Recognize This Snapshot?
The neighborhood's anger over the City's support for ARHA's acquisition of Pendleton Park has not receded by any means and perhaps it will move up a notch if readers know how our neighborhood has been characterized by the City Manager. In ARHA's application for VHDA Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, the City Manager provided on p. 52 a certification about our neighborhood that is a doozy.
I certify that the above-referenced development is located in a Revitalization Area in my jurisdiction. A "revitalization area" is any area that is (1) either (1) blighted, deteriorated, deteriorating or, if not rehabilitated, likely to deteriorate by reason that the buildings, improvements or other facilities in such area are subject to one or more of the following conditions - dilapidation, obsolescence, overcrowding, inadequate ventilation, light or sanitation, excessive land coverage, deleterious land use, or faulty otherwise [sic] inadequate design, quality or condition, or (2) the industrial, commercial or other economic development of such area will benefit the city or county but such area lacks the housing needed to induce development, industrial, commercial, governmental, educational, entertainment, community development, healthcare or nonprofit enterprises or undertakings to locate or remain in such area, and (ii) private enterprise and investment are not reasonably expected, without assistance, to produce the construction or rehabilitation of decent, safe and sanitary housing, and supporting facilities that will meet the needs of low and moderate income persons and families in such area and will induce other persons and families to live within such area and thereby create a desirable economic mix of residents in such area.The Growler doesn't even know where to begin when analyzing this description of our neighborhood, but if readers find this characterization unbelievable they may want to E-mail Council with their objections (see the link on the right column). Perhaps with this document in hand, all of us need to appeal our real estate tax assessments.
I understand that this Certification will be used by the Virginia Housing Development Authority to determine whether the development qualifies for points available under VHDA's Qualified Allocation Plan.
Yours truly,
James K. Hartmann
City Manager
Crime Beat
The Alexandria Police Department has announced -- with justifiable pride -- that in 2010 the City experienced the lowest number of total annual crimes since 1966. Homicide, robbery, burglary and auto theft all experienced decreases in 2010. Rape and aggravated assault were up, but overall crime decreased 0.9% from 2009. Kudos to Police Chief Earl Cook and his force, especially the community police officers and their captains who play a key role in making our neighborhood a safer place to live.
BIAG Critique
For those interested in the recent Braddock Implementation Advisory Group (BIAG) meeting, Collin Lee's letter to the editor in the current edition of the Alexandria Times is required meeting. He succinctly dissects the problems with the implementation of the controversial Braddock Metro Small Area Plan and notes the City's inconsistency in observing its own principles. Frankly, given the Council's recent actions, is this plan worth the paper it's written on?
44 comments:
"Kudos to Police Chief Earl Cook and his force, especially the community police officers and their captains who play a key role in making our neighborhood a safer place to live."
Me thinks it was the cops not Hanbury who stopped the King Street 7-11. Go Capt. H. Don't think 7-11 wanted the alch-restrxs among other things. Thnx to those cits who have spent years working to eliminate the alch-problem.
I'm shocked by Mr. Hartman's characterization of our neighborhood. Should we all email VDRA again and advise them that Mr. Hartman lied on the application? How he could sign such a letter with a straight face is wholly beyond me.
No kidding. Dilapidation? These are half a million dollar townhouses. Unbelievable. Surely there has to be something we can do beyond emailing a city council that has already proven non-responsive.You can contact VHDA directly here: https://www.vhda.com/about/ContactUs/Pages/OnlineContactForm.aspx
Not sure if that link will get you right where you need to go within VHDA but it's a start.
This is the contact info I used last time to email a protest about ARHA buying Pendleton Park:
Jim Chandler
Voice - (804) 343-5786
Fax - (804) 343-8356
jim.chandler@vhda.com
www.vhda.com
I got a nice response saying we can't really consider what you're saying, but this is different as Mr. Hartman is being disengenous, if not outright lying, on the City's application. I mean, seriously, there is a HUGE private development right across the street.
I took some pictures of the area around Pendelton Park and mailed them to Mr. Chandler at VHDA for his consideration.
