Sarah Bagley says that Alexandria residents have invested time and energy into making her an effective member of the Alexandria City Council, and she says she’s running for reelection to honor that investment.
A lot has changed in the city since Bagley was first elected and then virtually sworn in in January 2022. Alexandria was on the tail end of the COVID-19 pandemic and has since gone through a crime surge, the introduction and the failure of the Potomac Yard arena deal, a number of key changes in departmental leadership (namely the police and fire chiefs) as well as the controversial upending of the city’s residential zoning policies.
“The community has invested in me,” Bagley said. “There are organizations and individuals who have spent hours educating me about their challenges, their experiences, their dreams for the city. I feel I can honor that investment from them by not simply walking away after one term, but continuing to apply all that investment that community members have put into sharing their experiences with me.”
Bagley, who voted to raise taxes this year, lists affordable housing, community and health wellness, community safety and the climate as her top issues on her campaign website.
She also voted with her colleagues to approve the citywide Zoning for Housing/Housing for All overhaul that eliminated single family zoning and allows developers to build homes with up to four units on any property. She says she’s proud of the work she’s done to revise the city’s zoning laws.
“I am proud of the work of this Council to invest directly in committed affordable housing, approve new development that incorporates committed affordable units and revised our zoning laws to encourage a broad range of new housing opportunities throughout the entire city,” Bagley said on her website.
Bagley has been the executive director of D.C.-based nonprofit Chisom Housing Group for nine years. She manages 20 affordable housing communities in 11 states across the country, although none are in the D.C. Metro area.
A native of Virginia Beach, Bagley received her bachelor’s degree in government from the College of William and Mary and a law degree from the Catholic University of America. She was previously a judicial law clerk for the District Court of Maryland, and an associate civil litigation attorney for numerous area firms. She moved to Alexandria in 2016 after spending 13 years in the District.
Bagley said she kept an open mind during the Potomac Yard arena negotiations in order to get the best deal for the city. The proposal to bring the Washington Wizards and Capitals to Potomac Yard was revealed in December by Governor Glenn Youngkin, team owner Ted Leonsis and Mayor Justin Wilson. Like her Council colleagues, Bagley sat onstage at the announcement, and three months later, after the Virginia State Senate refused to include the $2 billion proposal in the state budget, the city backed out and Bagley said she was left feeling that the city needs to improve its communications and outreach process.
“This experience has revealed areas for improvement in our communications and outreach process while also demonstrating the tireless work ethic and determination of people within out city to achieve big outcomes,” Bagley said. “The end of this economic opportunity for Alexandria will need to be addressed by current and future Councils who must engage creatively with the business community to deliver vital commercial development.”
Bagley also regards climate change as a high priority, and said that she supports the city’s emission reduction goals for 2030 and 2050, as well as grant funding to retrofit new building projects and existing buildings. She also supports weatherization programs to improve energy efficiency for residents.
“We need to evaluate progress not simply at the rate at which we are reducing emissions but the rate at which we are applying, competing for, and winning state and federal grants and public/private partnerships funds to accelerate that work,” Bagley said. “We need to work backwards from our 2030 and 2050 benchmarks to establish where we need to be or what infrastructures and funding sources need to be in place well prior to those dates to enable the type of projects and retrofits that will be necessary to achieve those goals.”
On campaign fundraising, Bagley has raised $73,179, with just $3,877 on-hand, as of June 6, according to recently released quarterly finance reports. She’s spent a majority of her campaign funds in to secure the Democrat nomination for the six-person council in the June 18 primary. Bagley is one of four incumbents running for reelection, and there are 1o Democrats running in this primary.
Bagley says that the biggest change in her has been the shift from being a community advocate to a lawmaker.
“The primary shift that has occurred for me is from being an advocate, banging on the doors from the outside to then being on the inside receiving advocacy and trying to serve it as effectively as I can,” she said.
Bagley joined City Council Members Kirk McPike and John Taylor Chapman in endorsing Council Member Alyia Gaskins for mayor.
“I need a mayor who loves the homework,” Bagley said. “We all benefit from the greatest extent possible all members of the council being as prepared as possible, and our mayor can really set the tone for how you prepare and how you engage during a Council meeting.”
The mayoral and Council primary winners will move on to the general election in November. There is currently one Republican candidate and one Independent candidate running against the slate of Democrats this fall.
