This week, we invited the candidates running in competitive races in the Nov. 7 General Election 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, who is running for the Arlington County Board as a Democrat.
I’m running to be your next County Board member because I know that Arlington can do more to live by our values and take meaningful steps towards our goals.
Housing availability and affordability are at the front of many residents’ minds. We should continue to invest in housing, pathways to homeownership, and opportunities to age in place. Our community should prioritize addressing the climate crisis. We need to support our schools and our teachers. We need to balance fixing immediate problems while investing in long-term community goals. We need a plan that centers the needs of people in our community and protects and values our core identity.
As we look to our future, we must plan for and invest across all of our critical systems: housing, schools, transportation, parks, stormwater management, infrastructure, and services like child care and mental health. We must recognize where our areas of need overlap with each other, breaking down the silos in our planning process, and working to address the bigger picture while we make tangible progress in each area.
Planning for our future will require us to bring everyone to the table. Arlington can and should provide better transparency and more effective engagement. We need to develop overlapping layers of communication so we bring in voices that reflect Arlington. We should recognize that the people closest to the problem should be most involved in creating solutions. This also means that we need better engagement processes, where members of the community can not only provide input for county decisions but also know that input is heard and used.
My professional experience combines listening to people and using survey data with quantitative analysis and evidence-based practices. My policy work supports the real needs of families, focusing on economic opportunity with an emphasis on gender and racial equity, helping to build investments in child care, workforce development, and our social safety net. 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 has prepared me to address our biggest issues here in Arlington.
As a member of the County Board, I will focus on developing a plan that enables us to create the community we want, together, by bringing people to the table to share their perspectives and listen to others. As a renter and union member, I will bring an important perspective to the County Board that reflects the experiences of many in the community. I am asking for your support and your vote on or before November 7th.
To learn more about my specific policy priorities, endorsements, and more, please visit MaureenCoffey.com