(Clockwise from top left side) Nicole Merlene, Takis Karantonis, Chanda Choun, and Barbara Kanninen are the candidates running for the Arlington County Board seat. Photos provided by the candidate's campaign. 

On Thursday, May 7, a select group of Arlington County Democratic party members will choose a candidate to represent their party in a July special election to replace former supervisor Erik Gutshall.

Gutshall, who passed away after a battle with brain cancer, consistently pushed for a more walkable, accessible, and affordable Arlington since he took his seat in November 2017. Gutshall’s presence in Arlington will be greatly missed.

Candidates Chanda Choun (who withdrew from the June 23 primary race against Libby Garvey), Barbara Kanninen, Nicole Merlene, and Takis Karantonis have the opportunity to influence whether Arlington is able to successfully respond to residents’ needs related to COVID-19, while preparing for the strains and benefits that will come as Amazon fills in Crystal City.

We emailed questionnaires to Choun, Kanninen, Merlene, and Karantonis on Tuesday, April 28. All but Merlene responded to us by our Sunday, May 3, deadline; we are including Merlene’s responses, though she sent them late, because Arlington voters deserve as much information as they can get in what’s going to be a relatively closed-off election.

We’ve reprinted candidates’ responses as they were sent to us, including formatting; some responded to each sub-question, while some responded to all questions in their final response. Their responses are below.

(While we typically run posts introducing candidates, the short timeline between the filing deadline and the Arlington Dems’ closed vote has required GGWash’s elections committee to speed up its endorsement process. We’ll publish an endorsement this week, following these questionnaire responses.)

1. The Covid-19 crisis has emphasized how important it is to be able to safely bike, walk, and take transit. But most street space is still dedicated to cars and drivers. Would you support removing street parking for bike and bus lanes?

Chanda Choun: I would support removing street parking for multiple modes of non-car transit, including bikes, scooters, and buses.

Barbara Kanninen: Yes. In the short term (during the pandemic), there is a clear need for additional space in our more densely populated urban corridors for people to walk and bike while safely social distancing. To that end, I support various strategies, such as blocking off some curb lanes for expanded sidewalks or pop-up bike lanes. Residents of our single-family neighborhoods are largely already able to walk and bike at a safe distance on their quiet neighborhood streets; we need to make sure that residents of the apartments and condos in our urban core can do so as well.

In the long term, we still have a lot of work to do to make up for decades of auto-centric development in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. I support the speedy implementation of the recently updated Bicycle Element of Arlington’s Master Transportation Plan, which has already done the hard work of identifying a target low-stress bicycle network. Implementing that network will require removing some street parking.

Regarding dedicated bus lanes, some exist already (Metroway in Crystal City); I would work with transportation staff (post pandemic) to push for more so that we can reap the benefits of environmental improvement, reduced traffic congestion, and predictable and reliable transportation.

Takis Karantonis: I’m fully supportive of reimagining our street space to accommodate urban mobility that puts pedestrians, cyclists, and mass transit users at the center. Our street space should be spacious, properly lit, and designed to minimize traffic disruption. I support the expansion of sidewalks along our busiest urban corridors to accommodate pedestrians, especially those with mobile disabilities.

I also support removing street parking, where necessary, on a pilot basis on targeted streets under Arlington’s control for the duration of the stay-at-home order in Virginia. There should continue to be enough room for bikes, transit and minimal car traffic in these areas. Evaluation of any reductions would be a component of the pilot.

Nicole Merlene: Yes, and I have advocated for this in my recent ARLnow.com opinion column The Street Forward.

Maintaining your mental health during these odd times cannot be understated. Getting in regular exercise to kickstart your endorphins is important and recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Whether you are running, pushing a stroller, or walking with a loved one, sometimes our sidewalks are just not wide enough to keep a distance of 6 feet. A majority of people are trying to make enough space but it is oftentimes near impossible. I would propose closing one lane of traffic in each direction where there are two lanes available in major corridors. Traffic has decreased significantly and this would not be an undue burden on travelers. In addition, cones and other street markers typically slow traffic, encouraging cars to go a safe speed.

