As the Silver Line Turns: As Loudoun Deadline Nears, They Get Letters

As the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors continues to consider whether to fund Phase 2 of Metro's Silver Line into their particleboard Valhalla, the Washington Post "news paper" has written a fancy editorial, with strong words and whatnot, urging Loudoun to make a smart decision.

Some residents of Loudoun fear the traffic and urbanization that the Silver Line would bring. They like the county the way it is — suburban and prosperous. But growth is coming Loudoun’s way regardless; the Silver Line would only ensure that Loudoun enhances its prosperity as it grows.

I'mma let you finish, Washington Post editorial, but we've provided a handy pictorial guide of what that growth would look like either way. But go on!

The project’s opponents have been encouraged by right-wing groups with scant knowledge of Loudoun and no stake in its future. Their only interest is ideological: they oppose tax increases for any purpose. A group funded by the conservative Koch brothers has sponsored thousands of robocalls in the county, saying the Silver Line would mean a “bailout to rail station developers.”

We suppose that the Koch brothers would also have opposed building the transcontinental railroad, the interstate highway system, the Golden Gate Bridge, or, for that matter, the Metro system and Dulles International airport themselves. Maybe things would be simpler that way. But America would be a poorer, less vibrant place — hidebound, parochial and stuck in old ways.

Sounds about right.

Meanwhile in our hidebound, parochial, and stuck in old ways progressive county to the west, anti-Silver Line folks allegedly plastered cars parked at a supervisor's church with letters urging her to "be strong" and vote against the project.

To make the unethical truly dishonorable, these cowards behind this flier couldn’t even stand behind their words. No identification of who it was that felt the need to litter on our personal vehicles and on the Church’s private property, no ability to address directly the people who write this clearly biased and ridiculously ill-supported drivel. If they are so proud of Mrs. Volpe and are so convinced of the correctness of their cause, why are they skulking around in the dark? Why are they so afraid of standing up and being recognized?

Sounds like the Koch brothers invested in a Xerox machine as well as a speed-dialer. Good for them!

The Loudoun Board held a fancy work session on the project last week, where they learned the annual cost of servicing the debt from their share of Phase 2 would range from $11-19 million.

“To me, this looks pretty affordable,” said Supervisor Matt Letourneau, who pointed out that the finals costs could amount to less than two cents on the real estate tax rate, in terms of cost to taxpayers.

Funny how the screw has turned since the airports authority dropped the labor agreement that was of tantamount importance to right-wing think thanks keeping ordinary Loudoun citizens up at night.

Despite continued disagreements—including an unknown divide among supervisors about whether to even participate in the project—Clarke, the board's vice chairman, said she believed the board made significant progress in its review.

MWAA sent a letter to the county regarding its decision to abandon a preference for a project labor agreement in which it indicated it was prepared to begin procurement on the project on July 5 if Loudoun opts in by July 4. It's estimated that passengers could be riding the Silver Line to and from Ashburn by 2018 without delays.

What additional fun and games will we see as this decision comes down to the wire? Only the Koch brothers Shadow knows.