To the Editor:
We write to express our staunch, and perhaps unexpected, support for Vice Mayor Allison Silberberg in the upcoming mayoral race. Just as we can see past partisan politics to support the candidate best for our community, we encourage Alexandrians of all political affiliations to learn a little more about Allison.
Here is a real-life example of where she has made a difference. If you have driven, walked, biked, or jogged on the north end of Russell Road over the past couple of decades, you would be acutely aware of the dangers posed by vehicular traffic. For those who haven’t, police reports indicate that over 80 accidents, including 16 hit-and-runs, occurred between 2005 and 2013 in which out-of-control vehicles rammed cars, bicyclists, pedestrians, trees, and even a house. However, despite these dangers, and our multiple appeals to the city for help in traffic calming since 2001, all we received were Band-aids.
In the fall of 2013, we called and e-mailed several city officials in desperation after a harried delivery driver struck a 7-year-old trick-or-treater in front of our homes. Allison was the only one who personally responded. Not only did she answer, but she stood on our sidewalk during evening rush hour to truly understand the problem that we have been asking city officials to help solve for more than a decade.
Allison worked tirelessly with us, our neighbors, Hillary Poole, and Ken Hill, to ensure that our children and neighbors could safely play, bike, walk, and drive, on our street. It is also Allison that, through us, reached out to this young trick-or-treater’s family to check on his health and progress. When we held a “Team Russell Road” party last fall, we invited Allison to “commission” one of our speed cushions. She took time out of her Sunday to meet us, and many of our neighbors.
Although we also happen to be Republicans, Allison earned our trust as an elected official, and now friend, who truly listens and acts to solve real problems for the good of our community.
In our minds, awareness of the candidates, what they stand for, and how they are personally invested in our community, are critically important considerations in defining the candidates in this mayoral race. To generate interest and support for Allison, we created and paid for signs on our own and, earlier this week, we posted these signs in our front yards. Our intent was to raise awareness among all Alexandrians that
Allison has a proven record of making our community demonstrably safer.
Neither Allison, nor her campaign staff, asked us to create or post these signs, or were even aware that we had done so until they received a number of calls and emails from several “friends” and “colleagues” in their political party. It was disappointing to learn that these same persons would also take to social media to misrepresent the facts and criticize her simply because her leadership and promotion of public safety happened to garner bipartisan support.
If you have had the privilege of meeting and working with Allison, you know that she is committed to doing what is best for our city and is willing to hear what is being said from all points of view. For those who haven’t had the privilege to get to know the “other” candidate, please do so. Just as we can see past partisan politics to support the candidate best for our community, we encourage you to discover all that Allison has brought, and will continue to bring, to Alexandria.
Christopher Tyson and family
Martin Healy and family
Don Cooper and family
Pablo Gil de Montes and family
along with other neighbors on Russell Road