First Term
Rob's First Term: A Sound Record of Accomplishment
In his first term on City Council, Rob has focused on policies and actions to make
His priorities include an emphasis on quality public schools and increased access to preschool, creating and maintaining safe, walk-able, appealing neighborhoods for a mix of income levels, promoting long-term, creative solutions to regional transportation challenges and ensuring
He is also a strong and visible supporter of enhancements for small business, the arts, and the environment.
Rob works hard to find practical solutions, and in his first term has created an outstanding record of real improvements for our City.
Fighting for Children & Schools
Improving Transportation
Improving the Environment & Smarter Planning
Helping Small Business
City Efficiency and Effectiveness
Stronger and Safer Neighborhoods
Fighting for Children & Schools
Rob is a leader in working to improve early childhood education and implement pre-school programs for all children. Rob helped Governor Tim Kaine develop his statewide pre-kindergarten program. Rob has also worked with School Board Member Schmalz to expand access to pre-school in
Rob and Councilman Smedberg worked to re-allocate existing City funds to help build new playgrounds in
Rob has worked with School Board Member Schmalz and others to improve efficiencies and coordination between the City and schools
Rob has helped to expand pay for Head Start and other child care workers in our city
Rob supports the creation of innovative parent involvement programs to help parents help their kids
Rob has been a strong supporter of youth sports and other programs to improve kids' health and community involvement.
Improving Transportation
Rob supported expanding DASH service in
Rob has encouraged better integration of land use and transportation planning through creation of the Ad Hoc Transportation Task Force creating a new Multi-Mode Transportation Plan
Working with Councilman Smedberg, Rob helped create the Community Pathways Program, designed to make walking and ride bikes safer and more convenient throughout the community
Rob worked for an expanded Bus Shelter Program to make our transit system more user-friendly and convenient
Rob and Councilman Gaines worked with the taxi companies, drivers and riders to develop a new Taxi Ordinance to improve competition and improve the quality of customer service
With Councilmembers Smedberg and Woodson, Rob encouraged the expanded availability of Zip cars at various City sites
Rob strongly supports increased funding for the regional Metro system
Rob, with the support of Council, encouraged City efforts to improve traffic signal timing through new technology
Rob has been a strong supporter of bikers, obtaining new bike racks at City Hall and working for new bike lanes throughout the City.
Improving the Environment & Smarter Planning
Rob has been a strong supporter of the City’s efforts to clean up the Mirant Power Plant
Rob successfully advocated for the creation of the city’s new Energy and Water Efficient Green Building Policy which helps the air and water and saves the City money. This has already led to the creation of two energy and water efficient green roofs on City buildings (Duncan Library and the Health Department on
Rob listens to community voices, and insists that community involvement must have a timely and consistent role in all City planning efforts
Rob worked with Councilman Smedberg to increase the emphasis on pedestrians in our neighborhoods through the creation of a Community Pathways Program to encourage people to walk and ride bikes in a safe, convenient environment
Rob worked with Councilman Macdonald to establish an Urban Forestry Task Force designed to increase the City's population of healthy trees and plants
Rob supports the new Chesapeake Bay Ordinance
Rob has worked to ensure that new construction in the City uses energy efficient and environmentally friendly technologies whenever possible
Rob worked for the purchase of new parks and supported bonding for open space to make the best use of the City's purchasing power
Rob worked with Councilman Smedberg to make sure City parks and trees are better maintained
Rob worked with Councilman Smedberg to establish Economic Impact Statements to help more closely evaluate planning efforts
Rob is a strong supporter of Smart Growth and believes that mass transit is an important part of
He and the Council have made this a part of the City's Strategic Plan
Rob pushed for better coordination of planning and transportation efforts through creation of long term transportation planning commission and the development of a new Transportation Master Plan.
Helping Small Businesses
Rob successfully pushed for a new, Simplified Tax Structure for local businesses
Rob worked to increase support for the
Rob has supported increased City marketing funds to help local small businesses and non-profits work cooperatively to market themselves and our City
Rob is working for the creation of new job training program so
Rob worked with Councilman Smedberg and the rest of the Council to bring outdoor dining to
Rob has personally helped a number of new small businesses in
City Efficiency and Effectiveness
To ensure accountable performance, Rob and Councilman Smedberg have worked for City Departmental Audits and Benchmarking. They have sought the creation of an independent citizen panel to review findings and work with the city manager to develop final recommendations for Council
Rob created the City-School Collaboration Initiative with School Board Member Art Schmalz. This Initiative has hundreds of thousands of dollars by combining city and school resources
Rob has worked to expand access to City services on the City's website
Rob worked to improve
Rob has sought and will continue to insist on a comprehensive review of the City's capital budget to prioritize spending to meet community priorities
Rob has consistently pushed to lower the tax rate as far as possible without compromising education, public safety and other valuable city services.
Rob has worked to maintain
Stronger and Safer Neighborhoods
Park Maintenance Efforts – Rob and the rest of Council have worked hard to improve the maintenance and quality of city parks, green spaces and trees
Rob has supported neighborhood pocket parks to provide open space in the City's neighborhoods where green space is lacking
Rob worked with Councilman Smedberg to create the Community Pathways Program to encourage more walking and riding bikes by making these activities safer and more convenient.
Rob supports mass transit, and user-friendly pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure
Rob has supported efforts to prevent increased "cut-through" traffic in our neighborhoods
Rob and Councilman Gaines worked to create a new home ownership down payment loan program to help teachers and police officers buy homes in the city.
Rob and Councilman Gaines co-founded the city’s Gang Task Force and he is working to ensure that kids have positive alternatives to gangs
Rob supports expanding tax relief for seniors and disabled residents of the City
Rob has worked with the Councilman Gaines to make community safer through enhanced emergency preparedness.
Rob has worked to expand and improve City libraries and is particularly proud of the new
Rob has advocated for comprehensive approaches to crime so that every neighborhood can be safe for its residents
Rob pushed for new zoning to preserve the scale and character of neighborhoods like
Rob is working with the rest of Council to ensure that
None of this could have been done without the creativity, ideas and contributions of the entire City Council. Rob is proud of his service with this Council.
Last update: 9/28/2006; 11:21:43 AM .
