
Dede Smith
for City Council 2011
30-year resident of Fry's Spring
in Charlottesville, Virginia
Dede's Vision for Charlottesville
I Believe in a Responsive and Responsible Government
- Decisions should be openly debated and should reflect the input of citizens.
- City Councilors should uphold the interests of the citizens of Charlottesville in all negotiations with the County.
- Decisions should be based on the best current information available. Prior decisions, if not yet implemented, should be reconsidered if new and/or better information becomes available.
- The City should encourage the establishment of neighborhood associations for ALL neighborhoods and improve communication with active neighborhood associations.
I Believe in the Preservation and Protection of our Natural and Historic Treasures
- Parkland should remain parkland and should not be used for highways, pump stations, and other infrastructure incompatible with park use.
- Protect and enhance parkland access to provide all citizens easy access to recreation and the experience of nature.
- All decisions on new development should consider the impact on schools, the environment and neighborhoods.
- Reduce reliance on cars by improving bus service and other public transit, establishing more bike lanes, and expanding sidewalks and trails.
- Protect our neighborhoods from incompatible commercial uses and development.
- Create and implement policies to reduce, capture, and treat stormwater runoff
on-site to protect streams and creeks and the sewer system. - Maintain and restore water and sewer infrastructure before building new infrastructure.
- Establish a permanent home for the City Market. Consider a Market District.
I Believe in a City Where All Children Can Thrive
- Provide excellent and equal educational opportunities, affordable, safe, and stable housing, and access to healthy activities.
- Support local food initiatives and encourage coordination between local food and public institutions, such as schools and publicly sponsored programs.
- The achievement gap can be closed through the combined efforts of schools and family support.
I Believe in a City of Equal Opportunity for All Our Citizens
- Implement effective training programs to meet specific needs of companies that provide jobs in the area.
- Promote and increase small business opportunities, eliminating barriers and burdensome fees.
- Facilitate energy and water efficiency upgrades for low to moderate income households and rental units. s
- Work with ex-offenders to facilitate successful re-entry into the community and work to restore their voting rights.
