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"A
new Democratic faction is being touted as a group which stresses the
central philosophies of the party - more open city government and public
interaction, controlled growth, diversity" (Reed Williams, The Charlottesville
& Albemarle Observer, Dec 8 - 14, 1999).
"'We're going back to the roots of the Democratic Party,' said
David RePass, chairman of Democrats for Change. Current party leadership,
he charged, 'has lost touch with the grassroots'" (Davide Dukcevich,
The Daily Progress, December 8, 1999).
"But some city residents and politicians have suggested that
there may be a hidden agenda below the surface" (Reed Williams,
The Charlottesville & Albemarle Observer, Dec 8 - 14, 1999).
"City Councilor Meredith
Richards pointed out that the 70-member Democrats for Change group is
made up largely of Meadowcreek Parkway adversaries and town reversion proponents"
(Reed Williams, The Charlottesville & Albemarle Observer, Dec 8 -
14, 1999).
"Transportation activist Kevin Cox, a supporter of the parkway's
construction who has hinted that he may run for city council as an independent,
concurred with Richards. 'Their whole thing is trying to kill the Meadowcreek
Parkway,' he said of the Democrats for Change" (Reed Williams, The
Charlottesville & Albemarle Observer, Dec 8 - 14, 1999).
"If this is true, Richards, who voted to pass the parkway, would
be a natural political enemy of the sect" (Reed Williams, The Charlottesville
& Albemarle Observer, Dec 8 - 14, 1999).
"While the group's platform, to be launched on Thursday afternoon
at the Jefferson-[Madison] Regional Library at 5:15 [p.m.], does not mention
reversion, one plank refers specifically to the parkway" (Reed Williams,
The Charlottesville & Albemarle Observer, Dec 8 - 14, 1999).
"This plank declares a moratorium on all highway building in
Charlottesville, including the parkway, until the implementation of a comprehensive
regional alternative transportation plan begins" (Reed Williams,
The Charlottesville & Albemarle Observer, Dec 8 - 14, 1999).
"Richards, who is likely to run as an incumbent in the May elections,
said that the division's platform 'sounds like a reasonable plan' that is
'substantive on the surface'" (Reed Williams, The Charlottesville
& Albemarle Observer, Dec 8 - 14, 1999).
"But Richards acknowledged that since she has not been asked
to participate in the process, it seems unlikely that the group would include
her on its list of candidates" (Reed Williams, The Charlottesville
& Albemarle Observer, Dec 8 - 14, 1999).
"Councilor David Toscano said that he was not surprised that
this plank existed in the platform, pointing out that the composition of
the group is made up 'largely of people that oppose the parkway and people
for reversion" (Reed Williams, The Charlottesville & Albemarle
Observer, Dec 8 - 14, 1999).
"'There is a regional transportation plan in place, but they
don't necessarily agree with it because they don't like the [U.S. Route]
29 bypass,' said Toscano, who along with Meredith Richards favor construction
of the parkway" (Reed Williams, The Charlottesville & Albemarle
Observer, Dec 8 - 14, 1999).
"RePass said the group is looking for three candidates that
it can support for the party's City Council nomination in February. He vowed
that members would vote for Democratic nominees regardless of the success
of their choices" (Davide Dukcevich, The Daily Progress, December
8, 1999).
"One candidate likely to win the Democrats for Change endorsement
is Councilor Maurice Cox, whose views correspond with most of the faction's
platform. Cox has spoken with members of the new group and said he welcomes
their presence. 'I really hope that they have the commitment and the organization
to bring forward some fresh faces,' he said. 'The Democratic Party needs
some new blood'" (Davide Dukcevich, The Daily Progress, December
8, 1999).
"If a Democrats for Change candidate wins the seat vacated by
outgoing Mayor Virginia Daugherty, Cox said, the council's political make-up
would likely more closely adhere to Cox's views. 'I'm tired of being the
voice of dissension and losing,' Cox said, who is expected to run for re-election"
(Davide Dukcevich, The Daily Progress, December 8, 1999).
"One decision Cox wants reversed is the council's 3-2 vote in
July to construct a two-lane Meadowcreek Parkway. Both Daugherty and councilor
Meredith Richards, whose seats are up for grabs in May voted to build the
road" (Davide Dukcevich, The Daily Progress, December 8, 1999).
"Though the group's main thrust is the idea of open meetings
and public discussion, Democrats for Change held an invite-only meeting
last week from which even Councilor Blake Caravati was turned away"
(Reed Williams, The Charlottesville & Albemarle Observer, Dec 8 -
14, 1999).
"'It's ironic that they're insisting on open meetings even though
their own meetings aren't open,' said Councilor Blake Caravati (Davide
Dukcevich, The Daily Progress, December 8, 1999).
"Repass said the group would not reveal its platform earlier
because leaders did not want to undermine the Thursday press conference.
elected officials were excluded, he said, because the group wanted to have
uninhibited talks" (Davide Dukcevich, The Daily Progress, December
8, 1999).
[Anticipating a vigorous campaign in 2000, Meredith Richards] "has
already contacted local public relations executive Gail Bentley who has
agreed to support her campaign" (Reed Williams, The Charlottesville
& Albemarle Observer, Dec 8 - 14, 1999).
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