Carol A. O. Wolf endorses Robert Grey
We received the following from District 3 school board representative Carol A.O. Wolf regarding her support of Robert Grey in the mayoral election. The “Robert Grey for Mayor” signs in my yard have prompted friends and neighbors who support Mayoral candidates Dwight Jones or Bill Pantele to ask why I am supporting Grey and not […]
We received the following from District 3 school board representative Carol A.O. Wolf regarding her support of Robert Grey in the mayoral election.
The “Robert Grey for Mayor” signs in my yard have prompted friends and neighbors who support Mayoral candidates Dwight Jones or Bill Pantele to ask why I am supporting Grey and not their particular candidate. Since I value their opinions and support, I would like to let everyone know my reasons.
Just as Colin Powell noted in his recent endorsement of Barack Obama for President, the time has come for a new generation of leadership for the nation, that time has come for the City of Richmond as well. I believe Robert Grey is the one man who has the necessary skills and knowledge to help our city move from the “Politics of Meanness” into the “Politics of Meaning.” His leadership style is one of collaboration — not confrontation.
I am sure you are aware, Mayor Wilder and I have had some major disagreements during the past four years. Given that history, I am perhaps the least likely person to support a candidate allegedly anointed by Mr. Wilder or one suspected of being beholden to the movers and shakers in our business community, much less a member of the “Gang of 26” who wanted to abolish elected School Boards in favor of appointed boards. (http://www.styleweekly.com/article.asp?idarticle=18035)
Grey is no more anointed by Wilder than I am. I have known Grey for the past 23 years and during that time, I have seen ample evidence that he is his own man, unbought and unbossed. Any allegiance some may perceive he has with Mayor Wilder stems from the fact that Grey was raised right — to be polite, to respect his elders and to give back to the community. Even so, Grey is not blind to the foibles and failures of the Wilder Administration. (http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/search.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-10-18-0109.html)
Grey is not a man given to public displays of self-importance or bully-pulpit pronouncements, nor is he a career politician possessed of a rock-star persona. Honestly, I think we’ve all had more than enough of that already. We need someone who is not only smart, but who has a steady hand and a professional demeanor to guide the city through the next four years.
Two of my dear friends, the late Oliver W. Hill, Sr. and the late U.S. District Court Judge Robert R. Merhige, Jr., each expressed to me their hope that Grey would someday choose to enter politics. Both saw Grey as someone who had the personality, awareness and connections to unite the black and white communities in our city.
For far too long, our city’s slow stroll into the future has been made all the more difficult by the constant turf wars between Wilder supporters and Henry Marsh supporters. Jones’ candidacy is evidence that these wars continue. For the last four years, I have watched Wilder and Pantele go at it in City Hall. I am both disappointed, and incredulous, that Wilder and Pantele are still at odds over whose budget should control what happens with our tax dollars.
I was also disappointed that Jones did not speak out on the Chesterfield ballot problem in February, especially since he represents Chesterfield, Henrico and Richmond in the General Assembly. And, do not get me started on Jones and Pantele’s involvement with the Industrial Development Authority. There are far too many unanswered questions that linger. Click here: Style Weekly : Richmond’s alternative for news, arts, culture and opinion.
I believe Grey when he says that “Dwight Jones and Bill Pantele have been part of the problem in Richmond, and to make Richmond move forward, we need real change in leadership – not just people who want to talk about it around election time. We can’t keep doing the same thing, with the same people, and expect different results. We need change at city hall and we need it now – not when Pantele and Jones feel like getting around to it.”
And, the last thing this town needs is a run-off election that pits a black man against a white man. Robert Grey is a man who can represent us all and lead our city (at last!) into the future.
As a lawyer, and the first African-American president of the American Bar Association, Grey knows there is a legal and moral imperative to make our schools comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. He wants to create a comprehensive Career and Technology High School so more of our children can get the skills necessary to be successful in the 21st-Century. And, he has promised to work with the Performing Arts Center to explore ways to create more opportunities for our children with artistic talent. Click here: Style Weekly : Richmond’s alternative for news, arts, culture and opinion.
His commitment to public education is real. His mother, Barbara Grey, is the hard-working and visionary principal who brought to life Richmond’s first model public schools. Her excellence and high expectations as an educator helped establish Fox, Mary Munford and John B. Cary Elementary as schools of choice for parents and children in Richmond. Robert attended A.V. Norrell and Baker Elementary Schools, Chandler Middle School and was graduated from John Marshall.
