The Current
The Current april 28, 2015 ■ special election Ward 4 seat D.C. Council
Acqunetta Anderson
Leon T. Andrews Jr.
Ron Austin
contributors. Sloan: No, just strengthen laws on transparency. Tengen: No. Todd: No. Toliver: No, because of Supreme Court decisions, but there should be disclosure.
■ What changes, if any, should be made on rules for political contributions to ensure honesty among the District’s elected officials? Anderson: Forbid District developers from contributing. Andrews: Continued transparency, stronger enforcement and elimination of loopholes. Austin: Ban contributions from government contractors. Bowser: Ban contributions from those having or hoping to get District contracts within 18 months. Corley-Bowman: Limit size to $1,000 per contributor. Jones: Increase the donation limit to $1,000. Limit the paperwork. Have government financing for those who have raised a certain amount. Powell: Expand and enforce pay-to-play legislation. Sloan: Continue on recent path of assuring their transparency. Tengen: The rules are adequate. The question is how well they will be audited. Todd: The changes are right on par. I’d be willing to take another look after the next few election cycles. Toliver: Ensure full disclosure of familial relationship between donors.
■ Should we have encouraged Walmart to locate here? Anderson: Yes, returning citizens and others need jobs. Andrews: No. Austin: Yes, to create jobs. Bowser: No, as the District government pays Medicare and other benefits for people who work there and don’t live in D.C. Corley-Bowman: Not unless they agreed to the large retailer minimum wage law. Jones: Yes, but not six stores. Powell: No. Sloan: Yes. It’s provided lots of jobs. Tengen: Yes. Todd: Yes. It’s a great thing providing access to quality goods. Toliver: Yes, but only if the company provided more community benefits such as free parking and community rooms.
■ Should there be a ban on donations to campaigns from people or companies doing business with the D.C. government? Anderson: Yes. Andrews: Only if there is a potential for a quid pro quo. Austin: Yes. Bowser: Yes, and not from those hoping to do so within 18 months. Corley-Bowman: Yes. Jones: Yes. Powell: No, but council members should not vote on matters affecting their
Voters Guide
Renée Bowser Gwenellen CorleyBowman
■ Should you be elected to the D.C. Council, what are the three areas upon which you would concentrate the most? Anderson: Affordable housing, education, economic development. Andrews: Education, economic development, public safety. Austin: Crime, senior citizens, homelessness. Bowser: Community-centered economic development, affordable housing, schools. Corley-Bowman: Job opportunities, public middle school, affordable housing. Jones: Education, smart development, D.C. statehood. Powell: Education, affordable housing, jobs and income equality. Sloan: Housing affordability, education, local renewable energy industry. Tengen: Education, affordable housing, constituent services. Todd: Senior citizens, education reform, constituent services. Toliver: Education, economic development, affordable housing.
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
■ Would you have voted for the Large Retailer Accountability Act, which would have raised the minimum wage for Walmart and other “big box” stores? Anderson: Yes. Andrews: Yes. Austin: No. Minimum wages should be changed for the entire city. Bowser: Yes. Corley-Bowman: Yes. Jones: Yes. Powell: Yes. Sloan: Yes, all large D.C. companies should provide robust living wages. Tengen: Yes. Todd: No. Toliver: No. We should not have picked just on large retailers.
■ Considering the expected deficit of over $200 million, what spending areas, if any, would you like increased and which decreased in an upcoming budget? Anderson: Increase affordable housing, renovating schools and educational resources. See no decreases. Andrews: Increase education, infrastructure and enforcement of policies that allow aging in place. Unsure on decreases. Austin: Increase on homelessness. Put soccer stadium on hold. Bowser: Increase rent supplements, housing construction and the Housing Production Trust Fund. Look at cutting subsidies for developers, particularly for those not obeying District law. Corley-Bowman: Increase spending on homeless, youth job placement and grants for affordable housing. Pay for it with increased corporate taxes. Jones: I am unsure. I don’t think any areas should be cut back. Education
Judi Jones
Edwin W. Powell
should be the priority, not sports arenas. Powell: More spending in targeted areas of education, economic development. Decrease streetcar project. Sloan: Increase homelessness spending. Decrease streetcars. Tengen: Increase in housing because much of the deficit is due to homelessness; increase capital expenditures for modernizing schools. No decreases. Todd: No increases. Look for savings across the government through greater efficiency. Toliver: Increase for schools, elderly services and affordable housing. Decrease out-of-state education spending without taking away kids’ services. Re-examine soccer stadium economics and leasing and procurement practices. ■ Which taxes would you like increased and which taxes would you like decreased, given our current budget situation? Anderson: Decrease property taxes for seniors, people with disabilities, veterans, and women who are single heads of households. Decrease developer tax breaks. Andrews: Decrease residential property taxes. Increase business taxes. Austin: Would not like to see increases. Bowser: It was unwise to reduce the estate tax for the wealthy. Restore the old level. Make income taxes more progressive. Corley-Bowman: Increase corporate profits taxes. Decrease bag tax. Jones: I wouldn’t cut any taxes, but I wouldn’t plan to increase any either. Powell: Decrease business taxes and middle personal income taxes. Increase taxes on cigarettes and alcohol, as well as sales taxes. Take estate tax back to $1 million threshold. Sloan: Fewer speed cameras; increase cigarette taxes; increase taxes moderately for store-purchased alcohol; increase income taxes for the very wealthy. Tengen: Have a possible sports tax for teams playing in District. Todd: Lower business franchise tax; raise standard deductions to be consistent with federal levels; create a lower tax bracket of 6.5 percent for the middle class. Toliver: We can balance budget without increasing taxes. Look at reducing fees. ■ Should the city increase taxes on those with incomes over $250,000? $500,000? $1 million? Anderson: Yes. Andrews: Yes for over $500,000 Austin: Yes for over $250,000 Bowser: Increase for over $500,000 Corley-Bowman: Yes for over $500,000. Jones: Unsure. Powell: Yes for all three. Sloan: Increases for each category on staggered basis. Tengen: Yes for those making over $1 million.
Douglass Sloan
Bobvala Tengen
Brandon Todd
V1
Dwayne M. Toliver
About the Voters Guide The Current’s Voters Guide for the April 28 special election appears in The Current and The Washington Informer. The section is also available online at issuu.com/currentnewspapers. The Current’s staff interviewed candidates for the Ward 4 D.C. Council seat left vacant when Muriel Bowser became mayor. Glova Scott initially agreed to participate but ended the interview after several questions, and she therefore is not included in the section. Pedro Rubio Jr. appears on the ballot but has withdrawn from the race. The guide appearing in The Washington Informer also includes the Ward 8 council race to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Marion Barry.
