The Alexandria Times
May 23, 2024
I am proud of my record of service to our community for the entire 13 years I have called the Port City home. First working in Alexandria City Public Schools then serving our community through housing and health advocacy on local and regional boards and commissions. When I was elected to my first term, many spoke of me as a “new voice” who, as the first Latino ever to sit on Council, would represent an important and often unheard community in our city. As proud as I am of that “first,” I have worked hard to make sure that all voices are welcomed and heard.
Leading the city’s efforts around the census was no small feat. The task of bringing together diverse stakeholders to engage every neighborhood during the height of the pandemic was a huge task and I’m happy to say that Alexandria received the highest mark in the entire region. This means our city will receive hundreds of millions in federal and state funding throughout the decade to invest in our future. If reelected, I will continue to help guide how we secure and use this critical funding for our schools, roads, health care and businesses to the maximum benefit of all Alexandrians.
I have worked to make government more transparent and accountable. Whether it’s pop ups at grocery stores, bus stops and laundromats or multilingual communications, I have championed inclusive community engagement to ensure we are making every effort to hear from all residents as decisions are being made.
As a regional transportation leader, I am proud to have increased investments in our transportation network and championed making DASH fare-free and improving paratransit service. When it comes to the success of our small businesses, my office created a one-page resource guide and my efforts to increase staff capacity and ensure businesses from Old Town and Del Ray to Arlandria and the West End are being highlighted have been successful.
While our population has grown, city staffing levels have not kept up which is why retaining and recruiting staff continues to be one of my priorities. It is why during my first term I called for a special session where Council publicly went line-by-line on both our community police review board and collective bargaining ordinances to maximize their potential and strength. We have now passed three historic collective bargaining agreements for city employees. I am also proud to have led efforts to provide staff with a bilingual pay stipend and to increase pay for our librarians to help address this issue.
When you first elected me, you elected a worker and a fighter. Throughout my time on Council, I have fought to increase housing opportunities for all families, invest in our youth and educators, address climate change, build a 21st century transportation system and increase access to health care.
Those who know me know that I “walk it like I talk it.” I have a proven track record of delivering results and making a difference in the lives of all Alexandrians. I am ready and eager to continue that work and to innovate new solutions. Together, we have made tremendous progress and that is why I am seeking another term. I hope to earn your vote by June 18.
-Canek Aguirre, candidate for Alexandria City Council
