Dear Friend,
Two years ago, I began my term as your Mayor. With hope for the future, I promised that Alexandria would be “A Small City that Does Big Things.”
We could not foresee the pandemic that has shattered our economy, threatened the health, safety and financial security of so many and highlighted the very real inequities faced by Black and Brown residents of our community. Yet, we have faced those daunting obstacles together with a shared vision for a community that works for all of our residents.
The health, human and economic challenges facing our City will require our best ideas and collaboration. I am proud of how we have weathered this storm, but we must now lead the recovery. With that optimism for the City’s future, I am excited to seek your support to serve a second term as your Mayor.
Against these headwinds we have not stood still. We now have a plan for a new Hospital and a redeveloped Landmark Mall, budgeted funding for 5 new schools over the next decade (including a new high school building), we have begun redevelopment of the coal powerplant on our waterfront, expanded early-childhood education, began construction of the Potomac Yard Metro, advanced our climate resiliency and commenced the largest-ever investment in our sewers.
We are in a unique and challenging moment for our City. Our success has never been assured. It has been created through generations of leaders who have placed the City’s future first.
In the face of the pandemic, we have demonstrated that we could build the creative partnerships to preserve public health, protect our residents and keep our small businesses afloat. Leading the recovery requires that we support our children, invest in our infrastructure and expand our economy. As we grow, we can define a new model of inclusive growth that repairs the persistent racial inequities in our City.
I know we can do more! I ask for your continued support to lead Alexandria forward.
Let me know your ideas. Thanks for the support!
Justin