About the election The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 28. Voters will be able to use either paper ballots or touch-screen voting equipment at their polling place. You may also request an absentee ballot by mail through April 21. Early voting begins April 13 at One Judiciary Square, 441 4th St. NW, and will continue daily from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. through April 25 except Thursday, April 16 (Emancipation Day), and Sunday, April 19. Satellite early-voting locations — at Takoma Community Center, 300 Van Buren St. NW, and Malcolm X Elementary School, 1351 Alabama Ave. SE — will be open April 18 through 25, except on Sunday. For details, visit dcboee.org or call 202-727-2525. Todd: No. We should first look for greater efficiency. Toliver: Temporary increases, a year at a time for those making over $1 million. ■ Would doing so drive some affluent residents into the suburbs, resulting in lost revenue? Anderson: I don’t think so. Andrews: I don’t think so. They understand that to those whom much is given, much is expected. Austin: I don’t think so. Bowser: Studies elsewhere have shown it doesn’t. Corley-Bowman: No. Jones: No. Powell: I don’t think so. Sloan: I don’t think so. Todd: Yes. Tengen: Some may leave, but most would stay. Toliver: No. Our services and commuting costs would convince them to stay. ■ We have the lowest residential property tax in the area. If taxes have to be raised, should this category be increased rather than income taxes? Anderson: It depends. I need to look at more data. Andrews: No. Austin: It should be looked at. Bowser: No, as elderly often don’t have income to pay if their homes have increased in value. Corley-Bowman: No. Jones: No. Powell: Yes, that’s an option. Sloan: No. Tengen: No. Todd: No. Toliver: No. ■ Are the city’s cash balances adequate,
too high or too low? Why? Anderson: They are inadequate. Andrews: They could be higher. Austin: They’re adequate. Bowser: Uncertain. Corley-Bowman: Too high. Jones: Uncertain. I’m not sure what they are. Powell: They are adequate. Sloan: Just below adequate. Tengen: Uncertain. Todd: Adequate, but could use more. Toliver: I would reduce them if it had no affect on our bond rating. ■ Under what conditions should the city be allowed to dip into its reserve funds? Anderson: To maintain a diverse population, for affordable housing and for education. The mayor and D.C. Council should decide. Andrews: In economic emergencies, as approved by the city administrator. Austin: If spending pressures become a concern. It should be a joint decision between comptroller, mayor and council. Bowser: We, like North Dakota, should have a municipal-owned bank and stop paying Wall Street expertise for financial advice. Dip if we cannot pay the payroll or provide essential services like police. Corley-Bowman: When we might have to furlough teachers or emergency service providers or dip into pension fund. Jones: If we cannot cover the deficit with the current income. Powell: Only in dire economic emergencies such as a federal government shutdown, with mayor and council approval. Sloan: A real emergency situation, as decided by mayor and council. Tengen: Only in state of emergency issued by mayor. Todd: If approved by council and mayor, See Ward 4 Q&A/Page V4
V2
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Ward 4 seat D.C. Council
Acqunetta Anderson
The Current
Leon T. Andrews Jr.
Ron Austin
Renée Bowser Gwenellen CorleyBowman
Judi Jones
Edwin W. Powell
Douglass Sloan
Bobvala Tengen
Brandon Todd
Dwayne M. Toliver
Acqunetta Anderson
Leon T. Andrews Jr.
Ron Austin
Acqunetta Anderson, 42, is a former elementary, middle and high school teacher for D.C. Public Schools who once chaired a school restructuring team. She is an advisory neighborhood commissioner representing Colonial Village and was the D.C. political director for Barack Obama’s re-election campaign. If elected, Anderson would concentrate most on affordable housing, education and economic development. She favors increasing the city’s affordable housing fund from $100 million to $200 million annually but studying the funding mechanism. “If District property sales decline, the fund declines,” she noted. She also believes the city should focus its housing support on seniors, veterans and the disabled. Anderson also says the city should pass legislation holding Walter Reed Army Medical Center campus developers to their affordable housing promises if they receive tax breaks or any city financing. On education, she said student performance levels are “much too low. We have improved, ... [but] we’re not preparing students to be competitive.” She offered various suggestions to address the situation. “We must make attending school fun so we don’t lose middle school kids. Less than 50 percent are graduating,” she said. “We have no idea where they’re See Anderson/Page V7
Leon T. Andrews Jr., 39, is a senior fellow at the National League of Cities and serves on the boards of the National Recreation and Parks Association, Change Lab Solutions and CureViolence. If elected, three issues he would emphasize are education, economic development and public safety. On education, Andrews said the city has a mixed record: “We are improving, but there is more we can do.” He identified numerous initiatives that he felt would benefit Ward 4, including a “community schools model” that unites school and community leaders with parents “to make a collective investment in our children’s educational success,” he said. Andrews also promised to focus on strong middle schools, with “quality wraparound services and programs that allow our children to be competitive with anywhere in the country.” A diverse, flexible curriculum is also valuable, he said. “We must provide proper incentives to poorer students and align them with their interests, whether it’s art, football or music,” he said. “There is no onesize-fits-all.” Meanwhile, to improve economic development, the District needs “investment in good infrastructure. That includes water, sewer and roads,” he said. “We must be See Andrews/Page V7
Ron Austin, 58, is retired from a career in the District government. He currently chairs the South Manor Civic Association, as well as the advisory neighborhood commission representing parts of Takoma and Brightwood Park. If elected, he would concentrate most on reducing crime, helping senior citizens and solving homelessness. On crime, he said, “I’m familiar with the areas of Ward 4 that need to be focused on and I’ll work with the police” to target problem areas such as Kennedy Street, Shepherd Street and Delafield Place and parts of Petworth. He called for an increase in foot patrols, and improved lighting “in all those areas, especially the business districts.” Austin thinks the city should consider a no-loitering law, and he would seek more community involvement in the citizens advisory council, community associations and neighborhood watch programs. He also wants to enhance awards programs recognizing both citizens and police. For the aging population, Austin supports a senior citizens facility at the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center campus that would include a hospice, assisted living and assistance for independent living. It would be financed through proceeds from the site’s overall development. See Austin/Page V7
Renée Bowser
Gwenellen Corley-Bowman
Judi Jones
Petworth resident Renée Bowser, 65, is assistant general counsel for the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union and a fifth-term advisory neighborhood commissioner. If elected, she would concentrate on local economic development, affordable housing and improving schools. To boost development, Bowser said, the city needs a municipal bank, “as we are being robbed by Wall Street.” The bank could lend to local businesses, particularly start-ups deemed to have potential to thrive. One critical aspect to measure with business incentives, she said, is the recipients’ ability to hire and retain D.C. residents. “We need to see upfront the number of District jobs they will bring and the number ... to be retained. If businesses ... don’t deliver, we need to get that money back,” Bowser said, emphasizing the city currently doles out “a lot of subsidies and [doesn’t] get much back.” Bowser opposes the idea of contracting out local bus operations. “Contractors must show savings from efficiencies, not lower worker pay,” she said, emphasizing the need for “timely enforcement of livingwage and first source laws.” On affordable housing, Bowser wants to see the District “double, up to $200 million, the Housing Production Trust Fund and put restrictions on using it See Bowser/Page V7
Petworth resident Gwenellen Corley-Bowman, 61, is a retired high school chemistry, biology and environmental teacher who now teaches part-time in Prince George’s County. If elected to the D.C. Council, she would concentrate most on job opportunities, Ward 4 middle schools and housing issues. Many young people need to improve their skills, she said, but educational programs don’t always properly target available jobs. “The council, with the city’s human resources staff, needs to match young people with the needs of the many new businesses and government agencies offering jobs,” she said. She would have the city offer grants and community outreach to reduce unemployment. The grants would help teach young people about both getting and holding jobs, as “many don’t understand the technicalities of keeping a job — being ethical and punctual and how to dress.” She said she’d budget the program at $1 million to start, increasing the funding if it “shows promise.” Many unemployed youth, she added, could get involved in an ongoing city effort to reduce stormwater runoff. She said schools should offer more classes in trades, such as plumbing, electrical work and real estate. They should also “include wraparound services for parents who need jobs.” See Corley-Bowman/Page V7
Judi Jones, who declined to share her age, is an adjunct professor at the University of the District of Columbia’s community college, teaching administrative technology. Jones has been a Takoma advisory neighborhood commissioner for 11 years and is the former chair; she once served alongside Muriel Bowser on the commission. If elected, Jones said she would concentrate on education, smarter development and getting the District statehood. About education, she said a wide variety of options should be available for students. “I believe in school choice,” she said. “Improving the school properties has been helpful. Now we have to start on programming. We are not satisfying the needs of the economy.” Not all students need to be on the same track, Jones added. “There should be a college prep curriculum, a certification with a skill ready for the workplace, and an option of earning a diploma for both,” she said. Jones also criticized the delayed modernization of Coolidge High School. “Do we know when that’s going to happen? When will they release those funds?” she said. She also sees a need for a Ward 4 public middle school that isn’t part of Coolidge or Roosevelt high school. “They separate middle school and high school See Jones/Page V7
The Current
Ward 4 seat D.C. Council
Acqunetta Anderson
Leon T. Andrews Jr.
