The CurrenT
The CurrenT
Wednesday, OCTOber 19, 2016
VOTers Guide
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NOVEMBER 8, 2016 ■ GENERAL ELECTION About the Voters Guide The Current’s Voters Guide for D.C.’s local offices in the Nov. 8 election is available online at issuu.com/currentnewspapers. Information on the advisory neighborhood commission races in our coverage area, as well as an article on the D.C. statehood referendum, is planned for the Oct. 26 issue. The Current’s staff interviewed the six candidates seeking the two D.C. Council at-large seats on the ballot, as well as the three candidates seeking an at-large State Board of Education seat. Candidate profiles and Q&A charts are included for both races. The guide does not include the candidates running for D.C. delegate to the House of Representatives (listed in ballot order): Natale (Lino) Stracuzzi, Statehood Green Party; Eleanor Holmes Norton, Democrat; and Martin Moulton, Libertarian. The Nov. 8 ballot will also include four U.S. presidential candidates: Gary Johnson, Libertarian; Jill Stein, Statehood Green Party; Donald J. Trump, Republican; and Hillary Clinton, Democratic. Other local races are uncontested: ■ Ward 2 D.C. Council member: Jack Evans, Democrat. ■ Ward 4 D.C. Council member: Brandon Todd, Democrat. ■ U.S. shadow representative: Franklin Garcia, Democrat. ■ Ward 2 member of the State Board of Education: Jack Jacobson. ■ Ward 4 member of the State Board of Education: Lannette Woodruff.
About the election The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8. To vote on Election Day, you must go to your assigned polling place; if you have moved and have not updated your address with the Board of Elections, you should go to the polling location serving your old address. Absentee ballots must be received by 8 p.m. Nov. 8 to be counted. Military and overseas voters have until Saturday, Nov. 5, to request absentee ballots; the deadline for other voters is Tuesday, Nov. 1. Early voting begins Saturday, Oct. 22, at One Judiciary Square, 441 4th St. NW, and will continue daily from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Friday, Nov. 4. Satellite early-voting locations — including the Chevy Chase, Columbia Heights and Takoma community centers — will be open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Friday, Oct. 28, through Friday, Nov. 4. For details, visit dcboee.org or call 202-727-2525.
AT-LARGE SEATS (2) D.C. COUNCIL
G. Lee Aikin Statehood Green
Carolina Celnik Republican
John C. Cheeks
David Grosso
Independent
Independent
Matthew Klokel Libertarian
Robert White Democrat
G. Lee Aikin Statehood Green Party
Carolina Celnik Republican
John C. Cheeks Independent
G. Lee Aikin, 78, is the Statehood Green Party nominee for an at-large D.C. Council seat. If elected, the selfemployed Dupont Circle resident pledged to work for fair housing, tax justice and environmental justice. On housing issues, Aikin said she would investigate reports that the D.C. government was forced to return $140 million in federal funding obtained through one of five programs to improve housing for those in need. “I want to get to the bottom of it, and then get volunteers or pay small stipends to keep track of all five programs,” Aikin said. If elected, she would also verify that builders on District-owned land meet the requirements for low- and moderateincome housing. If it’s legal to do so, Aikin said, she wants to require all builders with a certain number of units to have a specified percentage of lowand moderate-income units. (Such a law, called inclusionary zoning, is in fact already on the books for any new building with more 10 or more units.) See Aikin/Page V7
Carolina Celnik, 23, is a project assistant supporting the government regulatory process at the law firm Hogan Lovells. If elected to an at-large D.C. Council seat, the Republican candidate said she would focus on jobs, education and government accountability. To increase job growth, Celnik would reduce the District’s corporate income tax to encourage more businesses to locate here rather than in the suburbs. Doing so would mitigate businesses’ increased costs from the $15 minimum wage and the proposed paid leave act and, hopefully, encourage more businesses to locate here to offset the tax loss, she said. As yet, she does not have specific numbers. Additionally, Celnik said that obtaining business permits can be a lengthy process and should be simplified. Celnik also faulted the council for regulations that she said discouraged Walmart from opening a widely desired Ward 7 store. To improve education, meanwhile, Celnik believes the District should supSee Celnik/Page V7
John C. Cheeks is an independent candidate for an at-large D.C. Council seat. Cheeks, 54, chairs two special committees: the local and national chapters of Public Accountability Safety Standards, which pushes for drug and alcohol standards for government officials, voter protection and government safety organizations; and the United States Citizens Recovery Initiative, a committee pushing for reparations for living descendents of American slaves that plans a future ballot question on the subject. If elected, Cheeks said the three issues he would concentrate on most are affordable housing, jobs and improving police-community relations. Regarding housing affordability, Cheeks’ leading proposal calls for the privatization of public housing. He would offer current occupants ownership rights for up to 30 years. If they live beyond the 30 years, they would be rotated into a different structure; otherwise, their heirs would have the right to See Cheeks/Page V7
David Grosso Independent
Matthew Klokel Libertarian
Robert White Democrat
David Grosso, 46, is the incumbent at-large D.C. Council member in one of two seats reserved for a non-Democrat. Grosso, an independent, said he would prioritize education; health and mental health issues; and criminal justice reform, if re-elected. Grosso, who currently chairs the council’s Committee on Education, said he hopes to retain that post and use his influence to reduce expulsions and implement new methods to track school modernization projects. Regarding expulsions, Grosso said his goal is to help every child succeed in school and end the so-called school-toprison pipeline. He said D.C. must work on alternatives to expelling children and offer teachers more help with difficult pupils. He successfully advocated for a law banning the suspension of 3- and 4-year-olds in D.C. public schools. The previous year, there were 181 such suspensions, he said. Grosso said he would also push for See Grosso/Page V6
