headline said $25M missing from Arlington Schools Capital Fund

I called for a fair distribution of resources, a focus on student achievement and closing the gap; for better management, and more responsiveness to citizens. I ran for school board.

We have come a long way since. Over the past 15 years, I’ve worked with 11 different school board members and hired 2 chief executives. We’ve faced some tough issues. Our school system is complex with a budget of almost a half a billion dollars this fiscal year. We run a large transportation and food service system. Arlington Public Schools employs more people than anyone in the County except the Federal government. I have been Chair 5 times.

Our schools are now nationally recognized. People like Arne Duncan and companies like Boeing move to Arlington because of our good schools. We’ve come so far as a school system because the School Board has had clear goals and priorities and stuck to them. We are transparent. We monitor how we are doing and report to our taxpayers – even when the reports aren’t so good.

And we keep looking ahead to work strategically. For example, we pressed forward with getting Wakefield High School designed and built. Because we were ready, we could take advantage of suddenly lower construction costs and saved the taxpayers about $30M. Wakefield will be an asset to the entire community.

I think this way of working is what we need from our next County Board member.  

In sum, I am the only candidate who has proven skills leading successful change in a large complex organization working with a board and chief executive. At the same time, I bring a very different perspective which will be very helpful as we work through difficult economic times to set priorities and ensure we keep what matters most to us.

2. What would you say are the top three challenges facing Arlington County right now?

Managing growth, setting priorities, continuing to be a community that welcomes people from all income levels with excellent core services.

3. What rules do you believe should apply to Arlington County Board members with regard to campaign contributions from donors with past, present, or upcoming business before the board?

As per state law, all contributions over $100 should be publicly disclosed. Contributions should not be taken from people who have past, current or future business before the board.

4. In general, do you believe that Arlington County Board members should conform to the Arlington County Code of Ethics, including items such as “Adhere to conflict-of-interest rules and avoid activities with real or perceived conflicts of interest?”

Yes. The Arlington Code of Ethics sets out clear rules that promote personal integrity, oversight and the ethical treatment of all people. The appearance of a conflict is as important an issue as an actual conflict of interest. Citizens must have confidence in their elected officials.

5. How, in your view, should Arlington County best work within the constraints of the Dillon Rule and a state government dominated by Republicans in order to achieve the most environmentally friendly and most progressive community (e.g., in the areas of human rights and immigration) possible?

With the legislature in Republican hands, local governments will be needed more than ever to continue progressive policies. This is hard in Virginia with the Dillon Rule. For example, the non-discrimination policies of Arlington County Government and Arlington Public Schools include sexual orientation. While some in Richmond might argue that this violates the Dillon Rule, Arlington has stayed true to its principles. I have and will continue to support this. With respect to the environment, Arlington should at least consider a ban on plastic bags, which could be justified, despite the Dillon Rule, under the County’s authority to protect the environment.

I’ve often heard how bad relations are between Arlington and Richmond. Some major repairing of those relationships needs to happen. We need to listen and be sensitive to concerns from around the state while at the same time educating others about the benefits of progressive policies. Given party politics, this will not be easy, but working to build relationships over time and treating people respectfully will help.

6. Do you support requiring, or at the minimum strongly incentivizing, all new commercial buildings constructed in Arlington County being constructed to the highest possible energy efficiency and “green” standards (e.g., LEED Gold or Platinum) possible? If you favor incentives, what specific incentives do you favor? If not, why not?  

We should continue the policies of granting bonus density to green buildings and always be exploring other incentives that could be effective. We also need to do as much as we can with County facilities.  During my tenure on the school board as we rebuilt or renovated nearly all of public schools, we have built the first LEED certified public school building and maintained a high standard of LEED certifications for our newer schools. As a member of the Arlington County Board, I will always work to expand the number of county buildings that are LEED certified and encourage private businesses and developers to be pro-active in making their facilities as green as possible.

7. At the present time, do you see Arlington County as not friendly enough to small business, just about right, or overly permissive?

Delays are difficult for any business, but especially small businesses. Arlington could do a better job explaining the use permit process and streamlining or expediting approvals for small businesses.

8. Would you support putting strong incentives in place to encourage homeowners, businesses, and county facilities to install permeable pavement and other measures to prevent runoff of water?

Yes.  We have started putting in rain gardens, some green roofs and tanks to capture rainwater on our new school buildings. We have also used permeable pavement and find there are issues with maintenance. Incentives can include technical support and advice for businesses and homeowners to use these techniques.  