If VHDA were to provide funds for the Pendelton park purchase then those funds would not be available to support a real project in a neighborhood somewhere in Virginia that actually looks like what Hartman described.
I think state politicians funding VHDA would want to know this, particularly Republican elected officials who would appreciate what a boondoggle this entire concept is, talking about the fleecing of America! Is the list of other projects being considered public? City council in tacitly or directly authorizing the city manger to lie on behalf of ARHA is unconscionable.
I think the tax assessment idea has real merit, and if enough people raise a stink this way, an are not given sufficient and immediate redress by the city, the statement provides a good legal piece of evidence for pursuing the issue further.
"I think the tax assessment idea has real merit, and if enough people raise a stink this way, an are not given sufficient and immediate redress by the city, the statement provides a good legal piece of evidence for pursuing the issue further."
Short of a lawsuit I support giving 'em hell anyway the neighborhood can. The Bland project stinks in so many ways. People will need a shoe horn to find their front doors. Chatham Square is so much more refined.
FYI... the appeal date for real estate assessments is July 1st. According to the City's website, even though the April 1st review date has passed, property owners can still request an appeal.
http://alexandriava.gov/realestate/info/default.aspx?id=1648
I'm interested to hear from others if you think this is an effective way to get the City's attention. I don't think it would work unless the neighborhood made a coordinated effort to all appeal at once and on similar grounds.
Even then, and if successful, lowering our assessments only reinforces the claim that our neighborhood is in fact a revitalization area.
Rather, I am much more interested in the revitalization area designation. This is a term used by VHDA to acquire more points on the Low Income Housing Tax Credit application, but I'm not certain that the City has conducted a thorough review to determine whether our neighborhood actually meets this criteria.
1.(1) Blighted or deteriorated area - Clearly not given the historic homes, Braddock businesses, and large scale housing developments over the past 10 years (with much more planned).
or
(2) Additional housing needed to spur economic development - Maybe, but the Braddock Road plan clearly states that low income housing needs to be deconcentrated in our neighborhood in order to spur such development.
and
2. Private investment is not expected without low income housing and supporting facilities in place that will attract other persons to live in the area - Again, clearly not. Our neighborhood has a significant concentration of low income housing with wonderful supporting facilities (metro, rec center, community center, library, cultural center, parks) with the big exception of the failing school which the Pendleton Park project only further skews the income mix toward the low end.
So the question remains, how was the determination made that our neighborhood is a revitalization area, and how do we hold those who made it accountable? It's one thing for Council to agree to support ARHA and ask Hartman to write a letter to VHDA on their behalf (that's 50 points on the application). It's a complete other to make a claim in that letter that our neighborhood is a revitalization area (another 30 points). For those keeping score, combined, that's roughly 20% of the required points to submit a LIHTC application in the first place.
The inconsistencies between what the City says (and negotiated with our neighborhood) in the Braddock Road plan and what it does behind closed doors are glaring. Once again, I encourage those who are as angry as I am to 1) write Council and Hartman detailing how mad you are and how they need to support the Braddock plan by running these decisions through the Braddock Implementation Advisory Group, and 2) attend your Civic Association and City meetings to stay current and raise hell on these issues.
There have been rumors that ARHA has considered building townhouse units on the strip of grass at the Pendleton Park property. So not only will there be a conversion of units to public housing, there will also be creation of more. Incredible.
What is the real story behind this? Why is the City so desperate to have ARHA purchase this property? We already KNOW for a fact that there were other ready willing and able buyers interested in the property, including other affordable housing developers. Why the push to support ARHA exclusively, particularly since they have demonstrated themselves to be incapable of operating honestly and sustainably?
Shouldn't the City Manager be doing something far more important than drafting misleading letters in support of AHRA?
For example, I just read in the Times that there are rogue food trucks trying to sell lunch to Alexandrians, despite zoning laws to the contrary. The horror!! This must be tamped down immediately!!!
