Beginning in the early ’80s, Richmond’s leadership made a conscious decision to fund big box downtown projects at the expense of neighborhoods and the future of our children. This policy over the last 20 years has resulted in rundown schools, crime, a healthcare crisis, and a lack of social, cultural and recreational programming.

My campaign slogan, “Let’s raise the level of care” represents a fundamental difference in my priorities from the past two decades of bad public policy. I am committed to making the education of our children a public safety issue. We will work for clean and safe schools and ensure that the community is cared for, listened to, and has a voice in the decision making process. We will assist the Mayor in building first class state of the art schools. To my colleagues who believe that poverty is Richmond’s greatest problem, I say what better place to concentrate the resources of the city than in the school system where the community is 80 percent at, near, or below poverty?

Let’s make public education a public safety priority because we know the results of having undereducated people who are hopeless and in despair. Let’s make the commitment to give our teachers cutting edge technology and sustainable salaries, just as we do for our police force.

For some years now I have been calling for the establishment of Offices of Social Health and Welfare to be put in every school. Why? Because we know that a disruptive child is a sign that a family is in trouble. The school system may not have the resources to treat families but as an entire community, we do and we must. I believe that these new offices will result in much needed change and a higher quality of life for all Richmond’s citizen.