Op-Ed: The Latest Example Of Arlington's Wasteful Spending

The following is an op-ed by Julie Farnam, a candidate for Arlington County Board.

In yet another example of wasteful spending, Arlington County recently approved spending up to $750 per hour on expensive attorneys to fight its Missing Middle Housing lawsuit.

This is happening as County departments are cutting their budgets and while the County is seeking more tax revenue from residents. This could negatively impact services that people count on, including childcare subsidies, neighborhood improvement projects, and drug counseling treatment programs.

County policymakers must put the needs of residents first instead of big developers and special interests. That’s exactly why I’m running for the County Board. I’m fighting to ensure Arlington thrives into the future and the voices of residents and business owners are heard.

The County can make better decisions to reduce or eliminate costs. How can the County seriously justify this spending when it hasn’t articulated a long-term plan for Arlington’s future? The County can — and should — withdraw its March 2023 rezoning policy decision, re-engage the community, and develop a policy that better reflects the needs of the community.

The County can easily hire a less expensive attorney. I’m a mom of two and a small business owner and I understand that most of us check prices before buying and try to get the most for our hard-earned money. The County Board must do the same.

What is the County fighting for in this lawsuit and what do they hope to achieve? It is not more affordability or equity in homeownership. Arlington is an expensive place to live. It is made more unaffordable by the County Board’s bad decisions. By defending a poorly conceived and implemented policy, the County Board is prioritizing big developers over the needs of families and businesses.

For the Arlington County Board, the decision must always be to do what’s best for the people. And wasteful spending on these big lawyers is not it.

Julie Farnam is a candidate for Arlington County Board. She owns and operates Pandorus Intelligence, LLC in Arlington. She is the author of Domestic Darkness: An Insider's Account of the January 6th Insurrection, and the Future of Right-Wing Extremism.