Evening Exchange; 2208; Washington, D.C. Mayoral Debate

Why. The. The. Why. Anthony Williams callow sword Steve Duncan Sam Emanuel and Trisha Keynes all on the ballot. Most on hand for a mill debate next evening Exchange and the Kojo Nnamdi Show. Here's a quote from countless sources during the campaign. I think people think I have paid

my dues and it's my time. Here's a quote from Anthony Williams during the campaign. I have never interfered in a judgment on a contract by my subordinates period. Not once have I ever interfered in a contract. All of them above board. Those statements were both doing the campaign. If they seem to apply even today it's because as the saying goes the more things change you know the rest of them. What's changed this time is the hastily constructed challenge of Republican Carol Schwartz to confront the mayor on the ballot and for the next several minutes in this studio. What about all the other candidates the ones who were in this for the long haul from the beginning before any petition scandal. They too will join this fray in this joint production of radio and TV. A collaboration between American University and Howard University but first the reasoning behind the Republican challenge and

how the incumbent is handling it. Anthony Williams welcome good to have you to be here. There are so it's good to have you back again. Nice to be with you. You were in this same place for years ago with this same opposing candidate and there are those who would say well nothing much has changed about CO shorts between then and now. The only reason she's making this last minute decision to run is because of who her opponent is for Carol Schwartz or as it appears you're running against Tony would. Well it's a combination of both. I've always wanted this job it's obvious I want this job otherwise I would never run for it now the fourth time 1986 1994 in 1998 and now in 2002. So it is a job I want. I think I could leave the city well and I think I've exhibited that later ship in my many many years of public office in this city. I'm also running against Tony Williams he's had four years to to take care of our city and even though we've seen some

progress in some areas I see that many of our citizens feel totally disenfranchised during the big economic boom that we had that many of us got to ride and saw our home prices go up. There are many in this city who actually got poor and they studies show that for years to make a decision you didn't know you could before the primer you made after the mirror had his petition scandal just because you feel Tony Williams is not all vulnerable. Well listen I want of the job and I but he beat me he beat me bad in 1998 it was over $2 won. And actually the worst meeting I ever had I had got 33 percent of the vote against Marion Barry in 1986 and 1904 I got 42 percent of the vote against Marion Barry. And this last time in 1998 I only got 30 percent of the vote. So I thought a signal was being sent out there by the citizens of this city that just passed me by. So it's a job I wanted. And I do believe because of the mayor's petition

debacle and then a many people throughout the city calling me saying please Karol Ron we need you. I decided maybe now is the time. Just a mere four years ago you had a paper trail but that paper trail only had accounting numbers on it because you were the CFO. The paper trail this time has names on it names that people who are not voters in the District of Columbia had petitions and it would appear that's the paper trail that causes you in the eyes of your opponents to be wrong. How do you feel about that. Well I'm on the ballot not by virtue of misplaced names or falsified names I'm now on the ballot. By virtue of sixty four thousand voters in the city in both parties who voted who took the extra time and effort to put my name on the ballot I'm proud of that. They looked at my record they looked at my commitment they looked at everything on balance and they said you know what this city is moving in the right direction Tony Williams is doing a great job. You're going to keep him in office.

Let's get to some specific issues immediately the most recent one in the newspaper has to do with the impoundment a lot located in Capitol Heights in Maryland that developer Douglas Jamal is offering to the city for twelve point five million dollars you will making that proposal. You suddenly pulled the proposal off the table. Jamal apparently bought this land for one point five million dollars four years ago. The city's been using the impound lot on a leased basis paying eighty eight thousand dollars a month for it for part of it right. Part of it you argue that it would be cheaper to pay the 12 million dollars and get it over with. If that argument is valid why did you pull the thing off the table for two reasons one because it's a matter of litigation. But even more importantly because the legislation that we submit to the con.. By and large has been passed by the Council on a consensus basis. We want to work out the kinks work out the difficulties before the legislation most of the con.. But I'm proud of this transaction I'll tell you why. You know four years ago people weren't clamoring to do anything in the city or nearby the city

that's where the economy was. That's what the recognition and respect for the city was like. People now want to move into the city we have a giant We have a Home Depot that wanted to move into Brant will Brentwood shopping area which was then an impound lot. We moved aggressively to get them then there we moved aggressively to get an impound lot not just of the same size but of larger size somewhere outside the city recognising no one in the city wants an empowerment like get an uncommon lot outside the city with expanded saw is now some 30 acres so we can get all these cars off the street that people are complaining about. But you knew that you wanted consensus on the council when you submitted this thing yet waited until the last minute to withdraw it when we found out we didn't have consensus. Why did you assume you have consensus in the first place. Because you things are sent down you look for signals. Apparently there is not consensus we're going to rework it gives it all to the table to get consensus you are the chair of the committee that's holding the hearing. You say I'm going ahead with the hearing it would but there is no proposal on the table.