As to concerns about Grey’s ties to the business community, I see those as an asset. As I continue to worry about what effect the $700 billion Wall Street bailout and the $3 billion Virginia shortfall will have on the next City of Richmond budget, I think Richmond needs to nurture every possible friend we can have that will help stabilize not only Richmond’s — but the region’s economy as well.
One of the big hopes many people had when Wilder came into office was that he could help foster and nurture greater regional cooperation. I see Grey’s ties to the business community as critical to helping that happen. He is the consummate professional and we need his leadership in City Hall.
If any other locally elected reps. want to weigh in on this or let us know who they’ll be voting for on November 4, drop us a line.
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Valerie Catrow
Valerie Catrow is editor of RVAFamily, mother to a mop-topped first grader, and always really excited to go to bed.
Notice: Comments that are not conducive to an interesting and thoughtful conversation may be removed at the editor’s discretion.
I love and greatly respect Carol Wolf. No one has done more for our schools than Carol. But I find it very hard to believe that she thinks Richmond’s future should be MORE public-private partnerships that hold closed meetings and make insider deals with Richmond tax dollars — and then are protected from taxpayer scrutiny. If that is meaningful “change,” then God help us.
Ask yourself this: If “The Gang of 26” can talk Grey into signing a letter that would disenfranchise area voters, what else will can a Mayor Grey get talked into by the country-dwelling “Business Community.”
Carol Wolf is really nice looking in person, so i unconditionally support her. Shes right Mr.Grey is the best choice.
My thanks to Carol Wolf for (once again) showing that some elected officials still have principles and the courage to let them show. If Wolf thinks Grey is the guy to vote for, then I’m voting for Grey.
Grey sounds like he has a great Mom. I’ve never seen an endorsement that talks about a candidate’s mother. If Grey will have his Mom as an education advisor, then he has my vote. Too bad she’s retired, she might make a great Superintendent.
I’ll say for Grey that, when asked about the Echo Harbor project, he was the only candidate to declare it an unequivocal bad idea. Jones was the most ready to break ground, offering only a mushy “I’m opposed to it in it’s present form”. A different color paint would probably calm any of his objection
I just don’t see how they’re so ready to act against the public good. Development is mostly good, but not when it deprives us of something unique. No great city obstructs their rivers with high rises. Developing that site would be one of the last steps before closing the river to public access. We must stop it and I hope our next mayor agrees. A few thousand in campaign dollars shouldn’t take so much from the citizens.
Pingback: The Fan District Hub » Blog Archive » Carol Wolf endorses Robert Grey
Carol Wolf’s comments show why she is considered the most thoughtful and courageous politician in the City of Richmond. Before reading her endorsement, I was undecided in this race. Her analysis is right on target and convinces me to vote for Robert Grey.
Wolf is right:
“And, the last thing this town needs is a run-off election that pits a black man against a white man. Robert Grey is a man who can represent us all and lead our city (at last!) into the future.”
Sandwiched between a Black Preacher/Politician and a White Pandering Prez of City Council, we have Robert Grey.
I say, go w/Grey for Mayor and Obama for President. Grey has strong ties to Mark Warner, Tim Kaine and Jim Webb. We need to seriously realize that a Mayor has to represent ALL people.
Grey has made his way around town, riding the buses, walking the streets, making his way to people he doesn’t know to greet and introduce himself. He genuinely likes the local arts and culture. His mother was a principal and one of the pioneers in transforming publics schools into something good. And he held a meet and greet at Mamma Zu’s. I’ll need to pick up a Grey yard sign over the weekend.
GrAy (as opposed to GrEy),
Really liked your Goldman analysis on the Fan District Hub …
Consider the possibility that Pantele and Wilder are playing matador and bull together here and neither is for real.
Neither Pantele nor Wilder have really taken the other to task over the budget. Pantele talks a good game and clearly has no problem suing the Mayor (with the support of Council), who will Pantele blame when he can’t blame Wilder anymore?
I am so sick of the BS that envelops City Hall. Pantele KNEW that Wilder planned to evict the Schools and did nothing to prevent it. He was in cahoots with Wilder all along.
Thanks to all for your kind words….!
If you are interested in meeting Robert Grey and discussing your concerns, Tom and I invite you to please drop by our home, 3810 Seminary Avenue, this Saturday from 4 to 5:30 pm.
Together with our friends Oliver “Duke” and Renee Hill, Rob Jones and Whitney Tymas and Matthew and Edith Ott, we are co-sponsoring a meet-and-greet.
