To the editor:

In response to the question in the May 20 Alexandria Times Voter’s Guide “What’s the biggest problem facing Alexandria right now?” Allison Silberberg wrote, “The biggest problem is out-ofscale overbuilding that doesn’t take into account surrounding neighborhoods, infrastructure and school capacity.” Silberberg is spot on, and this is why we need her as our next mayor.

The incumbent mayor and council voted unanimously to allow an out-of-town developer to build three seven-story buildings in a neighborhood of two-to-three story townhouses and garden apartments, despite widespread opposition from people who live in that neighborhood. Alexandria is already the most densely populated city in Virginia. If the current development trends continue, what will happen to our beautiful low-rise residential neighborhoods, our parks, schools, waterfront, traffic and especially our environment?

We need a mayor who will have a balanced approach to development and who will respect the views of neighborhood residents, unlike the current mayor and council. Let’s elect Allison Silberberg as our next mayor and also elect a council that will listen to and respect the opinions of people who live in Alexandria, especially those in neighborhoods where developments are proposed.

-Albert C. Pierce, Alexandria