To the Editor:
When I was on City Council in the ‘90s, I served with Kerry Donley and then under him when he first became mayor. I came to have the highest respect for his ability to lead the council and get things done.
The city has significant challenges — most important being to get our fiscal house in order by expanding our tax base with appropriate development to be able to fund the services (schools, police, road maintenance, social services) that our citizens demand — and Kerry has ideas for meeting those challenges. We cannot continue to cut programs or simply raise the real estate tax rate. Many of us do not mind paying more taxes, but that approach has serious consequences for our elderly many of whom are on fixed incomes and tends to cause affordable housing to disappear in gentrification.
Please join me in supporting Kerry Donley with your vote on June 9.
Lonnie C Rich
Alexandria