
Alexandria's Debt Has More Than Doubled Over Last Decade
City officials are on the verge of violating their own debt ceiling.
In the last decade, the city's debt has more than doubled from $200 million to more than $500 million — a burden that is becoming increasingly difficult for the city to manage, especially considering plans for Alexandria to finance the construction of a new Metrorail station at Potomac Yard.

Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille May Join McAuliffe Administration, Prompting Special Election
Mayor headed to Richmond this week to interview for two positions.
Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille may be joining the new administration of Democratic Governor-elect Terry McAuliffe in the next few weeks, leaving the city of Alexandria and opening the door to a special election for mayor early next year.

Long-Shuttered Waterfront Food Court to Get a New Lease on Life
Planning Commission approves new waterfront dining proposal.
It's been more than two years since the waterfront Food Court shut its doors, the culmination of a long and steady decline over the last decade as vendors abandoned the building and the facility began falling into disrepair. Now the building may have a new lease on life.

Alexandria to Hand Count All Paper Ballots in Recount For Attorney General
Limitations of election machines prevent electronic scanners from being programmed for recount.
Alexandria election officials will be going back to the future in the next few weeks, pouring over thousands of paper ballots by hand as part of a recount effort in the hotly contested race for attorney general.

Alexandria City Council Issues 90-Day Eminent Domain Ultimatum to Boat Club
Six-to-one vote sets deadline for city officials and boat club to compromise or else.
In the clearest threat yet that members of the Alexandria City Council are willing to use the power of eminent domain to take land owned by the Old Dominion Boat Club,

Alexandria City Hall Loses Wales Alley Case to Old Dominion Boat Club
Virginia Supreme Court rejects argument from City Attorney James Banks
Justices of the Virginia Supreme Court have rejected the argument City Attorney James Banks outlined during oral arguments back in September that the city has the ability to lease a public alley to a private business.

One Law Firm On Both Sides of Controversy Over Alexandria Waterfront
McGuireWoods defends city in zoning change as well as developers who seek to benefit from it.
Lawyers at McGuireWoods are on both sides of the controversy over the waterfront, defending Alexandria taxpayers in court while seeking approval from city officials on behalf of three separate developers at the same time.

Board of Architectural Review Has Harsh Words for Waterfront Hotel Concept
Chairman calls the project 'too much, too big.'
Last year, the Board of Architectural Review sent Carr Hospitality back to the drawing board on its proposal to build a 121-room hotel on the waterfront.

Full Disclosure? Forms Plagued By Lack of Information, Absence of Oversight
Fairfax County goes so far as to redact disclosure documents.
Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell is in hot water for taking gifts without disclosing them, and legislators are talking about increasing disclosure requirements for family members. But here in Northern Virginia, personal financial disclosure forms are often incomplete and inconsistent.
Full Disclosure?
Forms plagued by a lack of information, absence of oversight; redacted documents.
Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell is in hot water for taking gifts without disclosing them, and legislators are talking about increasing disclosure requirements for family members. But here in Northern Virginia, personal financial disclosure forms are often incomplete and inconsistent. Some elected officials choose to disclose a great deal of information while others disclose very little. Fairfax County officials have decided to redact information that's supposed to be part of the public record. And nobody is reviewing the forms to make sure they are accurate.

Uneasy Easement: 1789 Deed at Issue as City Hall Takes on Boat Club
Virginia Supreme Court justices say city is putting one private interest ahead of another.
John Adams was president of the United States when two land owners on Wales Alley secured a deed that gave them private use to a 30-foot easement in the alley.

City Leaders Consider Eminent Domain if Boat Club Rejects Final Compromise
Eight years of negotiation coming to a dramatic conclusion on the waterfront.
City officials and elected leaders are considering using the power of eminent domain to accomplish its goals on the waterfront if members of the Old Dominion Boat Club reject their latest compromise.
Week in Alexandria
Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is weighing into the debate about school takeover with a surprising move this week, announcing that his office will not be defending the Opportunity Educational Institution.

Fiscal Year Follies: Latest Budget Blunder Involves Increased Utility Tax
'Mistake' comes on the heels of 'communication issue.'
Shortly after City Council members approved the budget for fiscal year 2014, they had to reconsider two dedicated sources of revenue that had been spiked despite a lack of consensus among elected officials. Now City Manager Rashad Young has acknowledged a new blunder in revenue collections, a failure to follow all the necessary steps to increase utility taxes.
Issues Facing Alexandria Residents
A look at some of the major items on the agenda for the near future.