Hi George,

You asked me to comment on Bern Ewert - thanks, I like to talk about politics. As a Virginian with close ties to Southside and Southwest Virginia, I'm paying close attention to Bern's run in the 5th District. I've known Bern for 28 years, and as a progressive, I want to field a Democrat who can win in the 5th. There are several things your readers might want to consider about Bern:

* A lot of people in Charlottesville don't seem to know Bern. Perhaps, that's because he was here before they were - Charlottesville was his first gig in Virginia. In Charlottesville, and later in other cities, he brought with him a Midwest get-things-done style of government. His progressive administration resulted in projects like the Downtown Mall, the McGuffey Art Center, city sponsored housing rehabilitation, and the racial integration of the city work force. Projects like these have helped set the tone for Charlottesville becoming "Number One."

* In Roanoke, he single-handedly reinvigorated a rust-belt community in the process of abandonment by the railroad. In particular, he created thousands of jobs and turned Downtown Roanoke into a model which has been studied by many mid-sized cities including Greensboro, Chattanooga, and Charlotte. In addition, he reduced the real estate tax almost 20% while at the same time expanding services. It's easy to cut taxes, but it's hard to simultaneously give the locals more for their money. He did both. None of this was accomplished at the expense of Roanoke's less-influential. In a company town - similar to many in the 5th District where people are quiet and accept their lot, Bern encouraged the development of neighborhood citizen input and activism. He secured grants for over two dozen neighborhood associations, which are still active today. I started one of them.

* He's innovative, approachable, and operates from the Mark Warner "sensible-center." I've seen him succeed at getting both old-line industrialists and the "man on the street" to buy into the same progressive vision. No doubt, this will serve him well in Southside where he already has name recognition as a leader with a proven record, since Roanoke's newspaper and TV serve that area.

* Virgil is regressive and entrenched and the 5th deserves better. Tobacco, textiles, and furniture need to be replaced with new businesses by someone who can offer real solutions to our real problems. We need someone with a broader vision. If Bern could bring economic development to a former Soviet Bloc nation, the Czech Republic, he should definitely have a workable plan for the depressed economies in the 5th district. Asked about his former employer, a regional economic development consultant told me, "Bern's a visionary, fiscally conservative, great at economic development which that region needs, and progressive when it comes to race relations and environmental issues."

* Back to C'ville in particular, his work in the areas of real estate development boundaries, sound fiscal practices and informed taxation policies should go over big. It's one thing to have ideas but it's altogether different to have a 30+ year record of accomplishment.

He says we should vote in the best interests of our children and grandchildren. We plan to support Bern because he has never been afraid to face real problems and offer real solutions. His record shows he can get things done. We need to move away from perpetual electioneering and empty slogans and get things done in Washington.

Hugh Meagher (electronic mail, December 4, 2005)