Five Democratic candidates for an open seat on the Alexandria City Council participated in their first forum together on Monday night in Del Ray.
The Del Ray Business Association’s forum was held in a packed house at St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub (2300 Mount Vernon Avenue). All five candidates running in the firehouse primary on Feb. 21 participated in the event and discussed a wide array of issues affecting Del Ray in particular and the city in general.
The five Democrats running for the seat are:
- Sandy Marks, former Alexandria Democratic Committee chair
- Tim Laderach, president of the Del Ray Citizens Association
- Roberto Gomez, leader of nonprofit Cornerstone Craftsman
- Cesar Madison Tapia, D.C. Public Schools teacher
- Charles Sumpter, executive at World Wildlife Fund
Improvements to Del Ray
After opening statements, candidates were asked about how the city should prioritize capital improvements in Del Ray.
Gomez said that Del Ray is more than a business corridor, that it’s an “economic engine for the City of Alexandria that’s been punching above its weight class for a long time now.”
Gomez said that Mount Vernon Avenue should get year-round holiday lights, like in Old Town, and that the city should invest more in the neighborhood to make it a tourist attraction.
Laderach said that the city needs to prioritize making Del Ray’s streets safer.
“I want to see safer intersections, because we continue to see additional car accidents and close calls with bikes and pedestrians,” Laderach said. “There’s much work to do along our avenue [Mount Vernon Avenue] to make it a safer place that will bring more people here and keep them coming.”
Sumpter said that Del Ray needs safer intersections.
“If you’re driving, you can’t see the cross streets, who’s coming out, if there’s someone walking, if there’s another car, and I’m always like, ‘I hope to God, I can just go through and nothing’s gonna happen,'” Sumpter said. “That’s not how we should be driving. We have seniors, we have kids, persons with disabilities, all those people are in our community. If we could widen Mount Vernon Avenue by some way, which will probably take a long time and be expensive, that’s what I want to focus on.”
Marks said that widening of Mount Vernon Avenue is not going to happen, and that the neighborhood will be improved by renovating area schools.
“Respectfully, we are not going to widen Mount Vernon Avenue,” Marks said. “I think that the real capital improvements I would like to see are actually working with the School Board. Cora Kelly needs a new building. It needs to be renovated. It’s been deferred for a long time. George Washington (Middle School), Jefferson Houston. We’re talking about retrofitting Jefferson Houston for smaller kids. These are things I’d like to talk through.”
Madison Tapia said that Del Ray is like a Hallmark town and that the city needs to find more parking solutions for the neighborhood, including making school parking lots public in off-school hours.
“When we have cars parking in front of your business, don’t you think that takes away the beauty of this small, little village that we’ve got going on here?” Madison Tapia asked.
Alexandria’s snow response
The city’s public officials have been criticized for Alexandria’s response to the Jan. 25 snow storm.
When asked how the city could have improved its response, Gomez joked that the city should have handed out flame throwers to contend with the icy conditions.
“I think that the city has done a wonderful job, and I think this was unexpected,” Gomez said. “There was no way to prepare for this. I think we’ve learned a lot. I think we can prepare for it next time, and again, flamethrowers.”
Sumpter said that the recent storm was unprecedented and complimented the city on its response.
“I want to look at our climate resilience plan for the future to see if there are things that we can prepare for like this in a much more efficient way,” Sumpter said.
Laderach said that the city should have prioritized clearing sidewalks and bus stops in its cleanup efforts.
“From talking with mobility impaired individuals, individuals that use our sidewalks and our bus stops, I think there was more opportunity that we could have prioritized the bus stops and the sidewalks, and really have to reexamine the responsibility to clear those because we didn’t clear them fast enough,” Laderach said.
Madison Tapia said that his West End neighborhood went weeks without getting plowed. He said that the city needed to operate with more transparency about its method to clear snow and ice.
“When you talk to people out there, like today when I was out there, they think we (the city) did a horrible job,” Madison Tapia said.
Marks said that City Council has wrongfully gotten the brunt of criticism from the public on the city’s snow response.
“We have so many people online really expressing vitriol for the mayor, for the City Council, for people who are working really hard to try to literally dig us out of this mess,” Marks said. “What I noticed when I went outside of my home and dug out with my neighbors — many of whom I see here, we all helped each other — was as soon as people walked out the door and looked in the eyes of their neighbors, they felt a lot better. I would love to see the sort of community resilience we experience here in Del Ray, in walkable, retail based communities where we see each other. I would really like to see more of this in the city. We did the best we could.”
Affordability and affordable housing production
Candidates were asked about the production of more housing in Alexandria and whether it can drive down affordability.
Laderach said that increasing the stock of housing in the city is basic economics, but that the city needs to look at affordability through a broader lens.
“Affordability is an equation,” Laderach said. “It’s housing costs and transit costs, access to health care, access to child care. It’s all of these things together … We can’t just say we need another apartment building. We have to be sure that when we build that, we are building it in a place that is connected to transit, that is connected to reliable and frequent transit, so people will use it that can get to good quality child care and actually access the health care that they need.”