Well actually the mayor had sent this down last month for an emergency center down on September 16th asking us to vote on it on September 7 take 24 hours notice. But the chairman of the council did not put it on the agenda as an emergency I also the minute I heard it came down called her office and said I had great concerns about it and so I did all I could to stop this because. Doug Jamal paid a million and a half dollars for this property four years ago now he's asking as twelve and a half million dollars for the property and that's 700 percent increase. I can assure you the property in Prince George's County is not did not go up 700 percent and that four year period we are being gouged and also coupled with that coupled with that was taking a historic house on fourth and Mass Avenue Northwest a very valuable piece of D.C. property and giving that to Doug Jamal for three hundred and fifty thousand dollars and another competitive bid no

out there nothing out there an RFP to find out what we could get for that valuable piece of property. And I had already calls into my office saying I'll give $500000 little or more little interested let me know that you know what if it were another one in that fire the name Doug Jamal is ubiquitous Don't Tell You see it on all kinds of properties. Turns out to be the same guy who owns the impound lot the part of it that we're using out in Capitol Heights Maryland. And all of a sudden as she points out he's wants to get this historic building for three hundred fifty thousand dollars. Perception they say is everything the perception is that this guy is all powerful. You know the book you know I think the most important thing here to do is for someone to go out there and do an objective evaluation of the real estate appraisals involved. So one can just close your eyes with a blindfold and throw a dart at you know some board or something. There was an objective real estate appraisal. And let's get a third party to come in and look at this appraiser I think you'll find that this was a valid appraisal.

The praise is the maximum appraisal is about seven million dollars and we happen to know that the only reason it is even 7 million I'd like to get some is you know we had a lease arrangement paying nearly a million dollars a year. So and also the litigation there is nothing we could have paid twelve and a half million dollars for that property. Had I not stopped it and it was stopped because I raised Cain about it we could have paid twelve and a half million dollars for their property and not even been able to use it as an impound lot because Don Jamal doesn't have the permits to do that. This is your concern that Doug Somali is receiving favored treatment. Are you implicitly accusing the Williams of ministration of doing a favor in this developer. Well I've let the story speak for itself. I think the fact that he's we're paying him twelve and a half million dollars for a piece of property four years ago that he paid a million and a half for. He doesn't even have the permits for it and our corporation counsel and I Warriors should have checked that out it didn't take a lot of my small staff to find out that there was

litigation connected with this piece of property. And then the fact that he's got coupled a very valuable piece on our property that we're practically giving him for three hundred fifty thousand dollars I think it was suspicious. It doesn't pass the smell test as far as you know whether your city cultural three things. Everybody talked about bringing major shopping into the city we moved aggressively to move major shopping in the city everybody's talked about doing something about abandoned cars and getting more space for abandoned cars are moving aggressively to do that. Everybody's talked about doing something with the woodies building and talked about doing something about downtown housing. We're moving aggressively to do that and we're paying the consequences. Well I mean the specific issue I think you could have better planning that we were selling the Brentwood property and we would lose a lot. We knew that for over a year and the executive didn't do proper planning and that's why we had to run out and do a sole source contract like that Jamal your turn. In an effort to make up the three hundred and twenty three million dollar budget shortfall apparently the mayor and the City Council agreed that there would now for the first

time be an interest be a tax charged on the interest that people who own municipal bonds who live in the District of Columbia. There was never a tax paid on that interest before there was now a 10 percent tax on that interest. And people would feel that the people who have municipal bonds in the city can't afford that 10 percent tax. It is our understanding that Carolus wants bands to introduce legislation. Recent thing that Texas introduced legislation with their colleagues which would resend that. I voted against killer swords I don't even have set caps in the suit are you kidding. Tell me how many of those people that have municipal bonds are retirees. And and you're changing the rules in the middle of the game. All of a sudden they're going to get socked with a pie a tax on municipal bonds. When this government had told them there would be no tax on municipal bonds and now like even lead time to be allowing them to get out of those mean us. That's a very unfair thing this government did

and that was put on the table by the CFO and it was part of the package that was presented it was put on the table by the CFO or the mayor it was presented as I said to the chief and I was put on the table by the CFO and it was something that I never bought into some of my colleagues did in their desperation to try to fund some important programs but I voted no about. Very strongly against it and now we're trying to regroup and I certainly hope that the mayor and the chief financial officer Well how is regroup because you just can't change the name. The rules in the middle of the game without giving people advance notice I mean if you agree with Swartz was not for a tax cut you are the sorts who might even be advocating a tax increase. The city comes up with a tax on people who already have savings. Municipal bonds on the same the same no tax cut. Carol Schwartz says no we can't stand any new taxes and what do you mean no tax cut Carol Schwartz says they have supported tax cuts all of my all of my professional