2. Earlier this year, State Delegate Ibraheem Samirah introduced bills HB 151 and 152, which would have legalized duplexes and accessory apartments across Virginia. Do you support these bills? If not, why not? If you want Arlington to make its own decisions on land use, how would you have the county increase the number of smaller, more affordable homes?

Chanda Choun: I support the spirit of Virginia Delegate Samirah’s HB 151 and 152. Exclusionary zoning is a root cause of economic and racial segregation as well as hindrance to sustainable development around the environment and transportation. However, I choose to defer to local decisionmaking at this time until further studies into the impact to local infrastructure is ascertained.

Barbara Kanninen: Yes, we need flexibility with our zoning and development tools so we can address some of the housing segregation that has evolved over the decades. Intended or not, the reality is that many of the rules put in place as we developed were exclusionary, and I want to change that. Duplexes and accessory apartments also help address missing middle housing.

Nicole Merlene: To achieve missing middle housing supply, we would need to build that volume of housing near transportation corridors in multi-unit buildings. This is the most efficient way to achieve our immediate housing stock goals. We should also reconsider current height restrictions within ⅛ a mile of Metro.

a. Given that large, expensive houses that have replaced smaller single-family houses, would you support incentivizing duplexes and triplexes that had the same footprint but would create more diverse housing options?

Chanda Choun: Yes.

Barbara Kanninen: Yes.

Nicole Merlene: Creating a more diverse housing supply by renovating existing structures near our transportation corridors should be considered in our updated housing master plan. Maintaining the same housing footprint is important for our tree canopy as the greatest tree loss can be found in single family household areas, and storm runoff to mitigate large flood events.

b. If you oppose state legislation allowing homeowners to build duplexes and accessory apartments, how do you propose adding the homes necessary to meet demand in Arlington in the near and intermediate future?

Chanda Choun: I support local action allowing homeowners to build duplexes and accessory apartments.

Barbara Kanninen: NA

Takis Karantonis: The County needs to devote more funding to its affordable housing program. Current tools - both for bricks and mortar and for rental subsidies - do work, but the cost of construction is very high. I was pleased to see the Arlington Community Foundation step into this space with their Shared Prosperity Initiative which is seeking private funds for both construction and rent support for very low income people as well as working to bring the cost of childcare down and build strong, effective career ladders to help low income workers move towards self-sufficiency.

We, as a community, need to do more. The Affordable Housing Ordinance needs to be renegotiated so that development in and of itself produces more units, even without any public funding. We need a quick acquisition fund to buy and hold both existing buildings and vacant land that comes available. The market moves fast and the County and its partners need more tools that allow nimbleness and creativity. I would support all efforts to put those tools in the toolbox. Additionally, I would champion the effort to expand funding for the Affordable Housing Investment Fund.

3. Do you support building more housing along the Lee Highway corridor, and will you advocate for more housing through the Plan Lee Highway planning process?

Chanda Choun: Yes.

Barbara Kanninen: Yes. I believe that, working with the Lee Highway Alliance on the planning process, we can find ways to increase and diversify the housing stock in the corridor.

a. If yes, what levels of density and kinds of housing do you support?

Chanda Choun: I would support mid-rise commercial and residential buildings provided accompanying infrastructure and services are provided to handle the population increase, such as multimodal transit, wide sidewalks, green space and schools.

Barbara Kanninen: Working with the Alliance, we can find room for more multi-family and rental units, as well as encouraging duplexes and accessory apartments.

Takis Karantonis: Yes, we need to add housing along the Lee Highway corridor as part of the Plan Lee Highway process. We must look to mixed-use development to allow for a reasonable increase in density and meet our goal of a livable, economically vibrant Lee Highway. I would support a variety of multi-family housing types, from duplex to mid-rise apartments on this key corridor, and would look to another busy transportation corridor, Columbia Pike, to provide guidance on density.


