Breakfast links: Rich counties should support transit

FairShareMetro.com

If you missed it yesterday evening, go ask your elected officials to support Metro at FairShareMetro.com. Kytja Weir covers the launch. (Examiner)

NACTO keeps taking our great people

WABA Executive Director Eric Gilliland will leave to become Executive Director of NACTO, the National Association of City Transportation Officials, which is creating Cities for Cycling. This is the second time NACTO has hired a great livable streets advocate from DC; two years ago they hired Neha Bhatt away from Tommy Wells. (FABB)

Why are our suburbs so rich?

Loudoun and Fairfax Counties are the two richest in the nation, at least based on median household income. Howard, Fairfax City, Arlington, and Montgomery are also in the top 10. Why are 60% of the top ten in our area? Do we just have a stronger economy, or are the poor people just more segregated into other counties in our region? (WTOP)

Enough on the tax breaks?

DC councilmembers might finally have had enough of one-off tax breaks that go to individual companies with lobbying clout instead of benefiting all businesses including small ones. A proposed $25 million tax break for Northrop Grumman has lost some of its cosponsors after intense lobbying by a group called Coalition to End Needless Tax Subsidies (CENTS). DMPED says it’s worth it for the “cachet,” while Jack Evans says it’ll attract subcontractors. (Post)

Growth at any cost, anywhere

Sprawl development costs taxpayers a lot in new infrastructure for roads, sewers and more. Anne Arundel County created an impact fee to recoup that, but is backpedaling because nothing can stand in the way of covering every square inch of the County in houses. (The Capital)

Oops, we built in an environmentally sensitive spot

Fairfax County’s plans for dense, walkable development around future Silver Line Metro stations might have trouble in Herndon, where there are wetlands near the station as well as some single-family homes nobody is willing to rezone. Why did they plan the station here? (Examiner) …

Meanwhile, Clarksburg development has been damaging local watersheds despite County promises not to, forcing a choice between breaking the promise or leaving Clarksburg without a needed commercial district, sewers, and a bus station. (Post)

Sarles: good manager, not so open?

New Jersey’s transit advocates had some praise and some criticism for interim GM Richard Sarles. He’s a good, capable manager, but not especially open with the public or especially innovative, they say. The hopeful take is that Sarles could fairly easily become more open but not become a good manager just based on criticism. (Examiner)