Do you have alternative choices/solutions for transit/transportation
within the city? What are your priorities?
What is the greatest challenge you see facing City Council and how would
you address it?
1. What are your projections regarding the increased value of real estate
assessments, and what use would you envision for this increased revenue?
2. Do you foresee a solution to affordable housing?
3. How would you fix conditions/overcrowding of our public schools?
4. Do you have alternative choices/solutions for transit/transportation
within the city? What are your priorities?
5. What is the greatest challenge you see facing City Council and how
would you address it?
The next Council's greatest challenge is responsible budgeting. Alexandria
is challenged by growth in a city budget that outstrips the increase in
its residents' income. Just as our families are watching their budgets
more closely, so must the City. We don't want to make our city
unaffordable for its current citizens.
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Claire M. Eberwein, Republican
Biography:
- Alexandria City Council (2000-2003)
- Alexandria School Board (1994-2000)
- * Chairman, School Board (1996-1997)
- * Vice-Chairman, School Board (1998-2000)
- Alexandria Board of Zoning Appeals (1992-1994)
- Alexandria Economic Opportunities Commission (1990-1992)
- Parkfairfax Board of Directors (1991-1996)
- Juris Doctor, Georgetown University Law Center
- Bachelor of Science, School of Architecture, University of Michigan
- Bachelor of Science, School of Natural Resources, University of Michigan
- www.vote4eberwein.org
5. What is the greatest Challenge you see facing City Council and how would
you address it?
RESPONSIBLE, BALANCED DEVELOPMENT/TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
- As leader and advocate, ensure funding and staffing for Planning Department
to guarantee success of new pro-active planning process.
- Ensure that traffic, density, architectural quality of development planned
before project finalized to avoid pitting citizens and developers against
one another.
- Ensure development respects scale, integrity of existing neighborhoods.
- Ensure commercial development, an important source of tax revenue mitigating
the residential tax burden, sited in public transit areas with access to
major transportation corridors.
- Ensure inclusion of amenities in new developments creating vibrant urban
plazas and streetscapes that draw pedestrians for enjoyment and that SUPs
granted only after careful consideration of public amenities proffered by
developer.
- Ensure that public open space and parks accessible for all users, with
special emphasis on safety, security of senior citizens and youth.
- Seek solutions to traffic in practical, creative manner protecting
residential neighborhoods.
- Implement traffic calming on as-needed basis.
- Identify existing traffic choke points - fix them.
- Encourage public transit use with free DASH shuttle on King Street and
short-term car rentals from Metro stations.
- Develop pedestrian, bicycle friendly transportation routes - e.g. new Monroe
Bridge.
- Ensure critical examination of traffic impacts of development with
site-specific improvements in place before projects occupied.
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Ludwig P. Gaines, Democrat
Biography:
- JD, Howard University School of Law
- BA, Political Science, Hobart College
- Fellow, Harriman School of Public Policy
- Attorney, Howard University law professor
- John Hobart College Ethics & Social Justice Teaching Fellow
- Attorney, Morgan, Lewis
- Judical law clerk, Judge Paul Weber
- 2002 Unsung Hero and 2001 NAACP Community Service Award Recipient
- www.gainwithgaines.com
1. What are your projections regarding the increased value of real
estate assessments, and what use would you envision for this increased
revenue?
Due to the quality of our community, average assessments have gone up
considerably. I support lowering the tax rate to protect taxpayers.
Increased revenues should be spent on critical infrastructure
improvements, retaining quality teachers, and needed city services.
2. Do you foresee a solution to affordable housing? What would it be?
Part of the long-term answer is to demand more from developers in the
planning process. As a Planning Commissioner, I have worked to do just
that. I support identifying viable land sites for purchase or
redevelopment, and partnering with non-profits and HUD to bolster the
affordable housing stock.
3. How would you fix conditions/overcrowding of our public schools?
One step in the right direction is building the new T.C. Williams High
School. Beyond that, the elected school board is the best agency to
determine how to fix such conditions. I support fully funding the school
budget and providing all of our youth with first class educational
facilities.