I mean, who wants delicious, creative and affordable food? And although some say these food trucks have been a wild success in DC and Arlington, I don't think we as Alexandrians should be so sure. We must form a citizens advisory group immediately to seek input on whether people want to eat or whether such activity should be outlawed, taxed, and/or regulated. And we certainly should hire a consultant. And what about the less fortunate? As a caring community, we should undoubtedly subsidize food cart fare for the needy? And what about all those blind food truck operators? Unless we provide them with free parking and a college education, people might think we are not caring.
So many problems to solve, little time.
"Shouldn't the City Manager be doing something far more important than drafting misleading letters in support of AHRA? "
He's leaving after collecting his big payday, at this point what does he care? Another Alexandria bureaucrat who did well and moves on to greener pastures.
"A desirable economic mix"??? Unfortunately, Hartman has never studied Economics.
The Signer,
BA Economics, Univ. of MD
CFA Charterholder
From the Alexandria Times. Why doesn't WOTCA oppose the add on tax?
Your View: Add-on tax is a wedge for West End development
THURSDAY, APRIL 7 2011
By Jack Sullivan
To the editor:
The proposed 12.5-cent transportation add-on tax on commercial properties is being sold by city staff as way to raise money for needed transportation improvements in Alexandria. But more and more people are asking: Can we afford it?
In addition to the burden to small business owners who may be miles from the transportation “fixes” being proposed, proponents may have a hidden agenda that could wind up costing Alexandria’s homeowners as much or more than the business community.
That agenda was revealed when City Manager Jim Hartmann issued a budget memo entitled “Revised Transportation Add-On Tax Multi-Year Project Plan.”
Among the plans described is one for project construction beginning prior to “major redevelopment” in the Beauregard Street corridor.
No decision has yet been made by any public body, however, that major redevelopment along Beauregard is appropriate. Property owners in the corridor have more than 3 million square feet of currently unused development rights from a 1995 agreement that would not require “major redevelopment.” Many West End residents have expressed their opposition to authorizing additional increases in density along Beauregard Street until the full impact of the BRAC building is understood.
City staff, however, seem to be using the add-on tax as a wedge to drive up development densities — regardless of citizen opinions. The effect would be increased traffic problems, not a solution to them. The staff memo estimates the cost of the transit improvements would exceed $39 million. It “assumes” that developers would be willing to kick in at least $20 million. Indeed, a heroic assumption.
The rest of the money would come from city funding. Since Alexandria is about tapped out on its borrowing capability if it is to retain its strong bond rating, paying for the remainder of the Beauregard transit tab almost certainly would fall in large part on residents. In effect, the potential use of the add-on tax would be to benefit developers at the expense of protecting local neighborhoods.
For that reason more and more people are questioning the wisdom of the tax. The city council must show that this tax does not make a bad situation even worse.
"A desirable economic mix"??? Unfortunately, Hartman has never studied Economics."
The Signer,
BA Economics, Univ. of MD
CFA Charterholder"
^^^And you plus Mr. Blumberg below make two! I must say reading the following letter to the Gazette Editor today sent absolute shivers of my spine. Is it possible our esteemed City of Alexandria has been lead wrong after all these years from shear basic lack of accounting knowledge by outgoing Mr. Hartmann? Is a full City finanical review in order? And just what about the last decade of personal property taxes then? Were they properly fiscally accessed? Did anyone else notice this?
Alexandria Gazette 4/7/11
Income Vs. Expense
To the Editor:
"The March 3, 2011 article “Taking a Finan-
cial Hit” was disturbing on several counts.
1. Basic financial analysis: The article states
employee health insurance contributions will
increase from 13 percent to 16 percent, stat-
ing “creating an additional $600,000 in rev-
enue.” What is wrong, is this change does not
create revenue, it reduces expense. It is hard
to have any faith in Mr. Hartmann or his fi-
nancial staff if they treat the $600,000 as rev-
enue instead of what really is, an expense re-
duction. The same is true on pension contri-
butions. Revenue comes strictly from various
taxes, fees, licenses and passive sources such
as interest on city funds. This is basic financial
analysis and is fundamental to clearly under-
standing the nature of the projected surplus.