9. When the county orders the height of new residential buildings near Metro reduced in the name of aesthetics, what benefits do Arlingtonians see, and does that benefit offset the resulting reduced availability of housing?

I think Arlington residents understand in general the concept of increased density near metro stops. It is important to work closely with the nearby community whenever there are large buildings planned to make sure the near neighbors are included as much as possible in density decisions and understand the tradeoffs both for their immediate community and the County as a whole.   It is critical that the County be consistent and clear in its decisions on density, and not make these on an ad hoc basis. The need for affordable housing, and the opportunities to finance affordable housing in part through bonus density, must be considered.  

10. What is your definition of “The Arlington Way,” do you believe our county’s been living up to it, and what can be done to strengthen it?

The Arlington Way is how we do public business in Arlington and engage citizens in that process.  Arlington has an incredible resource in its talented, educated and active citizenry.   However, if processes are not clear and structured, that resource can be ill-used and result in time wasted and frustration. Because engaged citizens are such a valuable resource, it would be good for Arlington to set some criteria for, and measures of, successful civic processes and then evaluate how those processes are working.  We want citizens to feel their time is used efficiently and result in real substantive actions. This is not always the case.

The School Board has worked hard to be inclusive and efficient in our public processes. We have many ongoing public engagement efforts, including standing committees which work closely with staff to make recommendations on curriculum, facilities, the budget, accountability and minority achievement. We often hold work sessions as a board on large issues and include relevant citizen groups in those work sessions. We receive recommendations from our advisory groups. Because our citizens work closely with our staff, these recommendations are often incorporated into staff recommendations before we even we hear them.  

During my first term as Chair, we began holding weekly open office hours during the school year.  These are well used. In this diverse community, we use translations, meetings in neighborhoods and on-line surveys to do more to engage citizens who traditionally do not participate. However, on both the School and County side, we could always do more with better outreach, communication and support/training in how to participate.

11. Do you believe Arlington has the best possible process for determining which new capital projects to undertake and which to defer? If you believe this process could be improved, which specific improvements do you recommend and why?

No, but we are improving. We need an overall strategic plan to set clear priorities. The County and Schools CIPs should be worked jointly so there is, in the end, a single set of priority projects.   While the schools have been evaluating and scheduling and budgeting for ongoing maintenance needs for many years now, the County has not. This has resulted in many County facilities and parks not being maintained as they need to be while money is spent on building new facilities and new parks. The maintenance study the County Board recently completed is an important first step to setting County priorities. It is important to maintain what we have before we build more. It is important to know what the annual budget needs are for maintenance of buildings and parks. Whenever a new building or park is brought on-line, maintenance must be budgeted for.

Arlington Pubic Schools has had both a minor maintenance budget and one for major maintenance/minor construction for some time now.   This annual maintenance budget helps preserve our investment in our buildings. We are currently planning for our rapidly growing capacity needs.  This is a very structured process to lead to clear priorities. Our criteria are developed and laid out clearly for everyone to see. We will soon have detailed short, medium and long term plans.  

12. What is your vision for the optimal Arlington County in the short term (5 years or less), medium term (10-15 years) and long term (20 years and out)? How would you go about achieving that vision?

My vision is of a diverse community, with affordable convenient public transit systems and housing diversity that will enable those on lower incomes to continue to live and work here. Every part of the county will have access to parks including walking and bike paths for both recreation and commuting. Public safety will be a given. The future for us is in a knowledge based economy. Our schools will be world class.  Our infrastructure will be solid and there will be schedules for regular maintenance to keep buildings, sewers, water and roads functioning well. Arlingtonians will know our priorities as a community, what our goals are and how we are planning to get there. People will feel connected to their government and that participating in public processes is worthwhile and not burdensome.  Everyone coming before the board will be treated with respect both in manner and in process.  It will be easy to know how to get things done and processes will be efficient and timely.

In 5 years, I hope we will have an overall strategic plan to get to this vision, with clear priorities for the short, medium and long term.  That plan will help determine what we do short, medium and long term. I would go about achieving this vision by working as I have on the School Board:  developing an overall strategic plan with clear priorities that do not change every time the board chair changes; setting up monitoring systems so all parts of the County government are regularly evaluated and systems for continuous improvement set up. Whenever there is a big question, the citizens of Arlington usually have the answer.  We just need to make it easy for them to work through and provide that answer. I would work to make sure we communicate clearly with our public about goals and criteria and time-lines for public processes and make it easy for people to participate.  People should always understand how particular board positions and decisions were arrived at and, hopefully, even when they disagree, realize the positions and decisions are reasonable.

