Letter: Deferred CIP Projects
Letter to the Editor
In response to my letter to the editor about the budget that was published last week in the Alexandria Gazette, Councilman Justin Wilson suggested that I was in error concerning the debt guidelines, and that these guidelines had not been altered. Mr. Wilson was indeed correct in that the city did not alter their debt guidelines in order to close the $31 million deficit on the operating budget.
Letter: City Can Do Better
Letter to the Editor
Over the past few days in our local news, I have read various opinions over an important topic facing our city: Can our city do better? I want to unequivocally state that I know we can do better. That is why I am running for Alexandria City Council. I have enjoyed this recent discussion because quite frankly, vigorous debate is missing from the halls of City Council. When one party controls all the seats on the council, it is far too easy to fall into “group think." Democracy functions best when ideas are thoroughly debated and vetted. When all viewpoints are heard, compromise can lead to great solutions. I call for more rigorous debate when we contemplate the future of our city.
Letter: Overlooked Candidate
Letter to the Editor
While I do not live in Alexandria I was in the west end of the city recently giving a contribution to City Council candidate Monique Miles from my organization, the Virginia Federation of Republican Women. I am sure Herve Aitken [“Is City ‘Well-Run,” letter, July 30-Aug. 5, Gazette Packet] did not mean to slight or forget her as he listed all the other Republicans in the race. Ms Miles is a wonderful representative on my organization
Letter: One Party Rule
Letter to the Editor
It’s difficult to understand the response of some of our local politicians to the voting outcome that put Allison Silberberg in the running to be the next mayor of Alexandra. Unless it’s just a knee jerk reaction to losing absolute power and absolute control … the greatest danger of one-party rule. And unlike the two-party madness across the river, our council and mayor have reacted most violently against their own residents. By exercising super majority votes that despite public discussion are set in advance.
Letter: No Reason for Write-In
Letter to the Editor
If you live in affordable or low income housing, why would you possibly write-in a vote for the mayor? Under his leadership the AHRA housing stock has plummented in favor of market rate housing and soon gobs of relatively speaking, "affordable housing" apartments will soon go bye-bye in the Beauregard corridor and likely Arlandria. In a couple of years when the Waterfront is redeveloped, we'll have more tourists flocking to Old Town and the residents won't be able to leave their homes for fear of not being able to park unless they are lucky enough to have a driveway.
Alexandria: Frontlines Falter
... in city’s affordable housing war.
While the city prepares to gain a little over 100 affordable housing units at Potomac Yard and The Filmore, one of the city’s bastions of affordable housing is in the process of pricing out residents, formerly protected by a rent freeze, who can’t keep up with rapidly rising rent costs.
Alexandria: Old Colony Inn Faces Setback
Developer and neighbors go toe-to-toe over hotel expansion.
The Old Colony Inn in North Old Town off of the George Washington Parkway has a major upgrade planned. The two-story Best Western Hotel is planning to double its height and expand to include a restaurant on the corner.
Alexandria Brief: ‘At Large’ Representative Sought for Fort Ward
The Fort Ward Management Plan Implementation Monitoring Group is now accepting nominations for an “at large” representative. On July 11, City Manager Mark Jinks announced that nominations could be submitted to Julie Fuerth at julie.fuerth@alexandriava.gov by July 20.
Alexandria and Mount Vernon: Keeping Guns from Criminals
Focusing on private gun sales.
What are you going to do about gun safety and gun violence? These were words I heard over and over again from constituents last year when I first ran for Congress. They couldn’t understand why in the world I would want to be part of a Congress they largely viewed as dysfunctional. And the next words out of their mouth would be an impassioned plea, dysfunction be damned, to reach across party lines and find a compromise — any incremental step — that would begin to make our society safer from horrific shootings.
Alexandria Mayoral Race Write-In Tightrope
Mayor Euille withholds support for either Silberberg or Write-In Euille.
One month has passed since Allison Silberberg was nominated as the Democratic candidate for nayor of Alexandria over incumbent Mayor William Euille and former Mayor Kerry Donley.
Alexandria: Development Briefs for the Week of July 8
Development
226 The Strand, recently approved for demolition, may get a second chance at life. A petition to appeal the Board of Architectural Review’s (BAR) decision to approve demolition of the building has gained more than 25 signatures from local property owners in the Old & Historic District. The appeal will be taken to City Council in the fall.
Alexandria: Joy over Court Decision
Members of the Mount Vernon Unitarian Church (MVUC) congregation celebrate the extension of same-sex marriage to all 50 states by Friday's U.S. Supreme Court decision.
Mt. Vernon: Surovell fundraiser photo
Cinco de Surovell
Del. Scott Surovell's Sixth Annual Cinco de Surovell fundraising event was held in May in Fort Hunt Park.
Alexandria: Confederate Concerns About Appomattox
Alexandria’s Appomattox statue under scrutiny.
With a national dialogue underway on the appropriateness of Confederate flags and imagery, some Alexandrians have begun questioning whether the Appomattox statue to Alexandria’s Confederate dead should remain on Prince Street.
Alexandria: Rejoicing on Decision Day
Multifaith gathering celebrates national same-sex equality.
As Rev. Robin Anderson from Alexandria’s Commonwealth Baptist Church discovered this weekend, planning a party around a U.S. Supreme Court decision can be problematic. First, when Anderson began planning the Northern Virginia Multifaith Gathering for Marriage Equality, there was no set date for the decision. Decision day could have been anything between June 25 to June 29. And second, there was no way to determine the outcome of the decision. Hanging a festive banner could make for an awkward situation if the Supreme Court ruled against marriage equality.
Video
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