4. In the past five years, Arlington has only met half its affordable housing goal, according to the 2015 Affordable Housing Master Plan.

a. What changes, if any, would you make to the county’s strategy to reach the goal of 600 units per year?

Chanda Choun: In accordance with the Arlington County Affordable Housing Master Plan, I would consider a menu of policy changes that altogether are projected to increase the production of committed affordable units production to meet the goal of 600 units per year. These policies are detailed in the December 2017 report – “Fulfilling the Promise: Meeting the Production Goals of Arlington’s AHMP” – created by a coalition of local housing experts and advocates, including reducing site plan conditions for new affordable housing construction, waiving permit and tap fees for affordable housing projects, reducing use permit conditions for rehabilitation projects, modifying bonus density policy, pursuing community-serving real estate opportunities, offering property tax abatements/exemptions, and expanding sources of funding for the Affordable Housing Investment Fund.

Barbara Kanninen: The goal of 600 units is aspirational—an ambitious, stretch goal that requires multiple strategies to achieve. The best solutions will include incentives to encourage the private sector to play a larger role in providing affordable housing:

  1. Increase funding for the County’s Affordable Housing Investment Fund;
  2. Boost outreach and incentives to private developers to engage them in affordable housing solutions;
  3. Consider changes to current formulas for affordable housing requirements in density bonuses and the affordable housing ordinance;
  4. Pursue creative strategies like master leasing that could quickly add to the inventory of affordable units;
  5. Streamline processes and remove administrative barriers to more participation in affordable housing programs; and
  6. Pursue these solutions within the framework of the Housing Arlington Initiative and the update to the Affordable Housing Master Plan to ensure that there is community engagement and support.

Nicole Merlene: Change the formula for contributions to AHIF. We should make it easier for developers to build affordable units within market rate affordable buildings, because right now the formula disincentives this action. This would create diverse housing supply in all areas of the county instead of primarily in areas of south Arlington. With zero interest rates, we should also consider increasing our bonding of affordable housing funds.

b. How would you approach the challenge of mitigating the displacement of Arlingtonians with very low incomes, considering that 30 percent of the area median income for a family of four is $36,000?

Chanda Choun: I would work with the state on tenant empowerment, targeted annual rent increase caps and housing vouchers to give Arlington’s majority renter population peace of mind and prevent displacement of long-time residents.


Barbara Kanninen: In addition to the strategies above to increase the inventory of affordable units, we need to provide more funding and expand eligibility for the Housing Grant program, which provides rental assistance to very low income families. We must also promote community engagement strategies like the Community Progress Network forums to involve low-income families in identifying challenges and solutions.

Takis Karantonis: The County needs to devote more funding to its affordable housing program. Current tools - both for bricks and mortar and for rental subsidies - do work, but the cost of construction is very high. I was pleased to see the Arlington Community Foundation step into this space with their Shared Prosperity Initiative which is seeking private funds for both construction and rent support for very low income people as well as working to bring the cost of childcare down and build strong, effective career ladders to help low income workers move towards self-sufficiency.

We, as a community, need to do more. The Affordable Housing Ordinance needs to be renegotiated so that development in and of itself produces more units, even without any public funding. We need a quick acquisition fund to buy and hold both existing buildings and vacant land that comes available. The market moves fast and the County and its partners need more tools that allow nimbleness and creativity. I would support all efforts to put those tools in the toolbox. Additionally, I would champion the effort to expand funding for the Affordable Housing Investment Fund.

Nicole Merlene: Our “very low” income families are supported by our AHIF housing fund, making it ever more important those housing goals are achieved. It is important though for Arlington to define median income by Arlington standards instead of the region’s. Arlington’s income is considerably higher than the region and if we are only building housing supply for the region’s lowest median income instead of considering our own cost of living, we will continue to create inequalities in the County by only having housing supply for those at the extremes of the income spectrum.

