Fall 2024 Voter Guide: Mason Butler (City Council)

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Fall 2024 Voter Guide: Mason Butler (City Council)
Mason Butler is one of the Independent candidates for City Council. (Graphic/Jessica Kim)
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Want to read the Fall 2024 Voter Guide in full? Click here to be taken to all of the candidates’ responses. 

Age: 54

Occupation: Small business executive

Bio: I moved to Northern Virginia 20 years ago, fell in love with my wife Kristin and created a better life as a business leader. I love our city and our potential. I want to inspire the next generation to honor our past and develop our future.

Rank the following issues from most to least important:

1. Commercial tax diversity

2. Citizen engagement

3. Ethics

4. Crime/safety

5. Historic preservation

6. Affordable housing

7. Equity

8. Increasing density

9. Environmental protection

10. Economy/inflation

What’s the biggest problem facing Alexandria right now?

Generating tax revenue from businesses and tourism that offsets residential and property taxes.

What’s your top policy priority?

Helping unheard and ignored citizens feel connected to their city and engaging our neighborhoods to participate in public policy.

What qualifies you to be elected?

I understand how to sell Alexandria to the business community so we can start lowering taxes on residents and I understand how to manage goals so that we see growth.

What’s the city’s biggest long-term challenge?

Developing our three key economic centers – which are West Alexandria, Potomac Yard and Old Town – in a way that showcases our historic culture and is sustainable for decades.

What is Alexandria’s greatest strength and how would you utilize it?

Alexandrians are committed to service and volunteerism. We have a waterfront that needs to be developed for visitors and tourists to bring in additional revenue.

How should the city work to diversify the commercial tax base?

The city should create a hub for more associations to be headquartered – which grows corporate tax revenue – and develop the waterfront, which brings in tourist and visitor revenue that will allow our budget to pay for services like more affordable housing.

What policies would make Alexandria safer?

Police walking major retail pedestrian thoroughfares and traffic/speed enforcement in our denser areas like Del Ray and Old Town.

Do you think Alexandria has too much density, about the right amount, or not enough?

Residential density needs to remain static for the near future with the exception of areas near Metro stops. Infrastructure can be built out in support of these areas.

What should go into Potomac Yard now that the arena plan was pulled?

A mixture of entertainment, small boutiques, convention hotel and corporate offices with some locally owned and one-of-a-kind experiences.

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