Soon we will have an upcoming city election and voters will be asked to vote for a new Alexandria City Council and mayor. Voters will be peppered with many emails, mailers and phone calls. However, when making your decision on which persons to vote for mayor and council member, voters need to ask themselves the following important questions:
Who has accepted donations from developers?
Who has consistently sided with large corporate interests over small businesses?
Who supports tax increases on homeowners, retirees and small businesses?
Who supports their own pay increase?
Who has consistently sided with developers over local citizen’s concerns?
Who has placed priority funding over city buildings before fully funding our schools?
Who has limited citizens speaking at council meetings?
Who supported the BID tax, despite significant disapproval by local businesses?
Who supported the Waterfront Plan, despite numerous residents’ objections?
The answers to these questions are easily found in the City Council meeting minutes. Please do your homework and make an informed vote when voting for our next mayor and council members as the election results will no doubt significantly affect all residents of Alexandria.
You will see from your answers that one mayoral candidate clearly stands out. This candidate has consistently fought against big developers; fought for small businesses; fought to keep our tax increases reasonable; fought for funding our schools; fought to keep council meetings open for all and consistently fought to help all residents of Alexandria on a daily full-time basis. Despite being habitually out-voted 6-1, this candidate never stops fighting to do the right thing for the average everyday person. I don’t have to name this candidate, because you know who this is!
Also, please don’t get caught up in all the rhetoric of bitter current or former politicians. But, listen to the mayoral candidate that promotes harmony, peace, and hope for all residents so that all can realize their dreams and aspirations for themselves and family members.
Bryan B. Kirkes
Alexandria