Matthew Klokel, 39, is the Libertarian candidate for an at-large D.C. Council seat. Klokel lives near Capitol Hill and owns the Fantom Comics comic book shop in Dupont. If elected, Klokel said his priorities would be to limit the scope of the D.C. government, make government efficient and affordable, and rework opportunities for struggling residents. As a Libertarian, Klokel feels “people should be free to live as they see fit so long as they don’t hurt others.” Government, he said, “should be the last option to resolve issues needing to be fixed.” He called for liberalizing marijuana laws, which could produce more taxes; says the police shouldn’t issue fines for minor infractions, such as bicycling on downtown sidewalks; would eliminate the agency dedicated to taxicab regulation (while retaining regulatory authority over taxis); and favors lower barriers for entry of new businesses, reducing or eliminating many fees, although he was not specific on which ones. See Klokel/Page V6
At-large D.C. Council candidate Robert White, 34, beat incumbent Vincent Orange in June’s Democratic primary, and was appointed last month as Orange’s interim replacement when the council member stepped down early to pursue other employment. If elected to serve a full council term, White told The Current before the primary that he would concentrate on improving schools, creating more affordable housing and creating more jobs. On education, White believes the city needs “a solid turnaround strategy for each underperforming school,” including multi-year budgeting. He favors more investment in early childhood development, improved nutrition for low-income children, and a better program of job retention for good teachers by including them in decision-making processes. White is particularly concerned about improving education for low-income minority children, whom he feels have See White/Page V6
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Wednesday, OCTOber 19, 2016
The CurrenT
AT-LARGE SEAT D.C. STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Ashley Carter
Why should the voters choose you over your opponents?
I would be a stronger advocate for children than the other candidates and wouldn’t accept the status quo.
Please describe some experiences that have shaped your opinions on educational issues and given you the skills to implement your ideas.
Through my community volunteering for the past 10 years with the Junior League and other nonprofits, I’ve seen how the opportunity to be literate has shaped students’ futures. I’ve worked with the D.C. General shelter and the private Washington School for Girls in Ward 8. I’ve seen how one could close the achievement gap.
Tony Donaldson Jr.
Mary Lord
As a 19-year-old, I have a unique perspective and I know what I’m doing. As president of the am more closely connected to students’ National Association of State Boards of experiences. Education, I presided over a nonpartisan organization on how to fix No Child Left Behind, with our ideas largely adopted by Congress. In high school I had great classes and some that Working with parents from all eight wards to could use improvement, which taught me to establish an excellent public charter school when understand how unique each student is. my kids were in first and fourth grades.
Ashley Carter
Tony Donaldson Jr.
Mary Lord
Ashley Carter, a candidate for the at-large State Board of Education seat, is a Capitol Hill resident who works on education policy for the D.C.-based nonprofit Independent Women’s Forum. If elected to the education board, Carter said she would focus on the District’s relatively low high school graduation rate, the need for career and technical education resources, and the need for more individualized attention for students. At the time of Carter’s interview with The Current, the District’s 64 percent four-year graduation rate was the third lowest in the country, she said; officials soon afterward announced it had increased to 69 percent, which still trails the national average. To address the problem, Carter sees a need for more parental involvement, which can be attained through outreach to parents, including home visits and strengthening the liaison role between schools and parents. There should be clear standards and more community engagement, she added. The public schools have made progress, Carter said, but it’s slow. “We should expect more. We deserve better,” Carter said. “Every student should have the opportunity for a good neighborhood school.” Additionally, she said, the District should prepare students so high school graduates have the option to be career-ready as well as college-ready. To do so, more career and technical education resources are needed. Carter said a third of our students going to college must take remedial courses. Some students go to college simply because they don’t know what they want to do. They should have the opportunity to get a job if they are not ready for college. Carter’s third priority is to secure more individualized attention in the classroom. Volunteers and nonprofit organizations need to be recruited to help, she said, adding that currently there are volunteers helping with math and literacy. Volunteers working one-on-one with students can help them catch up to grade level and allow teachers to be more successful. Schools can expand what’s already there by reaching out to nonprofits and potential neighborhood volunteers, Carter said. Many volunteers, she added, are “already knocking down our doors.” The school system should make sure our communities are aware that neighborhood schools are looking for help, Carter said. Carter, 33, grew up on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, where she attended public schools. She holds a degree in government and politics from the University of Maryland at College Park and graduated from law school at the University of Baltimore. She took further legal classes at Catholic University but is not currently practicing law. She has lived in the District for the past 10 years and is engaged to be married.