5. Amazon’s HQ2 is projected to bring over 25,000 new jobs to the county over the next 12 years.

a. What changes, if any, would you make to the county’s proposed transportation capital improvements in the area, beyond the currently funded extension of the Metroway BRT, conversion of Route 1 to a Boulevard, the bike/ped bridge to National Airport, and an additional Crystal City Metro station entrance?

Barbara Kanninen: Shifting our commuter rail system to a regional rail system is critical for ensuring that Amazon workers don’t need their cars to get to work. I would work with the Commonwealth to ensure the speedy construction of a new, improved VRE station in Crystal City as well as working with my counterparts in Maryland to make VRE and MARC trains interoperable and to through-run MARC trains into Virginia, allowing an easy one-seat ride for Maryland commuters to Crystal City.

I would also prioritize implementation of Arlington’s proposed low-stress bike network in Pentagon City and Crystal City to ensure that anyone who already has access to the region’s great trail system can continue on a low-stress route from the trail to Amazon HQ2.

Nicole Merlene: Support Metro’s capital improvement ideas including an underground Metro along Columbia Pike.

b. The county has proposed setting aside significant funds for new subsidized affordable housing (in Crystal City and Pentagon City), but has not proposed any change to existing land use patterns to accommodate the additional housing needed for new workers. Do you believe the county should increase allowable density around the HQ2 area, to accommodate new employees?

Chanda Choun: Yes.

Barbara Kanninen: I am definitely interested in looking at our land use patterns to accommodate affordable and missing-middle housing, and I am always interested in hearing ideas. I would not, however, be comfortable committing to any specific plan before seeing more analysis.

Nicole Merlene: Yes - we should allow for zoning flexibility to more easily convert empty office space to multi unit residential buildings.

c. Given that there remains no modern bus service along Columbia Pike despite the fact that this year would have been the delivery year for the abandoned streetcar plan, what do you propose to ensure that HQ2 residents will be able to take transit to their jobs?

Chanda Choun: I would commit to and protect funding and resourcing for a Columbia Pike Premium Transit Network with more transit stations, more service, and more neighborhood connections.

Barbara Kanninen: First, we need to ensure that the 16M bus service, which would provide a one-seat ride between Columbia Pike and Crystal City, is up and running before HQ2 starts to staff-up.

Beyond that, we need to continue to invest in Metrorail’s state of good repair and work to transform VRE from a commuter rail system to a regional rail system that interoperates with Maryland’s MARC service.

Takis Karantonis: All of the envisioned changes to the street grid in Crystal City-Pentagon City need to be achieved and protected bike lanes throughout those neighborhoods need to be a priority. Circulator buses with frequent and dependable schedules designed to connect the local neighborhoods will help reduce the possibility of gridlock as workers and residents go about meeting their daily living needs.

Significant upzoning of Crystal City occurred in 2010 with the purpose of bringing workspace and living space into balance. That means much density has already been baked into the plans. We have to hold the owners of properties in Crystal City accountable for achieving many, many new affordable units. It only makes sense as they will also be building hundreds of thousands of square feet of retail where workers will not be high earners. I also believe that the County should look at Pentagon City in the same way that older apartment buildings on large parcels were looked at along Columbia Pike. We need to evaluate where the opportunities for infill or modest expansions are and how we can allow those increases while also meeting our need for affordable housing in the HQ2 neighborhoods.

We need dedicated and frequent one-ride bus service, including weekend service, to ensure those who reside on the Pike are able to easily commute to jobs in Crystal City. I support this along with features of the previously promised premium bus service, such as off-vehicle fair collection, level boarding, signal-priority along the entire route, real time arrival and departure information. Columbia Pike has the land-use plans in place to provide appropriate housing supply on this corridor.

Nicole Merlene: See answer above - support undergrounding of Metro along the Pike.

