Business Personal Property Tax Returns Due May 1

Forms can be downloaded from city website.

Alexandria city officials are reminding residents that 2013 business personal property tax returns are due May 1.  Any business that has not received a tax return should contact the city immediately or download the form from the city’s website. All returns should be accompanied by an asset listing or federal depreciation schedule. The city will conduct a statutory assessment of any business not filing by the deadline. Businesses that are new to the city may wish to view the city’s tax guide for new city businesses, available at alexandriava.gov/BusinessTax. For more information, see:   Business Personal Property Tax  Business Tax  

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Letter to the Editor: Trash - the Next Renewable Energy Source?

Michael Clem, a recycling program analyst with the city's Transportation & Environmental Services Department, says it's time to rethink trash. Did you know that the average Alexandria household disposes of 46 pounds of trash each week?

To the editor: With the momentum of Earth Day and the arrival of spring, our thoughts turn to small ways that we can help the environment. Fill our recycling bin; turn off lights when leaving a room; set the air conditioning thermostat a few degrees higher, take out the trash…. take out the trash? Yes, that’s right. For better or worse, trash, an inevitable byproduct of human civilization, could potentially join wind, solar, and hydro power as a renewable energy source. Consider this: Alexandria transports its trash to the Covanta Energy-from-Waste facility (5301 Eisenhower Ave.), which generates electricity. The average Alexandria household disposes of 46 pounds of trash each week, generating enough kilowatts of energy to drive 38 miles …

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Jury Awards City Whistleblower in Wrongful Termination Case

Former city architect Henry Lewis says he was fired for trying to stop a contractor from cutting costs and overcharging, according to an article in Virginia Lawyers Weekly.

An Alexandria jury has awarded former city architect Henry Lewis back pay under a new whistleblower law for his efforts to stop a contractor from cutting corners and overcharging on the new Alexandria Police Department headquarters, according to Virginia Lawyers Weekly. According to the report, an Alexandria jury on March 8 awarded $104,050 in back pay to Lewis, who has 35 years of construction management experience and served as a senior project manager for the $81-million building on Wheeler Avenue. Alexandria City Attorney Jim Banks told Patch the city plans to appeal. Lewis was fired Aug. 3, 2011, about a month after a new whistleblower law—the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act—went into effect and three months before the …

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oldtowner

10:32 pm on Sunday, April 14, 2013

to Sherry.....you are you own worst enemy....just read what you posted.... I'm done replying to your worthless posts....   more ›

Letter to the Editor: 'Looking Glass' Litigation Tactics

Frank Putzu questions the city's transparency and ability to engage with its citizens when it comes to redeveloping the Alexandria waterfront.

On March 16, 2013, the Alexandria City Council passed controversial and sweeping planning changes that are already the subject of litigation. The City passed these changes to transform an honest policy disagreement into Through the Looking Glass litigation tactics, where nothing is as it appears to be. There are two cases in court. The first, city-initiated litigation attacks a Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) decision finding that citizens have a right to petition their government in accordance with state law (the BZA is a creature of state law, not the city) and zoning ordinance. The second, citizen-initiated litigation, which is before the Supreme Court of Virginia, is whether the city can manipulate the process to deprive its citizens of …

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oldtowner

3:01 pm on Thursday, April 11, 2013

to Haunches....I think VA law requires legal issues to be considered in executive session...check your facts....this has always been the case...there are a few issues that they have to consider in executive session......this fact is totally unrelated to the recent case involving a terminated City employee....can't compare apples and oranges....   more ›

Alexandria Council Adopts Carver Nursery Building Resolution

Measure offers City Council's support for private fundraising efforts aimed at preserving the building, but also reiterates that the city will not purchase the structure.

Alexandria City Council adopted a resolution Tuesday night offering its support for private fundraising efforts aimed at preserving the Carver Nursery School building and also reiterating that the city will not be a purchaser of the property. “There are some beginnings of some fundraising efforts in the community to purchase the property, unfortunately those are very tardy efforts,” said Councilman Justin Wilson, who created the resolution with Councilman Paul Smedberg. “But I think the city wants to show support for those efforts but also simultaneously convey that the city will not be the purchaser of last resort for this property as we move forward.”   Local preservationists worked frantically over the last several months to circumvent …

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Carver Owner Cromley: 'I Am a Preservationist'

Owner of the Carver Nursery says he hopes a viable offer will come forward to save the Fayette Street building.