life and mid to late 80s I'm the one that reduced the income tax from 11 percent to 9 and a half percent which is still too high but at least got it down from 11 I'm going to have Mr. defend that tax on the interest on municipal bonds. I didn't introduce it I think it was well-intentioned in order to fund some really good programs the problem is and the reason why I hate to make this a boring show the reason why I'm supporting consul and getting this change is because. With the special difficulties the district faces with the federal presence and federal restrictions our bonds don't sell for as much as other bonds are not as valuable as other bonds and so our people are at a disadvantage. And so we really should look for an alternative way to raise some money. And frankly I have heard the argument before that this does affect retirees but I was talking in terms of perception people who will feel that the alternative to this is probably going to be cut in the budget someplace so you know I don't think so I think if we work with the CIA for when there are ways to find out there are ways to offset those without cutting needed programs that people need the

most. OK so you know kind of my questions I'd like to hear you answer each other's questions. SCHWARTZ What question would you like to put to Tony. You keep saying that since you became mayor in fact you said this well you have met with the Washington Post yesterday. You keep saying that since you became mayor the district has ten thousand fewer full time employees after all. However according to the district's chief financial officer fte says this is quote after he is under control of the mayor declined by about one hundred seventy seven. Not 10000. Between January 1999 in March of 2008 two from sixteen thousand five hundred and three to sixteen thousand three hundred twenty seven. However a large decline at the Department of Corrections where we closed Lorton more than offset increases for the other agencies combined. Without the decline at corrections

fte said agencies under the control of the mayor increased about one thousand two hundred and seventeen. So please explain how there are 10000 fewer full time employees working for the district today you keep using that number and it isn't time I was CEO for one now. In those early days and we have won the order of magnitude of around 10000 fewer after use. So it's a time I've been mayor to now it's my understanding that we have around 3000 F.. We mean full time equivalents for listeners who think we're just talking jargon. It's Washington everybody knows every acronym comes with three thousand four time equivalency important number. It is not how many people you have it's actually how much are you spending because here you keep saying well you're just transferring employees a contract so let's talk about spending. Let's talk about it. I disagree with that let's talk about spending. Spending 1999 and now it's reduced we've reduced spending 230 million dollars we've cut 2 or 30 million dollars from the budget McKinsey Company. There

was a foundation for the original original ribbon commission about 10 years ago came back through about four or five months ago said you have to save 150 million dollars by 2005. We've now as of October 1st saved children 13 million dollars now with the help of the council including no wind. As I read as the question that you would like to put the source you have a question Carol Carol you've been talking about a lot of engaged in by the by the mayor lack of attention of the mayor and you know yesterday in our conversation I was pointing out that in your on your website you had tax proposals tax cuts that told about 400 million dollars. And when asked about this apparently you're saying it was a mistake in your campaign. When I went for one thing I don't know how you would come up with the 400 million dollars unless you talk to the independent CFO about it. But in what it was in 1980 in 98 I had done an economic development proposal and one of the volunteers in my campaign in there we have an all volunteer campaign. I actually put up under an issue slot the

1998 issue paper on economic development unbeknown to me in order to be a placeholder because we were working on a new economic development proposal in that proposal and I did you know get it in a certain way and I appreciate your drawing it to my attention because I immediately got it off because it was never in you know me well enough to know my never my intention to mislead anybody. But it never talked about specific proposals it would say things like we should start to reduce our taxes by we should begin to be competitive with the surrounding jurisdictions. So how you would come up with that 400 million dollar number I don't know. But but it was a 98 proposal and it's certainly something that I must tell you today if I may or we're going to aim towards. Just as I said in the 98 proposal all of the things we would aim towards. I do think our residents and our businesses pay too much tax and I hope to be heading up a government where we can start to reduce those taxes while we. Provide

services to our citizens who pay so dearly for them. In the report that I read about your response to that charge you indicated that it may have had something to do with the lack of money in your campaign. Now we just have volunteers we had all volunteer operation we're doing all right of course I could use more money if you'd like to send me. Appreciate it. Mel Williams we'll ignore that solicitation. There was a lot of by anybody else watching there was a lot of distrust among every day city employees when you took office back in 1999 How has your relationship with government workers evolved over the past four years. I think it's a good one for the better I think that I've worked very hard to see that our employees will get the training they deserve. Very hard to see that they're rewarded or working with a K for its foundation on employer awards take personal interest and involvement in working to see that they have the systems. Very importantly the facilities are government centers project for example east of the river with Anacostia gateway or Minnesota and bending road is not just intended to get economic investment out there in neighborhoods use of the river. It's also

