Alexandria City Manager Mark Jinks released his proposed, $799.9 million fiscal year 2021 budget at City Hall on Tuesday night, and it includes a 2 cent real estate tax increase.
Jinks, who also presented a $2.1 billion 10-year Capital Improvement Plan, proposes increasing the current tax rate by six cents over the course of six years — a 2 cent addition every other year — in order to pay for city and school system improvements.
After months of activism over the much-maligned Seminary Road Diet, the Facebook group dedicated to opposing the lane reduction has rebranded itself and broadened its focus.
On Sunday, the Alexandria Residents Against the Seminary Road Diet Facebook group was renamed “Bring Integrity Back to Alexandria! End Seminary Rd Diet & Other Bad Ideas.”
Alexandria’s DASH bus system is looking to improve its mobile ticketing smartphone application, but city officials want the app to be compatible with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s SmarTrip cards.
The bus system views the rollout of the app last June to be a success. Now DASH is working with the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission to understand how to improve upon the system before making those next steps.
Interested in sailing to work? During last summer’s Metro Shutdown, Alexandria eased restrictions allowing for the Potomac Riverboat Company’s water taxi to ferry commuters from the city’s waterfront to the District Wharf.
Tonight, the city council will receive a report on extending the license agreement to allow for early morning water taxi commuting services to continue.
Alexandria’s Monika Jones Chapman and her husband City Councilman John Taylor Chapman welcomed their son into the world in the early morning hours of Saturday, Feb. 8.
John Taylor Chapman II was born at 2:44 a.m. and weighed in at 7 pounds, 11 ounces. The kid already has a few nicknames, including JTC II, Deuce and Baby J.
Co-locating affordable and workforce housing is off the table at Douglas MacArthur Elementary School, but it will be considered at all future schools slated for renovation.
That’s according to Alexandria City Public Schools officials and city staff who spoke to parents and community advocates at the school on Monday night.
Corey Smedley was sworn in as the 30th Alexandria Fire Chief at City Hall last night.
The 48-year-old Smedley, who is the city’s first permanent African American Fire Chief, took the oath of office Tuesday night in a packed house with his family, members of the Alexandria Fire Department and city leaders in attendance.
Alexandria is experiencing an affordable housing crisis, city officials say, and that means using school property to try to address the crisis should remain on the table.
School officials, however, are reluctant to rush through plans for housing at schools currently set for redevelopment.
Nobody on the City Council seemed particularly happy about transportation changes planned for Eisenhower Avenue, but at this point too much money has been invested to turn back, city staff argued.
The plan, which has been in the works since 2003, involves turning the traffic circle at the east end of Eisenhower Avenue into a T-intersection, adding turn lanes to the intersection with Mill Road, and widening Mill Road.
Opponents of the Alexandria Presbyterian Church’s expansion went into Saturday’s public hearing knowing it was an uphill fight, and ultimately the City Council unanimously struck down the appeal.
The City Council voted unanimously to uphold the Planning Commission’s ruling in November that Alexandria Presbyterian Church could expand by-right from a 3,400 square foot building that can’t hold its congregation to a 22,794 square foot gothic-inspired church.
Alexandria’s finest were recognized by the City Council last week. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Alexandria Police Department, and Mayor Justin Wilson honored the department with a city proclamation in council chambers.
“The most important role of local government is to protect public safety, and we are fortunate that the residents of the city are able to rely 24/7 on the best police department on the planet, the Alexandria Police Department,” Wilson said. “Every day you confront danger so our residents do not have to. You keep our residents safe, and you do it with a smile and incredible customer service.”