6. Arlington canceled transit plans for Columbia Pike because of arguments it was too expensive. Alternate plans circulated at the time weren’t implemented. Do you think Columbia Pike needs better transit now?

Chanda Choun: Yes.

a. If yes, what might it look like and would you do to bring that about?”

Chanda Choun: In addition to a Columbia Pike Premium Transit Network, better transit on the pike would include widening sidewalks, undergrounding utilities and making safer pedestrian crossings.

Nicole Merlene: Yes. We need to push Metro to achieve off-board-payment or a digital overhaul of farecards. We need to implement light prioritization and other street technologies for existing buses. We should consider increasing bus routes that go to different areas of DC including the red and green line metro stops because users are less likely to take public transit where they have to transfer up to 3 times. In all, this has come so late and for almost a decade the Pike has been left without sufficient public transit options.

b. What will you do in 2021 to make the bus service promised since 2014 a reality?

Chanda Choun: I would commit to and protect funding and resourcing for a Columbia Pike Premium Transit Network with more transit stations, more service, and more neighborhood connections.

Barbara Kanninen: Yes, I have been following Transportation Commissioner Chris Slatt’s review of the County’s effort to bring better bus transit to Columbia Pike and agree with much of his assessment. We need off-board fare collection, all-door boarding, and stop consolidation as soon as possible. Additionally, we need to ensure that the 16M service, providing a one-seat ride from Columbia Pike to Crystal City, becomes a reality before HQ2 starts staffing up.

Takis Karantonis: Delivering adequate transportation solutions on Columbia Pike has always been sensitive to political will and County Board leadership. I entered this race, among many other reasons, to provide leadership on this issue and restore the corresponding budget priorities. Not improving transit on the Pike is a drag on the economy of all of Arlington in addition to holding back the advancement of the entire corridor (which is also a problem under the equity lens, since this is Arlington’s most diverse corridor).

Columbia Pike continues to need better transit for the approximately 40,000 residents who live along the corridor in Arlington alone. There have been many excuses as to why the delivery of even basic improvements takes many years. I would immediately put pressure behind:

  • Accelerating the completion of the multimodal improvement project,
  • Accelerating the completion of the Columbia Pike Transit Stations project,
  • Engaging with WMATA and the NoVA Transportation Commission in order to advance in critical service parameters, especially on frequencies and headways and the currently very long travel times.

Again: signal priority and off-vehicle fare collection will be at the top of my short and medium term agenda. I would further initiate a study of dedicated bus lanes during morning and evening peak-times.

Nicole Merlene: Light prioritization, and removing fares for ART buses in off peak hours.

7. WMATA’s Bus Transformation Project confirmed the importance of bus service in our region, particularly for people of color and those making 50% or less of area median income, and for addressing traffic, climate change, and economic competitiveness. Do you support:

a. More funding for transit?

Chanda Choun: Yes.

Takis Karantonis: Yes.

Nicole Merlene: Yes!

b. A joint WMATA/ART Bus network redesign for more frequent, more reliable service?

Chanda Choun: Yes.

Takis Karantonis: Yes.

Nicole Merlene: YES! I have written in my ARLnow.com column Our Bus System Must Change about redundant buslines and a lack of coordination with the region. I would expand this thought to Fairfax, Loudoun, and other localities that operate within the DC region.

c. Dedicated bus lanes on key corridors like Columbia Pike, Route 50, and Lee Highway?

Chanda Choun: I would support dedicated lanes that would accommodate multiple modes of non-car transit such as buses, bicycles, and scooters.

Takis Karantonis: Yes.

Nicole Merlene: Yes.

d. Implementing signal priority for bus service in 2021 on key corridors like Columbia Pike, Route 50, and Lee Highway?

Chanda Choun: Yes.

Takis Karantonis: Yes.

Nicole Merlene: Yes.

e. Committing to preserving full funding for the Transit Station project in all upcoming CIP updates?

Chanda Choun: Yes.

