Legislative Priorities Part 1

Affordable Housing
We have failed to provide affordable housing for our all our citizenry and for Ward 4 and have not set standards that are acceptable to the community. The next councilmember must set a public policy agenda for housing that is inclusive. I supports a public policy agenda for affordable housing which will provide an incentive for developers to invest in our community and the City must be included in the development and supervision of the property. City developers must work in concert to develop a profile for a community that meets agreed upon goals.

It is beneficial and essential for the Ward 4 to have a citizenry of mixed income classes, just like we have today. I would like Ward 4 to maintain the diverse culture it harbors today.

As a member of the council I will push for the city to offer property to developers only as an incentive to develop and enhance our residential community. The City will maintain an interest in the property to assure that there is an acceptable mix of affordable housing in these areas. The City would approve the mix of affordable housing in the near term and approve the transfer or sale of housing units over the long term.

Education

The best laid plans for economic development can come undone by an ineffective educational system. As we know, the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) has a great deal of work to do to improve its graduation rates. This should be the DCPS’s number one priority, yet it does not seem to be in the list of priorities for the current DC Administration. I am totally against the Mayor’s takeover of the DC Public School system. I also believe that Dr. Clifford Janney, Robert Bobb and the newly elected members of Ward 4 and 7 should be given the chance to be heard before a decision is made about the DC Public School system.

As your legislative representative, I will get the opportunity to meet with the Superintendent of DCPS and the President of the School Board. I will have three questions lined up for them. Each of these questions will target not only the current status of education for our children, but the kinds of lives they will lead after they leave DCPS.

The questions will establish an agreed goal and a time frame for the following:

1. DCPS’ graduation rate
2. Student’s that enter college
3. SAT and other testing scores

I will encourage DCPS to set new, higher goals. I will support them in achieving these goals, no matter how modest, and I will hold them accountable if these goals are not met. DCPS must perform better in each of these categories and improve each school year. In the business arena where I received my training, there is no excuse for failure. There will be no excuse for failure here either.

Crime
We need to develop new strategies for crime prevention that reflect the needs of our city. The 4th District Police Department is our first response to crime. It is only through a partnership with 4D and residents of our community that we will minimize crime and insure that our neighborhoods are safe and enjoyable places to live and work.

We must educate ourselves on how we, as individuals, can make our environment safer. When we achieve and preserve this level of partnership and participation between citizens and police, Ward 4 will be safer for all residents and visitors.

As Ward 4’s new councilmember, you have my commitment to make our Ward and city a safer place. Together, we will take a proactive approach versus a reactive approach to crime prevention and reduction. It is far less costly to prevent a crime than it is to solve a crime.