Complaints against Arlington’s Wolff irrational, absurd

Regardless of its irrationality, there’s ongoing discussion among a few Arlington complainers of efforts to replace the entire City Council.

Naysayers declare they will start by defeating incumbent Lana Wolff in the June 10 runoff.

The dissatisfaction with the current leadership is entirely groundless, as Arlington is enjoying an era of success and an increase of the quality of life for its residents beyond anything in its history.

So, the obvious question is, why would voters want to send the city’s current elected and appointed servants packing?

Campaign rhetoric against Wolff provides answers that are every bit as ridiculous as they appear.

First, the grumblers say the city needs to do more about improving traffic flow and street conditions. Or they gripe about how the ongoing street construction work is disrupting things.

Somehow, they must have missed the fact that the city is in the midst of a multi-year, $100 million street building and repair program, the largest ever.

Much of that work is taking place in the district served by Wolff. The improvements already completed are significantly enhancing mobility and economic opportunity.

A second charge made by one of Wolff’s most vocal critics is that the city is “punishing” small businesses for coming to town.

The absurdity of that claim is evidenced by the remarkable resurgence of downtown Arlington, a mission that Wolff has been working on for the entirety of her time on the City Council. She promoted small businesses as an executive with the Arlington Chamber of Commerce prior to her first election.

The owner of downtown properties recently posted, “Being a long-time business owner in Downtown Arlington, I have been supported and treated with respect from not only our strong mayor and City Council, but Lana Wolff specifically.”

Totally fabricated claims of “tyranny” and “kickbacks” from major corporations are hurled at the entire council to support calls to “take this woman down,” as one has declared via social media, along with assertions that “we’re not going to stop until we’ve got her.”

Such slanderous rhetoric does, unfortunately, appeal to some voters. I’ve deliberately not identified those making that noise because they don’t deserve any more attention.

A simple search on Facebook will verify what has been and is being thrown out for public view. I trust it is backfiring on the perpetrators of hate speech and that decent people will have none of it.

Lana Wolff is a good and faithful servant for her fellow Arlington residents — even the ones who don’t like her. She doesn’t deserve these kinds of odious attacks.

Arlington is ranked by Money Magazine as the “Best Big City in the South.” There is a reason for that, and the city’s current leaders are working diligently to ensure the best days still lie ahead.

With a booming local economy, the emergence of the city’s unique entertainment district into worldwide prominence and the highest of priorities devoted to the quality of neighborhoods, the great majority of residents believe Arlington is on the right track.

So, another question before voters when early voting begins on Tuesday is how best to keep the engine of progress moving forward.

Common sense would lead anyone interested in supporting such a promising future to vote to return Lana Wolff to the City Council, where she can continue to build on the betterment of her district and all of Arlington.

Doing so might also send a message to the naysayers that was perfectly expressed in the Academy Award-winning film, “As Good As It Gets”: “Sell crazy someplace else, we’re all stocked up here.”

This story was originally published May 26, 2017 at 5:33 PM with the headline "Complaints against Arlington’s Wolff irrational, absurd."