intended to give our employees quality places in which to work. They were management partnership is something that we push very very strongly and I think the endorsement by our employee unions over my candidacy speaks to the good relationship that I build with them. Go see what you have been quoted as saying that mill Williams takes credit for services when the cull so deserves the credit. Can you give specific examples of how you feel Anthony Williams has undeservedly stolen the spotlight. Well I think there have been specific examples for instance. I've heard the mayor various forms and in various things that he has done like presentations in Congress talking about how you know trash pickup is improved in under his watch and he's responsible. And in that case I put into the budget a realistic plan for purchasing trash trucks and super cans which have certainly added to the trash picked up improvements the rights away fees that the

utility companies pay for the digging underground in the rental space they are directed that dedicate to a dedicated fund called the local road maintenance fund which is filling potholes and and and doing those road repairs and Aoi paving to people I think are seen. And and the mayor has always tried to. Supplant that money take it. Take that money and use it for other purposes from the local appropriations. And I've constantly tried to protect that fund so that we can see improvements in our roads so I think and in those kinds of instances it's been when it actually should have been. We know we sense he was doing I if we were going to nominate assumption is that if the snow falls and it's not picked up off the ground on time if there's an overflow of trash and if there are a lot of potholes in the city the person who generally goes down is the mare. Are you simply saying that if those things are improved then the person who should get credit for it is the mayor you don't necessarily have to share that quit.

First of all I believe that only a very religiously tried to share credit as mayor with all the relevant cons. cures including puro you can look at Channel 16 there are any number of pro Scarff ensues. Well I've applauded the work that she's done. You see someone watching right I'm sure there are many people watching right now and they're saying come on everybody give me a break. Girls done a good job as chairman of Public Works mayors doing a good job. What are they going to do about the future of the city stop talking about who's getting credit for and talk. Talk to me about your vision for the city that's what people want to hear we're just we're just dragged down this I did this and I did this and I did this and I did this. Well let's talk about the future of the city for a second because of sorts. Four years ago you said that what people need is a change not a continuation in the kind of leadership that we are having the mayor seems to be implying or at least I infer from what he's saying is that look a good job is being done here. Why do we need to change. Well listen we can do better. We can do better and I will give Tony some credit for the progress we've made. And Im always glad to say when when

when it's appropriate. But I think we've got a long way to go we have a big racial and economic divide in our city we need far more affordable housing. We need to have this whatever economic benefits that accrue to our city be spread across the city. Ward 8 still does not have a supermarket still has today in most of the residents out there do not have cars still have to get on on buses to a to get their groceries and I find that very sad and I want to do something about it. The mayor will have his opportunity to talk about his vision for the future but first we've got to take a break and when we come back it will be with the independent candidate for the middle for the middle to Tricia Kish Kinch was once as independent candidate. And Steve Duncan is with the statehood Green Party. They'll be back for this mayoral debate a joint presentation of WMUR radio and TV a collaboration between Howard University and American University.

The. Welcome back. You're either listening to the clones on nomination 1 W-M You are watching a

special edition of the evening exchange on TV. Either way what you're about to see or hear if you happen to be a voter in the District of Columbia will hopefully help you to make a decision on November 5th. If you live elsewhere we'll sample the variety of choices available to distant voters in the milk contest. Meet independent candidate Trisha kitsch but they have you here. Thank you. And Steve Duncan of the statehood Green Party was to be callous want to stay with us as is Mayor Anthony Williams. Allow me to start with you Tricia Kent. Back in 1998 you were an organizer in ward one for the insurgent campaign of one CFO Anthony Williams. Now in 2002 you were running against him what happened. What happened was a bit of a disappointment in the agenda. Mr. Well yeah. I think the first big wake up call was the hot property situation when

many of our residents were from Merrily kicked out of their homes instead of going after the landlords the slum landlord. We put people out of their homes and we had a plan to put people out of their homes. And from there we started looking at what measures were being taken to provide affordable housing in this city and they're just not there. So affordable housing is at the top of the list of that fish chicken scampi a little what would push against the candidate if elected mayor do about affordable homes. Well first of all I make sure that we have an affordable housing policy and plan. Back in May all the mayors across the city were in our city talking about affordable housing. Our mayor was not there. And. Ron who's been lobbying before the council would know that this mayor is not committed to affordable housing he talks a good game about affordable housing but he's not committed to it if you look around the city you might see one or two affordable housing signs. But

luxury luxury luxury luxury is all you can find in a city that would be your first priority if you got there. Actually my first priority is children fully funding our school system. I am committed to doing that I am also committed to better protecting those children under the care of the D.C. government. We haven't done such a great job with that. Speaking of education let's turn to Steve Duncan for a second the state a Green Party candidate in the in the past Steve you have fought against budget cuts at the University of the District of Columbia. How do you see UDC fitting into the overall education system that the district provides it provides with positive changes if any have you seen that you do see and what still needs to happen. Well I think it is a public land grant university UDC is a is an invaluable resource to DC not only in terms of the education it provides but in terms of all the other services it provides to the city. And since those budget cuts in the mid to late 90s UTC has never recovered from that they still suffer from a decrease in the faculty and student

