The Issues

When I ran for City Council in 2016, I promised I would work closely with you, the residents of the First District, to make Richmond and the First District a better place to live for all. Our city has made significant strides since 2016. Together, we have fully funded Richmond Public Schools for the past three years and increased its budget by $22 million. We built three new schools to give our kids the resources they need to succeed. We brought the afterschool program NextUp RVA to Albert Hill so our students can participate in productive activities like art and chess. We added pedestrian safety features and bike lanes to our streets to support all travelers in Richmond. We expanded GRTC by creating the Pulse bus rapid transit line and added new stops throughout the city to give residents access to jobs and educational opportunities. We more than doubled the city’s paving budget and will have paved 40% of the roads in the First District by June 2021. We added functionality and better response times to the RVA 311 hotline and app. Since 2016, Richmond has moved boldly forward.

Yet, we face an unprecedented challenge in this moment. The coronavirus, economic recession, and political protests have rocked our city to the core. Every  Richmonder has been affected by these crises in one way or another. We are isolated from each other in a time where we need all the support we can get. Many of us have lost jobs and are struggling to get by. Paying for food, mortgages, rent, utilities, and healthcare is harder now than it was before the virus. Many Richmonders have marched in protest of police brutality and systemic racism, and some have rioted. While rioting is unacceptable, the cries for justice need to be heard and addressed.

Navigating these crises has not been and will not be easy. It takes experience, grit, and compassion to get through these tough times, and we depend on our leaders to guide us. I am prepared to lead the First District and our city forward in this tumultuous period of our history. I have spent nearly my entire career in public service, first at City Hall where I changed how our government works, to my role at Civic Innovator, advising international foundations and cities across the globe how to improve their operations, to my term as your City Councilman, where I addressed some of our city’s biggest problems. I have a deep understanding of how our government works and what our community needs. At this moment, our city needs a proven leader who will listen to Richmonders and deliver on our priorities. I am that leader. 

If you re-elect me, I will continue putting Richmond Public Schools first, growing transportation options in the city, improving our city’s core services, and making Richmond a better place for all Richmonders. My track record as your City Councilman shows that I can deliver on these promises. 

I invite you to read on this website about my work as your City Councilman, the issues facing our city, and my vision for the future of Richmond. Please do not hesitate to reach out by emailing me at andreas@addisonforcouncil.com. You can stay up to date with my campaign by signing up for my newsletter (see the blue “Get Email Updates” box on this page), liking my page on Facebook, and following me on Twitter

People power campaigns; if you want to see me reelected, please consider signing up to volunteer or host an event. Volunteering and hosting events are a great way to meet new people and make a difference for our city. Lastly, campaigns are not free, and your donation helps me realize the shared vision we have for our city. Thank you so much for putting your trust in me these past four years, and I look forward to earning your vote.

 

 

“A true leader motivates others to want to do better, think outside the box, look at issues with a different lens, and serve as a catalyst for change. Andreas was that catalyst ….”

– Lorena Molina-Irizarry (NextGen Training Summit partner)


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