Wyn Delano
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON – Our Revolution Arlington, a local chapter of an advocacy group related to Bernie Sanders, is hosting a town hall meeting Thursday to call for more transparency in the county’s bid to host Amazon’s massive second headquarters.
The meeting is bringing together disparate groups such as the Arlington Green Party, the county chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, as well as members of the Arlington GOP in a rare moment of political unity.
While their individual concerns vary, Arlington GOP spokesman Matthew Hurtt says that the meeting “will bring diverse and divergent groups together to find areas of agreement to build a policy majority to put pressure on the county board.”
Katie Cristol, Chair of the Arlington County Board, says that she is encouraged by the democratic engagement of the community in hosting this meeting, but says that organizers may be getting ahead of themselves:
“No action will be taken without a public hearing and a public vote by the county board. Certainly not on something that has garnered as much attention from our community members as Amazon.”
Arlington is a finalist in the search for the tech giant’s next home – and massive economic and social impacts would be felt in the county if Arlington indeed gets the bid.
Cristol, in a release sent to WMAL, says that the board’s policy of keeping potential economic agreements with Amazon confidential is consistent with other cities and states around the nation, a claim which Mr. Hurtt disputes.
The meeting will begin at 7PM at Arlington Public Library and feature speakers as well as time for community discussion.
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