Tony Donaldson, a graduate of Duke Ellington School of the Arts, lives in the Pleasant Plains neighborhood of Ward 1 and is majoring in political science at Howard University. If elected to the State Board of Education, Donaldson said he would focus on improving community engagement; addressing science, technology, engineering, mathematics and the arts; and working on students’ readiness skills for college and life. Donaldson said that members of the Board of Education should be constantly engaging in schools with parents, teachers and students. Members should not expect those stakeholders to attend board meetings but instead should go into the community to meet with them, he said. Regarding educational focuses, Donaldson said there is now a successful focus on the “STEM” academic subjects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics — but, to his disappointment, there is not a strong focus on the arts. “I’d like to implement arts programs for students across the city, and especially east of the river,” said Donaldson. “We should connect with arts programs already existing in the city and build them into the school system’s curriculum. “Individual students should have the right to select the particular art they want to focus on,” he continued. “If their program choice is unique, we must find a program that is most closely related to the art form the student desires.” Donaldson would also focus on better preparing students for life beyond graduation. “District students have different paths. Some will go to college. Some won’t,” he said. “Schools must give them access to seeing their possibilities.” The system needs to offer programs training students in trades, beyond even what it used to do, and should even include mandatory home economics courses, Donaldson said. His goal is for students to graduate with tangible skills. Donaldson said public schools have been making progress in the past several years, “but there is room for improvement.” Public schools should look at charter schools’ accomplishments and see how their strong points could be adopted, he said. When asked why voters should favor him, he cited his age of 19, which “more closely connects me to the students’ experience. I graduated from high school in 2015, and that gives me a unique perspective to use if elected.” “In my high school experience, I’ve come across great classes and classes that could use improvement,” he added. “I’ve been able to see what works and does not work. It has taught me to understand how unique each student is.” Born in the District, Donaldson participated in numerous theater programs while attending Ellington. He played Ogun in “In the Red and Brown Water” and was the assistant producer of “Black Nativity.”
Mary Lord, 62, is the incumbent at-large State Board of Education member and has held various seats since the board was formed in 2007. A journalist living in Dupont Circle, Lord has been the atlarge member since 2012. If re-elected, Lord said her top priorities would be developing a new accountability plan to close the achievement gap, expanding students’ career horizons and promoting life skills. Regarding accountability, the District’s current metrics focus on standardized tests for reading, math and science, which Lord said don’t go far enough. Among the possibilities for further expansion are social and emotional measures, school climate surveys, and graduation and suspension rates. “The big point is how we ensure every student has a rich curriculum and opportunities to apply what they know, and that we have measures that identify and validate achievement more broadly than just test scores,” said Lord. “We must engage the public … particularly teachers,” she added. “Reform has been, in many cases, something that is top-down. We are developing bottom-up reform and building on the significant successes so far.” Lord also wants to see D.C. Public Schools improve students’ readiness to enter the workforce, which she said would have multiple benefits. “There is a whole lot of evidence that students learn and achieve when they apply classroom knowledge to real-world endeavors, such as automotive tech or apprenticeship in TV studios or internships in government,” she said. “We could create diplomas of distinction for students who graduate with industry certifications, which would validate learning outside of school to foster life skills and point them to well-paying careers.” Lord sees a need for teaching financial literacy as a graduation requirement. She said that many people live paycheck to paycheck, must consider health care plans and take out college loans — and are poorly equipped to navigate financial minefields. Other life skills like showing up on time and working in teams are fostered through extracurricular activities, Lord added, which she said could be factored into graduation requirements. She also wants to ensure that students can read cursive writing — which assists in reading historical texts and helps dyslexic students — and also called for adding computer science to learning standards. Lord grew up in Cambridge, Mass., attending private schools. She graduated from Harvard, majoring in East Asian studies. She has two grown children, one of whom works as a teacher; they attended local public, charter and private schools. Lord has worked as a correspondent for Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report, and currently writes about science and engineering education for the American Society for Engineering Education and does blog posts for science and math teachers.
The CurrenT AT-LARGE SEAT D.C. STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION Do you feel the D.C. Public Schools system is making progress and, if so, is it sufficient? What kinds of cooperation, if any, should there be between regular D.C. Public Schools and charter schools? Do you approve of the “Common Core” seminationwide standards developed with many other states? How should teacher quality be measured?
How would you balance the need for objective means to measure the quality of schools and teachers against concerns about “teaching to the test”?
Are some of our test scores going up because the system is attracting students from better educated families or thanks to improvements in teaching? Currently, school quality is measured largely based on reading and math test scores. Do you feel this is a good idea and why? What other objective criteria, if any, should be used? The board can approve graduation requirements. Should there be different requirements for children planning to attend college and those who plan to immediately enter the workforce? While high school graduation rates are increasing, critics say the higher rate is due to pressure to graduate students regardless of their achievement levels. Since the board has some authority on graduation requirements, how should members address this issue? Should coursework on D.C. residents’ lack of full citizenship rights be a graduation requirement? Students who misbehave in the classroom interfere with learning by their classmates. Yet students who are suspended end up too often in the criminal justice system. How would you address the problem of classroom misbehavior?
Ashley Carter We are, but it’s slow and steady; we should expect more. We deserve better. Every student should have the opportunity for a good neighborhood school. It can’t be one-size-fits-all. We need more communication between the boards to develop public school strategies that have worked in charters. Yes. It’s one model and there is lots to be learned from it. There should be no one set. Student improvement by test scores and teacher evaluations in classroom. Students are now overtested. Should be input from school administrators. But not just test scores and observation of teachers. Both teachers and students are overburdened with test preparation. They should be learning the curriculum and not just for a test. Current tests should be more comprehensive. We should combine some national and state tests. Students will not be as engaged with the learning process if they are simply taught to perform well on the tests. We have seen some improvements in teaching. You can’t correlate better test scores to better educated families moving into the District.
Wednesday, OCTOber 19, 2016
Tony Donaldson Jr. We have made progress, but there is room for improvement.
No. Common Core has many flaws. Our schools are unique.
Yes. I voted to adopt them. They have increased rigor and critical thinking skills.
It should be based on student achievement Student success in and outside of school. A measured by growth in test scores and classroom quality teacher can be one who takes them to a experience based on student surveys. Model UN and science fairs, or arranges overseas travel, or a coach and mentor. We don’t know the exact ways to measure teacher and school achievement levels. It’s not strictly through tests. There is a way to balance the two, but I am not sure what it is.
