Political Opponents Howze, Vihstadt Square Off on Arlington Streetcar

Alan Howze, the Democratic nominee running for a seat on the Arlington County Board, after losing a special election to Independent John Vihstadt, came out Wednesday with new suggestions for the county’s controversial streetcar project:

In introducing new proposals to “make the streetcar work even better,” according to a news release, Howze said: “The streetcar has been used as a wedge issue by those who seek political gain by dividing our community. Rather than use the streetcar to score political points, let’s focus on responding to community questions and using innovation to make the planned streetcar even better.”

Howze continued, “This once-in-a-generation investment will have a positive effect on our community for decades to come. Today, after talking to thousands of Arlington residents at their doors, I am making five proposals that come directly from suggestions I have heard.”

Howze continued, “Our community has seen this debate before. In the 1960’s opponents of Metro claimed that buses down Wilson Boulevard would work just as well, and called the Metro “Gold Plated” and overbuilt.More recently, opponents of the Silver Line proposed more buses instead of extending Metro. For 50 years, transit opponents have used the call for more buses to attempt to block the expansion of rail transit.”The streetcar will use dedicated transportation funding from local, state and regional sources that do not affect Arlington’s funding for schools, police or human services. As with Metro, the streetcar will spur economic growth, and generate new tax revenue to support our rapidly growing schools.

Howze continued, “I was among the first to call for a public referendum of the project because I know with a public vote we can finally put these efforts to divide our community behind us.”

Howze concluded, “I am committed to responsible solutions, and that means a streetcar that works for the needs of our residents, today, tomorrow and for decades to come.My opponent is only interested in using the streetcar to drive his political agenda. It is time to lead Arlington, not divide it.”

Howze’s opponent, Independent member of the Arlington County Board John Vihstadt, responded Thursday morning to Howze’s proposals:

“Let’s be careful about who is calling whom divisive,” Vihstadt said. “We have a strong contingent of voters who oppose streetcars, and are ready to vote in November.”

“The fact is that my election on April 8 - by a resounding 57%-41% margin - demonstrated that Arlingtonians strongly oppose the construction of two streetcar lines of 7.4 miles now projected to cost over $500 million dollars and counting,” Vihstadt said.

“Yet the County Board majority is signing contracts and rushing pell-mell to build it with no community consensus, without a public vote and over intense and growing opposition,” he added. “They have also budgeted $650,000 in Arlington taxpayer funds for a massive public relations campaign to ‘sell’ the streetcar despite their refusal to also support a referendum.”

Vihstadt noted: “I’m glad to learn that my opponent is hearing the same concerns that I am in door-knocking and listening to constituents up and down Columbia Pike, along Route 1 and across the County, including deep anxiety about construction time and cost, disruption to small businesses, commuters and residents alike, unsightly and potentially unsafe overhead wires, environmental and energy concerns and more. Unlike my opponent, I believe that the way to deal most effectively with these concerns is not to build the streetcar in the first place!”

“Rather than hurling charges of divisiveness, my opponent’s time might be better spent working to convince the three county board members who have endorsed him and likewise support the streetcar but who oppose a public referendum, to allow this issue to be put to a vote. What are they scared of? Losing, of course.”

Vihstadt concluded: “My opponent’s references to Metro are inaccurate. I support and take Metro every day. The fact is that Metro was put to a vote in the late 1960s and Arlingtonians embraced it. They have voted to continue to support Metro in bond votes nearly every two years since. Metro ties our entire region together across Maryland, the District and Virginia. None of this is - or ever will be - true of a streetcar.”