Takis Karantonis: Yes.

Nicole Merlene: Yes.

f. More affordable, or free, fares?

Chanda Choun: Yes.

Barbara Kanninen: Yes, these are all important to providing equitable transportation service to all of Arlington. Bus service cannot take a back seat to our support for Metrorail. Some, of course, are much harder to implement than others. I can’t promise we’ll have dedicated bus lanes in every corridor and free fares, but I’ll work to get as much of this agenda implemented as possible.

Takis Karantonis: We must evaluate the current experiment offering free rides during the pandemic in order to fully understand the costs and benefits of offering free fares. I also support working to find ways to provide half priced ride options for low income and senior riders.

Nicole Merlene: Yes.

8. Arlington County recently passed an equity resolution. How would you ensure that the “Arlington Way” is equitable and allows people from all backgrounds to weigh in on County policies and new developments?

Chanda Choun: I would add a call-in or virtual attendance option for all public meetings, such as Site Plan Review Committee (SPRC) meetings, and make project webpages for neighborhood developments more user-friendly with more accessible planning documentation and visualization tools.

Barbara Kanninen: My community engagement work on the School Board will be a strength that I bring to the County Board. We have worked for many years on engaging our broader, more diverse population. Solutions entail going to where the community is rather than asking them to find us, being culturally aware in our conversations and invitations, working with the leaders of different communities, and just plain being aware of the issue and working on it steadily.

Takis Karantonis: As an immigrant who is fluent in 8 languages and has worked for years with many new Americans, I believe that my presence on the board would be a very important invitation for immigrants and residents of diverse backgrounds to participate in our governmental process. I possess the cross-cultural competence and linguistic skills necessary to communicate with many of the diverse populations residing in Arlington County.

Additionally, I support moving Board and Commission meetings to various parts of the County, making testifying an easier, more accessible task. I also support taking what we learn about remote testimony from our now “virtual all the time” reality, and continuing to use those tools to let those with mobility or other challenges participate in local government. Continuing Open Door Mondays and beginning other “in the community” initiatives that support real conversation and engagement - not just photo ops - would be another priority of mine.

Nicole Merlene: Participation being “equitable” requires intention. People that are less likely to show up, such as renters, people of color, younger people, parents, need to be actively and intentionally sought out. Two years ago I worked with the County Manager in their initiative “Energize Arlington” to ensure not just the county, but also our civic groups, are actively seeking equity in their process.

9. What will you do in 2021 to ensure that there are sufficient incentives to facilitate the building of missing middle housing?

Chanda Choun: I will fight to make sure Arlington County’s Missing Middle Housing Study is not significantly delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic so that we can receive policy recommendations for implementation.

Barbara Kanninen: I support the Missing Middle Housing Study being conducted under the umbrella of the Housing Arlington Initiative. During and after the study, we need to engage the community in finding solutions and building community support for new policies and strategies that are identified.

Takis Karantonis: I have been and will continue to be a champion on missing middle housing. I worked closely with Erik Gutshall as he developed this concept and want very much to see it come to fruition as I believe it is a key component of Arlington’s continued livability. As a planner and someone who has intimate knowledge of Arlington’s zoning code, I will be well positioned to push on the changes we need to achieve a broader range of housing types throughout the County.

Further, I would immediately work to resume the missing middle housing study. I also support continued engagement with the Lee Highway Alliance and the Alliance for Housing Solutions in advancing a “missing middle” pilot project.

Nicole Merlene: Allowing for easing of zoning restrictions to convert office space to residential, remove some zoning restrictions on height in 1/8th a mile of Metro and increase developer contributions for those zoning easements to AHIF.

10. How will you balance demands for improved stormwater management with the demonstrated need to add to the county’s housing supply?

Chanda Choun: Stormwater management and housing development do not need to be mutually exclusive. New housing types, technology and design can be more environmentally sustainable and net result in more green space as well as positively contribute to stormwater management.

