Federal, State Officials Offer Reports on Funding

Alexandria has little hope of receiving state and federal money beyond the minimum, but officials feel the city is in good enough shape to handle the shortfall.

U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8th District) and members of the delegation representing Alexandria in the state house gave reports to City Council on Tuesday. Both parties painted somewhat dire pictures.

“There’s not a lot of good news up on the Hill,” Moran said. “And unfortunately things are going to get worse. … The earmark money is gone.”

Moran said he would work on the city’s priorities, including alleviating the expected transportation problems associated with the opening of the Mark Center later this year.

"It's too late to stop chaos," Moran said in regards to the Mark Center.

He offered a list of options to help lift the congestion, including securing some potential federal funding to allow the hiring of contracted traffic police to manage intersections near the Mark Center.

Moran also detailed the potential impacts of budget reductions from HR1, which will affect everything from Head Start to WMATA improvements to the city's health programs. He said the reductions could cost as many as 100,000 jobs to federal workers in the area, which will have a “ripple effect” on local businesses and the housing market.

“We need to prepare for the worst,” Moran said. “At the best, it’ll be a substantial reduction.”

Moran said he believes the city’s established network of support services would help citizens through any difficulties.

“Without the federal funding, people are looking to the city more and more,” Councilman Frank Fannon said.

The congressman mentioned national demonstration projects as a way to secure funding without earmarks, which have been discontinued by the new Republican majority in the House of Representatives.

During reports from the city’s delegation in the state house, Sen. Dick Saslaw (D-35th District) felt that the city did well during the recent legislative session when compared to other cities in Virginia.

“You don’t have the problems that Richmond, Norfolk, Petersburg have,” Saslaw told the Council. “Just look at the composite index. They’re at the bottom; you’re at the top. That does deprive you of some of the money you’d like to get your hands on.”

Several members of the Council praised the work of Saslaw and Dels. Adam Ebbin (D-49th District), David Englin (D-45th) and Charniele Herring (D-46th) during the last legislative session. Sen. Patsy Ticer (D-30th) was not in attendance at Tuesday’s meeting.

“Overall, the city fared well,” Vice Mayor Kerry Donley said, pointing to some extra funding that was secured for the city’s schools.

Saslaw said budget cuts have stripped more than $1 billion away from K-12 education in the state in the last three or four years.