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Description
Arlington County Board Member, Jay Fisette's remarks at the Jan 1st Organizational Meeting
A
A
According
to
livability,
calm
Arlington
is
America's
third
best
place
to
live,
we're
small,
yet
smart,
we're
ground
zero
for
the
creative
class
and
Millennials
our
public
schools
are
outstanding,
our
crime
rate
is
low,
our
streets
are
safe
and
neighbors
help
neighbors
our
smart
growth
planning
is
a
national
model
and
provides
a
broad
and
balanced
tax
base.
As
you
heard,
between
our
commercial
and
residential
properties,
transit
and
thoughtful
land-use
planning
have
been
our
prime
engines
of
redevelopment.
A
Our
tax
rate
is
among
the
lowest
in
the
region
and
the
triple
triple
a
bond
rating
reflects
a
strong
fiscal
management.
We
have
great
trails,
refreshed
parks
and
we
embrace
diversity
and
care
for
the
most
vulnerable
among
us,
whether
in
the
dawn,
dusk
or
twilight
of
life.
So
what
have
been
the
keys
to
our
success?
To
date,
oh
hi,
like
four
things,
I've
spoken
about
these
this
past
year,
one
we
have
a
vision
and
we
do
long-term
planning,
and
you
know
what
they
say.
Vision
without
action
is
a
daydream.
A
Action
without
a
vision
is
a
nightmare.
We
don't
plan
for
tomorrow
or
for
the
next
election.
We
plan
for
the
long
term,
the
sustainable
plan,
sometimes
twenty
and
forty
years
out.
Second
thing
we
believe,
is
worth
working
with
residents
and
business
leaders
toward
a
consensus
view,
and
that
doesn't
mean
unanimity.
It
does
mean
trying
to
forge
a
broad
understanding
of
a
path
forward.
Third
thing:
we've
always
done
is
innovate,
develop
partnerships.
Innovation
is
not
limited
to
the
private
sector.
A
A
So
third
question:
what
are
our
challenges,
and
and
most
of
our
big
challenges
in
fact
result
from
our
success
in
creating
a
desirable
community
with
high-quality
services,
the
Chairman
I
think
has
very
able
identified
those
big
challenges:
the
facilities
needed
to
meet
our
growing
demands
and
identify
where
to
put
them
enhancing
our
economic
competitiveness
and
housing
affordability.
So,
finally,
how
do
we
successfully
respond
to
these
challenges?
I
would
say
that
we
all
have
a
role.
A
We
need
to
engage
the
stakeholders
in
this
community
in
a
discussion
about
how
to
respond
to
these
challenges
and
to
discuss
their
for
our
future
I.
Very
much
embrace
the
initiative
as
outlined
earlier
for
this
board
residents
and
businesses
will
be
called
upon
to
participate
with
an
open
mind,
shed
some
self-interest
think
broadly
and
seek
workable
compromise.
Our
democracy
and
broader
civic
engagement
is,
by
definition,
messier,
slower
and
more
expensive.
A
A
The
partnership
and
collaboration
between
the
county
board
and
school
board
needs
to
get
even
better.
We
heard
this
from
the
community
and
I
believe
it
is
already
happening,
and
the
five
of
us
knew
to
model
the
respectfulness
in
light
of
honest
differences
of
opinion,
and
we
at
model
that
that
respectful
us
that
we're
asking
of
others
I
intend
to
do
that
and
to
commit
myself
to
the
hard
work
and
hard
listening
to
ensure
that
this
board
functions
well
and
that
Arlington
continues
to
thrive.
A
I'm
particularly
interested
in
several
ongoing
efforts.
I'll
just
identify
them
briefly:
tandem,
NSI,
the
public-private
partnership
we
launched
last
year
that
has
helped
cement
our
position
as
the
hub
of
the
new
innovation
economy,
connect
arlington,
our
high-speed
broadband
fiber
investment
that
will
attract
and
distinguished
arlington
in
the
market,
attract
the
businesses.
We
need
third
implementation
of
the
community
energy
plan
and
forth
the
follow-up
work
needed
to
ensure
the
revitalization
of
the
columbia,
pike
and
crystal
city
quarters.