The best thing for the community would be to have the Carver Nursery building preserved, restored and programmed, says the owner of the building, but it’s not that simple. “I am a preservationist,” says Bill Cromley, a developer and owner of the North Fayette Street structure, which has been in the Alexandria spotlight recently for a looming deadline permitting its demolition. The community has engaged in recent discussion about the building, which was built to school African-American children during World War II and later was an American Legion post for African-Americans not able to join whites-only posts. “I’ve preserved more buildings in this town than any one who has had something to say about this issue put together,” Cromley says. …

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Jon Rosenbaum

12:29 pm on Tuesday, February 19, 2013

The preservationists don't have the financial resources of Cromley so can't buy it? Wrong. Boyd Walker, your leader, and his mother own a large amount of residential and commercial property here. They could easily sell some of this to fund Carver. But like Boyd's various plans to restore the ice house he owns, it is all talk. He promised the Plannning Commission that his Council race would not …   more ›

City of Alexandria New Year's Schedule

Metered parking payments are not required Jan. 1 and no refuse collection scheduled for Jan. 1. Collection usually occurring on Jan. 1, 2, and 3 will be collected one day late.

All City of Alexandria government offices will be open Monday on New Year’s Eve. City government offices will be closed Tuesday in observance of the New Year’s Day holiday. The following information was provided by the City of Alexandria: Health Facilities: The Alexandria Health Department (4480 King St.) and the Casey Health Center (1200 N. Howard St.) will be closed Monday and Tuesday. The Teen Wellness Center at T.C. Williams High School (3330 King St.) will be open on Monday and closed Tuesday. Hotlines: All emergency hotlines operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including the child protective services hotline at 703-746-5800; the domestic violence hotline, 703-746-4911; the emergency services for mental health or substance abuse …

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Green and Simple

Green and Simple: Leave Your Fall Leaves in Place

Wait! Before you pack your newly fallen leaves into a bag or push them to the curb, take a minute to learn the benefits of dead leaves.

It starts in late August. That’s when I usually spot the first few dry, brown leaves cascading to the ground. They are an early cue of the changes afoot that eventually will cause some birds to depart for warmer climates, insects and animals to seek shelter for hibernation, and many trees to shed their leaves.  Within weeks, vibrant fall colors begin to flare. Pumpkins are prominently displayed, perfectly potted mums adorn doorsteps, apple picking becomes the weekend activity of choice, and fall festivals get underway. Locals and tourists flock to the woods on foot, on bikes, and in vehicles to bask in the beauty of the brilliant blue skies infused with ever-changing colors that are at their purest when nature-made. Before long, those …

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City Hosts September 11 Remembrance Ceremony

Event will be held Tuesday evening in Market Square.

Alexandria will host a 9-11 remembrance ceremony on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in Market Square. The purpose of the commemoration is to remember those who died, and pay tribute to those in the community and in uniform "who responded on 9-11 without fear, acted without hesitation and gave their lives to save others," according to a statement by the city. The ceremony will feature remarks from Mayor Bill Euille, Alexandria Undersheriff Tony Davis, Police Chief Earl Cook, and Fire Chief Adam Thiel. The tribute includes the “Return to Quarters” bell-ringing ceremony and a musical tribute. After the tribute, Alexandria City Council will begin its regularly scheduled Tuesday meeting at 7 p.m. in City Hall.

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City Sells $77M in General Obligation Bonds

Alexandria also refinances $17.25 million in bonds to a lower rate.

The City of Alexandria last week announced it bid and sold $76.82 million in AAA/Aaa-rated general obligation bonds at a 2.55 percent true interest cost over their 20-year life. This beat the 2010 rate of 2.93 percent. Out of the eight underwriters who placed bids, Citigroup Global Markets submitted the lowest interest rate bid.   The bonds will be used to finance certain capital improvement projects, including transportation improvements, sanitary sewers, public school facilities and other infrastructure costs, according to the city. The city also refinanced $17.25 million in previously issued city general obligation bonds to lower interest rates. The bonds were refinanced to a true interest cost of 1.96 percent by the winning bidder, …

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