2. Withholding: Given the questionable view
of income versus expense, is the city in a posi-
tion to determine if it is exempt from the 3
percent withholding requirements on contract
and vendor payments of Section 522 of the Tax
Increase Prevention & Reconciliation Act of
2006. Does the city know, or can it even deter-
mine, if it spends more or less than
$100,000,000 annually of goods and services.
3. City employees versus the surplus: The
article gives the very disturbing impression of
city employees thinking they are some how
entitled to the surplus. The $3,000,000 is un-
der 1 percent of the projected budget. That is
a very thin margin, which could easily disap-
pear. If gas prices continue to rise, the city’s
expense will rise in lock step to cover increased
fuel costs. Also the city’s tourist-based revenue
is also at risk as people travel less and have
less disposable income.
I hope the new city manager has a better
staff and understands the difference between
income and expenses".
William Blumberg, MBA
Alexandria
Is the Mayor not an accountant? How does he respond to Mr. Blumberg?
From the Alexandria's Police Department Media;
"Beginning Saturday, April 9, the Alexandria Police Department, with support from the Alice Ferguson Foundation and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, plans to increase enforcement of existing litter laws throughout the City. This effort coincides with the inaugural Litter Enforcement Month in the Washington DC metro area that will take place from April 9 to May 7, 2011. This year, The Litter Enforcement Working Group is Co-Chaired by Deputy Chief, Hassan Aden."
My question is why isn't enforcement conducted year round in regards to litter violations. Why woud you need to declare one month out of the year to enforce any law. Violations of laws should be handled as soon as they are reported to the police.
This advisory e-mail feels to me and my neighbors, that littering is not enforced 11 months out of the year. Feel free to thow your garbage anywhere becaise you will only get in trouble when clean up nonth is appon us. But I guess I'm looking at the glass as half empty, as I normally do when it comes to the cities leadership.
Who wan't to bet that their won't be one resident of ARHA assisting with this campaign. Also, I can probably bet safely that ARHA will be immune from any enforcment. A
Adkins almost always looks like a land fill and the board never seems to hold their residents accountable.
"Adkins almost always looks like a land fill and the board never seems to hold their residents accountable."
I totally agree. It's shocking. Countless times I've seen groups of adults socializing on the porch while the children play in trash strewn yards. That they don't pick it up is so far beyond my comprehension.
Many West End residents have expressed their opposition to authorizing additional increases in density along Beauregard Street until the full impact of the BRAC building is understood.
- Well at least now the rest of the City's residents will begin to suffer due to the lack of this Mayor's focus on economic development.
Apparently no one has ever asked Hartmann - would you take the bus to Beauregard St?
For anyone who wants to read ARHA's LIHTC application for the purpose of purchasing Pendleton Park, see this link:
http://housingthink.com/index.php/2011/03/23/2011-virginia-lihtc-application-pendleton-park/
The cover letter says the City has been working with the owners of Pendleton Park to make sure ARHA can buy the property.
PLEASE: Can someone explain why the City Council treats Resolution 830 like it's carved in stone, yet consistently ignores or violates the October 1994 Fair Share resolution which requires them to oppose any project which concentrates publicly assisted housing in areas which are already saturated.
Are these 2 resolutions somehow different? Different enforcement mechanisms? I really don't understand this. Frank Fannon told us at the last civic association meeting that the law requires them to replace public housing units on a one for one basis. Doesn't the law require them to oppose Pendleton Park, too?
PLEASE: Can someone explain why the City Council treats Resolution 830 like it's carved in stone, yet consistently ignores or violates the October 1994 Fair Share resolution which requires them to oppose any project which concentrates publicly assisted housing in areas which are already saturated.
Are these 2 resolutions somehow different? Different enforcement mechanisms? I really don't understand this. Frank Fannon told us at the last civic association meeting that the law requires them to replace public housing units on a one for one basis. Doesn't the law require them to oppose Pendleton Park, too?