Ron Austin
Renée Bowser Gwenellen CorleyBowman
Judi Jones
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Edwin W. Powell
Douglass Sloan
Bobvala Tengen
Brandon Todd
V3
Dwayne M. Toliver
Edwin W. Powell
Douglass Sloan
Bobvala Tengen
Colonial Village resident Edwin W. Powell, 47, is a professor at Howard University’s medical school and a mental health expert with D.C.’s Superior Court. He also sits on the D.C. Commission of Human Rights. If elected, Powell would concentrate on education, affordable housing and jobs/income equality. With education, his priorities include expanding and improving early childhood programs, as well as training for young adults in technical fields and emerging markets. He says the city needs to consider whether more middle schools are needed, and that it should use recreation centers to host tutoring programs for students from low-income families who are struggling academically. Powell is calling for more specialists in reading and math, which would ultimately help increase graduation rates and standardized test scores. He says grants should be offered to improve teacher training. He is promoting a 2016 ballot measure — the “Character Development and Citizenship Education Initiative” — that would help integrate more social and emotional development into the K-8 curriculum, with the goal of reducing violence. Powell also says the city “must focus more on science, technology, engineering and math education,” See Powell/Page V8
Douglass Sloan, 44, has served as an advisory neighborhood commissioner for 14 years total, in two different parts of Ward 4. He is the fundraising chair for the Shepherd Elementary PTA, and has served as second vice president of the Ward 4 Democrats and vice president of the D.C. Branch of the NAACP. If elected, his top priorities would be affordable housing, education and developing a local renewable energy industry. Sloan supports tax cuts for the middle class and, for incomes less than $100,000, tying property taxes to the original purchase price of homes. Both changes, he suggested, could be financed through graduated tax increases for those earning over $250,000. He would also examine D.C. taxes on pensions in hopes of attracting more wealthy older people to the city, and he supports tax incentives for residential developers in exchange for more affordable housing. On another development issue, Sloan opposes construction of “pop-up” projects that are “inconsistent with a neighborhood’s character,” and favors low- to moderate-density developments near Metro stations. To improve education, he advocates “a regional master teaching program to ensure teachers are using the latest concepts and methods.” He suggested bringSee Sloan/Page V8
Manor Park resident Bobvala Tengen, 28, works for an accounting firm’s government advisory division and is a student in two master’s programs: in accounting at American University and in real estate at Georgetown University. If elected, Tengen would concentrate on improving education, developing more affordable housing and improving constituent services. “I want to strengthen our middle schools by reopening MacFarland and another one in the northern part of Ward 4,” he said. He would try to “increase opportunities for afterschool activities and prepare high school students for post-school activities such as attending four-year and community colleges as well as further vocational training.” He would like to make graduates eligible for public service work such as joining the police force or becoming firefighters. In Ward 4 specifically, he would be a “brand ambassador for the schools,” he said. “As we modernize our schools, we have to create more faith in attending them,” said Tengen. “By better branding of our middle and high schools in Ward 4, we will attract more parents and students.” When it comes to affordable housing, Tengen said he wants to increase awareness of the city’s current programs, such as the Home Purchase Assistance See Tengen/Page V8
Brandon Todd
Dwayne M. Toliver
Q&A
Petworth resident Brandon Todd, 31, worked as executive office director of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s transition team, after serving as her campaign’s finance director. Todd, who is president of the Ward 4 Democrats, was also Bowser’s director of constituent services when she served Ward 4 on the D.C. Council. If elected, he would concentrate on helping seniors, improving local schools and providing constituent services. Todd wants to provide funding support to expand the nascent aging-in-place organization Rock Creek East Neighbors to “all 20 Ward 4 neighborhoods,” he said. He also said increased funding for the Office on Aging can “help our villages play a more important role.” He noted that supporting villages can produce net savings because seniors taking part will “be less likely to need city services.” Todd would also expand senior transportation options beyond Metro Access, which is too expensive for some, and provide more senior offerings at recreation centers. Schools are another major concern, and Todd wants to ensure that Ward 4 public and public charter schools “are our families’ first choices.” He would continue investing in facilities “to make them modern, clean and safe” and work on “attracting and retaining the See Todd/Page V6
Shepherd Park resident Dwayne M. Toliver, 57, is an attorney who has worked both in private practice and for the D.C. government, with experience in affordable housing, policy, legislation and nonprofits. A former chair of Advisory Neighborhood Commission 4A, where he is now serving his fourth term, Toliver is a voting member of the Walter Reed Local Redevelopment Authority. If elected, he would stress education, economic development and affordable housing. Toliver would push to convert some school campuses into neighborhood centers during nonschool hours, offsetting the cost by increasing fees for non-residents to use the Wilson Aquatic Center and other city facilities. On the issue of school boundaries, he said he wants to ensure “parents don’t get the rug pulled out from underneath them” during the city’s revision process. He supports increasing the size of Deal Middle and Wilson High, while also “investing in the lower-performing Ward 4 schools.” And he’d fight for facilities improvements. “I’d push full funding of school modernizations to stop disappointing parents.” Toliver believes one angle for improvement would be increasing technology in the classrooms, and placing public information kiosks in schools “so parents See Toliver/Page V6
■ Describe a few areas where you may not fully agree with Muriel Bowser’s approach to government as Ward 4 council member or as mayor. Anderson: She made empty promises regarding Ward 4 economic development, a middle school and senior services. Andrews: She didn’t fight as hard as she should have for a Ward 4 middle school or ensuring business development corridors on Kennedy Street and Georgia Avenue. Austin: I didn’t appreciate her approach to crime. She did very little. Bowser: We can’t be so influenced by big money people. Fight harder for Ward 4 schools. Coolidge has not been renovated and up until recently had no science labs. Corley-Bowman: She did not emphasize affordable housing in the southern part of the ward. She also did not push hard enough for a public middle school in the ward. Jones: I’d rather not discuss them. Powell: I can’t think of any. Sloan: I oppose ditching the school boundary plan, which resulted from a great deal of effort. I oppose yanking of funding for Franklin School. Tengen: I think there were times when Ward 4 was not put first because of her ambition to become mayor. The high schools in Ward 4 are among the last to be modernized. Todd: I can’t think of any. Toliver: As a council member I would be more aggressive and activist. Put Ward 4 priorities first on every vote. I’d push to locate District government offices in the ward.