population and in the resources and I will. I was a student at UBC briefly and so I spent a lot of time on the campus and I know what challenges they face and as I said is our public university they should certainly be top priority in terms of funding what is the top of your list of priorities if elected mayor of the District of Columbia. Well our campaign is about. Basically we prioritizing the agenda for DC and putting public resources back towards a public benefit for the residents and that would include affordable housing public education and public health care. By public health you mean that you support the reestablishment of a public hospital in the District of Columbia. Yes absolutely I think the closure of DC General was was a criminal offense against the most vulnerable population in DC. But in addition to restoring a public hospital I think what we need to do is expand our health care delivery system and really have a full public universal health care system that covers

everyone in DC regardless of income status regardless of employment status. So let me just start this time with you with the last topic for us the mayor and his team have argued that the health care law is that has been put in place has more than compensated for the services that were provided by D.C. General Hospital that we now have a better health care system. Do you think we do. No I do not think we do and I think it's not serving as many people and it is less cost effective. And I think the figures that you can find will show that for one thing we're now paying the merest bit will always produce figures that show that more people are being served than were being served before and the opposition tends to give mostly anecdotal evidence. Look at the IGY report there's been recent reports that show that we were service seen 4000 people that weren't even eligible to be service. So we're paying for that. And and so there I mean I know we can rhetorical you say whatever we want and if nobody bothers to check then it becomes fact. But this is not fact I

would like. Well I would I want to see is have a public hospital again and I'd like to you know D.C. General is still sitting there. I would like to see us look to reopening D.C. general a more modernized version of d.c. general but when you look at the kind of money we're giving to the D.C. Health Care Alliance and you know that that hospital D.C. General was closed against the unanimous the unanimous support of this council. You know the council very rarely has unanimous votes. Every single one of us voted against the closure of the Senate I will but I'm a little you do with the contrail board no. He joined together with a control board as they're walking out the door and they made sure the DC General was closed. And then. Fan says Smith who is executive director of the control board. All of a sudden miraculously just ends up with a very nice contract with DC Health Care Alliance the Greater Southeast Community Hospital. So he's doing just fine he got rid of that d.c. general and now he's got a nice contract runs out.

Mr. Miller I recently interviewed the chair of the city council in the co-op She is also for bringing back a public hospital to the District of Columbia. You argue or your people argue that the D.C. Healthcare Alliance is doing a good job. Are you for bringing back a public hospital to the District of Columbia or do you think that because of managed care and the like that has passed the latter I think you're seeing cities and counties across the country move to a model of alliances move to the model of a coverage and plans for citizens. So what they're not waiting until their near death with the new final symptoms of the disease waiting in emergency room for care but they're getting here. You know in a medical home with a doctor in a neighborhood clinic with them with a plan that's monitored by that clinic. You know what the hell are you into cities in the city are improving there is a new RAND study that's come out in what it's showing us is that we're actually covering more of the engine more of the poor in the city than we thought we did we're doing a much better job than people people have said. And getting children enrolled in the system we're doing a better job with infant mortality. So we're we're

we're doing a better job with HIV AIDS not that we should have a parade down Pennsylvania Avenue about it. But we are making a serious attack on major health indices in this city and we ought to continue and stay the course. When I was out this summer collecting signatures almost across the board. The main theme that I heard over and over again Mr. Mayor is d.c. general. When I listed my agenda you know invariably there was something on it that people like but d.c. general is that thing that it's really a sore subject with people they really feel strongly that it should have never been closed and that we need a public hospital in this city. You said that your priority would be Child and Family Services. What do you bring to the table if elected mayor that you would do for children and families in the District of Columbia. First of all I would fully fund our public school system. But do you mean by fully fund the D.C. public school. I have not been fully funded even though as a matter fact they've been cut.

Well see what I'm talking about kill Schwartz or Anthony Williams we discussed earlier the fact that municipal bonds interest both of you agree that we shouldn't be charging interest on municipal bonds. Here you have people who say we shouldn't cut the public schools in the first city council was a loan that the mayor was in on that. What do you say we cut the public schools we had decided to increase the public schools and 90 million dollars this year and then when we had the three hundred twenty three million dollar deficit we cut the increase we didn't cut programs that let you say in the last two years we have increased the public school budget by 42 percent. That is an amazing amount of increase. And you also see the public schools and I believe unless I'm I was I was a public school mother all my kids went to the public schools so I care very strongly not only about every other child but I certainly. Committed my own children ta public school system. But when you see a school system that just frittered away 23 million dollars paying people they don't even work

