Democratic Candidate for Council to Focus on Economic Growth
Patricia Richie-Folks officially announces her candidacy for the May 1 election of the Manassas City Council.
It may not have drawn the crowd that the Republican Convention did, but the 19 people who attended the Democratic Caucus at City Hall Monday evening spoke loud and clear: they want Patricia Richie-Folks to represent them on the Manassas City Council.
Richie-Folks, a local business manager who lives in the Haydon precinct, was unanimously voted through Monday evening as the Democratic nominee and candidate in the May 1st election for the Manassas City Council.
Richie-Folks has focused her campaign on economic development because that’s the key to having the resources necessary to better fund education, public safety and all the core services that local government provides, she told those in attendance Monday.
When the issues of public safety and schools came up Monday night, Richie-Folks said that is why she is stressing economic growth for Manassas.
"We have empty buildings in Old Town that we can attract businesses to...and by increasing and looking at economic growth it gives us more funding in order to fund public safety and all the responsibilities that are with the government," she said.
Richie-Folks said she would also focus on some of the more depressed, outlying areas of the city, such as Georgetown South, which were hit hard during the mortgage crisis and have experienced high vacancy rates as a result.
"I am committed and focused on making the City of Manassas the best place to live for all," she said in her acceptance speech Monday evening. "We need transparency and inclusiveness in local government. We need input from all because we all live here and the decisions that the council makes affects us all."
Richie-Folks is a member of First A.M.E. Church of Manassas and is active in her community. She said she appreciates the diversity and warmth that she has experienced living in Manassas and will represent all of the city, not just certain areas and groups.
President of the Georgetown South Community Council and HOA Hannah Senft was present Monday evening and said she appreciated Richie-Folks running, especially after the only woman council member did not receive the nomination for reelection last month.
The group we have now consists mostly of businessmen that think alike and it will help to have another voice, Senft said.
Richie-Folks is a married mother of two grown children. She also enjoys spending time with her 13 grandchildren.
Richie-Folks said her combined work and professional experiences and business administration education gives her an understanding of employment, financial and policy issues in a real world setting.
Rich
6:00 pm on Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Dear Ms. Richie-Folks: You say that you will focus on economic growth but what does that mean? For sure, nobody on Council or running for Council is against economic growth. So what specific ideas do you have for economic growth that set you apart from others? What new ideas do you have? In what ways have you been for economic growth before now; what ideas for economic growth have you recommended to Council that they have declined to act upon? Please tell us so we can make an informed choice when we vote.
Cindy Brookshire
6:38 pm on Tuesday, February 7, 2012
I hope the League of Women Voters or another organization will step forward to sponsor a debate so we can meet all the candidates for City Council and hear their views.
http://www.pat4citycouncil.com/issues.html
Doug Brown
9:08 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Looking forward to learning more about her background. I'm not sure a campaign based on what Ms Senft suggests is a winner: 'the anti-businessman candidate who will bring businesses to Manassas.'
Jerry Carman
10:19 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Filling these vacancies (which is important) is not the core issue we face. As Ms. Richie-Folks states, that filling these vacancies will generate more tax dollars to better fund education, public safety and all the core services that local government provides, is the exact opposite solution needed. We give an enormous amount of money to our schools who are at the very least under performing as a whole. Bigger government and more tax dollars is not a solution. Schools are at the top of the food chain. Fixing or at least taking forward steps in improving our schools will attract people to our community which will eventually attract business' to consider filling these vacancies. We must discuss the tough issues as leaders and citizens and address the failed leadership of our current school board and illegal aliens in our community. They are the two biggest challenges in turning our schools around. We as a community should also consider at least the thought of using squandered tax dollars along with private investment to turn our museum into a more interactive "Spy" type museum that will actually attract visitors. Improve our schools along with increased tourism and I will insure that those vacancies will disappear. I love our City and it's diversities, but we need an overhaul not a polishing.
www.jerrycarman2012.com
Doug Brown
2:33 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012
Mr. Carman,
You're correct we need a local government that does not automatically default to throwing money at a problem as a solution. The call for building a new Baldwin without adequate study or consideration of renovating the existing facility is typical of our current school board. I look forward to Ms Richie-Folks' and your position on such specific issues that have already emerged in the campaign.
Rich
11:53 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Mr. Carmen, which squandered tax dollars are you referring to? We'd all like to save money but the question is always which programs to cut. What are you referring to?
Sandy Curtis
12:04 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
So very proud of you Pat!!!! bring me a sign and I will put it in my yard for you!! You got my vote
Avery Sun
5:44 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Good luck Pat, i'm going to google you to get to your website.
Glad to see someone challenge the fossils.
Erin Gibson
9:36 am on Thursday, February 9, 2012
Thanks for all your comments. I will be sitting down with Ms. Richie-Folks for another article soon so keep the comments and questions coming! In the meantime, here is the Pat's campaign website for more information: www.pat4citycouncil.com. She said you can also email her at pat4citycouncil@gmail.com for folks interested in reaching out to her directly. Thanks.