By Michael Kreps, Alexandria (File photo)

To the editor:
We are just one month away from an important mayoral election, in which we have the chance to chart a new course for Alexandria. Do we want a mayor who will preserve and protect the historic nature of our fair city or one beholden to developers and special interests?

Vice Mayor Allison Silberberg has a proven track record of thoughtful leadership. She has demonstrated repeatedly that she is committed to smart growth that preserves the character of the community we all love. She also has recognized that we need a more transparent city government, and her refusal to accept contributions from developers is admirable.

Mayor Bill Euille, on the other hand, has put spent the past 12 years pursuing development-at-any-cost policies that have done little to benefit the average Alexandrian. Developers have certainly done well over the course of Euille’s tenure, and they are paying him back by funding his misguided write-in campaign. But Mr. Euille’s policies have failed to deliver, and now, we are feeling the pinch of higher property taxes and a ballooning city debt.

It is time for a new mayor — one who focuses on what is best for the city and not just special interests. I urge my fellow Alexandrians to vote for Silberberg on November 3.