Press
March 22, 2009
Response to Washington Post Questionairre:
EDUCATION:
BA, Foreign Service, Baylor University; MBA, University of Mississippi
CURRENT OCCUPATION:
Senior Project Manager, United States Federal Government
CIVIC ACTIVITIES & ELECTED OFFICES:
President, Colonial Heights Homeowners Association 2002-2003; Treasurer, Colonial Heights Homeowners Association 2001. Secretary, Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission 2003; IT Committee, Carpenter's Shelter.
What is the most urgent problem facing your jurisdiction?
Services are being cut for the most vulnerable of our population, even as taxes are being raised for all residents. Extensive development has not proven to be able to offset the average taxpayer's burden for maintaining services and infrastructure investments. City government spent on services as if home values would forever increase and now the bill is due. Our challenge is to retain a quality school system, critical services, and continue responsible infrastructure improvements even as home prices decline and foreclosures increase. Now is the time for responsible financial management. As councilmember I will make this happen.
Why should voters elect you?
I am an Independent, proven, problem solver. I am a long time resident, community leader, and will bring a results based approach to government.
Under what circumstances, if any, would you increase property taxes to protect social services or other government spending?
Alexandria government must learn to live within its means. As I campaign across the city, I am finding some homeowners with taxes close to 10 or 20 thousand dollars and also fluctuating $1000 within a year. The city must present a sustainable tax plan. I plan on implementing Average Tax Values, which allows the city to charge with minimal randomness of the market, so citizens and city alike can plan in advance for taxes. I heard business leaders tell me that Alexandria is percieved as a difficult city to do business in. In a recession, we must focus on truly learning the priorities the taxpayers have set before us, and deliver those services, efficiently. In addition, we must diversify the city to include more sustainable commercial properties. This will allow the city to prosper in any economic situation and remove the tax burden from the average citizen. It is time to learn the priorities of the taxpayers, freeze taxes to a sustainable level, and then live within our means.
What types of redevelopment, if any, would you favor in the west end of Alexandria?
Alexandria is an urban city, not a rural industrial park. We cannot have industrial activities within 50 yards of an elementary school. In addition, we must maximize the value of the Van Dorn Metro, and the excellent access to Interstates that is provided by the Landmark Corridor. I propose an economic rebirth of the West End, to bring mass transit between Alexandria-Shirlington and Pentagon City, and between Landmark and the Van Dorn Station. The Western 2/3 of the city needs the fast transit made available by Metro Rail, making Alexandria a regional transit powerhouse, including a critical Amtrak Station.
What are your plans for increasing the commercial tax base in the city?
We need to follow in the footsteps of those counties that have been more successful in luring businesses to their county. Regulation, turn around time, and an "insider" cryptic system make it difficult for businesses. I heard recently of a business owner, that just to move a wholesale business a few doors down, they had to hire a special lawyer to work with city officials. Why is Alexandria such a difficult place for business? We should heed those who call for Alexandria to fully leverage its unique cultural, intellectual, and land availability to make Alexandria a commercial hub. With BRAC movements occuring in the next few years, Alexandria is poised to headquarter many of the biggest federal contractors as well as service federal installations. We need to tell businesses that Alexandria offers transit, business, and regulatory ammenities that are welcoming to business. Taxes must be made attractive. Citizens must continue to recieve an ever increasing quality of education, and we must continue to invest in mass transit that makes our city attractive regionally and nationally. We need to continue to be known as the nations Association Headquarters and play all our advantages in that arena.
What is the most critical area of need for Alexandria's youths?
We need to begin to see school as more of a community rather than something that students do all day, then go home and are unproductive. We need to encourage children to work with their parents to realize their full potential. America's youth are slipping behind many nations, and the responsibility for that rests with us, the keepers of the city's trust. The city council must do whatever is needed to increase graduation rates above the current level where only just slightly more than 2/3 of high school students graduate. It all starts with early education during the critical phase of socialization and intellectual development. I support pre-K education as a great investment. We must have adults and students' lives focus on education. Education is the great way for anyone in the United States to succeed, on equal footing. We must help our youth succeed.