Gomez said that there is a workforce component to affordable housing.
“When we talk about affordability,” Gomez said, “we have to have the jobs, and we also have to think about what that looks like when federal workers are laid off and they’re no longer patronizing businesses, and how that impacts employees that are working at businesses that live in the city.”
Sumpter said that the city has supply issues and needs a thoughtful approach to housing.
“It is a supply issue,” Sumpter said. “I think by bringing in different types of housing designs, [it] will bring more people in who can actually work and live in a community that they live in.”
Marks said that more housing needs to be built across all price points.
“The vast majority of kids in Alexandria, 80% of them, live in aging apartment complexes, like me,” Marks said. “If we can free up some of these smaller homes, if we can move people into homes that are larger or in different neighborhoods, if we can add transit near people, if we can start understanding and recognizing that there should be no neighborhood in Alexandria that is exempt from creating more housing. There are some places in Alexandria that haven’t been touched for decades.”
Economic Development
The candidates were then asked about offsetting the city’s structural tax imbalance, where residential properties currently provide about 82% of the city’s revenue.
Laderach said that the city is running out of land, and must diversify its tax base with commercial development.
“We can’t expand our land base any longer, so we have to look for our good core commercial development spaces on Eisenhower [Avenue] and Potomac Yard, so that we can really diversify our tax base and make sure we have the commercial development we need so we can afford the progressive future that we’d be promising our residents,” Laderach said. “There are certain things that we can look into that marries our proximity to Washington, the nonprofits and things that we have in the area and also some of the government sector that we have right here in Alexandria.”
Marks said that the recently-released ALX Forward plan helps the city focus on expanding economic opportunities.
“It focuses on creating places like Old Town, like Del Ray, where people can come, can shop, can be tourists, can live and can participate in community with retail,” Marks said. “I would really like to see that expand. I’m very interested in that program.”
Madison Tapia agreed with Marks and said that there are a number of development plans in the works that residents should be aware of, including the Duke Street Land Use Plan.
Gomez said that the city has relied too heavily on residents to carry the tax burden.
“I also believe that economic development isn’t just about landing the next big employer. Our small businesses still have to survive and thrive,” Gomez said. “It’s making sure our infrastructure grows responsibly, right? It’s making sure our [Alexandria] Economic Development Partnership has the tools to compete. We have a lot of smart people in this city. I think we can figure it out. I would encourage looking toward the future in regard to what new and exciting and innovative business looks like and how to support our already existing small business community.”
Sumpter said that the city needs to conduct an audit on city services to determine their efficiency.
“Are there things that we shouldn’t be spending money on currently?” Sumpter asked. “I want to look at that, at other regional partnerships, public-private partnerships that we should exploring. Where is the additional dollars at the state and federal level before we get to raising taxes in Alexandria.”
Meals tax
The candidates were asked about the 5% beverage and meals tax and that many business owners believe that the burden of providing money to the city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund shouldn’t fall on them and consumers.
Gomez said that the issue is complicated, and that the meals tax should be revisited.
“We’re already running at a deficit,” Gomez said. “But we still have to provide services, and we live in a society where we are civilized, at least sometimes … There’s ways that we all have to pitch in. Is there a way to revisit this and consider it a different way? Sure, will I know that until I have the data in front of me when I’m sitting on City Council? Probably then.”
Sumpter said that he supports the meals tax.
“I think it’s [a] vital tax to support our city. This is a community, and if that’s what it means to all of us, we all need to support and that includes the business community as well,” Sumpter said.
Madison Tapia said that the meals tax hurts consumers but supports it.
“It does hurt,” he said. “When I first moved to Alexandria City, I remember seeing my receipt and being like, ‘Damn.’ But no, it does take a community effort in order for us to support people who are in affordable units and affordable housing, and as a teacher, I will tell you, it does take a village to get a lot of things done.”
Laderach said that he’s not a fan of the meals tax and recently spoke with a restaurant owner who complained that it affects their bottom line.
“Do I like it?” Laderach said. “No, but it’s one of the necessary things that we have to consider if we really want to accomplish our goals on something like affordable housing.”
Marks said that nobody wants to ask people for more money and to put a financial burden on restaurants.
“I believe very strongly in affordable housing, and I think we should stay committed to that,” she said.
Federal workers
The candidates were asked about how the city can improve working with small businesses in the wake of massive federal layoffs, last year’s government shutdown and other devastating impacts to the local economy.
Marks said that she was working with a local business in Del Ray and saw federal workers with Ph.D.s come in and ask for jobs behind the counter.
“This is a very real thing that touches individuals and also touches the businesses that are doing their best to offer free food and free support,” Marks said, adding that the city needs to work with businesses more so that they can take advantage of existing programs. “We just passed an incredible Green Building Plan in Alexandria, and I know that a lot of businesses are very concerned when they hear about some of the things that need to be implemented, they’re very concerned about how they will pay for and accommodate those needs.”
Laderach said that the city needs to improve helping small businesses navigate complex permitting processes.
“I think that is one potentially small thing that we can do to support business that’s back to the basics and helping them do their business better,” Laderach said.