for the school system. We also have to make sure that the dollars we do send there and we send a lot of dollars there are well spat. Steve Duncan the budget says we're going to give you so much and then some of this cut out of that. Even though that's so much represented an increase. Do you feel that there was a cut in the school system's budget. Do you agree that the schools are not being funded appropriately. Absolutely I mean this after Marx had a line in a movie who you got out of the Marcus Center and this wasn't a big deal and this better be good believe me or your own eyes and this is a this is an instance where you know we're we're being asked not to believe our own eyes. You know we're told about budget increases and then but I mean if you go look into the schools go to the schools spend some time in the schools. They're definitely not being over resourced even though we've been increasing the budgets lately. Again look at the poor people spending which Parents United for D.C. Public Schools has done a very good study on that. It's no better than it was in the early 90s and it's still far beyond what it is in the

surrounding jurisdictions. Even the state of Virginia during their recent budget crisis didn't touch the public schools. Let me raise this question to both you and Tricia cans. If there was a budget deficit by three hundred and twenty three million dollars. Do you feel it is important to balance it. Oh yes I would you have ballast I want to cut out some of those that I things like that give away to the Grand Prix racer this chasing after the Olympics. How about you Steve Duncan. Well D.C. statehood Green Party level is something that not just your already in office will get that's the second you'll get to respond as they hear a Green Party has a program called fair taxes for D.C. which has been endorsed by a number of community groups. It's on our Web site at the U.S. state or green dot org. Basically it consists of first of all restructuring our income tax system and making it a progress of system instead of a regressive system making the rich pay their fair share. Easing the burden on the low and moderate income folks. It also includes stopping the corporate subsidies and giveaways as true as Tricia mentioned and those were just a few and it and finally it's just you know continuing the

press the demand for statehood and getting our fair federal the federal payment getting all the all the nonprofits and government entities that do not pay taxes here to to pay their fair share. If we do those implement those three things we'd have more than enough money in the budget to pay for he needs. Mr. schools the budget. I mean first of all I would agree we are increased for the schools from 2002 to 2003 was on the order of magnitude actually about one hundred and ten to one hundred twenty million dollars or take 30 million from that you're still talking about an increase of 90 million dollars at a time when other agencies were saying 15 percent cuts. So we actually try to preserve the schools and keep that priority on the schools. There are additional dollars out there in the future. I like to see all investment in our schools. See investment in our neighborhoods and see further tax cuts with an emphasis initially and I know this isn't popular with an emphasis initially on reductions for businesses where the comparison between

the District and Maryland Virginia is completely out of line and the individual taxpayer is paying a lot of money but individual businesses. No I think it's ridiculous. Back to Child and Family Services which is the priority of to Tricia continue having been on the school board having argued that the children are a priority for you. Also we've been reading in the newspaper lately that the Child and Family Services Agency in the District of Columbia under the leadership of Olivia Golden is getting out from the court ordered probation under which it was under apparently better systems are in place to provide care for children of the District of Columbia. You wouldn't be running if you were satisfied with the situation. What would you do to change it. Well listen for one thing we would we would have oversight over the contractors. I mean when you see of the cases of abuse of young people whether it be sexual or otherwise it's nobody's not only in the store we have got to do oversight and we've got to do like just drop ins and I can assure you I as mayor would personally go out and visit some of those

facilities and they would never know when I was coming because you know if they know you're coming they're going to bake you a cake. I'm going to just drop by and they'll never know when they're going to be constantly on guard because I care about our children. I cry every time I read one of those stories and none of those stories are going to happen under my watch is if I can help it. When it comes to children in the District of Columbia Steve Duncan what does the state a Green Party propose if you were elected. Well again it's certainly better oversight and prioritizing of our budget. I think your commitment to whatever cause it is whether it's children or any other the elderly or foster carer or more of the homeless is very much reflected in your budget how much money how many dollars are you willing to put behind it and the fact that we've been consistently cutting those budgets reflects I think a rearrangement of priorities is not in the interest of the resident So it's budgeting and it's also just oversight and commitment in follow through in a recent you.

Steve Duncan said that the Sports and Entertainment Commission is criminal. What do you mean by that. Well basically what the Sports and Entertainment Commission does is it takes revenue from from the public space that we have at RFK Stadium and the armory and puts it in its own dedicated fund and uses that for its own purposes which has been basically chasing big dollars. Major League Baseball the Olympics things like that big big wealthy special interest to come into the city and make a lot of money off the city what they're supposed to be doing is taking that revenue and also putting it towards youth activities youth recreation and sports we have many schools and youth programs that are underfunded under resourced they don't have the athletic equipment they need. We need to be training Olympians rather than trying to attract the Libyans. To the city and so I went up what I would propose with the Sports and Entertainment Commission is to abolish it take that revenue and put it in the general fund work can be put to residence purposes.