March 7, 2009
Alexandria Times - Article:
Independents Added to Council Slate; Candidates champion West End issues
March 3, 2009
Press release: March 3, 2009
UPDATE: Independent City Council Candidate Rich Williamson Files Candidacy at Alexandria City Hall
TIME: 9:30 AM
Former Colonial Heights Neighborhood President and City Environmental Policy Commissioner Rich Williamson will officially file a petition to appear on the May 5th City Council ballot at 9:30 this morning.
Running as an Independent, Former Commissioner Rich Williamson is expected to file paperwork officially adding his name to the candidates who have filed for the May 5th General election.
Former Neighborhood President Rich Williamson has campaigned from his neighborhood home area of Seminary Hill, to Cameron Station, east to Old Town, in a listening tour to determine the priorities the citizens urgently need of the upcoming city council term.
Rich issued a statement: “Thousands of Alexandrians have welcomed me into their homes and communicated they are ready for change in our local government. The problem is we haven’t had viable, Independent options. We need council members who are not beholden to special interests or parties. We need skilled project managers – decision makers who offer those who want a choice from the political machine of city hall to be able, on election day to be able to say ‘yes’ to maintaining our schools and vital city services instead of going further into debt for huge new optional infrastructure; to say ‘yes’ to healthy neighborhoods instead of big industrial pollution; to say ‘yes’ to a united Alexandria, where West End voices are heard as well as the history of Old Town is appreciated. I plan to stand up for those who yearn to move forward for all the citizens of Alexandria.”
Rich Williamson began his campaign shortly after the primaries for the major parties completed. Handing in his signature petitions by the deadline allows him to appear on the ballot on May 5th.
One challenge for his campaign is that the major party candidates, by their own choice, appear above Independents, making Independent candidates literally “buried” below the two major parties.
Rich Williamson’s campaign emphasizes consensus in decision making with the strong neighborhood associations across Alexandria. Since the entire city council is elected “at large” instead of using a more equitable ward system, Rich believes the West End will be losing a major voice for the West End in the upcoming election which needs to be replaced.
“The West End is the area with huge issues to resolve in both industrial usage, pollution, traffic, and land usage. We need to work with West End associations to make sure that the West End is a place that is livable, with viable commercial options. You shouldn’t have to come to Old Town or even DC or Arlington to have a quality meal or to shop. The West End is situated right between two major interstate systems with the 395 and the beltway. We need to take advantage of that strategic location to make the West End into a livable destination for residential and commercial activity.”, Rich was quoted as saying Monday night.
In addition to these issues, Rich supports the following:
- Syncing the red lights on major thoroughfares to ease the massive congestion, so Alexandrians can use their own roads during rush hour.
- Keeping the unfulfilled promise of the council to keep taxes steady – many Alexandrians have seen their tax burden go up - even in a recession. Rich proposes freezing taxes to 2008 levels.
- Suspending all infrastructure development until our commitment to existing infrastructure and services can be fulfilled.
- Introducing the option for parents to utilize year round schools across the city.
- Changing the city council structure to a ward system, where every neighborhood and will be represented fairly instead of the emphasis on majority “at large” seating.
Members of the press are encouraged to witness the filing. Feel free to contact Rich Williamson at 703-624-7424 or
richcwilliamson@gmail.com for any details or accommodation.
About Rich Williamson
Rich, 37, has been a homeowner in Alexandria since 2000 and grew up part time in Old Town. An MBA, Rich professionally is a Senior Project Manager, specializing in business process engineering and system architecture. He served 2 years as President of the Colonial Heights Homeowners Association, and 1 year as a Commissioner on the Alexandria Environmental Policy Commission. Rich has previously supported and volunteered with the Carpenter’s Shelter in Old Town Alexandria and Earth Day Alexandria.
