More streetcar fallout ... but will it amount to anything but talk?

Arlington County:

“It came as no real surprise that Arlington Treasurer Frank O’Leary and Commissioner of Revenue Ingrid Morroy yesterday hopped on the small but growing bandwagon of elected officials supporting a referendum on the Columbia Pike streetcar issue. Each is a supporter of the congressional bid of Patrick Hope, who last week (along with County Board candidate Alan Howze) announced their support for the referendum idea. O’Leary had served as Howze’s campaign treasurer in the special election.

What we’re beginning to see is a splintering among elected officials. So far, candidates who are on the ballot this year (Hope in June and Howze in November) and next year (Morroy in November 2015) appear to see the writing on the wall, and are hoping to get out from under the public animosity that is being directed at the County Board. (O’Leary is expected to retire at or before the end of his term at the end of 2015, but he has always been willing and able to stick it to the County Board over the decades.)…

But let’s put it in perspective. Until we see the likes of state Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-30th) or Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-49th) – whose districts include the heart of the Pike corridor – come out for a referendum, it’s still a long way from reality. And County Board Democrats, who appear to remain in deep denial of what is going on, could just say no despite mounting pressure.”

~Writes Scott McCaffrey of InsideNova

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