I couldn't of said it better myself.

Thank you for shining a clear light on the candidates in the June 12 primary!

This 'ol Democrat isn't quite sure he agrees with all of the views in this article. The recommendations no individual candidates doesn't always match up with the anti-developer theme. For example, isn't Boyd Walker a developer and property manager -- who, by the way, was fined for demolishing part of a historic property without the proper permits. Kind of cuts against the claim that he has "fought hard to preserve Alexandria's history" when he tears it down without any understanding of its significance. Not to mention what the extended delay in paying his taxes, which was reported in the Washington Post, may say about him.

As for Menjivar and Moshenberg, I haven't seen them involved in any Democratic activities in my many years as an 'ol Democrat in this town, so it's hard to for me to see them as more than just folks looking to catch a ride on the backs of Democratic activists that will work hard for the ticket this fall. Chapman and Wilson have at least earned the right to ask me to expend sweat and shoe leather carrying their grip cards because I've seen them do it on the Democratic front lines for years.

So, overall, not certain I can agree with the writer's views, although it's a well-written article and part of the reasonable debate and discussion us Democrats should have over the next month or so.

Yours truly,

E. Warfield

Edgar,

I'm sorry to be the first to clue you in but you're missing the point (a recurring theme, I'm afraid) if you're equating Boyd removing an old, neglected, previously uncared for awning with the monstrosity that is Potomac Yards. The portion "destroyed" measured approximately 15 feet by 6 feet. Potomac Yards is the largest piece of undeveloped land on the Eastern Seaboard between DC and NYC.That's just a weeeeee bit different. And the Ice company's awning's historic significance is very open for debate.

As for the delayed payment in taxes- have you ever been through a divorce in a down economy while working in an industry destroyed by said down turn? You like to kick a man while he's down?

The point is this: get new blood in there. The current blood is selling Alexandria part and parcel.

The people who are anti-development are the same people who complain about high property taxes. They can't have it both ways. Either we have some commerical development to bring in revenue, or we bite the bullet and pay higher property taxes. I'd like to see more people visit the waterfront on a regular basis than just the people who can afford waterfront property. If some development is the price I have to pay for better access to the waterfront, better utilization, and lower property taxes, then I'm willing to pay that price. As an aside, outside of the city hall precinct, I'm not hearing a lot of voter concern about the waterfront. When candidates and volunteers knock on doors, voters who live elsewhere in the city are overwhelmingly talking about getting rid of Mort Sherman and fixing ACPS, and taxes come up but in the context of people wanting waterfront commercial development in order to take the burden off home owners. There's lots of talk of traffic woes too. I've heard this from almost every campaign. The general sense of voters outside of those living close to the waterfront is that there will be some development, it will ultimately be beneficial to the city, and it's not as important as other issues.

"The people who are anti-development are the same people who complain about high property taxes."

Do have a credible source for such an absurdly broad statement, Gail?

McBrinn - start with Andrew McDonald and then talk to all the people I talk to at Farmer's Markets, forums, and other city events.

Actually the statement that's so broad as to strain credulity is the one that says "Potomac Yards is the largest piece of undeveloped land on the Eastern Seaboard between DC and NYC." I suppose this could be true but I'd be a lot more credulous with a credible source.

That's why I deemed it absurd. I pay approximately $7000 a year in property taxes; my neighbors do likewise. My family and friends in Old Town pay well, well, well more than that and they don't even take advantage of the public schools. One individual I know pays $24,000 a year in city property tax. Two grand a month. Say that out loud. Two thousand dollars a month straight to the city. And yet they don't complain about carrying such a disproportionate cost. They are the ones complaining about the waterfront. I think they're entitled to a larger voice given that they not only live there but that they subsidize it for everyone else.

Thank heaven the majority of the real estate taxes coming out of the Potomac Yards development effort will be going towards a $500,000,00.00 Potomac Yards metro station bond. I'd hate to see those tax dollars wasted on things like schools or other transportation issues.

