The Northern Virginia Ballot

An Arlington County Board race, a meals tax in Loudoun and other referendums

IN A PREVIOUS editorial, we made our endorsements for Congress in Northern Virginia: Rep. James P. Moran Jr. (D) in the 8th District, Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R) in the 10th District and Gerald E. Connolly (D) in the 11th District. These are our endorsements for the remaining races and referendums on the ballot Nov. 4.

Arlington County

· County Board: Arlington is weathering the current fiscal crunch better than most Washington area jurisdictions, in part because the county is buttressed by a high number of recession-proof government jobs. But its five-member County Board also deserves credit for guiding it through financial dangers and pursuing worthy initiatives while keeping costs low.

A mainstay of the all-Democratic board, Barbara A. Favola, is up for reelection and clearly deserves another term. Ms. Favola, a leading voice for affordable housing, has sought to reduce the county's carbon footprint and increase school funding. Her membership on key regional committees, including the Virginia State Health Board, gives her an unusually prominent pulpit from which to advocate for the county. Her well-earned reputation as the County Board's most business-friendly member -- she was the only one to oppose a tax increase on commercial real estate, for example -- provides the body with a welcome perspective.

Ms. Favola's opponent, Green Party candidate John G. Reeder, is a retired economist with an admirable record of community service. But the centerpiece of his campaign is his support for a flawed proposal to create affordable housing by establishing a housing authority. Ms. Favola would do a superior job of securing such housing without the needless bureaucracy. There is no Republican candidate in the race.

· School Board: Libby T. Garvey and Emma N. Violand-Sanchez are running unopposed for two open seats.

· Redevelopment and Housing Authority referendum -- NO: The authority, which would have no real power, would be a prime example of wasteful government bureaucracy. Arlington already does an adequate job of securing affordable housing for low-income residents.

· Metro, Community Infrastructure, Utilities and Arlington County Public School Projects bond referendums -- YES: The Metro referendum would generate as much as $10 million to maintain and improve the transit system. The Community Infrastructure referendum is a $10.8 million measure to pay for neighborhood improvements, including landscaping, sidewalks and streetlights; a portion of the bond -- about $1.8 million -- would go toward improving the facility that houses the Columbia Pike Library. The utilities referendum would upgrade the county's water pollution control plant to minimize its environmental impact and make it more reliable. The public schools referendum, the most expensive measure at nearly $100 million, would secure funding to complete the construction of Yorktown High School.

Loudoun County