V4
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Ward 4 seat D.C. Council
Acqunetta Anderson
The Current
Leon T. Andrews Jr.
WARD 4 Q&A From Page V1 and recommended by chief financial officer. Toliver: Only under emergency circumstances such as shut down of public safety with mayor, chief financial officer and council approval. ■ Would doing so increase our interest expenses and possibly make it more difficult to float bond issues? Anderson: I need to study it more. Andrews: Yes, absolutely. Austin: I doubt it. Bowser: Only if we continued to do it many times. Corley-Bowman: I don’t think so with our vitality. Jones: Definitely, yes. Powell: It probably would. Sloan: Yes. Tengen: Yes. Todd: Yes. Toliver: It would depend upon the amount. ■ Over 60 percent of District government employees live outside the District, so we don’t collect their income taxes. What if anything should be done about it? Anderson: Require that they move into the city within a given period of time and offer them assistance to do so. Andrews: I need to know more about our options. Austin: There should be an answer, but I don’t know what it is. Bowser: Build more affordable housing, especially for District employees. Corley-Bowman: Give preference to District residents. Jones: There should be a more restrictive residency policy for city employees. It might be illegal. Powell: Request money from Congress for use of our streets. Not much can be done given the Home Rule Charter. Sloan: Look at a sunset income tax break if they live here for a prolonged period. Tengen: Increase affordable housing, giving preference to District employees. Todd: Look at ways to employ more D.C. residents. We can’t legally mandate it. Toliver: We could legally require more upper-level managers to be District employees. ■ Many relatively new luxury goods stores such as Tiffany & Co. are located in Tysons Corner and on Wisconsin Avenue just across the District line. Would you support giving developers tax incentives to bring them here, hoping to increase our real estate and retail sales tax revenue? Anderson: Yes, if they hire District residents. Andrews: No. Austin: No. Bowser: No. Corley-Brown: No, as owners of milliondollar condos will attract that business anyway. Jones: No. I think they will eventually come. It’s unnecessary. Powell: As long as they hire mostly
Ron Austin
Renée Bowser Gwenellen CorleyBowman
District residents. Sloan: Yes. They pay high wages if they hire a high percentage of D.C. residents. Tengen: Yes, if jobs for D.C. residents were included. Todd: Many are here or are coming. I’d not support a tax break just for a Tiffany’s. Toliver: No. They’ll come here due to our booming economy. ■ What about anchor retailers — department stores that normally do not pay rent when they anchor suburban shopping centers? Anderson: Yes, if they hire District residents. Andrews: It depends on the package; it could revitalize an area. Austin: No. Bowser: Possibly a minor break. Corley-Bowman: No. Jones: For a certain amount of time, but not forever. Powell: Yes, if they hire mostly District residents. Sloan: Yes, if they a high percentage of D.C. residents. Tengen: No, as we have a strong number now. Todd: It would depend on the project. Toliver: No. It’s a slippery slope. ■ Tech firms now receive tax rates comparable to Virginia’s. District residents investing in such local firms get lower capital gains taxes. Are there any other classifications of District business that should receive this benefit? Anderson: Perhaps services based on education. Andrews: Uncertain, but would consider proposals. Austin: Perhaps health care to bring down its costs. Bowser: Yes, for other firms based on science and green technology. Corley-Bowman: For-profit education services such as Kaplan, and job-training services. Jones: Possibly incubator businesses. Powell: Small business start-ups for a short period of time. Sloan: Possibly for film industry. Tengen: Extend it to small businesses for the first two years they are here, as they are most apt to hire locally. Todd: No. Toliver: Add research and development laboratories, investment houses and locally chartered banks. ■ What approaches, if any, should be taken to decrease the likelihood of lowerincome, long-term District residents being forced from their homes by increased real estate values and taxes? Or are the recent changes adequate? Anderson: Lower-income citizens should be exempted from real estate taxes. Andrews: Increase enforcement of rent control laws. Austin: Uncertain. Bowser: Budget for property tax exemption for lower-income seniors who’ve been in their homes over 20 years; strengthen rent control; have moratorium on destroying public housing. Corley-Bowman: Educate residents to better manage their homeownership. Offer
Judi Jones
Edwin W. Powell
grants and low-interest loans for home maintenance. Jones: We need to take a look at that. I’m uncertain. Powell: We need more staff in the Office of the Tenant Advocate to ensure that tenants have due process and that landlords aren’t using hardship petitions to arbitrarily raise rents. Sloan: Limit increases in real estate taxes for seniors earning under $100,000 to what they would pay at the time they purchased their house. Tengen: The recent changes are probably adequate, but more study is needed. Todd: The city should have more rent subsidies for low-income and senior citizens. Toliver: Enforce existing inclusionary zoning laws and eliminate waivers and exceptions. Consider micro-housing for seniors, teachers, nurses and first responders with District financial assistance. ■ Our corporate profits taxes are considerably higher than Virginia’s but comparable with Maryland’s. Our corporate real estate taxes are far higher than either one. Should there be an effort to reduce them to better compete? Anderson: Yes. Andrews: Yes, but I’m happy the way it is now. Austin: I think yes for corporate profits taxes. Bowser: Only in return for hiring more D.C. residents or other trade-offs. Corley-Bowman: Not with the upcoming deficit. Jones: No. Powell: I think yes for job creation, if the sales tax is raised. Sloan: We’re fine. No changes are needed. Tengen: Not until we can tax people who work here but do not live here. Todd: Yes, especially the franchise (profits) tax. Toliver: No, due to the resurgence of the District. Businesses are coming here. ■ If yes, how would you make up for the lost revenue? Anderson: First determine what revenue would be gained. The chief financial officer would have to give his opinion. Austin: Don’t give other corporations tax exemptions. Get federal government and mega-churches to make payments in lieu of taxes on their land. Powell: Raise the sales tax and taxes on alcohol and cigarettes. Todd: Properly classify vacant properties, which have a higher tax rate. ■ Should the sales tax include services such as gym memberships? Anderson: No. Andrews: No. Austin: No. Bowser: Yes. Corley-Bowman: No. Jones: No. Powell: No. Sloan: No. Tengen: Yes. Todd: No. It could deter people from healthy exercise. Toliver: No.
