Alexandria Politics

Alexandria Politics

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Council Notebook

It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s Councilman Frank Fannon. No, he’s not Superman. But Mayor Bill Euille is praising Fannon for quick thinking and fast action in coming to the assistance of a citizen in need.

Business Matters

City leaders may be taking on more debt than Alexandria can handle. That’s the conclusion of the Budget and Fiscal Advisory Commission, which presented its annual report Tuesday night.

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Council Members Dip Into Rainy-Day Fund to Avoid Raising Tax Rate

Unanimous budget will raise average residential property tax bill by $52.

Taxpayers can expect to pay more money now that members of the Alexandria City Council have adopted a tax rate for the coming year that will increase the average residential property tax bill by $52.

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Northern Virginia Bill Signing Puts Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence in Spotlight

A rare moment of bipartisanship between Republican governor and Democratic legislators.

Strangulation will be punished more aggressively to combat violence against women. Campus police will work with other police agencies to crack down on domestic violence of unmarried couples. And the telephone number for a human trafficking hotline will be placed in the restrooms at strip clubs across Virginia.

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Potential Compromise Emerges in Corridor Dispute Between Arlington and Alexandria

Is a treaty of Four Mile Run in the works to iron out differences between neighboring jurisdictions?

Back in October 2010, Northern Virginia Streetcar Coalition chairman Tim Lovain feared what he called a “disaster” on the horizon — transit corridor commuters may be facing a day when they would have to get off an Arlington streetcar and board an Alexandria bus.

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Incumbents and Candidates Face Difficult Test as City Council Campaign Heats Up

Rival groups of Democrats endorse slates of candidates for June 12 primary.

The fiercely competitive Democratic primary for the Alexandria City Council is about to get even more intense this weekend, as current council members take up the most controversial development proposal since the waterfront plan.

Week in Alexandria

Councilman Paul Smedberg and Councilwoman Alicia Hughes clashed repeatedly this week about when and how council members should consider a proposal to add Sunday deliveries for Meals on Wheels.

On the Campaign Trail

Politicians are always squeamish about raising their own salaries, especially when the budget season is closely tied to an election.

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Last-Minute Budgeting As City Council Members Negotiate Final Budget Agreement

Elected officials consider everything from extending library hours to increasing salaries.

Hold your wallet. The Alexandria City Council is putting the final touches on the budget for fiscal year 2013, and the long list of priorities could mean more taxes.

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May Day at City Hall: Democratic Primary Puts Heat on Candidates

Recent unpopular decisions may mean trouble for two incumbents and two former incumbents.

Hector Pineda is one of thousands of residents who live in the sprawling series of garden apartments on the city’s West End, which has been one of the last remaining spots in the city for low-income residents.

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Arlington and Alexandria Fighting for Limited Pool of Federal Funds

One wants federal money for Columbia Pike, the other wants funds for Potomac Yard.

Arlington County and the City of Alexandria are each vying for an increasingly limited amount of federal transportation funding, leading to a conflict between the neighboring jurisdictions.

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Tensions Rising Between Arlington and Alexandria Over Transit Corridor

Alexandria leaders lash out at Arlington officials for backing out of an environmental analysis.

Tensions between Alexandria and Arlington are growing along Route 1, where city and county leaders are moving in different directions about how the jurisdictions want to create a high-capacity transit corridor.

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Tall Order For Smart Growth Near Braddock Road Metro

City Council members set aside commercial land-use and height limit in Parker Gray.

Remember that commercial building that was approved near the Braddock Road Metro station? Well forget about it.

Week in Alexandria

The Alexandria Police Department is charging three California men with conspiracy to import marijuana into Virginia.

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Virginia Supreme Court Hears Boat Club Case Against City and Restaurant

Old Dominion objects to City Council lease of public alley for private use.

Does Alexandria have the right to close Wales Alley? That’s an issue now before justices of the Virginia Supreme Court, who heard oral arguments in a case that’s divided Alexandria for years.

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