-------
Resolution 830 is not a law, and as such, it can be revoked. Just as the Fair Share resolution is not a law.
They are advisories, and right now, the city chooses to maintain and/or increase the amount of no-income housing. It is a way to guarantee the Democratic vote and maintain the status quo. After all, we can't have some conservative, pro-business folks taking over the city and gentrifying it now can we? Why, heaven forbid, we'd end up with a bunch of young, urban, professionals living and working in the city and bringing with them all sorts of commercial establishments! Before you know it, they'd have kids, become active in the schools, and all sorts of things would improve. No... We can't have that...
Looks like Pendleton Park is a done deal. They already signed a sales contract.
The sales contract submitted with the VHDA application shows only that ARHA signed. It was not executed by both parties, at least as of the submission date (March 11).
Have you seen a copy signed by both Third Baptist and ARHA?
"Looks like Pendleton Park is a done deal."
"It was not executed by both parties, at least as of the submission date"
Well I think this neighborhood should get ready for this to come down unfortunately. The silver lining is that these apartments were already section 8 housing, so there won't be an actual increase in the number of section 8 housing in P-G. It is also (to my mind) a somewhat better model for public housing than the fortress like Adkins, although I would like to see it more removed from other public housing units.
My big question is if ARHA is adding Pendleton Park to their inventory, how about a corresponding reduction in the number of public housing units in Bland?
"Well I think this neighborhood should get ready for this to come down unfortunately."
Why is your glass always half empty? A deal is not a deal until the papers are signed. Without tax credits, which people are protesting downstate, can ARHA finance it?
"Without tax credits, which people are protesting downstate, can ARHA finance it?"
Yes, and they've already said as much. The real solution is for the citizens to contact the council and demand that they give the same credence to their fair share resolution as they've given to resolution 830.
See http://dockets.alexandriava.gov/fy11/042611rm/di15.pdf
Do we want the Braddock Road 7-11 to continue business in a new building?
Wow, what a good idea!! A 7-11 right next to a park so people can congregate and enjoy their beverages and tobacco products over witty, profanity-free conversation before duly disposing of their trash afterwards.
Whew, good thing we were able to drive Harris Teeter to Old Town and Apple to Arlington. Otherwise, we might not have been able to keep 7-11 for ourselves. P&Z's vision of a vibrant neighborhood is finally coming together!!
"The applicant has begun meeting with the community on the Concept Plan, including a recent
meeting with the Rosemont Civic Association Executive Board. The Executive Board has seen
the plans and is unanimously very positive about them. They support having this project move
along quickly. The applicant has also contacted the Del Ray Land Use Committee of the Del Ray
Citizen Association and plans to make a presentation on this project to the group in April."
Here's a microcosm of P-G's problems. Who do the developers make sure to get into the loop and make happy? Rosemont, a neighborhood far enough from the site in question as to be completely untouched by the issues of the current 7-11. Next is Del Ray, but nowhere is this neighborhood.
I found out another little bonus when I check the city's Wikipedia listing to make sure I hadn't missed some recent Rosemont border encroachment that warranted having them weigh in on the matter. (There wasn't one, at least not physically.) Of all of the city's neighborhoods, Parker-Gray is not listed or even mentioned by name. I think we need to make sure we get a seat at the neighborhood table someway somehow before too long; I don't want outside forces running to Rosemont to determine our future anymore.
With all the discussion of raising taxes, i have to ask why the city doesn't enforce the laws already on the books. Tonight i was out walking and was at the intersection of oronoco and union at 6:00 pm. There was a patrol car parked in the lot there (car's number was 1043). I watched the intersection for five minutes or so and during that time at least 7-8 bicyclists blew through the intersection, and yet the officer didn't stop and ticket a single one of them for failing to stop at the stop sign! Seriously, between the rampant parking violations, the bicyclists who refuse to obey stop signs, the drivers who speed down residential streets, and the hov violators the city would have plenty of money to fund its pet programs if it would only enforce these laws and actively ticket violators.