Barbara Kanninen: I don’t believe these demands to be at odds. The vast majority of housing development in Arlington is replacing existing impervious structures that were built before our building code required them to treat and detain the stormwater runoff they generate. Because of that, most redevelopment in Arlington results in improved stormwater outcomes. New housing may cover more of the lot on which it is built than previous structures, but it does a far better job of slowing and filtering runoff water.

Takis Karantonis: It’s important to remember that the storm water issues facing the County were long in the making, beginning with infill single family development over existing streams in the 40s and 50s. That said, our stormwater infrastructure is old and we MUST improve it. Investment in this system must be a capital expense, paid for with bonds, as the improvements will last for generations. As such, annually appropriating funding for affordable housing doesn’t compete with storm water investing. Our community’s viability depends on both!

Nicole Merlene: Stormwater has been pooling in areas of single family houses that used to have streams running through them. We should consider mapping areas that are susceptible to flooding and alert residents so they may make home improvements, when there is complete demolition of a home to require certain building requirements to avoid home flooding, and invest in our stormwater infrastructure.

11. The economic downturn that follows Covid-19 will drastically reshape budget priorities everywhere, including Arlington. How will you prioritize affordable housing, health care—which is made more accessible by density, which enables more people to live closer to health providers—and transit as compared to other services and issues?

Chanda Choun: Our primary focus needs to be making sure that everyone is safe, housed, and fed. The immediate County budget adjustments should be hiring freezes, putting new projects on hold, and delaying the opening of facilities under construction such as the Lubber Run Community Center and Long Bridge Aquatics Center. The freed up and found monies should be diverted to healthcare needs such as universal coronavirus testing, PPE/masks for all workers and residents and contact tracing; housing needs such as rent, mortgage and property tax relief.

Barbara Kanninen: Our first priority under COVID-19 is to meet immediate needs and support our food- and housing-insecure residents. We will need to invest to sustain our economy, and we’ll have to continue to invest to return us to prosperity. Once we can afford to invest beyond our immediate needs, we need to get back to our ongoing needs and activities, including those mentioned in the question. Our mindset has to be that we dig in and invest, even when times are tough.

Takis Karantonis: Arlington must continue to be a safe place with a wonderful public school system. Arlingtonians will continue to want open spaces and recreation spaces that are safe and well-cared for. Our current infrastructure, even with some reductions in spending, has the resilience we need to maintain these things.

However, Arlington doesn’t work without good transit. We would be in perpetual gridlock without the many, many options we have for getting to and from work and other daily living needs. Bringing Arlington’s economy back demands workers - and the option for workers at all levels of income to live near their work contributes to their quality of life and to the environmental quality we all cherish. Having a range of housing affordability is critical to meeting those needs.

We are lucky to have a local hospital and to have our free clinics. Covid-19 has revealed the very deep cracks in our healthcare system. Understanding them, understanding how the state will respond to this and then plotting Arlington’s local response will be an important piece of the work following the pandemic.

Nicole Merlene: With a professional background in supporting small businesses with government loans and tax credits plus community experience with the Economic Development Commission and Small Business Working Group I would bring an important perspective during this crisis.

Restaurants, boutiques, coffee shops, and small stores are the heart and soul of our community. Below are various ways I would help these sectors, and in turn our community, recover.

Unemployment Insurance, Shift Workers, and the Hungry

  • Phone assistance to help residents file for unemployment using existing staff. State phone lines are overwhelmed and this would be a huge help for those most in need during this time.
  • Regularly scheduled food and supply drives. Arlington successfully hosted one drive and should continue to host drives to benefit AFAC, local hospitals, and others in need.

Smart Economic Planning

  • Streamline the procurement for projects and consider cost early in the design process.
  • Identify new revenue sources by empowering the Commissioner of Revenue and explore vacancy taxes to encourage lowering of rents to support small business.

Thumbnail: stock image by Victor Moussa used with permission.