Letter to the Editor: Krupicka on Alexandria Mayoral Race

To the editor:

I have worked with both candidates running for mayor of Alexandria. For me, the biggest issue isn’t that the mayor and I agree on everything, it is that the mayor is able to build consensus on the city council, listen to different views in the community and find compromises that will move Alexandria forward.

Having worked with both people running for mayor, Bill Euille is the clear standout on these qualities. He goes out of his way to meet with people, to give the community time to find common ground and compromise and to listen to others.

And on top of that, Euille is a big champion of our schools and knows the importance of public education. As a former school board member and a product of the city schools, he continues to make education a priority for Alexandria. And he understands the constraint on our schools caused by rapid student population growth and crowded classes. He is working and will keep working to address these issues. The contrast to his opponent on education issues could not be starker.

Being mayor isn’t just about planning and development. It is about truly understanding and managing the budget, something Euille has demonstrated time and again as Alexandria made it through the recession while maintaining the second lowest tax rate in the region and an AAA bond rating.

It is also about human services like housing, foster care, workforce training and childcare. It’s about our schools, our recreation programs, our public safety and our emergency response systems. It’s about understanding our transit needs, something Euille has been a leader on.

Euille has deep experience as well as passion about all of these critical city services. These things impact our quality of life more than almost anything else.

You can't be mayor and just focus on one issue. You have to focus on the whole city. We need a mayor who understands how to get things done.

Rob Krupicka