April was a busy month. The Board worked on our Fiscal 2023 Budget and we concluded our work last Tuesday the 23rd. We also approved Amazon's next development at Penn Place off of Army Navy Drive in Crystal City and finalized the Clarendon Sector Plan I mentioned last month.
The Budget reflects the values that you and I share. Compensating the women and men who serve Arlington County was a top priority in light of the challenges of the pandemic and the increases in the cost of living over the past year. More below, including the Sierra Club Potomac River Group Chapter's endorsement and those of the two hotel and hospitality worker unions in the DMV, Unite Here Locals 23 and 25.
The infographic above shows the big pieces of the Budget. For a larger copy that is more readable, go here: https://www.arlingtonva.us/files/sharedassets/public/budget/documents/fy-2023/fy-2023-adopted/adopted-fy-2023-budget-infographic.pdf or here: https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Programs/Budget-Finance
The graphic above captures the big picture on the budget: compensation increases for employees, investments in housing and climate change, and targeted tax relief to prevent unforeseen and likely temporary increases in car values. We also invested in our schools. The graphic doesn't fully cover that the County Board's decision to keep tax rates steady provides the funding we need to increase educator salaries, a longstanding priority that is particularly important now as we have been losing some teachers to adjoining jurisdictions.
At the Langston Boulevard Alliance's Earth Day Every Day event on April 24th, after sharing that Arlington County is creating an Office of Climate Coordination and Policy, a priority I pushed for in the budget.
In the lead up to finalizing the Budget, I specifically advocated for additional funding for affordable housing, climate response, funding for human services non-profits, funding for economic development work, and a medical evaluation of the response to those inmates in need of substance abuse assistance at the jail. I also worked on one time funding to expedite analysis of our tree canopy.
We were successful on each of the priorities; the way in which some of the items were addressed was different than what I might have wished, but we were successful and that reflects the reality that governing requires compromise, in addition to advocating for one's own views. I also supported the overall compensation increases in the Budget and the increases to Board Member salaries, which I'll share additional thoughts on below.
Brooke and me at the the Chamber of Commerce Gala this month.
On the Budget overall, we secured two additional positions on housing: one to prevent the problems we worked so hard to address at the Serrano--improving the quality of oversight of existing affordable units via a coordinator to help bring various inspection functions together and one to help with the development of the 1334 units at Barcroft as we work to preserve and redevelop the units there.
On climate, I was very pleased with the outcome to add to our work in an important way: an Office of Climate Coordination and Policy in the County Manager's office. It took work and the work is just beginning. The Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy and our County leadership, including the Board, will need to follow up and follow through.
On human services nonprofits, we were able to secure $650K in one time funding for both nonprofits that already have a working relationship with the County and those that do not, provided they do the majority of their work serving Arlington residents. The funding is not the ongoing inflation adjustment that some sought, but it is funding that will help organizations respond to the needs of vulnerable neighbors in the coming 6-12 months.
On community partners funding, we appropriated $205K in one time funding for the Columbia Pike Partnership, Clarendon Alliance, and the Langston Boulevard Alliance. The funding will be dependent on working with County staff and will be helpful as we recover economically.
On the funding for the medical oversight at the jail, we provided $85k in one time funding that was requested by the Arlington Mental Health and Disability Alliance in response to the fatalities at the jail. This is part of the work requested by advocates including the NAACP. Thanks are due to both the advocates and Sheriff Arthur for engaging.
On trees, I worked on a compromise that I think serves our community well. We appropriated $150K in funding for a tree canopy study that will begin after our trees and natural resources plan is done early next calendar year. I also joined EcoAction's Elenor Hodges for a podcast: https://anchor.fm/daniel-adams46
I spoke this past Saturday at the Blue Victory Dinner, the Arlington Democratic Party's annual event. After seeing so many Democrats, I am fired up to work through November 8th to try to earn four more years.
The Big Picture on the Budget
On the budget as a whole, the County Board provided significant increases for our staff. As you know, we have experienced specific staffing challenges with retention of our police. Our rate of resignation from the Department has been very high. We provided a 13.5% increase in police salaries in an effort to stem the resignations and to keep and recruit the best officers so that our police department can serve our community well. The Community Oversight Board is part of our commitment to safety that is very important; I believe keeping and recruiting the best people is also part of that work.
The Board prioritized compensation for our staff as a whole with 5.35% increases and our Fire and Sheriff staff with 8.5% increases, reflecting the challenge of serving as a first responder and the competitive regional market for both.
On Board salaries, the Board increased member salaries by $20K to $77K for Board Members and $83K for the Chair. I believe this is the right thing to do and voted in favor of it. The job of serving as the legislative body for a County of 240K people is full time. We must have the best people doing the work and the salary must make it possible for us to have truly representative government.
Overall, I believe that keeping our tax rate flat this year to prioritize key investments was prudent. Homeowners are indeed seeing increased in real estate assessments due to their property values increasing. I am mindful of that concern. I felt this year we needed a the budget that invested in our employees after two difficult years. I was also pleased to support adjustments in our tax rates for cars to help prevent unexpectedly large bills due to the cost/value of cars. This was a smart and fiscally restrained step.
Listening to Peg Hogan, one of Arlington's great Democratic leaders.
Amazon Site Plan and Clarendon Sector Plan
The Board voted to approve both the helix building and the officers buildings at the 2nd major Amazon site at Penn Place in Crystal City. I voted in favor because the project will help fund our community's priorities and was a sound proposal. The project includes solar roofs and is environmentally excellent in terms of carbon. It also provides a new site for Arlington Community High School, a new park that is larger than originally proposed, and $30 Million in funding for affordable housing.
The only concern that a few mentioned is to ask if we could have gotten more. Under our site plan process, the answer to that question, in my view, is no. The project is good and the partnership has also benefitted Arlington with more than $300 million in philanthropic funding on affordable housing from Amazon as well as the jobs growth we need to replace the federal jobs that left Crystal City over the last 15 years.
Finally, the Board voted to approve the Clarendon Sector Plan. The plan updates one that was passed in 2006 and allows for development that is appropriate to come forward via individual site plans. There was broad support for the plan, but a few are concerned that a large central park is not envisioned. The major challenge there is that one of the property owners is no longer likely to move. I also voted to move forward because the plan will help with housing supply and affordable housing in a part of the County where there is not enough.
Two Endorsements That Reflect Our Share Ideals
Last week, we received the endorsement of the hotel workers unions in the region. I am honored as the endorsement reflects our shared commitment to equity--racial and economic equity both. Thank you, Unite Here Locals 23 and 25. To read the endorsement, you'll need to go to twitter: here: https://twitter.com/UHLocal25/status/1519394980024008706
We also received the Sierra Club Potomac River Group's endorsement as well. Climate response is the other defining challenge of our time, so I am honored. Go here and scroll down a bit: https://www.sierraclub.org/virginia/potomac-river
That's a wrap on a busy month. Thank you again for the opportunity to serve you and our shared commitment to a better Arlington, Virginia, and world.