Oh I forgot, let's also spend another $80,000.000.00 on buying Hunting Towers to support the Mayor's low cost housing initiative. This current COA city council has just got to wake up or go away.

I'm not so sure that actually lowering the density within Potomac Yards at the cost of not building a new metrorail station is really such a bad idea at all. And the reason I don't know the answer is that the current COA City Council and City Planners have failed in their fiduciary responsibilities to do a full blown cost analysis and impact study of what building a metrostation at Potomac Yards would really mean to the city, As far as I can tell, the COA City Council and City Planners have only looked at it from a "Field of Dreams" perspective. Build the metrostation and density along with the associated tax dollars will come. That approach may work in the movies, but it spells only disaster when it come to "smart growth" community growth. Oh by the way, if you think I'm just blowing smoke, look at the ridership numbers at the city's Braddock and Eisenhower stations. These two station have some of the lowest ridership numbers in the whole system. It is time to put some of these city council members to pasture.

Folks, a candidate cannot run a campaign, let alone win, with one issue. Yes, there is a very vocal anti-waterfront group, but it's not a majority of voters. The waterfront issue just doesn't resonate that strongly with most people who don't live close to the development area. A small but vocal minority is not going to turn this election when their are fourteen candidates and lots of people will go into the primary and cast one to three votes out of six. Some people will vote a slate of six, but lots of people will plunk for their most favored one or two candidates just to help them get through the primary. It's not possible - at least for me - to predict what effect that will have on the tally. If the anti-waterfront group tries to plunk for one or two candidates, they might have a shot of getting one or two through the primary. In addition, the waterfront issue is now before the courts, and I can't predict what will happen with that. The next city council may not get a shot at significantly changing the plan that the current council already voted on. Instead of looking backwards, I think we'd be better served by focusing on what will come before the next council. Vote for what you want to happen, not against the things that already happened that you didn't like.

Well put Gail!

Thanks James.

And McBrinn, you said... "... I pay approximately $7000 a year in property taxes; my neighbors do likewise. My family and friends in Old Town pay well, well, well more than that and they don't even take advantage of the public schools. One individual I know pays $24,000 a year in city property tax. ... I think they're entitled to a larger voice given that they not only live there but that they subsidize it for everyone else."

WOW. You truly believe that because some people have more money and more expensive properties resulting in high property taxes that they are "ENTITLED to a larger voice..."? Uh, one man one vote dude... or did you want a constitutional amendment to change that so that voting rights are apportioned by how much money one has? Your wealthy friends aren't entitled to any more or less say than any other citizen of the city. The First Amendment grants them the right to scream at the top of their lungs about it, but that's it.

Ecellent letter and comments. Hope in the case of Potomac Yards, they plan to accomdate the extra vehicular traffic trying to get in and out of the center. Why fix it if it ain't broke. Maybe we can turn it in to another failing (landmark) Mall. When the denisty multilies people might find the headache of trying to get in and out not worth it. Check it out on a nice weekend or sunny friday afternoon. Maybe we can take our Target store from a top performing store to just another mediorcre performing store and the rest of the shopping center with it

I've got some questions for the candidates endorsed by the new anti-development PAC. How do you plan to pay for improvments that includes buying all the private property near the waterfront? In addition, Alexandria is already the slowest growing area in the region and has the highest office vacancy rate. What do you plan to do about that?

McBrin, I quoted your own words. I did not misconstrue them. You then repeated yourself, to wit "I'm hardly unique in thinking that the people footing the bill have more say than those hitching a free ride." Everyone pays sales tax, and the poorest among us pay a disporportionate share of their income in sales taxes. Homeowners pay property taxes, and commercial building owners also pay but they can pass the costs on to their renters. So, everyone in Alexandria pays SOME taxes whether directly or indirectly. Define for me what you mean by "footing the bill?" Do mean to refer to homeowners, commercial property owners, persons paying sales taxes, all of the above, some other subset or what?

Don't be obtuse Gail. If you're unable to differentiate between a family paying Alexandria $24,000 a year in taxes while sending their children to private schools from from a family paying Alexandria absolutely nothing while sending several children to public schools, then go ahead and admit your mistake now. I promise not to hammer your ignorance.