4. Do you have alternative choices/solutions for
transit/transportation within the city? What are your priorities?
As a member of the DASH BUS board of directors, my first transportation
priority is encouraging people to use their cars less in favor of a
variety of people-friendly, environment-friendly, and convenient forms of
mass transit.
5. What is the greatest challenge you see facing City Council and
how would you address it?
The greatest challenge is using city tax dollars wisely in producing a
government responsive to all its citizens and that moves forward, while
never leaving behind our most vulnerable citizens.
On May 6, vote for experienced and responsible leadership. Vote Gaines!
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Rob K. Krupicka, Democrat
Biography
Rob is married with one daughter. He is a committed community leader, and
a technology business strategist that has served as a neighborhood
association president and as vice chair of the Community Services Board
and Youth Services Commission. He has a BA in economics from the
University of Virginia. www.krupicka.com
1. What are your projections regarding the increased value of real estate
assessments, and what use would you envision for this increased revenue?
We need reasonable tax relief and must work to take the burden off of
homeowners by making government more effective, increasing small business
growth, working on regional solutions and asking the state to give us
alternative spending options.
2. Do you foresee a solution to affordable housing? What would it be?
Mixed income housing supports our diversity, relieves sprawl and traffic,
and helps city employees live in the city. It should be a part of our
citywide master plan. Homeowner assistance programs should more accessible
by encouraging real estate agents to promote the programs.
3. How would you fix conditions/overcrowding of our public schools?
Limited land and fiscal options require innovative solutions that produce
the best of small and large school models like organizing the new T.C.
Williams around smaller study areas.
We can also improve our schools by improving city-school collaboration to
make sure children are prepared to learn and to encourage parental
involvement.
4. Do you have alternative choices/solutions for transit/transportation
within the city? What are your priorities?
We need a citywide transportation plan that emphasizes pedestrians and
mass transit, encourages alternatives to cars, discourages cut-through
traffic and supports our neighborhoods.
5. What is the greatest challenge you see facing City Council and how
would you address it?
Balancing our budget in these difficult economic times while providing tax
relief and continuing to invest in our city's children, schools, parks and
community centers. We need to make government more effective, increase
small business growth, and improve regional cooperation.
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Andrew H. Macdonald, Democrat
Biography: Andrew Macdonald holds a doctorate in geology. He lives
with his wife, Mary Collins, a writer, and 10-year-old daughter Julia near
Janneys Lane. Governor Warner appointed him to the Potomac River Basin
Commission last year. He has been active in local civic life for the last
decade and is an artist. No Website; Email:
Ahmacdonald@his.com (703-548-7572)
1. What are your projections regarding the increased value of real estate
assessments, and what use would you envision for this increased revenue?
Based on what I've learned, the city needs this additional revenue,
which will help pay for capital expenses that have been put off for years.
Many recreation centers and public school buildings need renovation or
expansion. The open space fund in inadequate. But the city cannot assume
that dramatic increases in local property values will continue or that
residents can handle the increased tax burden. Much more must be done to
save money and set fees for developers that would make it difficult for
them to ignore issues like overcrowding in the schools and road
congestion.
2. Do you foresee a solution to affordable housing? What would it be?
The city needs the help of nonprofit corporations that want to build,
lease or renovate apartments and homes for at-risk populations.
3. How would you fix conditions/overcrowding of our public schools?
We cannot add on to current school buildings indefinitely. Big is not
always better and enormous is just plain wrong. We need to craft a new
vision.
4. Do you have alternative choices/solutions for transit/transportation
within the city? What are your priorities?
There are three key road users in the city: local residents, workers
commuting into the city, and through drivers. I'd like to create a set of
objectives for all three subtypes.
5. What is the greatest challenge you see facing City Council and how
would you address it?
Establishing a Quality-of-Life Plan that would aggressively safeguard
the very things that make Alexandria a place worth calling home.
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