When you say take that revenue what revenue are you talking about the revenue that the Sports and Entertainment Commission has purview over which is the proceeds from the armory and from the fees so you don't think that there should be any aggressive promotion of bringing either professional sports or any major internationally renowned or national leader that you know Emma to a sports to the District of Columbia for the purpose of raising the city's profile and therefore attracting presumably tourist dollars or for any real revenue that they might develop. Well not when the tradeoff is again cuts in our public schools and public health and in affordable housing that would be looked at. We went to good failed and we were talking earlier about Doug Jamal let's talk about sweetheart deals for billionaires and talk about Fred Mellon who lives in Potomac Maryland who wants to build this baseball stadium who is he to tell us what to do with our public money in our public space and sports and entertainment How do you feel. Well I enjoy sports and entertainment but I agree with Steve. Let's

get back to basics and priorities many of our residents are hurting our children deserve to be educated so they can compete in this very competitive global economy. And the square budget request with something like 900 million we approved 700 million you're comparing. Good Lord Almighty. Well never catch my boy. Anybody can request the president of the school board requested her and then superintendent Vance asked for nine hundred million dollars to make this school system what it ought to be given given the resources they should have gotten that I feel they should have every dime of it. Tell us what people in this town want to see professional baseball come here. They want a student you want to RFK Stadium where it currently exists. People want to see the 2001 profile limpets come here because they feel it would raise the profile of the city give it an even greater international image. And they feel that well the Sports and Entertainment Commission should have those things as its job. Do you feel about the sport.

Yes and I think we've got to do a balancing act. And I want to see I want to see baseball back and I want to see lots of things in D.C. but at the same time I think I agree with Stephen I agree with Tricia that we also have to balance we have to take care of the basics and we can't neglect the basics to get these things. And I do find that the commission allowing that auto racing people that when they're in their neighborhoods I mean I found that and it cost us money. I mean even when you take the hotel receipts that came from that and you take the actual money we put out we didn't earn any money off of that one I can assure you and we also made the lives of many of our youth. It wasn't as Raylan Commission has too much autonomy. I do think we have too much of the cast off the way we're looking at it right now. You've got a loose cannon on deck that's what your opponents are saying the sport's another person who was out of tourism and entertainment is at least the second

most important part of our economy in order to keep that going you've got to make investments and you make those investments as only You're getting more money back and you put in you make an investment to bring in the Olympics you make an investment to bring in baseball you make an investment to do any and any of these activities is only you're getting more than you put in. As long as there is community benefit and as long as there is a right kind of community participation and that's what we're dedicated to doing. Cities all over the country have what are called enterprise funds so that an entity outside of the general fund but with disclosure and all the transparency can make quick decisions. No one's going to come and invest in this city if they're going to wait three four five years for everybody and their mothers cousin to talk about something endlessly that's just where we are. That's what I wasn't trying. One other thing I shared with my good know everybody had a chance to hear that everybody had a chance to talk let me talk. Second thing is all of us can talk until we're blue in the face about what we like we like to you know hero saying I like to have all these sports activities and I also want to take your people in need

in the city. Fact is that since I've been mayor major increases in the government have been for education mental health Children Family Services health care that's where the dollars have gone because they are important I'm proud of it. Steve I want to get that with councils now. Steve Duncan all of us have to make that statement co source this Steve Duncan. Would you care to address a question to anyone else on this table except me that OK sure I'd like to ask the incumbents. We've got a dedicated stream of revenue for certain big big dollar projects I can think for instance of the convention center the new convention center it's a dedicated stream of revenue taken from the hotel and restaurant tax put on the hotel and restaurant sales and all that money goes directly into the building the new convention center. Another example of a pseudo dead dedicated stream of revenue is a housing production trust fund which is the transfer record in fees which go towards producing affordable

housing. However the difference is that that is subject to being rated as it was going to be a question about it or something during during a budget crisis. Reichen we have dedicated streams of revenue that go to things like affordable housing public schools public health that are locked locked away and safe like we have for projects like the new convention this question is for you. I think the first for the whole question of the affordable housing housing production trust fund. I understand that there are 12000 more families with affordable housing in the last four years and there were before and I'm proud of that. We had no funding for the housing production trust fund before we introduced the Housing Act of 2002 and with the Council with this actors funding for that program now the problem with dedicating funds for everything is that you remove the discretion you elected your officials to exercise you elect a con. You elect a mayor to make decisions.

