Maureen Coffey: Why you should vote for me

Last week, we invited the candidates running in competitive races in the June 20 Democratic primary to write a post about why Arlington residents should vote for them. Find information on how and where to vote here.

Below is the unedited response from Maureen Coffey, candidate for Arlington County Board.

Arlington is an exceptional community. It has been an overwhelming privilege to spend the last six months talking to people from every part of our community.

I’m running to be your next County Board member because I want to do my part to keep Arlington exceptional. I believe that everyone in Arlington, no matter your background or stage of life, should see a place for themselves in our future. To do this, we need a plan that centers the needs of people in our community and protects and values Arlington’s core identity. We need to balance fixing immediate concerns and supporting a vision of our future.

As a member of my civic association, a former Civic Federation board member, and a leader among the Arlington Democrats, I know Arlington can and should provide better transparency and more effective engagement.  We need to develop overlapping layers of communication that reach across different demographics to bring people into the conversation, meeting them where they are and recognizing that the people closest to the problem should also be most involved in creating the solutions.

Housing availability and affordability remains a critical issue, and as a renter, I know first hand the current dysfunction of housing in Arlington. At the same time we need to consider the impacts of increasing housing and population on our schools, greenspaces, services like child care and mental health, and infrastructure. Our planning and investments should recognize the many interconnections between our areas of need and work together to address the big picture alongside the individual pieces. We should accept that our role is to assess and reassess – and yes, sometimes change course if there are unintended outcomes.

My professional life is spent working on policies that support the real needs of families with an emphasis on gender, racial, and economic equity. Working on family economic stability gives me the skills to see the connections between our issues and think both systematically and proactively about how to solve problems. That expertise is why Governor Ralph Northam appointed me to Virginia’s Family and Children’s Trust to advise on policies that create stable families, support child well-being, and prevent and treat family violence. My experience in both my professional and volunteer roles prepares me to address our biggest issues here in Arlington.

As a member of the County Board, my goal will be developing a plan that enables us to create the community we want, together. To do this well, we have to engage everyone in our community, bringing people to the table to share their perspectives and listen to others.  I am asking for you to join my vision for moving Arlington forward by ranking me on your ballot.

To learn more about me, my specific policy priorities, endorsements, and more, please visit MaureenCoffey.com