To the editor:

Let me tell you about my husband and me before we tell you why we are voting for Amy Jackson for mayor. Brian and I have lived in Alexandria for nearly 30 years and our daughter attended Alexandria City Public Schools.

I have served on the executive board of the Alexandria Democratic Committee and served two terms on the Social Services Advisory Board, including as vice chair. I volunteered as outreach lead for several years for the Alexandria Film Festival and started the Alexandria city chapter of Moms Demand Action. Between my husband and I, we have put in thousands of hours of volunteerism in some capacity for Alexandria. I have volunteered for more campaigns for Democratic candidates than I can remember.

All of this is to say: We know a good candidate when we see one.

We have watched posers and fakers run for office. We have seen plenty of people use the ADC and City Council merely as stepping stones to state office. Through the years, we’ve seen it all.

None of this is Amy. Amy is a lifelong Alexandrian and she is not going anywhere. She has put in as much volunteer time as we have. She has supported Democrats across the state. She is not in this for personal advancement or name recognition or power; there isn’t really a lot of power in being mayor anyway.

Amy is running for mayor because she knows and loves Alexandria and wants the best for our city and its residents. We need a mayor who is devoted to Alexandria and truly has our best interests in mind. That mayor is Amy Jackson.

Amy began supporting me on my Moms Demand Action activities early. She pushed through the ordinance that bans guns in public buildings in Alexandria. As a teacher herself, with two kids in ACPS, she knows what we need to do to retain teachers and improve our schools and she will support a budget for ACPS that will allow us to do so. Amy started a clinic to help people get their minor, non-violent crimes expunged so these people could get a job and rent an apartment.

Amy is an independent thinker. She doesn’t just go along with the clique. She doesn’t run around collecting money from groups whose interest in our city government is unclear at best. Unions can be good things, but does anyone want a union-staffed casino in Potomac Yard?

What Alexandria needs right now is someone who cannot be swayed by outside interests. We need a mayor who will approach the issue of growth in our city in a thoughtful, smart way and not haphazardly allow massive apartment buildings or other residences on the faint promise of one or two affordable units. Alexandria needs a mayor that we can trust, and Amy has earned that trust.

Many small businesses in Alexandria are supporting Amy because she knows how critical they are to our city’s economy and to our sense of community.

If you are still undecided about who to vote for as our next mayor of Alexandria, check out Amy’s campaign website and donate a few bucks if you can. She is up against a lot of outside money.

We thank you in advance for voting for Amy.

-Gail and Brian Donegan,

Alexandria