"With all the discussion of raising taxes, i have to ask why the city doesn't enforce the laws already on the books."
This has long been a major pet peeve of mine. I can think of numerous examples in my neighborhood. For example, the City has granted several different intensification of uses (i.e. from private house to business) over neighborhood objections. They said we had no reason to be concerned because the SUPs had conditions requiring the businesses to park offsite, agree to certain hours, and adhere to other conditions. Of course, they don't follow the rules and although we have repeatedly complained, they do nothing about it. This has been going on for YEARS. And don't get me started on the City's utter failure to enforce parking regs, speed limits, HOV restrictions, etc.
"I watched the intersection for five minutes or so and during that time at least 7-8 bicyclists blew through the intersection, and yet the officer didn't stop and ticket a single one of them for failing to stop at the stop sign!"
A few years back, my cousin was issued a traffic ticket for a stop sign violation on his bicycle in Old Town. There were a group of Alexandria bike cops at that intersection ticketing cyclists who were not stopping. When he told me what happened, I was happy and said "Good!! 9 out of 10 cyclists I see per day, never follow any rules of the road!"
He sent the money in for the ticket because he knew what he did was wrong. 2 months later his car insurance went up so he call them to see why. The ticket on the bicycle took away three points off his license!!
He already had some sought of turn violation between a certain time frame 2 years prior, which was his only other ticket he's ever received.
I'm sorry, but to have points deducted from your driving record for being stupid on a bicycle (he was trying to be green by commuting to and from work) is a little overboard. A strong fine would generate the revenue and get the point across.
It's my belief (mine only) that if he hits a car or gets hit by one, it's not the same severity as another motorist in a car blowing a stop sign. I bet that if citations for cyclists didn't affect their driving license by deducting points (just like HOV doesn't carry points) The police would be more willing to write cyclists.
Either way, I see the Spa Court everyday get busier and busier. Last Saturday around noon time, I observed a male drinking a beer and urinating in public in an alley on Queen Street. I called the non-emergency number to report it and they said no one was available at the moment and it would probably be around 20 minutes before they could send someone.
They asked if I wanted to wait around and talk to an officer when one was free. I told them to forget it because the male had left the area. At least he used the the cities overflowing $1,000 iron trash recepticle to throw he beer can away. With a 20 minute wait, I was like, "whats the point"?
"I called the non-emergency number to report it and they said no one was available at the moment and it would probably be around 20 minutes before they could send someone."
This is the frustration - we call and get ignored or treated rudely. The next time, then, people don't bother to call. Then the City/APD claims that crime is down based on a lack of calls. Grrrrr!
Regarding the 7-11, this is endemic of Bill Euielle's Alexandria:
Arlington provides incentives to businesses to come and open shop by the Metro. They open up a brand new Renaissance Hotel right in Crystal City by the airport.
We support a 7-11 at the Metro thats a known trouble spot and provide incentives to the local public housing authority to support concentrated public housing right next to the Metro
Any wonder why Arlington has more variety and depth in business and commercial activity? Yet whiners in Rosemont and Delray will of course scream about their tax hikes this year.
"Either way, I see the Spa Court everyday get busier and busier. Last Saturday around noon time, I observed a male drinking a beer and urinating in public in an alley on Queen Street."
Queen and Fayette continues to go downhill and I blame Cafe Nicole in part. The Cafe has relaxed its standards and the bros have responded accordingly. We've seen and heard the loud mouthed bros stroll into the kitchen. My husband considered calling the health department and filing a complaint. I wanted Cafe Nicole to succeed but we've concluded the business can operate with us. Ever sat outside at their tables? All you see are loud mouths, public urination and whores in very short skirts. Now that I've dumped on Nicole WWHHEERREE AARREE TTHHEE PPOOLLIICCEE? Let's get on top of the nuisance crime now.
How about that new city budget! Can't even get a 1% pay-in from city employees towards their pensions, but we can jack up prop taxes 2 cents! And where are those taxes earmarked for? "Critical transportation needs," yet those needs aren't so critical that they are actually designated by name and dollar amount by the city!