It’s a combination of both.
No. All students should be held to the same standard.
Any teacher who doesn’t actually prepare We should have a comprehensive portfolio. It students for graduation should be reprimanded. should not be on their test scores alone. Evaluation from teachers should be included and It’s a tricky thing. whether they have been able to master their classes.
Yes, but through our current subjects, not a special course. Put more social workers in the schools. The route must be individual for the student. There is often an underlying problem the student has. Give the student individualized attention. It might be in-school suspension. Or it could be just talking with the student one-on-one. We need to keep students in school. If it’s just for Should we have more in-school suspension? If so, what should be the educational requirements a couple days, they should do their normal for children in in-school suspension? How should coursework in a special class. If it’s a sustained period, they should be paired with specialized it be administered? teachers to help them continue their coursework. I don’t think one has anything to do with the How can a system of quality neighborhood schools be built when children have the right to other. I don’t think it lowers the standards of the neighborhood schools. attend charter schools or other District public schools with better reputations? Do teachers whose schools are in very-lowYes, they need more support such as more afterincome areas need more support? If yes, what school and educational resources, more kind of support? volunteers, and an organized support system. How should we select students for Advanced All students should have the opportunity if they Placement courses? so desire, as long as they have prior coursework showing they are able to take an AP class. Should all students be given tests to determine No. Tests do not always indicate that a student is eligibility for Advanced Placement? capable of learning at an AP level. Not familiar with it. I would be for such a program Should the District introduce a highly selective here. math and science program similar to one at Montgomery County’s Blair High School, as once planned by a former D.C. superintendent? Are there any issues where the board does not Opportunities come up all the time, such as the have actual authority that you would use your contract for school lunches, the budget, the bully pulpit role to push? needs for special education students and the problem of non-residents attending our schools.
Mary Lord I know they’re making progress. It is not fast enough, and disparities remain huge.
I’ve attended charters and a DCPS high school. There needs to be clear shared processes for What are charter schools doing that DCPS is not? enrollment, attendance and record-keeping, and Seeing their strong points can help us improve. they need to share their innovations.
Math and reading are a part of it. We should These are two core subjects. Well-rounded schools also need to focus on arts education and consider student evaluations of their technology. experiences. No. Too often a high school diploma is synonymous with being ready for college. It should not be the case.
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Teachers assess students all the time. An end-ofyear standardized test doesn’t measure learning that happens during the year, but does provide a way of comparing schools and a valuable report to the public and parents. We should audit how much time is being spent on practice tests, see how it improves literacy and other skills. If there is too much practice testing, do it after school. We should have guidelines. Both. The gains are across-the-board.
Science assessments should count, as should graduation, college remediation, suspension rates, school climate surveys and teacher turnover rates. No. The requirements should be the same. Expectations for job success are similar to college success. We should include five-year graduation rates, so there is less pressure to push ill-prepared students. We should consider end-of-course exams and passing state tests as a graduation requirement.
Yes. It’s taught now. It should be a requirement.
Absolutely yes. It kind of is, as there is a D.C. history requirement. Suspension does not help them in any way. There It’s a school-level issue. We should have more in-school suspensions and alternate in-school should be a support system. Mentorships work. The system does not adequately utilize programs to re-engage and support students. mentorships already existing in the city. It works if students still get instruction from a teacher to keep them on track with their coursework. It shouldn’t last more than a week. If it does, counselors and/or social workers who can visit the home should be utilized. We must work with the support system to engage the children who remain. Yes. Establish higher pay levels for teachers, and encourage volunteers to help in the classrooms. Through placement tests and their willingness to work. Yes. Not familiar with the program.
None.
There should be teachers and wraparound service providers with the same expectations for learning. Also, in schools that require a uniform, students shouldn’t be sent home if they don’t have the uniform. Substantially improve and invest in schools. Add programs such as art, language immersion and programs parents want, and they’ll flock to the neighborhood school. It depends on the school. Some high-poverty schools are knocking it out of the park while others continue to languish. Every student should be able to take them, but expect to have to work hard. No, but it might help students identify areas needing work. I’ve visited and reported on it. I think it would be great here, but I’d much rather have strong math and science programs in all our schools. There are many where the board lacks authority, but the pulpit offers us a way to promote equity, parent involvement, study abroad and curriculum changes, and to oppose excessive testing. I used it to restore the ombudsman, who has helped hundreds of families to solve problems.
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Wednesday, OCTOber 19, 2016
AT-LARGE SEATS (2) D.C. COUNCIL
The CurrenT
G. Lee Aikin
Carolina Celnik
Statehood Green
John C. Cheeks
Republican
David Grosso
Independent
Matthew Klokel
Independent
Libertarian
Robert White Democrat
What are the three areas upon which you would concentrate the most as a D.C. council member?
Fair housing for all, tax justice for all, environmental justice for all.
Job growth, education, ethics.
Affordable housing, jobs, improved police force.
Education, health care including mental health, criminal justice reform.
Limiting scope of D.C. government, making government efficient and affordable, reworking opportunities for the poor and near poor.
Improving schools, creating and protecting affordable housing, creating jobs for local residents.
How would you differentiate yourself from your competitors?
I am unbought. My main concern is helping the bottom half economically, with fairness to all.
I’m more accessible and tougher on crime. I’d be more transparent and accountable.
Strong character; I believe highly in transparency and have a significant policy background.
Yes, but restricted to same low level as others.
Yes.
My four years being on the council, and chairing the Committee on Education for the past two years. No to firms and owners; spouses and employees would be OK.
I am the diversity of voice. I’m the one person who would say: “We don’t need to do this.” I’m the skeptic.
