Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Alexandrian Kathryn Papp says the city's latest announcements regarding waterfront redevelopment introduce more error into an already confused development process.
- OPINION
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Wednesday, February 20
To the editor, From its very beginning, the Feb. 15 letter from the Office of the City Manager is a model letter of ambiguity, Byzantine confusion, conciliatory and authoritarian tone. Quite an achievement for something under a page in length. It’s difficult to know exactly how to interpret it, except to conclude that it is a deliberate attempt to introduce even more error into an already confused development process. (Editor's Note: See attached PDF file of city manager's letter.) In the beginning, the “community vision” was described by residents to prefer open space, naturalistic river walks, and support art and history, perhaps a historic ship – with a minimum of commercial activity. This preference has not varied. Otherwise, …
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Alexandrian Kathryn Papp says the first public meeting focusing on the "What's Next Alexandria" community engagement initiative was not a total waste of time and money, but "probably a wash."
- OPINION
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Tuesday, November 20, 2012
To the Editor: The first public meeting to kick-off “What’s Next Alexandria,” the city’s ambitious campaign to drive more citizens to a web-based engagement process and to help restore trust between the city and its residents, was probably a wash. It was a tentative start that was buoyed along by John Porter and a healthy embedding of city staff and political operatives, but as it unfolded the general feeling was déjà vu all over again. The “What’s Next” campaign was launched using a dedicated website to poll citizens and ask how they now engage with the city on vital issues. This poll and its results did not establish a starting point that must be neutral, inclusive, demographically representative of the City of Alexandria, and …
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Alexandrian Josh Sawislak outlines the criteria for what he believes make the best elected leaders.
- OPINION
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Tuesday, October 23, 2012
In her Oct. 22 letter, Kathryn Papp makes a plea for more experienced City Council members or just more of them. She argues that none of the Council candidates are experts who could challenge staff, developers, bankers or citizens on issues related to the large number of construction projects in our City’s future. In doing so, she confuses the role of expert with that of elected representative. James Madison and Alexander Hamilton believed that the best leaders were those who “possess most wisdom to discern, and most virtue to pursue, the common good of the society.” [Federalist No. 57] Wisdom and virtue, they say, not specific expertise in the issue of the day, are desirable. But let's assume for a moment that we did select technical …
Monday, October 22, 2012
Alexandrian Kathryn Papp says the city needs council members who can move Alexandria to a new performance level --- and that means having a certain depth of experience and understanding.
- OPINION
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Monday, October 22, 2012
To the Editor: The City Council candidates’ forums for debate have given us opportunity to carefully listen and see a full range of what’s next and to imagine just how the biggest dig ever – the construction, planned and present - in Alexandria might occur. Being asked to sanction only part-time council members for an outsized number of huge development projects is a serious responsibility, especially since once the concrete is poured, it’s there for centuries. With hundreds of millions of dollars of decisions in play, waiting in the wings, or under wraps with Planning and Zoning or Transportation and Environmental Services, we’ve learned the hard way that it’s risky to rely on a deeply flawed decision process. It would be a great relief …
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Alexandrians Kathryn Papp and Mark Mueller address gambling across the river and its percolating presence in Old Town.
- OPINION
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Wednesday, May 16, 2012
To the Editor: A goodly number of Old Town residents continue to be amazed and amused by the diverse ways this little town on the Potomac is being touted as a vital adjunct of the growing gambling cooperative across the river. Last year the mayor was courted by a group of gambling investors in D.C. and now, the latest foray—following on to National Harbor being ballyhooed as a world class attraction—is horse racing. This past Saturday, a local riverfront restaurant went to the ponies with a special backroom promotion featuring 90NorthRacing, a fledgling flat-racing syndicate that as its flier says “let’s you share in horse ownership and every facet of its excitement.” We wonder if the eatery is seriously jockeying for position as a nascent…
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Kathryn Papp and Mark Mueller question the city's claim that the National Park Service supports the waterfront redevelopment plan.
- OPINION
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Wednesday, May 2, 2012
To the Editor: The Jan. 20, 2012 letter from the National Park Service (NPS) that discusses the Small Area Waterfront Plan only states “general support for the proposed 2011 Plan.” This is in contrast to what some have labeled an “endorsement.” In political language there is a huge gulf between the two. After speaking at length with Peter May, author of the NPS letter, he made it clear that his real concern was not to put an NPS imprimatur on the Plan, but to state the importance of NPS property interests. The political hay being made of the NPS “endorsement” is just that – only fodder for ruminating. Taken together with the letter from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the letter from former EPA Director Reilly, the most …
OT insider
8:34 pm on Wednesday, February 20, 2013
I guess since you lost the WFP vote and now that there is a super majority on council that supports it, you think you need to resort to these sort of silly doomsday predictions. Can we please just move on? I am so tired of our embarrassing 1970's waterfront and as an Old Town resident I demand better. Your continuous stall tactics against moving forward are not helpful. more ›