Looking to the medium and long term, we have some very big decisions to make because we are not going to be able to do everything we want as quickly as we want. In the medium term, we should understand our limitations and be comfortable working through them to get where we want to be.  Strategic planning and a culture of continuous improvement will be an integral part of how we work. In the long term, I hope we will have achieved the general vision I set out, or be clearly on the path to getting there, but the particulars will have been determined by working with the whole Arlington community through effective and clear planning and communications systems we will have set up.

Arlington is gearing up for a special election to replace Senator-elect Barbara Favola on the County Board, with the caucus dates now set for 2/2 and 2/4 (at the NRECA Building and Kenmore Middle School, respectively), and with numerous candidates announcing at this past Wednesday’s ACDC meeting (see videos of their speeches here). I recently sent out questionnaires to all the announced Democratic candidates, with a deadline of this morning. The first interview, with Elmer Lowe, is available here. The second interview, with Melissa Bondi, is available here, and the third interview, with Terron Sims, is available here. This interview, which was received about an hour past the agreed-upon deadline, is with Kim Klingler. The remaining two interviews will follow, hopefully soon, but obviously depending upon if/when they’re received. Thanks to Mr. Lowe, Ms. Bondi, Mr. Sims and Ms. Klingler for returning their Blue Virginia surveys (and to the first three for returning them ON TIME!), and to the remaining two candidates (Libby Garvey and Peter Fallon) in advance for their responses as well.

1. Why are you running for Arlington County Board and what makes you the most qualified candidate at this time?

I am running for the Arlington County Board because I believe that, with my broad-based community involvement and professional experience, I will bring a critical – and currently unrepresented – perspective to the County Board.  I bring a business, community, and political perspective.  We need a strong voice for health and human services, we need a leader for the preparation of the Metro Silver Line, and we need a champion for county board and school board collaboration. We need someone who is truly connected to the community, and understands the needs of all Arlingtonians, including those aging in place. I am that leader.  

I am a leader who sees the big picture, who sees what matters most to us as individuals and to Arlington as a community, and I bring people together to achieve results. I will serve from a different perspective, bringing my experience as a first responder, Arlington Free Clinic volunteer, and senior manager at a major consulting firm. I am the most qualified candidate at this time because I have a broad base of community experience, a passion to serve the community I love, and I am committed to beginning discussions by listening.

You can learn more about my qualifications at my website.

2. What would you say are the top three challenges facing Arlington County right now?

I believe the top three challenges facing Arlington County are:

a. Smart Growth and Transportation.  

Arlington has grown and changed so much in recent years. That growth brings other changes: many new high-rise buildings, more traffic, crowded schools, and the need for a renewed focus on people and public safety. As we grow in density along the corridors, we need to ensure that we are: preserving our neighborhoods, providing public services to ensure the safety of Arlingtonians, and are engaging communities and individuals early on in the discovery phases, as well as the decision-making processes. We also need to proactively prepare for the coming of the Metro Silver Line. Currently Tysons and Reston are gearing up for this transition and they have very aggressive plans in place to attract business and grow their commercial and residential density. In many ways, Arlington has provided Tysons and Reston with these great models. We now need to re-visit the models we have enacted and update and enhance them so that we can continue to be competitive in pricing for commercial investors and allow for the continued development of our vibrant communities.

b. County/Schools Collaborative Planning.

Great schools make great communities.  It is no accident that our schools are nationally ranked and we must make sure that every student has access to a world-class education. As a county board member, I would work closely with the school board to focus on long-term planning, collaborative solutions, and to make sure we have multi-purpose facilities that can accommodate both county and school needs.

c. Maintaining a Diverse and Caring Community.  

We are very fortunate to have a diverse community.  We are also at risk of losing our diversity. We need to focus on maintaining affordable housing and balancing its availability along our corridors and within our neighborhoods. In addition, our community has services that are unique to many localities. In my experience as a volunteer first responder, I have seen that we can improve in connecting those in need to the appropriate services.  Specifically, we need to work with long-term care and assisted living facilities, and those aging in place, in order to ensure Arlingtonians are aging with dignity.

3. What rules do you believe should apply to Arlington County Board members with regard to campaign contributions from donors with past, present, or upcoming business before the board?

