District 48 Candidates: Let Voters Decide on Columbia Streetcar Project

Both the Republican and Democratic candidates running for House delegate in the special election for Virginia's 48th District say they favor voters deciding whether or not they want a streetcar line in Arlington.

“If the facts were on the board’s side, they wouldn’t need to be spending $650,000 on public relations,” Republican candidate David Foster told Watchdog.org. “The voters are saying streetcars are not practical or affordable,” said the attorney who has served on the Arlington and state boards of education.

Democrat Richard "Rip" Sullivan told The Washington Post this weekend he would seek General Assembly authorization to put an advisory referendum on the Columbia Pike streetcar on the ballot.

In addition to Foster and Sullivan, others who have called for putting the brakes (or at least allowing the public to vote) on the controversial street car include:

• Arlington County board member Libby Garvey, a Democrat, has been critical of the street car and the process that has gotten Arlington to this point; she had this to say earlier this month, when the state announced they were chipping in $65 million to the $358 million cost: "I could not be more disappointed in the quick decision by Secretary Layne to devote much needed and scarce transportation dollars to a project as foolish and wasteful as the Columbia Pike streetcar. This project will not improve transit on the Pike. In fact, it will make traffic worse as slow streetcars clog up an already congested thoroughfare. Fortunately, I am pretty sure that within 2 years the wise voters of Arlington will have voted out board members who support the streetcar. That will end the project and allow the Commonwealth, despite this ill advised decision by the Secretary, to spend its money on much more worthwhile and needed projects. I hope that will include a modern and cost effective bus rapid transit system on the Pike in Arlington. That's what both Arlington and the region need."
• Newly elected Arlington County board member John Vihstadt, who ran as an Independent: "Not a penny more of taxpayer dollars should be spent on promoting, planning for, or in any way implementing Arlington streetcars until such a referendum is held and Arlington voters have had their say once again."
• Virginia Delegate Patrick Hope (D-48th), a Democrat who recently ran for Congress: “I think it’s time we have a full public debate and a public referendum . . . and we need to respect whatever the public decides.”
• Alan Howze, Democrat who was defeated by Vihstadt in a special election but is running again in the general election for Arlington County Board: “Voters clearly didn’t understand why it was the right investment at the right time. There’s an obligation to educate people and then give them a voice."
• Arlington Treasurer Frank O'Leary: "The streetcar project has turned into a political nightmare in Arlington. A referendum is the only valid way to get us out of this mess. If there is not a public vote on this project, the public will weigh in through other elections- and that is not a good idea for the Arlington Democratic Party."
• Arlington Commissioner of Revenue Ingrid Morroy: "Arlington voters are intelligent and I believe it is time for them to be able to weigh in on the streetcar project. A referendum forces both sides of this debate to take their case to the voters. This issue has become too divisive to fester any longer."

Watchdog.org also reported that Bob Chase, director of the Northern Virginia Transportation Alliance, said the state’s recent pledge of up to $65 million came “seemingly out of the blue.”

“It is unclear what analysis the commonwealth conducted,” Chase said. “Arlington keeps saying it needs streetcars to meet 2050/2060 (rider) demand. Last time I checked the calendar, we ain’t quite there.”