Douglass Sloan
Bobvala Tengen
■ What additional steps, if any, should be taken to help former prison inmates find jobs? Anderson: Focus on training, based on their skills and available jobs. Get the Department of Employment Services to develop a program. Andrews: Better training, education with credentials and mentoring programs. Austin: Bring prisoners closer to the city so we can rehabilitate them. Bowser: Use recreation centers for job training; provide food stamps and other benefits they cannot get from the federal government. Corley-Bowman: Offer educational programs to help inmates be placed into viable jobs. Jones: Get them the right to vote. Powell: Ensure that “ban the box” legislation is adhered to and expand programs to help returning citizens find employment. Sloan: Have city-sponsored mentorship programs to help them develop employable skills. Tengen: We need a much stronger returning citizens program that will work to find employers willing to give them a second chance. Todd: Office on Returning Citizen Affairs should work more closely with the Department of Employment Services to develop programs for long-term employment. Toliver: Use underutilized school buildings for vocational training when they return. Provide post-release counseling, outreach services and job skills. Reward employers. ■ What steps should be taken to improve public education? Anderson: Look at best practices in our best schools and implement them in the lower-performing schools. Andrews: Stronger middle school options, partnerships with community organizations, better teacher training. Austin: Make charter schools and D.C. Public Schools work closer together, including a unified boundary system. Bowser: Ensure that all public schools have same level of curriculum as premier schools and similar physical plants. Corley-Bowman: Wraparound services in all schools, educational support and increased salaries for teachers. Jones: Continue building improvements. Bring back trade and business courses. Powell: Expand early childhood education. Increase vocational education. Focus on graduation rates and test scores. Sloan: Cooperative plan between the Public Charter School Board and D.C. Public Schools to have good neighborhood schools throughout city. Tengen: Strengthen middle schools, help parents of students who hold jobs. Todd: Attract and retain best school leadership, more parental engagement and work with community on appropriate curriculum. Toliver: Convert campuses to neighborhood centers during evenings and weekends. Offer greater technology and other resources in schools. ■ Some say test score increases indicate
Brandon Todd
Dwayne M. Toliver
that the present education system, while still having a long way to go, is making real progress and any new D.C. Council laws might interfere with the mayor’s ability to run the system. Do you agree? Anderson: No. The council should be involved. Andrews: No. Austin: No. Bowser: No. Corley-Bowman: No. Jones: It depends on the law. It might be an improvement. Powell: No. Sloan: No. Tengen: No. New legislation will not affect our recent progress. Todd: Yes. The council should work more collaboratively with the chancellor. Toliver: No. ■ Many Crestwood and 16th Street Heights residents are upset that children from their neighborhoods will eventually be unable to go to Deal Middle and Wilson High schools, which are now significantly overcrowded. What should be done about it? [Editor’s note: Interviews took place before Mayor Bowser implemented the deputy mayor’s recommended changes to the boundary changes.] Anderson: The mayor has taken steps to postpone the changes. We need a Ward 4 middle school like Deal. Give Coolidge High a “school within a school” as selective as School Without Walls. Andrews: Allow those neighborhoods’ children to continue at Deal and Wilson and increase investments in middle and high school options in Ward 4. Austin: That’s why I want integrated boundaries with charter schools. Bowser: Have three- to five-year moratorium and upgrade Ward 4 schools on a fast track. Corley-Bowman: Re-evaluate boundaries. Jones: We’ll see what the new boundaries are. Powell: Try to get a moratorium passed on changing the boundaries and focus efforts to improve Coolidge and Roosevelt. Sloan: Focus on improving Roosevelt, where Ward 4 residents will have far more control than they would have at Wilson. Tengen: Reopen MacFarland Middle School and open a new one catering to students in the northern part of Ward 4. Improve Roosevelt. Todd: I want to see the new deputy mayor’s school boundary proposals. Must work faster with better options. Toliver: Keep them in the current DealWilson feeder pattern. Improve neighborhood schools. ■ Would the creation of a very demanding “high-tech” school within a school program similar to Silver Spring’s Montgomery Blair at either Roosevelt or Coolidge help solve the problem? Anderson: Yes. Andrews: No, but it’s a part of a good solution. Austin: Uncertain. Bowser: It might. Corley-Bowman: Yes, if managed correctly. Jones: I think so. See Ward 4 Q&A/Page V6
The Current
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
April 28th Special Election to fill vacant Ward 4 D.C. Council seat OFFICIAL BALLOT SPECIAL ELECTION DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015 INSTRUCTIONS TO VOTER 1. TO VOTE YOU MUST DARKEN THE OVAL ( ) TO THE LEFT OF YOUR CHOICE COMPLETELY An oval ( ) darkened to the left of the name of any candidate indicates a vote for that candidate. 2. Use only a pencil or blue or black medium ball point pen. 3. If you make a mistake DO NOT ERASE. Ask for a new ballot. 4. For a Write-in candidate, write the name of the person on the line and darken the oval.
WARD COUNCIL MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL WARD FOUR
VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN ONE (1)
Brandon Todd DEMOCRATIC
Ron Austin DEMOCRATIC
Glova Scott INDEPENDENT
Acqunetta Anderson DEMOCRATIC
Douglas Sloan DEMOCRATIC
Pedro Rubio, Jr. DEMOCRATIC
Renee L. Bowser DEMOCRATIC
Leon T. Andrews, Jr. DEMOCRATIC
Edwin W. Powell DEMOCRATIC
Judi Jones DEMOCRATIC
Bobvala Tengen DEMOCRATIC
Dwanye M. Toliver DEMOCRATIC
Gwenellen Corley-Bowman DEMOCRATIC
Write-in
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Wednesday, April 8, 2015
WARD 4 Q&A From Page V4 Powell: Yes, along with other intensive academic reforms. Sloan: Yes. Tengen: Yes. It would attract some students now drawn to Wilson. Todd: Not familiar with the program. Toliver: It would be helpful. ■ Some say per-pupil spending in areas where there is great poverty ought to be higher than where most of the students come from well-educated families. Do you agree? Anderson: Yes. Andrews: It could be higher, if coupled with clear educational outcomes. Austin: No. Bowser: Yes. You can’t compare Washington Latin with Roosevelt. It costs more to educate some students. Corley-Bowman: Yes. Jones: Yes. Powell: Yes, to fund school and community wraparound services. Sloan: Yes. Tengen: Yes. Todd: Yes. Toliver: No. We should lift up all students. Money does not affect student performance. It is often hunger and home abuse. ■ What line items, if any, should be reduced, struck from or added to the school budget? Anderson: Bring back arts programs. Improve girls athletic programs. Andrews: Add mentoring, increase after-school programming and teacher training at middle and high school levels. No reductions. Austin: Strike cellphones; end credit cards for meals. Add job training and health items. Bowser: Add librarians and counselors, foreign languages. Uncertain on reductions. Corley-Bowman: Add emergency supplies, maintenance and teacher graduate studies. No reductions. Jones: Uncertain. I don’t know the school budget by line item.
The Current Powell: Add funds for math and reading specialists, female athletic programs, special education services. Reduce central office administration. Sloan: No decreases. Increase physical education. Tengen: Add funding for after-school activities. Todd: A new Ward 4 middle school, finish Roosevelt and Coolidge renovations. No reductions. Toliver: Increase teacher salaries, technology in classroom. Unsure of reductions.
Corley-Bowman: No. Put it on the back burner. Jones: No. Powell: No. It’s too expensive. Sloan: No. Tengen: Yes. Pay for it through increased advertising revenue on the streetcars. Todd: No. We haven’t seen a program that works. Toliver: No, unless we have improved economic efficiencies under existing efforts.