Arlington County Board members should not solicit or accept campaign contributions from donors that have present or upcoming business with the county board, or those that have had significant past business with the county board. I am not going to accept campaign contributions from developers. I appreciate our developers and want to continue to work with them in a professional and ethical manner. Further, where there is a conflict of interest, board members should recuse themselves.  

4. In general, do you believe that Arlington County Board members should conform to the Arlington County Code of Ethics, including items such as “Adhere to conflict-of-interest rules and avoid activities with real or perceived conflicts of interest?” Do you believe the Arlington County Code of Ethics should be revised? If so, what specific changes should be made to them?

Yes, Arlington County Board members should conform to the Arlington County Code of Ethics. If elected, I will urge my County Board colleagues to appoint a special task force to examine the current code of ethics and make recommendations for any appropriate changes.

5. How, in your view, should Arlington County best work within the constraints of the Dillon Rule and a state government dominated by Republicans in order to achieve the most environmentally friendly and most progressive community (e.g., in the areas of human rights and immigration) possible?

The Dillon Rule basically consolidates power at the state level and requires local government to gain approval from the General Assembly prior to enacting local laws or ordinances.  

As hypocritical as it may be for Republicans legislators to preach about the importance of local governance, with the General Assembly firmly in Republican control, re-writing the Dillon Rule to give localities the ability to write and enact laws as they see fit is not likely to be a reality anytime soon.

While the Dillon Rule will not be going away anytime soon, that should not stop the County Board from promoting the progressive community standards and values that we are so dedicated to, and doing so in a way consistent with Virginia law. The Arlington County Board should look for every possible angle, in which to promote and enact ordinances that best represent our strong progressive values and traditions. This includes working with our locally elected state legislators to patron legislation on our behalf (i.e. domestic partner benefits, additional taxing authority, plastic bag tax), finding ways which are compliant with the Dillon Rule to enact ordinances that help Arlington maintain strict environmental protection standards, as well as looking for ways to incentivize developers to build in an environmentally sustainable way.

Additionally, I will work hard to educate the public about the limitations that the Dillon Rule imposes on our local government, and I will also work hard to find every opening in which local governments do have the power to legislate in areas such as human rights and immigration. In addition, I will speak out against the unfairness and antiquated nature of the Dillon Rule.  

6. Do you support requiring, or at the minimum strongly incentivizing, all new commercial buildings constructed in Arlington County being constructed to the highest possible energy efficiency and “green” standards (e.g., LEED Gold or Platinum) possible? If you favor incentives, what specific incentives do you favor? If not, why not?

Yes, I support strongly incentivizing and potentially requiring all new commercial buildings to be constructed to the highest possible energy efficiency standards. Arlington (and Washington, D.C. metro area) developers are aware and already building to higher LEED standards. We have already encouraged LEED Silver in order to have increased density. We need to continue down this path and push for Gold and Platinum.  But we need to go beyond LEED certification and need to have developers considering the recommendations put forth in the Community Energy Plan.  

7. At the present time, do you see Arlington County as not friendly enough to small business, just about right, or overly permissive?

Arlington County is a great place to do business. As a consultant I am trained to guide clients in determining areas for improvement, how they can streamline processes, increase efficiencies, improve the user experience, and increase cost savings. This is an area where we have a lot of potential as a county. We need to set better expectations for small businesses regarding zoning, permit, and inspection requirements, consolidate these requirements, and present them in a more user-friendly manner. I also agree with the manager’s recommendation to transition some of the more detailed decisions-making regarding signage etc. from the county board to the county manager and staff.  

8. Would you support putting strong incentives in place to encourage homeowners, businesses, and county facilities to install permeable pavement and other measures to prevent runoff of water?

Yes, I would support strong incentives to encourage homeowners, businesses and the county to install permeable pavement. Studies have shown that that permeable paving typically costs about 20 percent more, but can result in longer term cost savings. As we prioritize our capital maintenance needs, we need to consider permeable paving in the budget and planning process.  

9. When the county orders the height of new residential buildings near Metro reduced in the name of aesthetics, what benefits do Arlingtonians see, and does that benefit offset the resulting reduced availability of housing?

We need to continue to reflect our values: ensuring public safety, conserving our neighborhoods, maintaining diversity, and promoting vibrant communities along the corridors.  In order to do these things, we must find an appropriate balance. In order to maintain levels of affordable housing, we will need to agree to increases in density. However, as density increases, we must be prepared for the increased stress on our Metro, our roads, and public services. Although there may be aesthetic benefits to tapering buildings, and limiting the height of new residential buildings, we need to be more cognizant of the safety and quality of life of those living in the new buildings and the surrounding community.  

