ARL NOW: New Board chair Karantonis: County’s values must survive the challenges of 2025
Published January 7, 2025 at 4:30PM | Arl Now
Arlington residents and its county government need to face an uncertain future by remaining committed to community values, Arlington’s new County Board chair says.
Takis Karantonis, who has sat on the Board since 2020, on Tuesday (Jan. 7) was elected unanimously to serve as chair for the coming year. After the vote, he laid out his priorities for 2025 and expressed his emotions about elevation to the top position in county leadership.
“It feels unreal. It is a very humbling moment for me, especially for someone who is an immigrant,” Karantonis said after his unanimous selection. “I hope to live up to the expectations of my colleagues.”
As is customary, Karantonis and other board members used the annual organizational meeting to lay out priorities for the coming year.
Karantonis’s remarks touched on topics ranging from housing and climate to economic-development and youth mental health. He zeroed in on the potential impacts of the incoming Trump administration at the local level.
“While we have little choice other than having to adjust to a changing [political] environment, our values cannot and will not change,” Karantonis said.
“We will continue to be there for all and each one of our residents, in all neighborhoods and all circumstances,” he said. “We will always do our best to muster the necessary resources to respond to their needs and support them and their families.”
The organizational meeting had been slated to take place Monday evening (Jan. 6), but due to Monday’s snowstorm was pushed back to Tuesday afternoon.
In addition to Karantonis, 2025 Board members include Matt de Ferranti, Maureen Coffey, Susan Cunningham and new arrival JD Spain, Sr.
De Ferranti was selected vice chair, a position that sets him up for the chairmanship in 2026.
De Ferranti said Karantonis was a wise choice to lead the body in 2025, as he combines the traits of being relentless and pragmatic while also being compassionate and idealistic.
“He’s everywhere, all the time,” de Ferranti said of the community engagement of Karantonis, a native of Greece and a 21-year resident of Arlington.
In his remarks, Karantonis again acknowledged the county government faces hard fiscal choices, owing largely to the ongoing decline in the assessed valuation of commercial property.
That decline threatens to swamp homeowners with ever-increasing tax bills unless the county government can find ways to hit the brakes on continued budget growth.
“There is no way to sugarcoat the fact — the economic model that sustained Arlington over more than half a century, this 50-50 [commercial-residential] split of our tax base, has reached its historic limit,” he said.
Karantonis said the county government needs to look hard at its priorities and be willing to trim where needed.
“Let me be clear: We cannot compensate for declining commercial revenue with an equal increase in the individual tax burden,” Karantonis said. “This is difficult, but is feasible without sacrificing our values. We will need to be frugal, strategic and courageous.”
On the issue of proposed changes to Arlington’s 90-year-old governance structure, the new Board chair promised “constructive dialogue” with advocates, but went no further. To address concerns by some that the county government often ignores the will of the public, he said efforts will be made to improve communication with the community.
“More often than not, what is perceived as lack of constituent responsiveness, it is actually a lack of capacity,” Karantonis said, calling for two new positions in the Board office — one to augment communications efforts, the other to focus on policy.
An economist, Karantonis was elected to the Board in a July 2020 special election necessitated by the death of Erik Gutshall.
He was elected to a full term in 2021, and on Wednesday (Jan. 8) is expected to launch his re-election bid at the monthly meeting of the Arlington County Democratic Committee.
Before winning elected office, Karantonis headed the Columbia Pike Partnership, then known as the Columbia Pike Redevelopment Organization, or CPRO.
That position has now supplied Arlington with two elected officials in recent years — Karantonis’s successor as head of the partnership, Kim Klingler, in 2023 was elected Commissioner of Revenue.
Tuesday’s Board meeting was the first for Spain, who was elected in November to succeed Libby Garvey. Garvey retired after 12 years on the dais, preceded by 15 years of service on the School Board.
All five Board members are Democrats. With the exception of the 2015-18 tenure of Republican-leaning independent John Vihstadt, Democrats have held every seat on the body for just over a quarter century, and have been dominant on it for 40 years.
The first working meeting of 2025 for Board members is slated for Saturday, Jan. 25. In a change from past practice, Saturday morning meetings will now begin at 9:30 a.m., an hour later than has been customary.
“We can be more cogent,” de Ferranti said of the later start time, predicting it would make for better meetings.
One tradition that has not changed: Board members opted against designating a member of the public to serve as a tie-breaker in case members split 2-2 on a vote, with one member abstaining or absent.
State law gives local governments the power to designate a tie-breaker from among the public, but Arlington appears to never have used it. Board members must make a formal declaration of their intent at each year’s organizational meeting.
Board members also designated a host of 2025 chairs of advisory boards and commissions.
“We really, really appreciate the service” of those who volunteer their time on advisory panels, Karantonis said.