Mike- You're a newbie. I know dozens of people who are billed that much and way, way, way more every year despite being not filthy rich. We're talking about retired federal workers who were lucky enough to have purchased row houses in the 80s when costs were low. I know other families that are billed $40,000 a year- one of whichs breadwinner worked for the NSA and had no family money. And their kids are grown and out of state- ie they have no strain on the school system. Because you bought a house on Queen Street 3 years ago not make you an expert. Or even remotely a friend of the natives.

McBrinn, insulting me and others doesn't help your case. If you want to live in a country where the richest few get to decide everything, move to the middle east.

If Alexandria has the highest office vacancy rate in the area, why should the speed of development be increased? If the City cannot fill what is already here, why increase the number of offices that will just add to the glut? One other consideration - as the City approves higher and higher density, the value of land increases rapidly. No matter how Council works to keep property taxes down for single family and town homes, they cannot suppress the value of the land these homes sit on. As a result, property taxes will continue to rise and rise. In the not too distant future, owning a single family home in Alexandria will be prohibitive to all but the fabled 1%. If any of you doubt this trend, look at the rise of the assessment of your land as opposed to your house. The West End will, in the next few years, feel this hit. Currently, my 6500 square foot lot is valued at a much higher rate than someone on the West End who has a 8750 square foot lot. That is why so many people who complain about property taxes complain about development as well. They know that increased density is not going to do anything but jack up their property taxes.

Potomac Yards is not a destination shopping center as is Pentagon City. Potomac Yard is strip mall, an attractive, uninteresting mishmash of stores. It is pedestrian unfriendly---walking from Target to the book store is tedious if you are carrying bags or children--and the stores are mediocre at best. Why spend the $$$$ to build a Metro stop there? Why spend $ 7 million to remove parking meters at the King St. Metro stop? Why 'beautify' the lot? What is wrong with these entrenched Council people? They do not look at their roles as running a business, the City of Alexandria. I am disgusted with most of them, and wonder how to discover what their personal investments are? Who is in whose financial pocket???

Mike- it's all publically available information. Any one with a basic knowledge of how information is stored on the Internet can find it in seconds. Start with a simple Boolean search. If you're unhappy with how easily it's retrieved I suggest you have it removed. It's a simple process and it's free.

As for your disparaging remarks regarding our fine men and women in the armed forces, well, that's just sad. If you actually appreciated the sacrifices these people make on a daily basis I don't think you'd slight their homes.

I could never vote for someone who didn't pay his property taxes until it was reported in the press that he failed to do so for several years....(Boyd Walker) I guess if you're willing to endorse such an entitled self promoting individual...I can hardly give credence or credibility to your other endorsements whatsoever.

McBrinn - I'm obviously making the point that you can find it and I know full well the risks of using my name. So I'm amused by your attempt at cleverness though it seems unrelated to your absurd remarks about taxes. You instead chose to bring up personal info. Perfectly fine, it's all out there. What's a bit less fine, if you want to go the personal route, is your lack of moral courage in using a pseudonym.

I suppose your boolean search skills really are quite basic if you actually think that I'm offering disaparaging remarks about my own background. With a few very notable exceptions, service, be it uniformed or federal and I've done/do both, is a privilege not something that you receive entitlements for, beyond those as part of your employment conditions, in perpetuity - certainly not tax preferences. Silly, silly stuff pal.

I really should refrain with engaging with people who so obviously haven't a clue what I'm attempting to explain.... but, are you seriously claiming that you didn't disparage members of the armed forces with :

"And let me be clear. I’m not a friend of the folks you call natives...retired federal employees, uniformed and otherwise."

McBrinn is my name and I'm all topped up on courage, thanks. Not leaving a blazing trail on the Internet is more about intelligence than it is about courage. But hey, if you want every single thing you say- ignorant and otherwise- documented for everyone to see, don't let me stop you.

Go back and reread what I've written and get back to me where I've said anything about tax rates being tethered to profession.