Madison Tapia said that the state legislature needs to help the city more in the event of massive federal layoffs or a government shutdown.
Gomez said that the city needs to open up lines of communication with the business community to prepare for eventual breakdowns between the federal government and its workforce.
Sumpter said that the city needs to help small businesses and residents more by being “a repository of information so people know where to go to find a job or to find temporary work or to find temporary staff to support their small business.”
ICE in Alexandria
The candidates were asked whether residents should call 911 if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) come to their neighborhoods, and with legislators diametrically opposed to the Trump administration, how Alexandria can work with the federal government.
Marks said that the city shouldn’t work with the federal government.
“I no longer recognize ICE as an authority or a valid institution in the United States,” Marks said. ” I feel very strongly about this, and am incredibly dedicated to protecting our immigrant neighbors from the repugnant and repulsive Trump administration.”
Sumpter said that residents should call the police if they see ICE in their community.
“They’re not afraid to kill people,” Sumpter said of the federal officials. “They’re a federal agency, they’re here, but we don’t have to help them do their damn job.”
Madison Tapia, who was born in Mexico, says that the issue is very personal and that immigrants do not trust the police. He also said that he is against the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office turning over inmates to the agency.
Gomez said residents should call 911 if they see ICE in their neighborhood.
“I think our police officers should be a shield to our citizens and protect our civil rights, our constitutional rights, and that’s the end of the story,” Gomez said.
Magic wand
The candidates were asked what single issue they would solve if they had a magic wand that could only be used once.
Gomez said that residents in low-income communities feel that they have no voice in policy discussions.
“People who live in low income communities and the working class don’t feel like their voice is being heard by City Council in the capacity that it could be,” Gomez said. “I think we can open up the lines of communication so that all the problems that we’re talking about, from business to safety, are developed with the people in each neighborhood looking at Alexandria as a whole.”
Madison Tapia said he would plant seeds for success in the city, and would focus on accountability, and being more transparent to residents.
Sumpter said that he would fix the city’s transportation system.
“If anyone has ever been on Duke Street at about two o’clock and you’re coming down Quaker Lane … you’re not moving for a long time,” Sumpter said. “I hate driving, honestly, I do. I take public transportation, and I wish we all did, but sometimes that’s not an option for some people.”
Marks focused on the environment and said that the city needs to be net-zero by 2050.
“Half of our homes in Alexandria need to be retrofitted with electric,” Marks said. “We need to be electrifying our buildings. We need to be electrifying our bus fleets. There are so many things we need to do in order to reach our goals. We are behind.”
Laderach said he would fix the city’s income problem and even out its commercial tax base.
“If we can fix that, then we can actually do all of these other things that we need to do as a city,” Laderach said. “We can fund better, more frequent transit. We can actually fund our schools in the way that they deserve in the way the School Board wants to fund the schools.”
Why should small business owners and employees vote for them?
The candidates were asked why the city’s small business community and its employees should vote for them.
Gomez said that, as a business owner, he understands the challenges in the small business community.
“I know what it’s like to navigate getting on the city vendors list, permitting all these difficulties that all of us feel for the sake of having an entrepreneurial spirit,” Gomez said. “If I’m elected to council, I will ensure that as we design things that impact your businesses or benefit your businesses. We will listen, we will consider and we will make smart decisions to help your business grow as well as your workforce.”
Laderach said that he will ensure that the city addresses the root causes of any problems that businesses are experiencing.
“That’s the systems thinking approach that I bring as a naval officer and a strategist, and from my attorney background, my pharmacy background, you know that I will listen with empathy and make sure that we can make sure this city works for you,” Laderach said.
Madison Tapia said that what he lacks in experience he makes up for with integrity.
“I know you guys every day wake up and do the hard work,” he said.
Sumpter said that, as a founder of Safe Space NOVA, he feels the pain small businesses are experiencing.
“When I started my nonprofit, I remember figuring out, how was I going to raise money?” Sumpter said. “I understand what it’s like to build something from nothing, and so you should support me, because I know exactly what you’re going through.”
Marks said that small businesses can count on her.
“When small business owners need something, they call me or they text me,” Marks said. “I make myself available. I’ve been the chair of the Alexandria Democratic Committee for four years. I’ve developed a strong and deep network of people and built coalitions, not just with advocacy groups like Moms Demand Action, like the NAACP, with whole organizations, with people who work in our city government, with our elected officials, locally, statewide, even at the federal level.”
Upcoming forums
There are two more forums with candidates this week.
- The Alexandria branch of the NAACP is hosting a candidate forum from 7-9 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 17, at the Departmental Progressive Club (411 Gibbon Street).
- The Alexandria Federation of Civic Associations will hold a forum at its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18 in the Parish Hall at Immanuel Church on the Hill (3606 Seminary Road).
The Democratic firehouse primary is Saturday, Feb. 21. Polls will be open from 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. at Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library (5005 Duke Street) and the Leonard “Chick” Armstrong Recreation Center (25 W. Reed Avenue). Voters who can’t make it in person can vote online at Alexdems.org/elections.
The winner of the primary will face independent candidate Frank Fannon in the special election.
