Alexandria — To the Editor:
In considering the upcoming mayoral election, it is essential to examine Mayor Bill Euille’s recent record as the leader of the City Council.
The Mayor was asleep at the switch when the Defense Department proposed BRACC-133 without making necessary traffic arrangements.
The Mayor has tried to ram through a developer-friendly Waterfront Plan, initially highlighting three hotels, despite sustained and substantial opposition from residents.
The council ignored a citizen protest petition, which would have required a supermajority to approve the rezoning. The Board of Zoning Appeals overturned this action by a 4-2 vote in April. Instead of accepting this decision, the city has appealed the BZA ruling to the courts, using expensive outside legal counsel.
In July, the city tried an end run around Board of Architectural Review procedures, urging consideration of a waterfront hotel proposal that current zoning does not allow. Only vocal citizen protests forced City Hall to back off. Throughout the several year-long process, the Mayor and council majority have consistently denigrated citizen protests and shown little interest in exploring possible compromises.
The Mayor and council pushed through the Beauregard redevelopment plan in the West End, again in the face of widespread citizen opposition. The proposal will result in the loss of 1200 affordable housing units.
The Mayor and council supported a rezoning proposal in Arlandia that was opposed by many local residents and will result in fewer affordable housing for low-income residents.
The Mayor and council were negligent in failing to press Potomac Yard developers to pay for the proposed new Metro station. The upshot is that Alexandria taxpayers will have to borrow a large portion of the $500 million needed to finance this project.
The Mayor is putting at risk city finances by relying on overly optimistic projection of growth in tax revenue to fund many of Potomac Yard improvements while failing to provide adequate land for new schools and parks.
Lastly, the Mayor has been dodging stand-alone one-on-one debates with Andrew Macdonald, his opponent. What is the Mayor afraid of? His record perhaps!
The upcoming election offers Alexandrians a clear choice between a candidate who will work for the people and for sound growth and one who has been mainly concerned about promoting the interests of real estate developers. Bill Euille’s record, especially during his last term, does not warrant his reelection. If you want a better, brighter future for Alexandria, then vote for Andrew Macdonald and not for a fourth term for Bill Euille.
Dennis Kux