Don't get mad. Courageous you are Mighty McBrinn. And very nice use of eillipsis. Funny it's ok for you to personally disparage me now - even though I just might be one of those people you so admire - or is it only the retired ones?

And, sorry I clearly misunderstood the above post where you wrote about the retired federal employee from NSA that is taxed at 40k per year. And you actually rasied federal employees - specifically the retired ones. So nope, not a friend of the "natives" you cite by which I can only infer you mean the folks on the waterfront who insist that there needs outweigh the rest of Alexandria's.

Look the point is you are making silly arguments about taxes. That's all. It detracts from your argument. This is a pattern used by waterfront opponents that confuses rather than clarifies.

Meanwhile, to have a little fun, I have a whole set of 14 yard signs. The boy candidates get to be a football team with the yard signs, and the lady candidates are the cheerleaders. at least thats how it looks from my front door. I wont try to change anybodies opinion, I just try to get out the vote.

There Democrats on the Alexandria Democratic Committee, who would rather stick their heads in the sand, and pretend that everything is fine, that everything is okay, and that everything is perfect in their little weird orbiting world of the 'good ole boy/girl' politics that they've got in our City of Alexandria. But there are MANY Democrats, like me, who are thoroughly both dismayed and disgusted at the actions of the 'swift boat' PAC that went on an attack mode against Boyd Walker. Hey, the Alexandria Democratic Committee needs to pick up the clue phone because there are only 15 Republicans who live in Alexandria, with 14 of them members, and they are no political threat, at all, so it's sad and quite unforgiving that Sean Holihan, Danny Barefoot, Gail Gordon, Shayna Englin, and others in their PAC, could stoop so low as to so viciously attack another Democrat, Boyd Walker, who couldn't get elected as a towel boy at Yate's Car Wash. But the Independents are watching, and they're all taking note of how some members the Alexandria Democatic Committee has acted through this whole mess. And after all this embarrassment, as a Democrat, I'm going to vote for Frank Fannon, this November, because out of everyone running, regardless of party affiliation, Fannon has been a guy who has Alexandria's best interest at heart, for everyone. He's also a fifth-generation Alexandrian who was born here, who works at SunTrust Mortgage in Old Town, and he's a very honest man, as well.

Jim, it's unfair to drag Shayna Englin's name into this. I have no knowledge that she was in any way involved. Just because Danny has worked for her does not mean she had anything to do with it.

This 'ol Democrat is glad that at least Mr. Miller is calming down somewhat: yesterday he called this whole thing with Gail's PAC ("GordonGate"?) "political hijinks and shenanigans." Today -- see post 4:50, supra -- it's been downgraded to just "political hijinks," sending "shenanigans" back to the 19th Century to rest up for a spell.

It is still an "escapade," however.

Disagree as I might with many of Mr. Miller's comments, I do hope he continues to calm down. Too much stress isn't good for anyone, especially on primary day.

Regards, & c.,

E. Warfield

Edgar, I guess you're okay with all of the political hijinks and shenanigans, yes, my terms, but you've got your 'Millers', confused. Maybe Bud Miller might have said 'GordonGate', because I wasn't quick enough to think of that, well, at least before Gail apologize for her ill-advised actions as a part of the 'swift boat' PAC against a fellow Democrat, Boyd Walker. I'm sure you're just kickin' back, sipping your frosty, thinking, hey, Alexandria Democratic politics are okay, no problem here at all. Well, apparently, it seems to me, that you've got blinders on, Edgar, because the 'perfect world' of the Alexandria Democratic Committee has now been exposed by some, admittedly a very small number, of their membership. You, sir, are do not apparently care that Democrats attacked another Democrat in an effort to smudge and demean his campaign, but in the process have wholeheartedly embarrassed Democrats throughout the City of Alexandria. On the surface, something like this obviously has its 'fifteen minutes of fame', where after today, there will be someone or something else for people to focus their attention on, including myself, who will watch with great suspect, any actions of any member of the Alexandria Democratic Committee. As I've jokingly said before, there are only 15 Republicans in Alexandria, with 14 on the Alexandria Republican City Committee, so, yes, I'm embarrassed that this foolish 'swift boat' campaign was done by Democrats to try to tarnish Boyd Walker.