■ The D.C. Planning Office has been praised and criticized for favoring fewer parking places in many new apartment buildings. Where do you stand? Anderson: New apartment buildings should be required to offer parking spaces according to the old rules. Andrews: I’m not familiar with their logic, but would support retaining the current requirements. Austin: I support more parking in new apartment buildings. Bowser: Many residents have cars. The Office of Planning thankfully modified its proposals. Corley-Bowman: There should be adequate parking. Jones: I would criticize them for that. Powell: I oppose it as there is not enough parking in the District. Sloan: There should be adequate parking in new developments. Tengen: It’s a good strategy. People attracted to them are interested in public transportation. Todd: We have to figure how to get people out of cars and into public transportation and biking. Toliver: One size does not fit all. Parking determinations should depend on the neighborhood.
■ Is the present level of enforcement for quality-of-life offenses such as public urination and graffiti generally speaking adequate, too heavy-handed or not tough enough? Anderson: Not tough enough. Andrews: Not tough enough. Austin: Not tough enough. Bowser: Too heavy-handed. We must upgrade peoples’ lives. Corley-Bowman: Not tough enough. Jones: Not tough enough. Powell: Generally adequate. Sloan: Generally speaking, adequate. Tengen: Adequate. Todd: Adequate. It’s hard to enforce graffiti, as we often don’t know who the offender is. Toliver: No, it’s hard to quantify. We need better enforcement across the board.
■ Should the council pass legislation to encourage faster streetcar development? If yes, how would you pay for it? Anderson: We should scrap it until we are absolutely sure what we are doing. Andrews: No. Austin: No. Bowser: No. I favor better bus rapid transit, which studies show to be preferable.
TODD From Page V3 best principals and teachers.” He would also focus on ensuring that schools “have appropriate course offerings and after-school programs.” He said languages, vocational programs, science, technology, engineering and math are particularly important. Todd also notes that “at every step, parental engagement is key.” He wants to develop a model to foster involvement in schools in lower-income areas “where parental engagement is just not there. We must spend more per pupil in poverty areas ... to offer similar programs in all our schools.” Todd would work to ensure that Roosevelt and Coolidge high schools and the to-bereopened MacFarland Middle School are “fully modernized.” He also thinks Ward 4 needs two middle schools, and he would engage the community about possibly creating a second one at Coolidge. Todd also cited the need to attract and retain school leaders. Todd pointed to his track record — seven years of delivering “on-time, quality and
■ Should the District turn over citizenship information to the U.S. immigration authorities when suspects are arrested and booked for alleged criminal activity, when they are convicted, just when convicted of a violent crime, or not at all? Anderson: When arrested and booked regardless of the crime. Andrews: When convicted of a violent crime. Austin: When arrested. Bowser: Only violent crime or serious offenses, if they are illegal. Corley-Bowman: When convicted of a violent crime. Jones: When arrested and booked for a felony. Powell: Not at all, as it could create discriminatory process. Sloan: Violent crime. Tengen: Violent crime.
responsive constituent services for Ward 4 residents.” As a council member, he said, “I will ensure the government is delivering for all 20 neighborhoods, staying focused on practical ways to make government work better for residents, such as ensuring the Department of Transportation has plans for street and alley paving, tree planting and trimming, and timely street light repair.” He wants the Department of Public Works to consider creating a snow removal team separate from the trash removal staff so collections aren’t delayed by inclement weather. “That could have budget concerns, but [it would mean] more responsive city services,” he said. “We must also ensure we make proper investments to keep our public utilities operating.” A native Washingtonian, Todd graduated from Eastern High School and then went to Bowie State University, where he majored in communications and public relations. He has a Master of Business Administration degree from Trinity Washington University. A former board member of the D.C. Branch of NAACP, Todd was also a board member of the Greater Washington Urban League’s young-professionals organization.
Todd: Not at all. Toliver: If arrested for violent crime, upon arrest. If convicted, all crimes. ■ How would you get better enforcement of laws on jaywalking, bicycle riders ignoring moving vehicle laws such as stop signs and red lights, drivers ignoring yields, and drivers on cellphones or “blocking the box”? Anderson: Have cameras and photograph them. We should impose license requirements on bikes for better enforcement. Andrews: Better police training and use of technology such as cameras. Austin: Insist police enforce the laws. Bowser: Have police give more warnings. Make everyone get training and have public service ads. Corley-Bowman: Crack down on police and make sure they enforce the law. Jones: Work with police department to improve ticketing and have more patrols for violators. Powell: Committee on the Judiciary should encourage police to issue more tickets. Sloan: I favor block-the-box and red light cameras. Tell police to pull over and cite bicycle riders who don’t follow laws. Tengen: Strategically position police officers and make it a priority with the chief of police. Todd: Make sure police are mindful and have appropriate training. Make sure they enforce them. Toliver: Step up police presence and monitoring at locations where there are problems. ■ Should the District provide more dedicated bike lanes? If yes, where in Ward 4? Anderson: Yes, at Walter Reed and on Kennedy, Upshur and upper 14th streets. Look at entire ward. Andrews: Yes, on Georgia and Missouri avenues. Austin: No. Bowser: Yes, along Kennedy Street. Don’t remove parking. Possibly Kansas and New Hampshire avenues. Corley-Bowman: Yes, on Georgia Avenue. Jones: Yes, it would have to go through
TOLIVER From Page V3 could communicate online with teachers, sign up for events and put in service requests.” He wants to see local seniors involved in student activities such as gardening, art classes, and reading and math programs. Toliver’s efforts for Ward 4 would include encouraging the D.C. government to locate agencies there, and hiring his own staff and interns from within the ward’s boundaries. Those employees would help residents with permit applications, and he would work to make online filing easier. In terms of economic development, the candidate plans to hold monthly meetings with business owners “to determine how the District is performing in business development efforts, whether regulations are being followed and whether there is fair and open competition.” “My experience on the Walter Reed Local Redevelopment Authority and my legal practice make me uniquely qualified to review and be a part of the development process,” he said.
the planning department. Powell: Yes, the Kennedy Street corridor. Sloan: If providing a dedicated bike lane takes away a lane of traffic, no. No specific locations come to mind. Tengen: Yes, on Georgia Avenue and 16th Street. Todd: Yes, consider Kennedy Street and Georgia Avenue. Toliver: Yes, on Georgia, New Hampshire, Arkansas and Missouri avenues, and 5th and 16th streets. ■ Should D.C. allow residents to set up self-taxing districts where residents agree to pay extra taxes to receive extra services similar to Maryland municipalities and our business improvement districts? Anderson: I need more data. It might affect neighborhoods that can’t afford it. Andrews: No. Austin: Undecided. Bowser: No. Corley-Bowman: Yes. Jones: Yes, if there is community agreement. Powell: No. There are too many have and have-not areas now. Sloan: No. Tengen: Yes. Todd: Yes. Toliver: Yes, but not to offer police services. ■ Should there be bus-only lanes during rush hour on 16th Street? Anderson: Probably yes. Andrews: No. Austin: No. It’s not wide enough. Bowser: Yes, if it would make a substantial difference. Corley-Bowman: No. Jones: No, but if they run more regularly, we could consider it. Powell: Yes, where there are at least two lanes for regular traffic in the rushhour direction. Sloan: No. Tengen: No. Todd: It’s something we have to explore. Toliver: If the Department of Transportation study supports it, I would consider a pilot program during the school year.