Should firms that do business with the city be allowed to make political contributions? How about their owners, spouses and employees?
I’m seeking reparations and restitution for living descendents of American slaves. Yes.
Would you support some Yes, but uncertain on form of public financing of details. campaigns? If yes, what form? Should we have raised the Yes. minimum wage, as urged by Mayor Muriel Bowser?
No.
Yes, through a bond use Yes, a 5-1 public matching not to exceed $30,000 per for contributions under candidate. $100.
Yes.
Yes. I would support a contribution match. I’d look for successful arrangements nationally.
No. It hurts the unemployment rate by crippling business growth.
Yes for city government contractors of $1 million or more, but not for retailers, service employers or nongovernment contractors.
I voted for it. I want a study to determine the right amount from the perspective of both workers and the business community. Yes to all three. Ultimately, it is a pro-business and pro-employee bill. Small companies with under 20 employees are allowed to replace employees going on leave without any penalties.
No. Raising it hurts most unskilled workers.
Yes, but use the savings from social services to help small businesses. They could apply based on need.
No. It makes businesses less likely to hire women. Any such leave should not be at the cost to individual businesses.
Increase residential safety net for utility bills for verylow-income people, mental health services for schoolchildren, school construction, support for first-time homebuyers in the District. Decrease school-by-school construction funds to address the Ellington issue. Reduce the number of deputy mayors. More oversight of both regular and charter schools, especially in budgeting, truancy regulations and teacher recruitment.
No increases. Decreases through privatization of many services.
We should pass a version with 12 instead of 16 weeks. New York has one that is employee-paid. I may be open to having it partially employee-paid, but need to study the economic model for it before deciding. Increase funding for schools, affordable housing and job training. Can save a lot of money by looking at contracts, such as the DC Children and Youth Investment Trust’s.
No.
Uncertain.
Should the D.C. Council pass the proposed bill to provide paid family leave? Would it put some employers at risk? Do employees need its benefits?
Uncertain. I need to know Not in its current form. I’m I need to look at it more more about the details and not proposing any revisions in-depth. as yet. the size of affected employers.
In considering a proposed budget, what spending areas, if any, would you like increased? Which decreased?
Increase low-cost housing, health care, preschool and low-wage employee day care. Eliminate subsidies to no-bid developers, sweetheart deals for big campaign contributors, and stadium projects for billionaires.
Increase education, snow removal and fixing potholes, and other constituent services. Decrease public transportation. Reduce income taxes for those earning less than $10,000.
Increase repairing and developing infrastructure, workforce development and affordable housing. Can’t slash anything now.
What steps do you think the council should take to improve public education?
Hire a better chancellor, more robust early child education, don’t sell underutilized school buildings, re-evaluate Common Core and citywide testing.
Increase public school teacher salaries and incentivize homegrown teachers. Increase enforcement of residency requirements for students.
Start children at 3 years old. Complete high school at 15 years old. Athletes could attend until 18 if they wish. Bring back vocational learning.
Should the State Board of Education have more power than it does now?
Yes. An independent elected board should run the school system.
No.
We often pay favored Given the fact that many contractors 20 percent recent school over non-favored. modernizations are way over their original budgets, are you concerned that the District might be overpaying or otherwise spending its money inefficiently? If so, what would you do about it? Do you support allowing a neighborhood enrollment preference for charter schools?
Yes, for a reasonable percentage of their students.
Yes, as shifty candidates No. They should play no will always find ways to get role in fundraising. money. Transparency is the answer.
It should have power to approve new schools and authority to change curriculums. School modernizations Yes. You don’t increase need money as most educational quality with beautiful facilities. The key facilities were built to last is whether a renovation will about 50 years. increase the ability of kids Commission of Fine Arts has the power to approve to learn. or reject any type of school construction or renovations after the council has approved a budget. Yes, for a percentage of their students.
No.
Encourage more charter schools and have ability to fire or promote public school teachers and pay the good ones more.
Yes. I’ve written a proposed We need better oversight law to restrict spending on and stricter contracts. projects and have more oversight. We now do three hearings a year instead of just one. I have monthly conversations with the Department of General Services and the school system on every working project, and we have public hearings. I’m studying the issue. I’m No. hoping to come to a conclusion this fall.
Invest more on early childhood development, nutrition for low-income kids, and do a better job retaining good teachers by including them in decisionmaking. Create turnaround plans for low-performing schools, including multiyear budgeting, expand vocational education and improve collaboration between public and charter schools. I’m open to the idea, to increase accountability for parents and neighborhoods. We’re definitely overspending and spending inefficiently. We need to do a better job of oversight.
Yes, but not requiring it.
21 Voters
The CurrenT AT-LARGE SEATS (2) D.C. COUNCIL
G. Lee Aikin
Carolina Celnik
Statehood Green
Wednesday, OCTOber 19, 2016
John C. Cheeks
Republican
David Grosso
Independent
Matthew Klokel
Independent
V5
Robert White
Libertarian
Democrat
Regarding D.C. Public Schools, should the council take actions that the mayor might think interfere with her ability to run the system, given the progress we have made and the fact that we have so far to go? Should cyclists be ticketed when they go through red lights or stop signs? Do you approve of the city’s allowing recreational marijuana sales or possession in the face of congressional opposition? Did you approve of Mayor Bowser’s original plans for locating family homeless shelters in seven of the eight wards?
Yes. An elected independent school board should run the system. Meanwhile, Common Core testing needs re-evaluation.
The council should be able I think the council should to check the mayor’s allow the mayor to have a educational policies. case-by-case approval of how schools are managed. But she should not have total control.
