George,

We are fortunate to see Kendra Hamilton offer her considerable insight, skill, and dedication to City Council. This is an exciting prospect. I hope she takes an early opportunity to make clear her position on "3-decade Parkway." It's the most controversial issue facing council, and facing all this year's candidates.

One of the things seldom mentioned in connection with road building is job creation. Efficient transportation is necessary to a strong economy. When roads are built, jobs are created; stall transportation improvement and the economy suffers. For all its downside, growth cuts two ways and the positive shouldn't be ignored. Without growth where do new jobs come from?

More decent paying jobs in Charlottesville, and that includes jobs building roads, would help reach goals we all share. Two of those goals, jobs for the unemployed and better ones for the under-employed, can be reached no other way. It is gratifying to see in Kendra's announcement her support for "diversified economic development [and] improving the skill sets of the un- or under-employed City worker."

I hope she can focus on that and not ignore it when the topic turns to transportation. Charlottesville needs the leadership desperately. Our party's years of erecting roadblocks against the inevitable while we sport in the park have caught up with us.

Cordially,

Rey Barry (Electronic Mail, January 21, 2004)