On housing, Toliver wants to “put Ward 4 residents first for affordable housing opportunities,” and he said he would push the council to “develop and promote micro-housing opportunities for seniors, first responders, teachers and nurses.” He would fund that effort largely or entirely through the Housing Production Trust Fund. Toliver said he’s concerned about the sale of city properties. “I will fight giveaways of District land ... at less than market value. I would look at long-term ground leases of District property rather than conveying it to third parties,” he said. “I will oppose exceptions to inclusionary zoning requirements and exercise greater oversight of the development process and contracts for District-owned property.” A native Washingtonian, Toliver attended Catholic schools before enrolling at LaSalle University, where he majored in business administration. He has a law degree from Catholic University. He is the former president of Ward 4 Democrats and the Shepherd Park Citizens Association. He also has served as pro bono general counsel for the Higher Achievement Program and 100 Black Men of Greater Washington, DC.
The Current
ANDERSON From Page V2 going. We should offer more vocational training, ... bring more tech orientation to high schools [and] partner senior highs with colleges and with businesses that receive tax breaks and with the federal government.” Anderson also said every school should have “state-of-the-art reading, math and science labs.” Educators are also a factor, said Anderson. “I would get teachers in betterperforming schools to mentor teachers in less well-performing schools,” she said. “I would work with the D.C. teachers union to develop a training program to improve quality.”
Anderson wants education officials to get “out of the chancellor’s office and into the schools.” On economic development, Anderson said there isn’t consistency across the city. “We have not focused on economic development efficiently in Ward 4,” she said. “Wards 5 and 8 are booming.” Anderson said there needs to be more community involvement in the Walter Reed planning and other projects. “I would establish a Ward 4 economic development council to bring citizens to determine their vision and based on it, determine how land will be used,” she said. She sees stores like H&M and The Gap complementing Walter Reed. “We must discuss how viable the ward is for the stores,” she said, adding, “We have historic monu-
CORLEY-BOWMAN From Page V2 Corley-Bowman said she has concerns about the middle schools that are slated to be attached to Coolidge and Roosevelt high schools. “If not well planned, it can be a disaster,” she said. “There should be a separation between the middle school and the high school. Sixthgraders blending with 12th-graders can be a problem if it’s not planned correctly,” as in the problematic McKinley Technology Education Campus. The candidate is also eager to encourage homeownership. “We have more renters in Ward 4 than homeowners,” she said. “There should be more housing available through government grants for people who want to own a home. With low-interest loans, that would not be a burden on the government budget.” But she said new homeowners need to be educated on how to “keep up the home and the yard. There should be a program ... on how they can keep property
AUSTIN From Page V2 Austin would also push for stronger laws to protect seniors from those who might take advantage of them. Lawyers working with the elderly should be overseen by an attorney from a different firm, he said, and when lawyers sell seniors’ property there should be a certification period to ensure they get full value. Lawyers shouldn’t receive a share of the proceeds, he said. He also wants to ensure that residents committed to senior facilities have exhausted all means that would allow them to age in place in their own homes. “I know cases where seniors have been pushed out
sustainable.” She favors investing about $100 million in helping District teachers, police officers and fire personnel get housing here in the city: “Houses are now going for $500,000, so there could be 200 houses.” She’s a supporter of the RiverSmart Homes program that helps homeowners take steps to reduce stormwater pollution on their properties with a goal of decreasing the burden on the city’s sewer system. “Everyone should be able to take part in the green initiative so they can landscape their yards at a fraction of the cost of improving the sewage system,” she said. Born in Washington, Corley-Bowman graduated from McKinley Technical High School and the Johnson C. Smith University, where she majored in chemistry. She holds master’s degrees in adult education from Trinity Washington University and administration from the University of the District of Columbia. She has two adult children, and her husband is a retired Ballou history teacher. Her father helped develop the city’s home rule charter.
of their homes, [which were then] sold below market value,” he said. “Once seniors run out of money, they become wards of the city. I’m aware of a son who tried to take advantage of a World War II vet and nobody would help. Make it a crime to take advantage of a senior.” To address homelessness, Austin said the District “should deal with problems on a case-by-case basis” and find better living arrangements. “Right now we warehouse the homeless in hotels and D.C. General,” he said. “How many vacant properties do we have that are owned by the District? Rehab those houses and put them in singlefamily units with an educational program to help them become pro-
JONES From Page V2 students for a reason. [Combining them] just doesn’t work,” she said. Jones faulted the city’s commitment to education funding: “Education should be the priority, not sports arenas.” As far as economic development, Jones said quantity has sometimes trumped quality. “There is a lot of development going on,” she said. “Some of it has not been that
ments ... like the Lincoln Cottage and the fort in Brightwood and Walter Reed to attract tourists.” Anderson also identified a particular area in her ward that should receive special attention. “I’m going to look at Kennedy Street,” she said. “Bring together businesses to the table with developers and universities to determine how it can be developed.” A Washington native, Anderson grew up in 16th Street Heights and graduated from Wilson High School and George Washington University, majoring in paralegal studies. She is married with custody of a nephew. In addition to her teaching experience, she served as a college intern on Capitol Hill and was a White House staffer in George W. Bush’s presidential administration.
ductive citizens.” He said residents would need to “show progress to continue” with benefits such as food stamps. A native Washingtonian, Austin graduated from Coolidge High School and the University of the District of Columbia, where he majored in business administration. He’s married with two daughters and a grandchild. In his career with the D.C. government, he served as the “clean city coordinator” under Mayor Adrian Fenty, and also served as the constituent services director for Fenty and Muriel Bowser when they were Ward 4 D.C. Council members. He has also worked for the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation.
smart.” She declined to give an example but said, “It’s getting a little better.” She is critical of the D.C. Office of Planning’s move to limit the amount of parking required in new apartment buildings: “Just taking away parking places doesn’t make sense.” Jones also sees a need for more singlefamily homes in a ward that has seen most growth in apartment buildings. On statehood, Jones said the District needs autonomy as a state. “We need to control our social programs and the transportation needs,” she said.