I engage with the mayor and education officials. It would not impede progress. We are making progress, but we still have a long way to go.
We shouldn’t take power away from a single accountable person. I question the testing methods we use.
I don’t think we’ve made real progress for lowincome minority students. I would support any actions that would help our kids.
Yes.
Yes, absolutely.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
No.
Yes, as long as Congress as a result doesn’t freeze our budget.
I approve of treating it like alcohol.
Yes.
Yes.
No, as there were sweetheart deals involved.
No. All eight wards should Undecided. have them. People living in them should, if possible, be the shelters’ employees.
Yes, but I approved of the council’s changes in their locations.
Yes, but uncertain about locations.
Do you approve of the Ward 3 homeless shelter location in the police station parking lot? Given the political difficulty of becoming a state, should we continue to forcefully push for statehood, or should we push for a vote in the House and other home rule items and postpone the push for statehood?
Need more information.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Not familiar with location.
Yes. There should be shelters in every ward. I support the locations selected by the D.C. Council, so we would own the facilities. I am unsure of other options, but we need a shelter in the ward.
We should do both. Fair is fair, and having no vote is unfair.
Yes. Push now for a House vote, and in the long term push for statehood.
We have to do both. Statehood is a bad idea. We should push for commonwealth territory status for a period of, say, 400 years that would give us a vote in the House and the Senate and budget autonomy. The District does not have enough revenue or tangible natural resources to afford full statehood.
We should push for voting and more home rule. I favor statehood, but its chances are too slim.
It depends on the makeup of Congress. Should the Democrats control, we should push for statehood. With a Republican Congress, we have to take incremental steps.
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V6
Wednesday, OCTOber 19, 2016
AT-LARGE SEATS (2) D.C. COUNCIL
The CurrenT
G. Lee Aikin
Carolina Celnik
Statehood Green
John C. Cheeks
Republican
Pick one weekday evening for an early shutdown for more repair time after polling businesses for their slowest evening. Should there be a special Yes. All jurisdictions using tax that D.C. and the other it should pay a fair share. jurisdictions served by Metro levy to support transit services? Should the District expand Uncertain. We must first its streetcar network see if it is cost-effective on beyond H Street? H Street.
Tell Metro to use fewer contractors and rely more on in-house personnel. Prioritize quality and safety over expansion. No.
Keep subways running 24 hours a day using single tracking when necessary, buses for 12 hours.
Would you have supported Absolutely not. I fought the the terms Mayor Bowser takeover. proposed for the settlement agreement between Pepco and Exelon?
Matthew Klokel
Independent
Robert White
Libertarian
Democrat
I’m impressed with the current manager. When they cut services, they reduce ridership.
I’d use my federal connections to push for increased federal funding.
No.
The council has oversight responsibility for the funds we send Metro. But we have to be very committed and ensure Metro is safe. Yes.
Yes, uncertain on rate.
Yes. There must be a dedicated source, and that tax makes the most sense.
Absolutely not.
Yes.
All the way to Georgetown.
No. Improve the bus system.
No.
Undecided.
No.
No.
Yes. Pay for it through bonds and a fuel tax increase.
No. Exelon was just trying Unfamiliar with issue. to increase its payment base to pay for the decommissioning of its nuclear facilities. I fear it is not committed to renewable energy. No. No. Public funding of sports stadiums has no economic value.
Only if it can be done in a partnership with the private sector. No.
Use underutilized schools for after-school and adult education programs.
Increase vocational education programs in public schools and for adults. Have system for adults without high school diplomas to get them.
Through a recovery act with job training features and tax rebates for employers.
What would you as a city council member do to improve the Metrorail system?
Would you support public spending for a new football stadium at the site of RFK? If yes, how would you offset the cost? How can we improve job training in low-income areas of the city?
David Grosso
Independent
GROSSO From Page V1 annual assessments of each school’s Department of Behavioral Health needs, adding that he feels the department doesn’t have enough of a presence in many schools. Services should be targeted depending on the nature of a school’s needs, he added. Additionally, Grosso has worked to prioritize school modernizations based on need rather than politics. “There were 11 schools in wards 7 and 8 which had no
KLOKEL From Page V1 Americans should be freer to be innovators and do things the government is not good at, Klokel said, while government “is there to be the referee.” He favors reducing the number of D.C. Public Schools campuses and encouraging more charters. He wants more contracting out of government office work, among
modernization funds until I was elected,” he said. Regarding health care, Grosso said he has worked on mental health services and wants to shift to a medical home model “to provide services more comprehensively.” Now, mental and medical care providers are newly able to share records, he said. Grosso also called for changes to criminal justice in D.C. “We must recognize that sending people to jail is not the best solution to the problems we are dealing with,” he said. “We shouldn’t make prisoners worse off when they are released.” Instead,
other roles. One particular example is to hire private companies for garbage collection, which he said would “lower costs and improve quality due to competition.” The city government would hire the collectors and depend on advisory neighborhood commissions to report on service quality. In general, Klokel said, government should find the best contractors and ensure they meet standards, canceling the contracts
WHITE From Page V1 not really benefited from the school system’s progress. He agrees with the mayor’s plan to rebuild the District’s older school buildings on a complete basis rather than just fixing up dilapidated parts of buildings. Because many rebuilding projects are significantly over budget, White said he wants the council to hold oversight hearings on school modernization at least every quarter. Regarding affordable housing, White
We must partner better with the businesses. Provide more programs for fields with openings. We are failing in health care technology and should prepare workers for it.
