Remembering the 2018 Campaign

My Platform

Pursue thoughtful, appropriate development that fits in, is to scale, and protects our neighborhoods and quality of life.
Grow our commercial tax base in a balanced way with a staunch
commitment to economic sustainability and fiscal responsibility.
Diversify Alexandria’s economy and reduce reliance on federal spending.
Push for academic excellence in our schools and create greater capacity.
Increase affordable housing and workforce housing and continue to support dedicated funding for the Affordable Housing Fund.
Complete the Potomac Yard Metro Station and plan for adding back
the southern entrance.
Preserve our Historic Districts for the generations to come.
Ensure meaningful citizen participation for all.
Fight for our seniors, libraries, and the arts.
Advocate for more open space and environmental protections and continue to push for our tree canopy to go from 34% to 40% in a decade.
Reinstate the dedicated funding for the Open Space Fund.
Push for stronger ethics reform and transparency.

My Record of Leadership

Tackled head-on a range of environmental and infrastructure issues that have been neglected for years and even decades.
Committed fully to fixing our combined sewer outfall issues, pushed for the city to address all four outfalls (rather than three) and to partner with AlexRenew, and lobbied Congress and the Virginia General Assembly for funding.
Approved a plan to resolve the City’s longtime sewage outfall issue for all four outfalls and to partner with AlexRenew.
Approved three new schools in one year — a first for Alexandria.
Increased significantly the city’s budget commitment to our schools.
Doubled long-overdue street repaving, tackling over 130 lane miles in the past two years.
Tripled dedicated funding for the Affordable Housing Fund.
Tripled the number of trees planted across the city from 225 trees to 900 trees per year. Launched “Greening Up Alexandria” and set a goal to increase our city’s tree canopy from 34% to 40% in one decade. Convened a strategy meeting of local tree advocates, nonprofits, civic associations, and city staff to jump start the planting of native trees across the city. Increased beautification efforts across the city.
Reached historic low unemployment rate of 2.1%.
Reached historic low crime rate for Part 1 Crime, which has dropped by over 13% during the past two years.
Initiated and passed ethics reform to increase transparency and trust in local government.
Initiated and drafted the Council’s Statement on Inclusiveness, which has garnered national attention.
Championed civic engagement and fought for the open mic tradition.
Initiated and drafted the Council’s Resolution for Common Sense Gun Reform Laws.
Strengthened Alexandria’s relationship with the Housing Authority to upgrade affordable housing.
Led successful effort to prevent a new proposed tax on Old Town businesses, known as the BID tax, which was opposed by the majority of the Old Town business community.
Adopted City’s Strategic Plan for FY 2017 – 2022.
Maintained Alexandria’s AAA bond rating.
Signed on as a Climate Mayor and committed our city to work toward 100% renewable energy.
Established the Senior Advocacy Roundtable, joining forces of nonprofits, foundations, the Commission on Aging, and city staff to meet our seniors’ needs.
Adopted the Age-Friendly Plan, the first one in Virginia, and endorsed by AARP and WHO.
Created the Arts District in North Old Town.
Created the Clergy Council to discuss community concerns and unmet social needs.
Added the 1770s’ Murray-Dick-Fawcett house to our historic preservation stock, the most significant addition to our city’s portfolio in half a century.
Pushed to accelerate renovation of Windmill Hill Park and other city parks, encouraging civic participation and philanthropy.
Renovated the following parks, working with nonprofits and civic associations: The Pit in Beverly Hills neighborhood, Powatan Park, and Taney Avenue Park.
Renovated Warwick Pool and park.
Added more traffic enforcement across our city to ensure public safety.
Passed the Vision Zero Plan to increase public safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.

My Record of Leadership on the Environment

I am a total environmentalist. Here is a short list of what I have accomplished in just over two years:

Signed on as a Climate Mayor to uphold the goals of the Paris Agreement, and pushed our city to commit to work toward 100% renewable energy.
Pushed our city to protect our waterways and finally address the Combined Sewer Outfalls, an issue that was neglected for 20 years. As a new Mayor, declared that it was unacceptable for our city to have overflow from the sewers, and insisted that all four outfalls should be included in our remediation work – long before it was mandated by the General Assembly. The system discharging sewage into the Potomac was built in the 1800s, but now it will be remediated by 2025 in partnership with AlexRenew, and future generations will thank us.
Voted to enforce environmental regulations, including protecting the wetland and stream at the wooded Karig Estates. Was the lone dissenting vote who stood with the Sierra Club and the vast majority of the surrounding neighbors.
Fought hard as the lone dissenting vote to keep the designated penny for the Open Space Fund and, if re-elected, will work to reinstate this dedicated funding to increase our open space.
Set a goal to increase our tree canopy from 34% to 40% in a decade and have been working toward achieving this vision with the help of corporate donors, civic groups, and nonprofits, including the Tree Stewards. Before becoming Mayor, about 300 trees per year were planted across our city, and now about 800 trees are planted per year.
After 18 years of discussion about Windmill Hill Park, as a new Mayor, pushed our city to accelerate the renovation of this park and other city parks, encouraging civic participation, nonprofit partnerships, and philanthropy to enhance our open space.

Recaps from the Re-election Campaign!

We had a fantastic campaign kickoff at Los Tios in Del Ray.

Watch our Campaign Kickoff Video!

Click here to watch my remarks that I gave at the kickoff.

Below are some photos from the campaign kickoff.

Click here to see many more photos from the kickoff!

As Mayor, I have been moving our city forward on a host of issues, ranging from addressing the sewer outfalls to approving two new schools in one year.

I am proud that we have tackled problems together and are getting things done.

There are two of us running for Mayor. I suggest that the citizens not just listen to what we say. Look at what we have done with our lives and what we are doing with our lives. And then you will know where we stand, what we stand for and what we will fight for.

Mayor Allison Silberberg

Photos from the Kickoff!

Click here to see more photos from the kickoff!

My Heartfelt Thanks to the Allison Brigade!

Our 2012 and 2015 Campaigns were grassroots campaigns with all-volunteer teams.

In 2012, over 100 volunteers stepped up to help.

In 2015, there were nearly 200.

In 2018, we had even more remarkable support. I am deeply grateful to each and everyone one of you on the Allison Brigade.

Thank you so much to the best team ever!