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
ANDREWS From Page V2 committed to that as we are building on top of it.” Additionally, Andrews said, “critical business corridors” like Georgia Avenue and Kennedy Street need upgrades. “We can make investments to improve curb appeal and storefronts,” he said. “We can offer grants for storefront improvements. We can also use neighbors’ pressure and eventually even have fines or pressure on license renewals.” Andrews is not opposed to tax increment financing, but opposes lowering general business real estate taxes. “Businesses want to come here,” he said. “There are places in our ward where we can ensure businesses become interested.” Economic development shouldn’t mean displacement of housing opportunities “where families can afford to live in the city. There is a fear many families who are doing well financially cannot afford to live here,” he said, adding that the city “must offer incentives for developers to develop afford-
BOWSER From Page V2 for non-housing purposes,” while the local rent supplement program should be increased by at least $10 million annually. Rent control should be strengthened, she said, “by restricting ‘voluntary agreements’ where some tenants ... agree to higher rents in return for amenities.” She lamented that the city has “destroyed a lot of public housing. It should be renovated. Programs ... to replace it have not done so.” Bowser wants a three- to fiveyear delay on implementing planned school boundary changes so Ward 4 schools can first be brought “up to snuff.” “I want the physical plants, the curriculum and after-school activities at the same level as Lafayette and Shepherd Park,” she said of other elementary schools in Ward 4. She supports reopening MacFarland Middle School, and exploring a second program at the Coolidge campus. “We need two middle schools with the same level of education and physical plant as
“School programs should be controlled locally without having to go to Congress. The same holds for Head Start, senior and other social programs.” Jones praised the work of D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton on statehood, and said it’s important to advocate on the issue. “I don’t know if my election would help get us statehood,” she said. “I will be another voice among many. It takes more than one voice.” On the council, she would do “nothing more than I’m doing already. I just forward
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able housing.” He also said the city must find ways to help accommodate seniors who wish to age in place. On crime, Andrews noted the importance of addressing the root causes. “It’s not arresting our way out of the problem,” he said. “The problem is a feeling that some kids are bad and unredeemable. Most of us don’t think that. Stronger enforcement is important, but if that’s all we do, we are just putting a Band-Aid over the problem.” He also believes in investing in after-school programs for children and young adults, “offering things they like to do,” with the goal of preventing and intervening in crime patterns. “Job skills development and mentoring are also important,” he said. Andrews, who is married with three daughters, grew up in Maryland and moved to Brightwood in 2009. A Gonzaga alumnus, he graduated from Howard University majoring in political science and earned a master’s at Carnegie Mellon in public policy and management. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Michigan in urban planning. Deal.” Offering more advanced courses will ultimately attract higher enrollments, and better schools will be a real estate driver, Bowser said. “People pay more for housing when their children can be in good schools.” Bowser also believes the city should “substantially reform disciplinary policies,” as “zero-tolerance policies lead to a ‘school to prison’ pipeline.” She said the goal should be a better understanding of “why children are troublemakers.” And suspensions should be the last resort. “Don’t let children disrupt others’ education, but have alternative classrooms in the same school with coursework. Suspensions drive children out of school.” Bowser has lived in Ward 4 since 1989. Born in Philadelphia, she graduated from Bryn Mawr College with a political science major, and she earned her law degree at North Carolina Central University. She formerly served as vice chair of the D.C. Commission on Human Rights and was the D.C. chapter chair of the National Conference of Black Lawyers.
the notion of statehood wherever I go and [with] whomever I meet.” Jones is a native Washingtonian who graduated from St. Anthony’s High School and Drexel University, where she majored in business marketing. She received a Master of Business Administration from the University of the District of Columbia in international business and computer information science. She is a board member of the Lamond Community Development Corporation and founded the Lamond Block Captain Network.
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TENGEN From Page V3 Program, the Affordable Dwelling Units program and Inclusionary Zoning. “I also would want to create more collaboration between the various housing administrations in the District,” he said. “I would want to ensure that the Housing Production Trust Fund receives annual funding
The Current of $100 million. I also want to work with developers who specialize in affordable housing to create opportunities for more affordable housing in the District.” Tengen noted particular opportunities in Ward 4 with private-sector projects in the works and upcoming redevelopment of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center campus. To improve constituent services in Ward 4, Tengen would make better use of technology. “I want to ...
POWELL From Page V3 endorsing a magnet high school program with that emphasis — maybe at Roosevelt or Coolidge — similar to Montgomery Blair’s in Silver Spring. On affordable housing, Powell says the city should partner with private entities to develop “transition” centers for homeless people, with “mandatory vocational training for the able-bodied ... with the mental capacity to participate.” The Office of the Tenant Advocate should hire more staff members, he says, so the agency can monitor rent control and keep a lid on landlords seeking hardship waivers to “increase rents arbitrarily.” Powell also backs putting extra funds toward increasing homeownership and believes low-income seniors should get property tax breaks and assistance with utilities and transportation. In terms of jobs, Powell supports expanding business tax incentives for those firms hiring D.C. residents at livable wages of at least $13 per hour. And he backs increasing
leverage customer relationships management software similar to technical support to create a ‘trouble ticket’ for any call to the council office to allow us to better track how efficiently we are meeting our constituents’ needs,” he said. Tengen said he would also use geographical information system maps to see if there is a pattern of problems with taking care of constituent complaints. “I also would implement cus-
the minimum wage to that rate starting in 2017, “offsetting the higher costs with lower business taxes,” and with a graduated scale available to businesses with gross receipts under $1 million. Funding for these programs could come through increases in the sales tax, taxes on tobacco products and alcohol, and moderate increases in the income tax — though he says the city should lower the marginal tax rate for those earning $60,000 to $150,000. Finally, he believes the city should give preference on local projects to firms that pay union-scale wages and benefits. “We should fund the Department of Employment Services to monitor contracts to ensure jobs paid for by the District go overwhelmingly to local residents,” he added. Powell is married with four children, and his wife is a commander with the U.S. Public Health Service. He majored in psychology at Rutgers University, holds four master’s degrees and has a doctorate from George Mason in educational psychology. At Howard, he works in the Department of Community and Family Medicine and the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health.
tomer service surveys that would give constituents the opportunity to grade our performance,” he added. And he would hold frequent community meetings to “take a proactive approach to find out what’s going on in the community.” He cites his private-sector experiences — as a barista at Starbucks and later at a Verizon call center — as offering lessons on how to improve constituent services. Tengen graduated from Wilson
SLOAN From Page V3 ing in “master teachers” to train other teachers. Sloan believes there should be “stricter accountability on parents whose children are regularly truant or tardy. ... We should dedicate resources to talk with parents about the importance of their children attending school and being on time [and] offer wraparound services and extended child care to try to remedy the issues.” To enhance those services, he wants schools, libraries and recreation centers “to offer extended child care for parents who don’t follow conventional work schedules.” He also believes government mentorship programs can help “get parents and responsible adults more involved in children’s education.” Sloan favors longer recesses, noting that “the American Heart Association mandates that children should get at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day.” The candidate wants to see the District going forward with an ambitious renewable
High and then the University of Cincinnati, where he majored in political science. He interned for the District’s Board of Elections during the summers while he was in college. He was also employed in summer programs at the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Public Service Commission, and he has worked for the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration.
energy program, including a D.C. government auto fleet that runs on non-fossil fuels “to lessen costs and to reduce our carbon footprint.” He also urges investments in solar, wind and other renewable alternatives. He wants to examine the feasibility of building a biofuels energy plant in the District through a public-private partnership. “A private entity is doing it in Georgia,” he said, adding that such a plant would create jobs and “provide ... an opportunity to teach renewable technology to local students.” Along those lines, the city could also create charging/filling stations for cars running on biodiesel, natural gas or electricity — which could help generate revenue. A native Washingtonian, Sloan graduated from St. John’s College High School and from American University, where he majored in public relations and political science. Married with a son at Shepherd Elementary, Sloan has represented LamondRiggs for eight years on the advisory neighborhood commission that includes Takoma and Brightwood Park. Previously, he served for six years on the commission covering the Brightwood and Shepherd Park communities.
Perhaps the greatest right that we Perhaps theUnited greatestStates right that we all have as citizens all have United citizens isas the rightStates to vote!
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