said the government should purchase affordable apartment buildings if they go on the market to prevent their conversion into higher-priced units. These buildings should be subject to “a permanent covenant limiting rent on a share of the units, adjusting for inflation once they go back on the market,” he said. Such a strategy would be a less-costly affordable housing approach than building new units, White said. He also wants the city to work with commercial building owners to convert underutilized office structures into apartments with a large percentage of affordable units. On jobs issues, White said the District
Educational improvements, Ensure programs get better bus system, people into jobs and not eliminate District’s just prepare a certificate. minimum wage.
he said, D.C. prisoners should have access to job training and mental health assistance to prepare them for the outside world. “The jail building itself needs to be replaced,” he said. There needs to be a long-term facility “that is not just a traditional model.” Grosso additionally said the council must look into penalizing some non-violent criminal offenses, such as marijuana possession, without resorting to a prison sentence. And he said the District’s next police chief may be able to further reduce police violence through community engagement.
if they do not, he added. Regarding social issues, Klokel said that “District residents not living in affluent areas are being left behind.” To solve the problem, he called for additional vocational education, which would be handled by private schools. The city would give adult students checks made out to their vocational schools, and monitor and regulate vocational schools the way it now regulates charter schools. “There will be some who don’t do
No.
“There is a need for police officers to get to know the community where they are active in a meaningful way,” he said. Grosso is married with no children. After he was born in the District, his family moved for several years to Virginia before returning. He now lives in Brookland. Grosso attended Earlham College in Indiana, majoring in philosophy. He later graduated from Georgetown’s law school but has never practiced law. Prior to being elected four years ago, he worked for thenWard 6 Council member Sharon Ambrose and D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton.
it well and be closed,” he added. Another issue is that the city has huge deserts with no local businesses, said Klokel. While there could be some government investment, government should recruit private funds for grants and help entrepreneurs get business licenses, he said: “There is plenty of available private money from universities, developers and neighborhood groups.” Additionally, Klokel wants the District to improve the bus system
should use tax incentives and low- or nointerest loans to recruit restaurants and grocery stores to neighborhoods that need them to create more entry-level positions. He called for employment training programs on large infrastructure projects, such as Pepco’s ongoing effort to bury selected power lines. White also favors raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour and offering profits tax rebates to businesses that make local hires to protect D.C. residents from Virginians seeking the jobs rather than lower-paid positions in their own state. White is an attorney who most recently
with more express buses to help poorer neighborhood residents get around. The government could do it, “but it would be better to privatize buses with privately employed drivers,” he said. “We focus too much on the Metro.” Born in New York City, Klokel has a business degree from Carnegie Mellon University. In D.C., he has worked for the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, and opened Fantom Comics 11 years ago.
served as community outreach director for D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine. He has also served as general counsel for D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton and as a clerk in the Montgomery County District Court. He is also president of the Brightwood Park Citizens Association in Ward 4. He’s married with a newborn child. White, a fifth-generation Washingtonian, is the only college graduate in his family. His mother died when he was 8 years old, and he was brought up by his father. He has philosophy and political science degrees from St. Mary’s College of Maryland, and a law degree from American University.
23 Voters
The CurrenT
AIKIN From Page V1 The District’s lack of affordable housing has already forced restaurants to house workers overnight during snow emergencies, Aikin said, because the workers have to live too far from their jobs. “Builders are ‌ forcing low- and moderate-income people out of the city,â€? Aikin said. Her goal is to reverse the trend of gentrification. Aikin also questioned Mayor Muriel Bowser’s plans to close the D.C. General
CELNIK From Page V1 port charter schools and the opportunity scholarship program, which uses federal funds to allow D.C. students to attend private schools. She would reduce classroom sizes and increase the percentage of the city budget allocated to education by looking elsewhere for savings, but offered no specifics. Celnik said the District should build more public schools and encourage the growth of private and charter schools, “which offer diversity to serve our incredibly diverse population� and more options for students and families. “But,� she added, “it is extremely important we support our regular public schools by using what works well at the charters in the regular public schools.� Celnik also advocated joint sports programs between charters and regular public schools and called for giving PTAs “more power in the community.� Regarding government accountability, Celnik said the
CHEEKS From Page V1 purchase the unit for 30 years. If the heirs decline, someone else could buy a 30-year ownership right from the estate with a down payment of between $100 and $30,000, based on income. Lower-income buyers would have preference. Heirs would receive their original down payment along with interest, Cheeks said. If the buyer makes a lower down payment, the community housing trust fund would reimburse the heirs so total receipts would equal the original down payment plus interest. Meanwhile, to improve the District’s job situation, Cheeks said the unemployed residents should be placed in a fast-track training system that will give them skills in areas where D.C. has a shortage of qualified workers: infrastructure, technical service and health care. While learning, he said, they would be employed with a District company, which would receive a tax credit of between $25,000 and $75,000 until the
homeless shelter, suggesting that the mayor may have other uses in mind for the site. Aikin said she’d research the possibility of using empty shipping containers for housing. Catholic University has a dormitory built from them. It would cost only about $35,000 to build a one-person unit, Aikin said. Regarding tax issues, Aikin called for the District to follow the federal example of tying exemptions and deductions to inflation. In D.C., she said, these items are updated only when the council enacts a change. She also wants to raise awareness
council hasn’t been adequately transparent and accessible to the public. “There needs to be a real call to action for the council to include its constituency in the policymaking process,â€? she said in an August interview. “I have canvassed every weekend since April and met close to 1,000 people. Every weekend ‌ people have told me they have emailed or telephoned council members directly and not received responses. That’s a big motivating factor for what we saw on June 14 where several incumbents lost their seats. ‌ A lot of people have told me it’s a lack of responsiveness.â€? Celnik said it’s not only important for elected officials to respond to messages, but also to take what they hear seriously. “Policy should come from your constituents directly,â€? she said. Celnik — a graduate of American University, where she majored in economics — was born in Brazil, where her parents worked for a hotel. The family later moved to suburban Virginia, and she now lives in the Navy Yard area. employee is sufficiently skilled to perform the duties. Participating companies would also get bonus points on city contracts or subcontracts. On public safety issues, Cheeks said improving policecommunity relations should begin by reinstating officer pay raises. “We don’t want the police to be disgruntled,â€? he said. Another issue is the selection of the permanent replacement for retired Chief Cathy Lanier. “I would probably want to consider a chief of police who is sensitive to and knows the District’s African-American community,â€? Cheeks said. He also said the police department should create open-door neighborhood satellite offices, located where crime statistics are high, and called for stiffer penalties for community stores selling synthetic drugs — the buildings and their contents could be automatically seized. Cheeks, a Brookland resident, is single with two grown children. He was born in the District and grew up on Capitol Hill. He graduated from Catholic University, majoring in liberal arts.
