REMARKS: Takis Karantonis Full Remarks at January 7 Arlington County Board Reorganization Meeting

Arlington County Board Chair Takis Karantonis made the following remarks at the Board’s Reorganization Meeting on January 7, 2025:

“We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles.”

—Jimmy Carter

2025! It is hard to believe that we have already reached the end of the first quarter of the 21st century. 

It is a milestone to reflect on what we have taken on as a community, what we have accomplished together, and the challenges that lie ahead. 

Customarily, in this meeting, we often focus on the challenges, but I want to briefly enumerate at least some of our accomplishments, because, they inform how we are going to successfully blaze our path forward:

• We became a national reference for managing growth, by connecting housing, transportation and economic development and improving quality of life, 

• We built an economy that attracts the most educated and talented.

• We are proud of having one of the best Public School Systems in the Nation.

• We balanced urban development with great public spaces and parks.

• We reacted early to the biggest challenge humanity ever faced, the climate crisis.

• We welcome diversity and immigrants, like myself, because they strengthen our community. 

• We committed to a social safety net that outperforms any of our peers.

• We invested in affordable housing and actively fought displacement

• We prioritized a safe and healthy community 

• We did not shy away from acknowledging our past, including systemic racism and inequality

• And we have a form of governance (which is more than a form of government) that is based on participation, respect and civility.

You may have noticed that the list of accomplishments also contains the challenges we are facing today. And this brings me to my priorities for this coming year:

1. Economic and Fiscal Resilience

   The persistent and record-high office vacancy is now a structural crisis. We need to re-think how we attract, incentivize and retain businesses, especially small businesses. At the same time we need to recognize that the economic model that sustained Arlington over more than half a century has reached its historic limit.

   The Commercial Market Resilience Initiative is among my highest priorities. Removing barriers to repositioning vacant buildings, finding ways to convert and reuse them is foundational for our prosperity.

   Our Budget will have to be respond to the new realities of a significantly less generous commercial taxbase. Projected deficits in either the County or School Budgets are now far less sustainable.

   Let me be clear: We cannot substitute declining commercial revenue with an equal increase of the individual tax-burden. Thus, we will need to be frugal, strategic and courageous as we will have to reduce expenditures and prioritize fiscal sustainability, which is difficult but feasible without sacrificing our values.

2. Responding to the Climate Emergency

   Following a year of significant investments in green policies and actions and making the most out of our Office Climate Policy Coordination, I look forward to adopting, early this year, a Climate Resiliency Resolution, on which I have been working with my colleague Ms. Cunningham and Ms. Fioretti, our Climate Policy Coordinator. 

   I then, look forward in proceeding with formulating a Climate Action Plan that will will elevate Climate Resiliency to a true All of Society issue. Climate Equity will need to be at the very center, as it is not only the right thing to do, but also critical to success.

   I continue to consider the low-residential lot coverage study as offering an opportunity to curb imperviousness, preserve and enhance tree-canopy and reduce the urban-heat-island effect. 

3. Housing Crisis

   Chronic lack of Housing supply is the cause of our Housing crisis. Which manifests itself not only in form of astronomical property prices but also in form of the most unaffordable rental market in more than a decade. 

   While we continue to have a vigorous debate about how to solve the underlying systemic problems, we should proceed with practical steps that serve the goal of offering realistic, attainable housing options to more people. Beyond staying the course on our affordable housing support (AHIF, Housing Grants and Eviction prevention and homelessness prevention), I look forward to re-setting our Condo initiative as I see there a medium-term path to attainable homeownership. I really appreciate Ms. Coffey’s leadership and focus on the issue and look forward working with her. 

   Runaway housing costs force families to have to choose between paying for rent or for food, or for childcare – housing costs are a serious burden for the majority of Arlingtonians; they represent a drag for our economy and a liability for our collective future.

4. Safe Streets and Transit

   2025 will see the bulk of the work on updating our Master Transportation Plan. Arlington should be a champion of efficient and safe urban mobility. We have a real chance to further reduce car-dependance and prioritize safety, walkability, bike-ability and transit. However, working on a good plan should not delay action where it is urgently needed, like making South Carlyn Springs Rd. safer now.

   I also look forward to the completion this year of the Columbia Pike Multimodal Improvements Project that, while complex and necessary has impacted significantly the neighborhoods and the businesses along the Pike.

5. Youth and Mental Health

   Overdose numbers are down and so are fatalities because we invested in mental health, especially for our younger population. My commitment to quality after-school programs remains a top priority for me, as I am sure, for all my colleagues, our colleagues on the School Board and our community of parents and students who have been urging us to stand up these programs.

6. Strengthening Governance and Transparency

   During my tenure as Chair, I intent to focus on four areas:

   1. Adding critical professional capacity to the Office of the County Board. More often than not, what is perceived as lack of constituent responsiveness, is in reality due to lack of capacity. I look forward in adding to the County Board Office Team two new positions (in communications/public engagement and policy).  

   2. Adding new opportunities for person-to-person engagement with the Chair and the Members of the County Board and meeting residents where they are. We already announced in person Open Door Mondays at different locations across Arlington.

   3. Continuing the Arlington Vision-2050 initiative by inviting to a dialog on the past, present and future of the Arlington Way – which seems to be appropriate in the year we celebrate the 100th Birthday of Ellen Bozman.

   4. Engaging in constructive dialog with Colleagues and the parts of our Community who have expressed an interest in longer term governance reforms.

7. Community Cohesion and Resilience

   Finally, but most importantly:

   We have to recognize that the change in the federal administration creates unbearable uncertainty for many, and a very diverse set of, Arlingtonians. While we have little choice other than having to adjust to a changing environment, our values can not and will not change. We will continue to be there for all and each one of our residents. We will always do our best to muster the necessary resources to attend to their needs and support them and their families. We will stand by them because this is who we are:

A caring, learning, participating, sustainable community in which each person is important. 

And with this, I wish you a happy, healthy, forward-striving and productive New Year!