Letters

To the Editor:

Like many of us in Alexandria, I have recently found my mailbox brimming with flyers touting the virtues of the various candidates for Mayor and City Council. With the state of politics what it is in this country right now, we are fortunate that so many truly impressive individuals are stepping forward to run. Alexandria is a very special place in so many ways, and one of the reasons is our highly educated and engaged electorate. What’s more, many political professionals live in Alexandria and they are experts at dissecting any candidate’s message and finding flaws, contradictions and obfuscations. Stepping into that maelstrom of politics and policy is not for the faint of heart nor done lightly.

This brings me to why I’m supporting Amy Jackson for Mayor. Amy and I have been friends for over a decade, from even before she was in politics. We had spirited discussions at backyard BBQs on every issue under the sun from school funding to public safety to flooding to the infrastructure of our public trails and parks. What I discovered in Amy was a fellow Alexandrian who cared deeply about the people and issues of our city. Frankly, this can be said about any of the candidates, but what set Amy apart for me was her commitment to doing her homework, and her willingness to have her mind changed by new data. Listening to residents, and the city’s experts and doing your own research (with two Master’s Degrees she knows how) is the essence of what I want in a public servant, especially at the local level where issues can change neighborhood by neighborhood or even block by block. 

The other outstanding trait that makes me support Amy is her steadfast commitment to transparency in government decision-making. I think it is absolutely critical for our government to be as open in its decision-making as possible, it is one of the things that makes democracy function. Over the years I have known her, Amy has always pushed for openness and transparency, in every group, commission or organization of which she was a part. She has brought this to Council, often pushing for more information before making a decision. This is the essence of a public servant and a person who would make an outstanding Mayor. That’s why I’m supporting Amy Jackson on June 18th.

Greg Parks

Alexandria