July 2004 - January 2005

Hello Friends. This email newsletter will provide you with a brief update of my work on the County Board. I appreciate your support of my efforts. Following is a preview of 2005 and some highlights from the 2nd half of 2004. We've accomplished much, but there's plenty yet to do:

2005: County Board Chairman

On January 1, 2005, I became Chairman of the Arlington County Board. It's an Arlington tradition that the County Board meets on January 1 each year to elect the new leadership and to present to the community our priorities for the coming year. Trust me, it leads to a very sedate New Year's Eve. You can read or watch a videostream of my speech in its entirety online.

For all others, I'll provide a brief summary below.

I identified the most important strategic issue facing Arlington as: Managing the maturing of our vision as an urban community. I then highlighted four specific challenges:

• Grow Smart. Arlington's successful plan limits urban densities to just 8% of our land. To build on our award-winning record of smart growth, Arlington must demand high quality projects with substantial community benefits and continue to protect the residential neighborhoods.
• Be Inclusive. As discussed above, we must continue our aggressive efforts to retain and create affordable entry level housing as well as small business opportunities.
• Promote Health. To ensure a healthy, sustainable community, we will promote walking and biking in order to improve personal health and regional air quality by lessening dependence on autos. The first-ever Family Bike Day will be held in 2005.
• Ensure Value. To ensure that our values-based policies are coupled with value-based performance, I will establish a Committee on Program Performance to create a new program of third party, independent performance audits. I hate waste and I seek good value.

Affordable Housing

Still a lead story. Between 2000 and 2004, Arlington lost 47% (9,300 or 19,700) of our rental units that were affordable to households with incomes at 60% of median. Real estate property assessments were just distributed for 2005. The average single family home in Arlington is now assessed at $458,200 - a 24% increase over last year. Like others, it's not clear that Bob and I could afford to buy the home we live in!

With prices like this, preserving and creating entry level affordable housing has become our major challenge. We are victims of our own success. As we create an ever-more liveable and desireable community, we threaten its affordability and diversity.
I supported the recently approved affordable housing apartment building in Clarendon, built on top of a Baptist Church. This was a complicated, controversial project, that will provide 71 new affordable rental units directly across from the metro.

As Vice-Chair of the Virginia Housing Development Authority, I am proud of our new anti-NIMBY education campaign and our enhanced outreach to the Hispanic community.

Urban Village Developments

Two first in late 2004: We approved our first Urban Forest Master Plan and Public Art Master Plan. Now we have a unified vision for the preservation and revitalization of our life-giving tree canopy and for our soul-nourishing public art.

Speaking of art, the new Arlington Arts Center is now open! Only years ago, the historic Maury School building was falling apart and flooding regularly. The new building is gorgeous. This is very gratifying, as I served as Chair of the Arlington Arts Center Board when we made the decision to pursue a major renovation. I expect the AAC will soon be the pre-eminent visual arts facility in the Washington region for emerging artists.

And this fall was the groundbreaking for a new, expanded Signature Theatre -- one of the pre-eminent performing arts theatres in the Washington region. Signature, which started in the living room of a friend of ours, will soon open on top of our new county library in a dynamic, mixed-use neighborhood. Another example of creative, new urban design.

Sister City Program

In August, Reims, France became Arlington's third official sister-city. Bob and I traveled to France to participate in the formal ceremony. It coincided with the 60th anniversary of the liberation of France. I am a strong supporter of the sister-city program which includes many student and cultural exchanges. It reminds us that we are all global citizens and that we have much more in common with others than we have differences. Arlington's other sister cities are Aachen, Germany and Coyocan, Mexico. The next may be San Miguel, El Salvador.

Citizen Satisfaction Survey:

We recently got some feedback. In 2004, Arlington conducted its first comprehensive citizen satisfaction survey. The firm we hired had conducted opinion research services for more than 250 cities and counties in 41 states. The results: Arlington ranked “among the very best” in the nation in resident satisfaction with local government services.

When compared to other communities its size, Arlington was rated significantly above average in all service areas, including fire and ambulance service (90%), libraries (89%), and parks and recreation services (80%). Overall, 86% were satisfied with the quality of life in Arlington, 3% were not satisfied, and 11% gave a neutral rating. It's gratifying, but no one plans to slow down here. There's always more to be done.

Equality Virginia

On the state level, I sit on the Board of Equality Virginia (EV) – the statewide GLBT advocacy and education organization. The 6-week General Assembly session has just begun and there are many anti-gay, anti-choice, anti-immigrant bills.

There are at least 5 proposals to amend the Virginia Constitution to protect the institution of marriage from gay and lesbian relationships. There are also efforts to restrict us from adopting and to eliminate high school gay-straight alliances across the state.

REMEMBER: Virginia led massive resistance against integration and was the last state to legalize interracial marriage in 1967. Why should we be surprised?

The good news is that our allies are growing and voices are being heard. On April 2, EV will host its Commonwealth Dinner in Richmond, and Dr. Julian Bond, President of the NAACP will be the keynote speaker. (www.EqualityVirginia.org)

The End.

Now several weeks into 2005, with cold and snow outside, I am fully engaged in my new role -- tackling the issues identified above and those that just appear uninvited. Fortunately, I have much help and support in my efforts. Thanks to each of you, and please don't hesitate to contact me if I can be helpful in any way.