Image from Peter Shapiro.

My name is Peter Shapiro, and I am running in the Democratic primary to be your next at-large councilmember. I made this decision out of a sense of urgency. Now is the time for people who want a DC government of integrity, honesty, and vision to step forward.

I have lived in and around the District for almost all my life. I have an extensive and proven record as a principled progressive, and I am asking for your vote on April 3rd.

The DC Council is broken and in crisis. At a time when we should be focusing on jobs and education, we’ve seen our Council turned into a disgrace. This year we’ve seen a member plead guilty to embezzlement. This week we’ve learned that all but one member of the Council received money from the prolific bagman and bundler, Jeff Thompson, who is now under federal investigation.

The biggest beneficiary of Thompson’s cash has been my opponent, Mr. Orange. Included in the last bundle from the special election was $26,000 in money orders, all over a two-day period from all over the country. These are mostly the very same “contributors” who gave to the Gray campaign in a two-day period in June 2010.

Sources have indicated in the press that this is likely why the feds are investigating Mayor Gray’s campaign finances: the possibility that these were “straw man” donors, which is a criminal act.

We can’t hope to solve the big problems until we have a government people can trust and believe in. As such, ethics reform must be the top priority. I fully support ending corporate contributions to local campaigns, eliminating constituent services funds, and prohibiting councilmembers from holding outside employment. The distorting influence is clear—you can read about it almost every day in the Metro section or on the editorial page of the Washington Post.

We also need greater transparency for campaigns and political action committees. As long as there is money in politics, we need to know where it is coming from and how it is being spent. It’s unacceptable to have a system where those receiving huge government contracts are also funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars to councilmembers.

Jobs

Our city is also facing a jobs crisis. There is a stunning lack of urgency among our leaders on the topic of unemployment. With nearly 30% unemployment in Ward 8, we can’t wait to act. This situation needs to be turned around quickly. But, this isn’t just about jobs. This is about careers. This is about building a workforce in our neighborhoods.

Unfortunately, just as we have limited accountability with our city’s economic development incentives, we have equally poor accountability regarding government support for non-profits. As the DC Fiscal Policy Institute’s chart on the Department of Employment Services and related spending shows, there is no rhyme or reason to our job training efforts. We need to focus on specific industries such as technology, hospitality, and retail.

We need a strong workforce intermediary, a public/

private/

non-profit partnership that will be much more nimble and innovative in matching the needs of the employers with curricula of the non-profits and the skills of the population. And we need all of this right now. Giving people a way to make their own living, with a real career, is the best way to lower poverty, decrease crime and even improve public education.

Education

Of course, to get at the root of our employment problems we must improve education, both for children and adults. I agree with Chancellor Henderson that we are continuing to make progress in our schools. We can’t let up, but we can’t think of education as a standalone issue. All children in the District deserve access to a first-class public education system. We need to continue the drive for teacher development and accountability, and we also need to do the same for principals.

We have examples of great success, such as the DC Promise Neighborhood Initiative. But, we also need to understand where the Council’s role best fits in education. I have no intention of micromanaging our schools, but I do promise to do everything I can to keep administrators and teachers accountable.

To this end, I am calling for a reinstatement of an Education Committee on the Council, instead of leaving education to the Committee of the Whole, where the issue becomes a political football. In a committee, members can dig deeper into the issue and collaborate and cooperate to provide the healthiest oversight for the system.

And more

Additionally, we need to do more to promote small businesses in the District. Small businesses provide jobs and drive economic growth in our neighborhoods. I support a comprehensive initiative to streamline our city’s regulatory processes so we can help start more small businesses and help them grow. Starting a business is tough enough as it is and we don’t need our broken bureaucracy making it harder or costlier.

We have a lot of work to do in the District. We have much left undone with respect to encouraging affordable housing development and implementing inclusionary zoning. I’m committed to bringing real progress on those fronts. I also see so much potential for building strong, healthy neighborhoods and creating great places, especially in parts of the city that have struggled to attract reinvestment and along our future streetcar corridors. We need to take a long hard look at how we can make these communities work better for the residents who live there. We have no excuses to not do so.

During my time on the Prince George’s County Council, I helped champion the Gateway Arts District along Route 1. This was no easy task, and it involved spending a lot of time developing relationships and building trust with those in the community. It also meant focusing on getting results, and making sure all of the stakeholders felt represented, heard, and respected. As your at-large Councilmember, I will use this experience as a model for the District.

I believe that it is possible for a pragmatic progressive to win elections and achieve real results. I know this because I have done it. I know that it’s vital to have legislators who can work with their colleagues, and also with those in the community. It’s about cooperation and results. It’s not about who can take credit.

The election on April 3 is our chance to reject the politics that have brought our government to a standstill. This is an opportunity to say no more to a Council that is petty, ineffective, and downright corrupt. We can send a clear message to those who would stand by and defend their fundraising while hiding the details and running from reporters.

The people of the District deserve better than that. We need leaders who are willing to lead for the sake of their constituents. With your help, and your vote, we can turn the tide and get the Council working again.

Learn more at Shapiro2012.com

Communicate at peter@shapiro2012.com and 202-640-1992

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Peter Shapiro is an at-large candidate for the DC Council. The views in this article are his and do not necessarily represent those of Greater Greater Washington. We invite all candidates running for the DC Council to share their views with our community, but reserve the right to edit posts to fit our content and format rules. If you are a candidate and would like to submit an article, please contact elections@ggwash.org.