As her five-month tenure on the Arlington County Board reaches the halfway mark, Tannia Talento is living in the moment rather than focusing too much on the past or the future.
“I am learning as much as I can and asking questions,” Talento said during Oct. 19 remarks at the Kiwanis Club of South Arlington.
A former School Board member (who chaired the body at the onset of COVID and for the selection of a new superintendent), Talento over the summer was selected by County Board members to fill the remainder of the term of Katie Cristol.
Cristol resigned in July to take a job leading an advocacy group in Tysons. She timed her departure so a special election would not be required to fill the remaining six months of her term.
During her tenure on the County Board, Talento is maintaining her job as regional director in the Northern Virginia office of U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.).
“Where do you find the time?” asked Kiwanis member Nick Reynolds of the double duty.
Talento said she makes do on six to seven hours of sleep at a time, avoids TV, tries to make Sundays a free day and leans on her family. “I could not do the community service and public service without their support,” she said.
In 2016, Talento – whose parents immigrated to the U.S. from Guatemala – opted to run for School Board to be an advocate for those who may not have one in Arlington’s decision-making process.
“There weren’t a lot of people who represented the immigrant community – I tried to be that voice,” she said.
On the County Board, Talento is taking the same approach. “I continue to try to bring a perspective that maybe is not there,” she said.
Talento and County Board Chairman Christian Dorsey, who opted against seeking re-election this year, will be off the board by the time the fiscal 2025 budget season begins early in 2024. They may have reason to be thankful – a major downturn in commercial-property values already has some county leaders discussing a double-whammy of higher assessments plus a higher tax rate imposed on homeowners. Despite the ordinarily (if not always) docile nature of the Arlington electorate, that possibility could provoke a rebellion in coming months.
No matter the criticisms that come to County Board members, they hardly compare to what Talento (and her County Board colleague Libby Garvey) had to endure while serving on the School Board, where taking abuse from insiders and the broader community on a wide array of matters seemed to be par for the course.
Serving on the School Board was “very intense,” Talento said.
“People get very nasty, and while I have thick skin, I’m a human being,” she said.
(Elected to the School Board in 2016, she opted against running for a second term in 2020.)
Some have touted Talento as a County Board candidate in 2024 should Garvey, whose seat will be on the ballot, opt to retire. Others have whispered that she should run even if Garvey opts to seek a new term.
But at the Oct. 19 gathering, Talento effectively took herself out of contention next year.
As for the future? “It is not out of the realm of possibility,” she said.
Andres Tobar, the past president of the Kiwanis Club of Arlington and the one who arranged Talento’s appearance, said Arlingtonians should be pleased they have her on the board dais.
“She’s done some great work in the community,” Tobar said.