10. What is your definition of “The Arlington Way,” do you believe our county’s been living up to it, and what can be done to strengthen it?

The Arlington Way is a commitment to diversity, to creativity and using public/private partnerships to solve problems, and to including all in the decision-making processes.

We do these things very well, but we can do better. We have the technology and the creativity to use other avenues to engage Arlingtonians earlier in the discovery and decision-making processes. One example of this is the year-round homeless shelter. A year-round homeless shelter is very much needed in Arlington, but the residents in the proposed area should have been engaged prior to finding out about the plan through the media.

11. Do you believe Arlington has the best possible process for determining which new capital projects to undertake and which to defer? If you believe this process could be improved, which specific improvements do you recommend and why?

No, I do not believe Arlington has the best possible process in making such determinations.  The current process is not objective enough in its criteria and does not put the correct weight on capital maintenance and resolving our school capacity issues. As stated in the recommendations made by the Capital Improvement Planning Workgroup, which I was a member of, we may need to defer special projects in order to focus on the appropriate priorities and catch-up and keep-up with our capital maintenance needs. You can view the recommendations here.

12. What is your vision for the optimal Arlington County in the short term (5 years or less), medium term (10-15 years) and long term (20 years and out)?  How would you go about achieving that vision?

Short term:

· As discussed in Question 10, we need to maintain and enhance the Arlington Way.

· Catching up and keeping up with our capital maintenance backlog.

· Developing Arlington’s Metro Silver Line plan and aligning it with the Crystal City Plan, the East Falls Church Plan and taking into account the Tysons and Reston Plans.

· Addressing our school capacity issues and putting a plan in place to have more multi-use county/school buildings and parks.

· Developing a task force or a plan that looks across Emergency Medical Services, Department of Human Services, and Department of Environmental Services in order to find ways to better identify those aging in place, provide them with the appropriate services, and consequently prevent the need for unnecessary emergency transports.

Medium Term:

· Continuing to be a model for smart growth and transportation, while addressing our capacity issues on the Orange/Silver Metro Line.

· Continuing to conserve our neighborhoods and our diversity.

· Implementing the Community Energy Plan and also looking at other regional approaches e.g. energy sharing, emergency communications, transit solutions.

Long Term:

· We want to be able to keep our identity while knowing that more and more people may be using Arlington as a place of transit, rather as a home or a place to do business.

· We must put the plans and processes in place now to handle the additional foot, bicycle and automotive traffic we may potentially see.

· The work that we do in Arlington will continue to be a model for the metro-D.C. area, as well as the nation. Therefore, all of our approaches need to focus on innovation, energy conservation, and maintaining our caring community.  

Here are a few Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Tuesday, December 13.

*Virginia’s public pension fund short $20 billion (Heckuva job, Bob!)

*The disinfectant power of sunlight

*Dems hit Allen on spending, he jabs Kaine on health care

*Campaign spending rose in 2011 Virginia Senate races, plunged in House contests

*Democrats want longer terms for Va. governors

*McDonnell will speak at slain Virginia Tech police officer’s funeral

*Retailers in Norfolk vent to Warner on taxes, red tape

*Spending up in Senate races; down in House

*PolitiFact: Allen errs in saying U.S. made $2 billion energy loan to Brazil

*Funeral held for fallen Va. Tech officer

*Campbell County teen safe after escaping captors in Philippines

*Lawmakers press military housing company on mold

*McDonnell restores tree-lighting ceremony

*Gas tax is best answer (Which means, of course, that the General Assembly and Bob McDonnell will never do it.)

*Virginia Transportation: Pay to pave (Even the Republican Times-Disgrace agrees; but it will still never happen.)

*What the Republican payroll tax plan would mean for federal workers (“federal workers would face a one-year extension of the current two-year pay freeze, meaning no raise until January 2014 at the earliest, and a 1.5 percent increase in employee pension contributions that would be phased in over three years starting in 2013”)

*Cuccinelli IS the Conservative Mood

*Am I The Only Person Taking Tim Kaine Seriously? (Let’s hope that this is the case on the Republican’t side of things!)

*Spectators try to spot Spielberg, other celebrities

*Arlington County Board Candidates Weigh in on Proposed Shelter