Monday, January 7, 2008

Regarding the Jan. 2 Metro article "Targeting Smoking, Trans Fat and Cars; Arlington Board Chairman Puts Lifestyle Issues on County's Agenda":

I can only gather that the goal of Arlington County Board Chairman J. Walter Tejada is to have everyone living in high-rise condos and apartments, working and shopping within walking distance, high-income residents living in harmony with low-income residents.

Several aspects will work against that. The primary one is that the majority of people living in Arlington do not work in Arlington. They work in the District, Maryland and elsewhere in Northern Virginia. Because of the inadequate public transit system, they need their cars to get to work. Cars are also needed to carry purchases home from the grocery store and the mall -- unless Mr. Tejada expects to have everyone tote them on the bus and the subway or shop online and pay shipping and handling. We also need our cars to visit friends and relatives in areas where public transit does not go.

Another obstacle to his goal is that many of us enjoy living in our single-family homes on our quarter-acre lots. We do not have to listen to the sounds of our neighbors coming through the walls and ceilings or smell their cooking or tobacco smoke coming through the HVAC vents. We look forward to using the equity built up in our homes when we retire.

Mr. Tejada has a very tough row to hoe if he wishes to realize his dream.

RONALD BENDER

Arlington