In the nine years I have lived in Arlington, I have written a Letter to the Editor on several occasions. These letters have often been to bring attention to some community activity or to thank people for their support of those activities. Occasionally, I wrote about something in the community that was bothering me. Todays letter is different from previous letters, but it is not totally un-related. I have filed to run for the Arlington City Council. There were many factors that went into this long thought-out decision, but rest easy, I am not going to bore you with all of them. I do, however, think it is important for voters to have a sense of why a person wants to serve in public office and what that person brings to the office.
I composed several statements as to why I want to serve on the Arlington City Council, but the bottom line is I absolutely love and am dedicated to this community. From the day we moved to Arlington, this has been and always will be home. I know it is very easy for someone seeking political office to throw out words like love and dedication and I do believe that actions speak much louder than words but I can say without reservation that I believe my involvement in the activities of this community support these words.
It is also a fact that love, dedication and commitment by themselves are not enough to qualify a person for the City Council. Council members have to deal with the nitty-gritty reality of governing. They must make tough financial decisions, take measures to ensure community safety and build and maintain an infrastructure to ensure the quality of life of citizens. Decisions made and priorities set by Council members impact everyone in this community, not only for the present, but for future generations as well.
In this letter, I wanted to focus on two broad issues. Why do I want to be on the City Council and what would I bring to the position? I firmly believe that why a person does something very often has great influence on how they do it. Honestly, I cant imagine anyone doubting that my motivation is to be of greater service to our community. This leaves the second question, What do I bring to the position? Obviously, I think I bring the right stuff, or I wouldnt be running. Over the next few months, I will make a concerted effort to communicate my qualifications for being a City Council member, as well as addressing specific areas of concern that I have for our community. I appreciate your taking the time to read this letter.
Virginia Hatch
Arlington