Statement of Jay Fisette

Arlington County Board
January 1, 2007 Organizational Meeting

Good morning to all, and congratulations to Paul as our new Chairman and to Walter as our Vice Chairman. Paul, as you know, I am very excited about your special focus on the environment. I think this is a critical issue to take center stage at this time in our history, and that you are the ideal person to lead the effort.

While each of us has supported and even worked on environmental issues during our years in public service – and you are the first to share credit with your colleagues and re-direct attention from yourself – it is clear that the you have been the champion of environmental issues on this board and have promoted environmental stewardship and sustainability since your first day.

This morning I want to speak to a few of the issues and projects that will be of special interest to me in 2007, and then to expound on the environmental initiatives that Paul has put forward.

Development/Urban Village

Two years ago, I stated that the most important strategic issue facing us was "Managing the maturing of our vision as an urban community", and that if we are to be a world-class urban community, we must continue to grow smart.

I am eager to play an active role in the re-planning of Crystal City and Rosslyn. I am also eager to continue our speaker series on architecture, and to then propose processes and standards that ensure the top-level architecture we desire and deserve.

Affordable housing remains our most intransigent immediate challenge, and will consume much attention. I look forward to bringing forward some code changes that permit more flexibility for accessory dwelling units and English basements as affordable alternatives.

Arlington is recognized as a national model of smart, managed growth. Though we continue to refine our urban villages, people come from around the world to learn from us. We have effectively connected the transportation system with the development – which is people-focused, compact, mixes uses, provides for safe walking and biking, and thus is much more energy-efficient than sprawl development that over-extends sewer and water infrastructure, eats up rural land, fells trees by the grove, and requires long car rides simply to buy a gallon of milk.

This smart development is our community's legacy to the future. When the crisis comes, we will be better prepared than most to sustain our quality of life, but much more must be done.

Fiscal Responsibility/Infrastructure

On taxes and budget issues, I will continue to promote fiscal discipline and accountability in balancing responsible tax policies with needed public investments.

The real estate boom is over, assessments are leveling off. Development of the FY 08 budget will be the most difficult and tight in many years.

Our ability to undertake new capital projects is very limited. For several years we had made correct and important decisions to invest in our aging infrastructure and to develop several new and important facilities. These one-time obligations were made at a time when interest rates were low overall – and of course Arlington's triple triple A bond rating allows us to borrow funds at the absolute lowest interest rates available. I agree with the Chairman, that we will not be able to fund everything we would like to in the future.

Environment/Energy

Former Arlingtonian Al Gore is a hero. He has put the challenge directly to us in terms all can understand. I encourage every thinking person to see his documentary on climate change titled "Inconvenient Truth." As Gore says, "The moral imperative to make big changes is inescapable...that what we take for granted may not be here for our children."

If only a fraction of the predictions presented in this film and based on current science are true – then life will be changing significantly in the coming years.

Others point to the concept of Peak Oil – that point at which the worldwide demand for fossil fuels exceeds the available supplies. This tension point is near, with demand growing rapidly – particularly in China - while supplies level off. A supply disruption could bring about serious and unprecedented economic impacts as well.

Whatever the self-inflicted threat, the sustainability of our planet, and thus of our quality of life, our communities and our health is at risk. I have always loved the phrase Think Globally and Act Locally. It embodies the combination of individual responsibility and community good that is the essence of a true and healthy democracy. And there is no more important global imperative for which local action should be brought to bear than on saving our planet and ensuring a sustainable future.

As Mikhail Gorbachev recently said, "When future generations judge those who came before them on environmental issues, they may conclude 'they didn't know': Let us not go down in history as the generations who knew, but didn't care."

I believe that Arlington – small but mighty Arlington – has the ability to make a real difference. At the Chairman's request, I look forward to help raise awareness and change behaviors within Arlington's business community. I support an effort to reduce personal property taxes for fuel-efficient vehicles and suggest that we encourage the use of scooters which can get 80 mpg and produce 40% of the emissions of even a hybrid car. We should also reassess our commercial and multi-family recycling policies – which are not as effective as our efforts in single family neighborhoods.

I also believe that we have opportunities to influence regional and state policies and practices. While I was Chair of the Washington Metropolitan Council of Governments (COG) this past year, COG adopted its first Energy Strategic Plan and held its first Green Building Conference.

Arlington should continue to play a leadership role in regional issues – particularly environmental issues. I will continue to push the envelope at COG, the Virginia Municipal League and Virginia Housing Development Authority - sharing the lessons and practices that we discover here in Arlington.

Conclusion

Arlington is special. Not perfect, but darn good. I believe that we are living proof that solid, progressive values when combined with fiscal responsibility work.

We are a model of "good, honest government", we encourage broad participation in the decision-making and life of our community, and we respect and celebrate the differences among us. Ours is a community that revels in the tapestry of our differences – recognizing that these differences are a source of our community's strength.

And all our good works and good deeds depend on a healthy world. Let Arlington take the lead once again, steadfast in our values, eyes on the big picture, to secure the air and water and ecosystem that sustains us and allows us to live, grow, learn and love.

Native American Proverbs often say it best, "We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children." Let us get our heads out of the sand. Let us preserve our children's future.

Thanks for your help... and Happy New Year.