If you would like more immediate information about Robert and his campaign for mayor, please visit his website:
http://www.robertgreyformayor.com/
Looking forward to seeing you on Saturday!
~ Carol Wolf
If you have any questions, please e-mail me: Wolfies@aol.com
http://fdhub.net/style-weekly-about-paul-goldmans-style/
I don’t understand Wolf’s logic in connecting Grey’s business ties to a positive for the city budget. Yes, we are worried about budget cutbacks affecting the services the city provides. What does that have to do with these corporations and developers Grey is cozy with? Are they going to pay the City extra taxes to make up for lost tax revenue and budget shortfalls? Or does she mean by “nurture” that Grey will offer more corporate welfare to keep them in town and keep jobs here? Trickle Down The James Economics?
Stuart,
I am so glad you asked. In addition to spending more than a quarter billion dollars on public education in Richmond, the City of Richmond spends an enormous amount to provide social services to poor people and their families living in entrenched, multi-generational poverty.
Robert Grey knows this. He grew up in Richmond, went to A.V. Norrell and Baker Elementary Schools, Chandler Middle School and was graduated from John Marshall High School.
He has long maintained that the best cure for crime and hopelessness in our city, is a decent job. Rather than “talk tough” and blame children and parents — who through no fault of their own — have been born into poverty, Grey is ready to make solutions happen.
He believes in giving people a “hand-up” rather than a “hand-out.” Knowing that ’tis better to teach someone how to fish, instead of handing them a free fish, Grey has said that he would like to work with Richmond’s corporate community to create a world-class comprehensive careeer and technology high school, similar to a highly successful national model in Pittsburgh.
If Pittsburgh’s corporate community can come together and help their inner city kids, Richmond’s corporate community should be called to step up to the plate and “nurture” not only our children, but the city by providing an educated workforce.
Click on the links below to see what Grey and the corporate community could do for our city and our children. Please know this is just one example of ways that the corporate community can be seen as an asset.
http://www.inc.com/magazine/20050901/bill-strickland.html
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/17/genius.html
Let me know what you think, please. So, no funky “Trickle-down Economics,” just some old-fashioned “By-the-Bootstraps-Up.”
I accidentally left out an important word in the following sentence:
“He has long maintained that the best cure for POVERTY, crime and hopelessness in our city, is a decent job.”
http://www.inc.com/multimedia/slideshows/content/bill-strickland_pagen_2.html
http://www.socialedge.org/blogs/bill-strickland
Bill Strickland: Social innovator
As a Pittsburgh youth besieged by racism in the crumbling remains of the steel economy, Bill Strickland should have been one of the Rust Belt’s casualties. Instead, he discovered the potter’s wheel, and the transforming power of fountains, irrepressible dreams, and the slide show.
Why you should listen to him: Bill Strickland’s journey from at-risk youth to 1996 MacArthur “Genius” grant recipient would be remarkable in itself, if it were not overshadowed by the staggering breadth of his vision. While moonlighting as an airline pilot, Strickland founded Manchester Bidwell, a world-class institute in his native Pittsburgh devoted to vocational instruction in partnership with big business — and, almost incidentally, home to a Grammy-winning record label and a world-class jazz performance series. Yet its emphasis on the arts is no accident, as it embodies Strickland’s conviction that an atmosphere of high culture and respect will energize even the most troubled students.
With job placement rates that rival most universities, Manchester Bidwell’s success has attracted the attention of everyone from George Bush, Sr. (who appointed Strickland to a six-year term on the board of the NEA) to Fred Rogers (who invited Strickland to demonstrate pot throwing on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood). And though cumbersome slide trays have been replaced by PowerPoint, the inspirational power of his speeches and slide shows are the stuff of lecture circuit legend.
“With his potter’s hands, Bill Strickland is reshaping the business of social change. His Pittsburgh-based program offers a national model for education, training and hope.”
Fast Company
http://fdhub.net/style-weekly-about-paul-goldmans-style/#comment-34509
Check this out …. for some excellent discussion of the Mayoral campaign and more ….
FYI:
We had a great turn-out for the “meet-and-greet” yesterday and I remain convinced that Grey is the best man for the job.
Grey is the consummate professional and is truly concerned for the well-being of the city and region.
We don’t need another four years of drama and histrionics that are the hallmark of career politicians.
Unfortunately, Pantele and Jones (good men) are to the City of Richmond what George Bush and John McCain are to our nation.
Grey’s message is similar to Obama’s — we need a fresh start and the hope that if we all work together we can make real the vision of a nation (and city) that is “of the people, by the people and for the people.”