So who was behind the libelous email about Boyd on yesterday's Del Ray parents' list serve? I understand that the IP has been tracked and a complaint has been initiated with the provider. Once Yahoo gets served with the request they'll be forced to identify the sender. It would behoove the individual to come out now and claim it was prank rather than be sued for libel. The attack is legally indefensible. I'd hate to be the one behind it. They're coming for you.

Cathryn, I take my postings as something that a new reader may or may not know about me, thus, that is why I proudly state that I am a progressive liberal Democrat. "Doth" and "methinks? Are you British? Just curious. If you are, I'm guessing you're with the Labour Party. ;-) And, yes, it was a 'swift boat' PAC, because there were no names stated as to who was behind the mailings, and how the whole operation was conducted. So Gail apologized for her stupidity, and Sean Holihan's partner, Danny fessed up, but there can't be just two people behind the PAC to take down such a formidable candidate like Boyd Walker. Wait, 'NEWS FLASH', Boyd Walker's campaign was hemorrhaging, going nowhere, on the rocks, left for politcal abyss for 2012, when, all of a sudden, the 'swift boat' PAC gives him more press and attention than he could have ever hoped for, because God knows, Boyd wasn't generating any attention for himself. Sure, I can take a deep breath, and I will, but my point, as has been agreed to by so many of my other friends who are Democrats, is that we have a cadre of bad eggs in the Alexandria Democratic Party who will apparently go to any extent possible, even to include viciously attacking a fellow Democrat, in Boyd Walker, that they will do anything to win an election, and that's just wrong. I agree, Boyd hopefully won't get enough votes today to be one of the six finalists, but if he does win, wow, I won't be shocked either. The ADC is without shame!

Kathleen , no idea how or why this post is being resucitated now, especially given all the excitement Patch has stirred with its coverage of walker gate, but I don't believe I said "only" the people on the waterfront oppose the plan. After all Katy Cannady reminds us frequently that she opposes the plan even though she doesn't live in Old Town.

That said, the loudest are the CAAWP board members who do live in zone 1. While sacred space conjures images of Gettysburg and Manassas, at least in my mind, I do agree that the Waterfront is quite valuable and that it belongs to all of Alexandria not just to those with the means to command the proverbial microphone. I suppose tonight, or perhaps sometime tomorrow, we'll get an initial sense of what all the residents of this city think.

"I suppose tonight, or perhaps sometime tomorrow, we'll get an initial sense of what all the residents of this city think."

25% at best. Far from "all."

Ah, yet another keen insight from the Mighty McBrinn. I can see the excuses now. I suppose the "atypically" low turnout will explain why almost all of your CAAWP candidates go down tonight? Ok, maybe you get Silberberg. Anyway, shouldn't you be bloviating about Allen some more?

Ha. The post reports a 17% turnout. Even less than I guesstimated, I see that Math isn't Uranus' strong suit.

Ah, yet another non sequitur from the Mighty McBrinn. Clearly logic isn't your strong suit - as your many silly posts reveal. Is too bad I've got to go to work today cause I'd love to track what is sure to be an hysterial primary response from "old timers" like you - you know the ones that are the authentic stewards of our nice little city.

Too small to admit your mistakes, Uranus? Is 17% "all" or is 100% "all"? I'll grant you two chances to answer. That way, you'll be guaranteed to be correct at least once!

Really Mighty McBrinn? You don't get the sarcasm in the reference to all Alexandrians? Are you really that dense? Waterfront opponents have been arguing that developers and compromised politicians have been acting against the interests of the people for months now. Well your allies had a chance to turn out supporters in a primary election - under the most favorable conditions possible at least in a relative sense - and still couldn't do more than advance one anti-development candidate. When we have our pitiful 50% turnout in November, at best, the results will likely be worse for waterfront opponents. I'll allow you the last word genius - I need to get back to the Yankee game.