V7
Wednesday, OCTOber 19, 2016
of a tax refund available to certain residents who rent or pay property taxes, and will consider providing assistance to small businesses that lease their space. Aikin also raised a concern about the District’s vacant property tax law, which increases the rates for unoccupied properties. She cited an example of a 95-year-old woman who risked losing her home due to an extended hospital visit. On environmental issues, Aikin said the District should increase the financial benefits associated with solar panels installed on a home by eliminating management and
distribution fees. She also opposed the development project at the McMillan Reservoir, calling for the preservation of green space rather than a “Tysons Corner� type of development with additional pavement. She also favors additional work to help the Anacostia River. Aikin has a background in science and politics, having worked at the National Institutes of Health, the George Washington University medical school’s pharmacology department, the Democratic National Committee and elsewhere. She’s widowed with two children and four grandchildren.
District of Columbia Board of Elections Tuesday, November 8, 2016 General Election Where and when can I vote in the General Election? You can vote on Tuesday, November 8 at your neighborhood polling place from 7:00am to 8:00pm. Election workers will confirm your name and address using electronic poll books. If you do not know your assigned polling place, please s visit the District of Columbia Board of Elections at www.dcboee.org, or call the 24-hour automated telephone service at (202) 727-2525. Some polling places have recently changed. Can I vote early? You can vote early from Saturday, October 22 until Friday, November 4 at the One Judiciary Square (OJS)* and at any one of the nine Early Voting Centers from Friday, October 28 until Friday, November 4. Early voting hours are 8:30am to 7:00pm, including Sundays. Early Voting Centers:
Ward
Early Voting Centers:
Ward
Columbia Heights Community Center 1480 Girard Street, NW
1
Turkey Thicket Recreation Center 1100 Michigan Avenue, NE
5
*One Judiciary Square 441 4th Street, NW (Old City Council Chambers)
2
King Greenleaf Recreation Center 201 N Street, SW
6
Chevy Chase Community Center 5601 Connecticut Avenue, NW
3
Sherwood Recreation Center 640 10th Street, NE
6
Takoma Community Center 300 Van Buren Street, NW
4
Dorothy I. Height/Benning Library 3935 Benning Road, NE
7
Malcolm X Elementary School 1351 Alabama Avenue, SE
8
Need Directions to an Early Voting Center? Visit www.vote4dc.com, or download our Mobile App, Vote4DC to get directions to the Early Voting Center nearest you. Vote4DC can be accessed on any Android, iOS, or Windows system. Need to Register at the Polls? Bring a driver’s license or identification card issued by the District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles (DC DMV). No DC DMV-issued identification? Bring any of the following that shows your name and current address in the District: Lease or residential agreement Occupancy statement Utility bill university housing or tuition bill Bank statement Statement from a homeless shelter Any other government document Tips to Improve Your Voting Experience‌ Confirm your registration. Call the Board of Elections at (202) 727-2525 or visit our website at www.dcboee.org to confirm your registration is current. Know whether you need to bring ID. If you are not already registered to vote, or if you have recently registered by mail, you may be required to present ID that shows your name and current address. Even if you don’t need to present ID, having one helps speed up the check-in process. Be prepared to vote. You can bring notes with your ballot choices into the voting booth. You can even bring your sample ballot already marked and use it to help you complete your official ballot. Please discard or take any notes with you once you have voted. (You may not distribute campaign material within 50 feet of the polling place entrance.) Cast your ballot at your assigned polling place. If you are unable to get to your assigned polling place on Election Day, we encourage you to vote early or by mail. The last day to request an absentee ballot is November 1. Ask for help if you need it. If you need assistance, you can bring a friend or family member, or you may ask an election worker to help you. You may not be assisted by a poll watcher, election observer or your employer, agent of your employer, or union official. We have Spanish, Chinese, and ASL interpreters available on Election Day at select polling locations. Language assistance is available to all voters through various media. Make sure your completed ballot is correct. Paper ballots for this election are double-sided. Review your ballot for completeness and accuracy. If you prefer, you may skip contests on the ballot. Choosing to vote in some contests and not other will not invalidate your ballot. Questions? Telephone: 202-727-2525 TTY: (202) 639-8916 Toll Free: 1-866-DC-VOTES &,)90:, /::6 === +*)5,, 58. ? $=0::,8 ! Mobile App: Vote4DC
V8 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2016
THE CURRENT
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