Building on his past accomplishments, Walter has emphasized three major goals to focus on in his next term. Each of these improvements is necessary to maintain Arlington as a vibrant and sustainable community:

Modernize Arlington’s Business and Community Infrastructure – Arlington has grown and changed a great deal over the last decade. Every day, new businesses and residents are choosing to make Arlington their home, contributing to our community while also creating new demands on public resources and infrastructure. Fresh resources, careful planning, and vigilant attention are needed to keep existing infrastructure in good repair and provide new infrastructure to support all of Arlington’s citizens. Walter will:

• Press for regular maintenance on Arlington’s existing roads while pursuing new capital expenditures for highway improvements that can decrease traffic congestion

• Seek to develop and maintain Arlington’s extensive network of biking and running trails

• Pursue a new development plan for Lee Highway, working with the community to allow for an improved and modernized urban design appealing to both residents and businesses

• Support enhancements and expansion of Arlington’s existing parks and recreation facilities

• Continue to invest in community health, sports, and athletics programs, including improved playing fields, building on Walter’s FitArlington Initiative launched this year

• Ensure that planning and zoning measures guide growth and development in a thoughtful and measured way that yields substantial community benefits while reducing the impact on existing neighborhoods

• Promote new programs aimed at small business and non-profit support and retention

• Work with the Crystal City community on redevelopment, and encourage new corporate tenants in Arlington to minimize the impact of Base Realignment and Closures (BRAC) on our community

• Ensure that adequate public resources are budgeted to help the members of our community most in need.

• Pursue light rail on Columbia Pike.

Improve Housing Opportunities - We continue to have an affordable housing crisis in Arlington. In the region’s high-priced urban housing market, the need for affordable housing continues to be outstripped by escalating property and rent prices. Walter will:

• Pursue additional, innovative approaches that preserve existing affordable housing

• Provide resources to help create new affordable housing in Arlington

• Enhance existing tenant support programs

• Monitor and strengthen tenant relocation programs and benefits

• Explore additional, creative homeownership and rental support programs to broaden housing options for working households

• Review successful County programs, such as “Live Where You Work” and Moderate Income Purchase Assistance, for opportunities to improve or expand participation

• Make the real estate tax rebate program more accessible to Arlington homeowners.

Involve Arlington’s Diverse Residents - Arlington’s greatest strength is the diversity of its people. In the next four years, Walter wants to take full advantage of Arlington’s extensive diversity in age, race, gender, ethnicity and national origin, sexual orientation, and ability. Through programs that involve our youth, our older residents, our ethnic communities and our new immigrants, Walter will continue to work tirelessly to bring new points of view and ideas to Arlington’s policy decisions. Walter will:

• Ensure greater inclusion by stakeholders in community discussions – such as holding meetings in affected communities, providing translation services, and expanding Arlington’s public notice for discussions and events

• Expand the diversity of county commission appointments

• Include young people in civic life by expanding programs like the Community Role Models Initiative and Teen Transit program, strengthening youth leadership development through supporting organizations such as the Buckingham Youth Brigade, and continuing to speak to and motivate a wide variety of school and youth groups

• Pursue recommendations of the Elder Readiness Task Force

• Improve Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance.

In addition to these main themes, Walter is also working on:

• Increasing Environmental Awareness in Arlington – Through initiatives and partnerships undertaken by our County government, businesses, nonprofits and residents to reduce energy consumption, recycle materials and promote education and awareness, Walter strongly supports Arlington’s 2007 Fresh AIRE initiative.

• Supporting and strengthening the new Arlington Nonprofit Assistance Network – Walter led the way in establishing this enormously valuable resource for Arlington’s non-profit organizations.

• Supporting the Arlington Public Defender’s Office – During his first term in office, Walter led the effort to create the first Public Defender’s Office in Arlington, aimed at helping all defendants achieve a fair trial. Walter is dedicated to ensuring that this important office gets the resources and equipment it needs to grow and remain effective.