We know full well it's for the unnecessary Potomac Yards Metro station and the neighborhood-harming rapid transit boondoggle, not only leaving our neighborhood the worse for the desire of outsiders but making us pay for the privilege. We'll have to make sure well before push comes to shove that we're not going to sit still for it.
Did anyone catch Krupicka's article in last week's Alexandria Times? It's about BRAC, but in it he states "I am proud of our city's work against HOT lanes on I-395, and I will always fight against handing over our roads to private companies that will increase cut through traffic in our neighborhoods. We cannot let BRAC become an excuse for building HOT lanes that will overrun our neighborhoods."
I, for one, am delighted he has gone record opposing cut-through traffic in our neighborhoods because that position also requires that he equally oppose Fairfax/Arlington cut through traffic on Patrick and Henry in our neighborhood. I look forward to the next high capacity transit corridor study group, at which I expect Mr. Krupicka to put an end to any and all discussion of BRT/streetcar/or other high capacity transit through Parker Gray. That's one way to get my vote.
"Can't even get a 1% pay-in from city employees towards their pensions"
City employees haven't had a raise in how long now? (not counting ACPS) and are being asked to do more for less money in a year when Council claims a small surplus. Instead of picking on the dedicated people who actually make this city run, why arent you screaming about where the darn tax hikes are going to!
Like why is T&ES replacing every single new traffic pole in the city with another new one, positioned five feet back? How much is that costing? Who made the initial mistake of not properly putting the first ones in? And is that person looking foe employment in the help wanted section?!?
"I look forward to the next high capacity transit corridor study group, at which I expect Mr. Krupicka to put an end to any and all discussion of BRT/streetcar/or other high capacity transit through Parker Gray. That's one way to get my vote."
The jury's still out regarding Krupicka's candidacy. In the same letter he said "That is why I have been working hard to create a high capacity mass transit network between Arlington, Alexandria and Fairfax." Krupicka claims to be environmentally concerned but he has yet to speak to Route 1's environmental problems.
It's like his claiming he can't offsite Bland's ARHA units for reasons of cost then later telling us the city should contribute to ARHA's purchase of Pendleton Park. He's basically pegged the neighborhood as cr-p.
"Who made the initial mistake of not properly putting the first ones in?"
Who did hire Rich Baier?
"City employees haven't had a raise in how long now? (not counting ACPS) and are being asked to do more for less money in a year when Council claims a small surplus."
Sorry but I think Alexandria's city employees are a bunch of coddled bureaucrats. Your benefits package leaves the rest of us eating cake. What you have is a strong union that scares the sh-t out of Council.
Hi Neighbors - Did anyone attend the Harris Teeter meeting last night? I was unable to make it and would love to know the details. Thanks!
From alexandrianews.org. The Growler should note the positives JH has to offer. Congratulations to the teacher! She accomplished it all in the building as constructed.
Education Teacher Of The Year
May 05, 2011
Congratulations to Sandra Slaven, a fifth-grade teacher at Jefferson-Houston School, selected as the Air Force Association's D.W. Steele Sr. Chapter Aerospace Education Teacher of the Year for 2011.
"Ms. Slaven provides the model for others to emulate - committed, caring and able to introduce new methods in the classroom," said Chapter President Peter E. Jones, who noted that Ms. Slaven impressed the chapter by using her positions as the Science Lab instructor and Visiting Science Teacher "to institute programs across several of the Alexandria City Public Schools to enhance the science education of the students and to coach her fellow science teachers in bringing their classrooms to life."
Ms. Slaven will be recognized at a chapter luncheon on May 13, when she will receive her award from Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz. She now is entered in the competition for Virginia State Air Force Association Teacher of the Year.
Ms. Slaven, a fifth-grade teacher at Jefferson-Houston School (K-7) since 2009, also is the recent recipient of The Washington Post's 2011 Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teaching Award.
FYI, ACPS is set to announce its new Jefferson Houston school proposal Wednesday, June 1st at 7:00 p.m. at Jefferson-Houston School.
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