Timothy Wise Obituary

Timothy Wise attended Lakewood High School in Lakewood, OH. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Timothy Wise.

Graduation Year	Class of 1962
Date of Passing	Oct 05, 2018
About	Tim died Oct. 5, at Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Please see the article below for more information on Tim's life. Obituary: Tim Wise Fiscal watchdog remembered as constructive, informed by SCOTT McCAFFREY, Sun Gazette Newspapers Oct 15, 2018 Updated 11 hrs ago Tim Wise obituary Tim Wise headed the Arlington County Taxpayers Association from 2000 until his death in 2018. Tim Wise often stood on the opposite side of the political spectrum from Arlington’s political establishment. But he had the respect even of those who weren’t always on the same page with him. “Tim served as an essential part of a civically engaged community and was an advocate and activist whom I always appreciated,” said County Board Vice Chairman Christian Dorsey. “While we were not fellow travelers ideologically, we engaged in healthy debate, which made the occasions where we found common cause all the more gratifying.” Wise for nearly two decades served as president of the Arlington County Taxpayers Association (ACTA). For much of that time a voice, albeit often in the wilderness, for fiscal restraint, Wise died Oct. 5 at Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, where he had been undergoing treatment for cancer and other ailments. He was three weeks shy of his 74th birthday. Wise, who worked for the Internal Revenue Service until his retirement, moved to Arlington in 1986 and quickly became involved in civic life, with a particular focus on ACTA and the Arlington County Civic Federation. For his service to the community, Wise in 1999 received the Civic Federation’s Journal Cup (now Sun Gazette Cup). Wise also served on the Fiscal Affairs Advisory Committee and Industrial Development Authority, and was active with the Courtlands Civic Association. “Tim was truly one of the ‘constants’ in Arlington’s civic landscape,” said Wayne Kubicki, a longtime fiscal activist who often shared Wise’s views on government spending. “He was indefatigable in espousing his core belief that governments, at all levels, should be limited to basic core functions and had to be held accountable for their stewardship,” Kubicki said. “Arlington being Arlington, many often did not like Tim’s positions – but it would be difficult to find many folks who didn’t like him personally.” Ron Carlee, who served as county manager from 2001 to 2009, noted that Wise, while often ready with a zinger when media came calling (“the County Board views taxpayers as nothing but ATMs” was a favorite), was a positive force in civic discourse. “We worked together during an era when people could disagree without being enemies,” said Carlee, now at Old Dominion University. “There were few policy areas where Tim and I were on the same page, yet we always remained engaged with each other and listened to one another, and could genuinely be friendly.” During his tenure as county manager, Carlee appointed Wise to a county-government panel on planning for human-services needs. The action raised a few eyebrows. “He was a frequent critic, but I believed that he would fully participate, bring a valuable perspective to the discussion and work cooperatively with others – all of which he did,” Carlee said. “He had deeply held conservative views without being polarizing, without straying from the truth, and without demonizing others. Perhaps most importantly, he believed in civic participation and set an example of how individuals can make a difference in their local governments and their communities.” Another who sometimes sparred on issues with Wise was Suzanne Sundburg, who is active in the Civic Federation. Despite their political differences, Wise was always willing to lend a hand and kept an open mind, she said. “He was generous to a fault with his time, tutoring me in all things budget-related – a true gentleman,” Sundburg said, calling Wise one of Arlington’s “civic superstars.” Wise had particularly strong views when he felt the county government wasn’t being fully transparent with the public. He went ballistic (verbally) in 2008 when the county manager delivered a sobering economic forecast . . . the day after the election. “The two reports to the board contain significant information that should have been at the core of the debates between the three County Board candidates who were on yesterday’s ballot,” Wise said in a post-mortem. Even county officials had to agree he probably was right. Wise often took aim at the county school system, noting that hundreds of millions of dollars would be saved if Arlington school leaders scaled back per-student spending to levels in adjacent Fairfax County. And he derided deals between the county government and some favored groups; a 2014 deal in which the local government bailed out Signature Theatre reeked of “crony capitalism” and “welfare for the rich,” Wise said then. Peter Rousselot, a former chairman of the Arlington County Democratic Committee, sat on the Fiscal Affairs Advisory Committee with Wise a decade and a half ago, and kept in touch in the ensuing years. Occasionally allies (both opposed the Columbia Pike streetcar), they more often were on other sides of issues. Featured Articles 4 5 6 “We had little in common politically, but I was always impressed with Tim’s civility, fair-mindedness, work ethic and willingness to engage respectfully with other points of view,” Rousselot said. “Arlington benefited greatly from Tim’s commitment to speak unpleasant truths to power.” Wise continued to be active on the local scene until January, when his health declined and he moved to Fredericksburg. In the months before his death, a cadre of friends from Arlington would visit, and he kept in touch with current events – even occasionally serving as a source of information for media. Pat Spann, a friend and ally of Wise since the 1990s, was among those who shuttled to see him frequently. “He had a lot of friends – a very good person, a logical thinker, someone I could identify with,” Spann said. “A warm, fun person.” As president of the taxpayers’ group since 2000, Wise was a frequent blogger (as “El Growler Grande”) online. The ACTA Web site largely has been dormant since Wise’s illness; Spann said he is eager to see the organization spring back to life. “I’m hoping someone will come forward to pick up the reins,” he said. “We need a voice for taxpayers.” Wise is survived by two sisters-in-law; one brother-in-law; five nieces and nephews; eight great-nieces and nephews; one great-great-niece; and one great-great-nephew. A memorial service is slated for Nov. 1 at 2:30 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church, 3313 Arlington Blvd., with reception to follow. Burial will be at a later date in Ohio.