I am so honoured by the confidence placed in me by Victoria voters, for a second time.  I will work hard to warrant that trust, and look forward to collaborating with all Victorians to bring our dreams to life in practical, thoughtful, responsible ways.

To my family, my campaign team and my supporters - thank you!

We'll get our signs down today, take a breath - and then get to work!

Marianne

Victoria’s arts community is incredibly vibrant, and is a critical contributor to the economic and cultural wealth of our community. The local economic activity generated by the greater Victoria arts and culture sector in 2010 was $127 million in net income (GDP) activity*. This is an astounding economic driver, and we must pay attention to fostering a local environment that will sustain and grow this sector.

Victoria’s new Official Community Plan and Economic Development Strategy recognize the value of arts and culture to Victoria’s future. Let’s get started activating those plans, and have a conversation with our community about how best to proceed.

One start, perhaps, is with a few choice projects...

One way to open up government is to enable easy access to information. I believe that making City of Victoria data routinely accessible to all is a basic principle of democracy. It is an effective way to increase transparency, stimulate economic development, reduce risk, engage our residents and encourage innovation.

I am proud to say that my ‘Open Government through Open Data’ initiative was adopted by Victoria City Council On October 13. If re-elected, I will facilitate the implementation of this initiative, and take more action to open up city hall to Victoria residents.

Here is the background information and Motions that Council adopted...

I believe that an effective transportation network is key to Victoria’s economic prosperity and environmental sustainability. It is one of three key components in what I think must be a regional strategy to plan and deliver services that benefit the south island (the others being policing and emergency preparedness).

A ‘business as usual’ approach to local transportation means more congestion, more urban sprawl and higher greenhouse gas emissions. We need an integrated regional transportation plan to provide practical alternatives to single-occupant vehicles, including public transit, car sharing, cycling and pedestrian amenities.

Local businesses and residents alike have identified some key challenges...

The Victoria News asked me to summarize my 'platform', what I want to achieve in a full term as City Councillor, in just 40 words.  Here are those 40 words:

· new affordable housing

· regional planning and delivery of police, transportation and emergency preparedness services

· comprehensive open government initiatives

· facilitate integrated health services for vulnerable people

· work with business to create jobs

· limit tax increases

· secure new revenue to fund public services.

Recently, the Victoria News asked: What would you like voters to know about you?

Here's what I replied...

"I’m a facilitator by trade. I know how to bring people together, find their common ground, balance competing interests and get results. I value the process of collaboration, and am committed to practical outcomes that make sense. Elected less than a year ago, I brought those skills to city hall ...

I made a bold promise last fall – to take action on harm reduction and homelessness.

Just two months after being elected, I brought forward a Motion to create a new integrated model of care that will provide a continuum of high quality harm reduction and related health services.

As the proponent of this comprehensive policy and framework...

In campaign 2010, I promised to help promote a healthy, green economy.

In my first 11 months, I’ve supported a reduction in the tax rate for Victoria businesses, brought forward a Motion on a new STIR program to create short term incentives for rental housing, examined each line of our 2011 budget to find every opportunity to hold the line on residential taxes – while looking under every rock for new money so we can still provide quality community services.

And I have scrutinized dozens of development proposals and brought to bear a balanced consideration of their merits, looking to our new Official Community Plan for guidance to ensure we have the right homes available for the 20,000 new residents that Victoria needs to fuel its economic success in the coming decades.

We must act...

In last fall’s campaign I committed to make citizen involvement easier, so residents have more access to local decision-makers and information. 

I’m really proud of the ‘Councillor Open Door’ sessions I’ve been running at the community centres in my liaison neighbourhoods, Oaklands and Vic West. Neighbourhood residents can just walk in without an appointment and ask for my help on their issues, or talk with me about their ideas.  In these last eleven months I’ve met with hundreds of people, responded to just as many phone inquiries, and tried to solve as many problems.  And where there have been conflicting views at the table, I’ve done my best to find the common ground on which to build the best possible solution.

And I am extremely excited to have presented a package of open government initiatives to city council that will empower citizen engagement and create a new environment of ‘open data’ policies to make a whole new range of city information and data available to anyone.  Council’s committee of the whole unanimously recommended adoption of my Open Data Motions, which were approved by the full Council October 13th.  Open data is just the first step – coming soon are fully recorded Council votes, live video streaming of Council meetings, and a host of other activities to bring greater transparency to city government operations.  You can read the details in a full note on my Facebook page.

Just a couple of quick examples of how I have acted on my campaign commitments.  Check back again for more!

Friends, it’s been ten short months since Victorians placed their confidence in me as a City Councillor.  My election was in no small part due to your support.

I love my job.   Every day I go to work with a sense of excitement, eager to explore and act on every opportunity to help make Victoria a better place to live.

Now, its time for me to seek a full term as a Victoria City Councillor, and a CRD Director.

Last year, I made four promises.  I’m proud to say I’ve made progress on every one of them, and accomplished a few extras, too.

In the coming days, I’ll be posting more information on my first term, and what I hope to do in term two.  Check back often!

I thank you for your continued support and consideration.

Marianne

Huge thanks to the voters who braved the cold! As I understand it, we won every polling station yesterday. What an honour! And you gave the City a strong statement that it is time to replace the bridge and move forward. Thank you Victoria!

Vic News wrote, "...candidate Marianne Alto won her seat on council by a wide margin..

“I’m proud that my campaign has been focused on practical ideas and a positive vision for Victoria’s future,” said Alto. “From homelessness to transportation, open government and arts and culture, I laid out specific ideas for voters to consider as they make their decision on who is best to represent them.”

Marianne Alto is the only candidate in the Victoria by-election to develop a plan for Victoria’s arts and culture. With consultation from Victoria’s cultural leaders, Alto announced steps she would take in Council to re-stabilize our cultural sector.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 17, 2010

VICTORIA –Local Victoria business owners are joining the broad range of endorsers in support of Marianne Alto’s campaign for Victoria city council in the Nov. 20 by-election. Business endorsers for Alto include Gordy Dodd, Dodd’s Furniture, Elizabeth Cull, Dig This, Evelyn Andrews-Greene, Andrews-Greene Chartered Accountants, Doug Balson, Dialogue Research Inc. Paul Ramsey, Clever Elephant Solutions and Erik Ages, CASPER Communications .

I regret my oversight in not securing a business licence for my consulting practice. I now have a valid inter-municipal business licence from the District of Saanich. I appreciate the matter being brought to my attention, and your many expressions of support.