QUESTION Is there a question you'd like to direct and to have. I would like to ask the mayor if he knows how many homeless people we have just left there roughly there are different numbers and so everybody's got a different number. But my answer to you would be in our city is in cities across the country there are too many. And how many people do we have on the waiting list for Section 8 housing. We have approximately 10000. So even though we have made some inroads Mr. Mayor we need an affordable housing policy. We need a mayor who is committed to affordable housing for the residents of this city. Well again we can. You know I appreciate you and I respect you. Everybody can make a statement. But you know whether there is a basis for that statement is another thing. Housing Act of 2002 this mayor pushed with a con. So we had legislation to support fordable housing in the city housing production trust fund is now funded now for the first time since its creation so we can promote affordable housing with a new museum came to the city we made sure there was a provision for

transfer of dollars for affordable housing and for that matter we all talk about downtown development. Half of the tax increment financing in the city is going to neighborhood development in the city. Tell us what if you were elected mayor what would be the first thing that you would do what would be the first act that you would perform. The first piece of legislation you would likely introduce. Well the first thing I'm going to do is get rid of a lot of your bureaucratic bloat that has grown up under this administration and get rid of all these contracts that are going out many people that even live out of town. Get rid of those and then I can hear that there's a shadow over those. I think there is an ethical shot all around and I also think even as equally as the fact that enormous amounts of money are going out the door money that could go for affordable housing that could go for education could go for the homeless and I can assure you that's the first thing I would do is scrub that budget and direct the money to

things that we can see feel and touch these contracts have been unconscionable we're just finding out the information trying to find out I know we keep hearing the word transparent budget. Well ask any of my colleagues on the council we after our year are finally on are they in this nontransparent budget. I don't don't anybody in Washington over the past 20 years who has not complained that we have a bloated bureaucracy in the school system or in the city government. Yes I do remember that when a certain CFO cut positions in city government he became very unpopular. How would you plan to do that and retain your popularity position seek out the women who were working in the finance office in a hired who were making thirty and forty and fifty thousand dollars and hired all these other people usually of a different gender making double that. Mr Man you are supporting me. It speaks for every council member outside of think of Kerwin David continue supporting me I think that speaks for itself.

You were the only game in town when those Europeans were to be any exclusive time with the consul now. If today was your last day in office what project or goal would you regret most leaving unfinished. What slip up do you think you would not have had the ability to correct. Well just say the thing if I left office right now the thing that I most regret in not completing it certainly transformation or rebuilding education in our city. Because that's key to what I call public space in our city. Tricia Coach what do you think voters of the District of Columbia should know most about Trish that they should know that she has the courage and the commitment to stand up for them and to move their agenda. That's why I'm running in this race. Back in May and that's when I started this. There wasn't anybody else that wanted to challenge the incumbent. And yes many people laugh because I used to help bring them to the table. But I believe that we need new leadership in this city. And I'm the person who has the courage and the

commitment to better serve the residents of this city. Steve Duncan what is there the District of Columbia voters should know about you. Well it's more than about me and I mean I've got a long history of dedication and civic activism that goes back several decades but it's more than about me it's about the stator Green Party which is the party I represent and in spite of me bringing it on here is a second stringer sort of in this discussion the stator Green Party is a major political party with ballot status in D.C. like the Democrats and Republicans and we're a viable alternative. We've come to that part of our discussion where each one of our candidates will be allowed one minute to make a final statement. And I for one hope that I won't say what I hope until I get to the people who I hope will say it. That's a start for us. Go ahead please. The people of Washington DC need new leadership with the courage to

stand up for all of the people starting with children. We need to fully fund our school system. We need to better protect those children under the care of the D.C. government. We need an affordable housing policy that respects the needs and preferences of all our residents people who have lived in this city for decades do not need to be in fear of being driven out. D.C. General should have never been closed. We need a public hospital and our economic development must include some human development. We need leadership that will say it's not my city it's not your city it's our city. Steve Duncan. Well the D.C. statehood Green Party and myself are running a very strong campaign this year we were running Actually if nearly full slate of candidates which the Republican Party is not and we are as I say as I say in all the forms the only party the only

progressive party in D.C. we've got a long history of grassroots activism in D.C. and we're the only party that really stands for anything including a living wage on D.C. property taxes in D.C. universal health care program and local reparations law and also statehood for D.C. And so that's what we bring to the table and that's what all your state or Green Party candidates will will be advocating and pushing every day that we're in office and I was hoping that because Carol Schwartz and anybody Dims have run against each other before that when it came to Europe one minute statement you would somehow be able to include in it something the voters of the District of Columbia have never heard about Carol Schwartz before but of course the choice is yours. OK tell it to as sort of an open book I've had a long time and I think there are very few things people do not know about maybe I do pay at play I mean day in my playing Bond. And a lot of people may not know that I don't make news.

But I I love the city I love its people all of its people. My passion for this city I think has been demonstrated in every way as a citizen activists as a public official. I have wanted to leave this city for a long time I've been passed by and we've brought in other leaders and then they which we brought in these later years than people look to me to clean up their messes. Well I'm tired of cleaning up other people's messes. I would like to lead this city and bring us that better day a better day for all of us it will include all the things that Tricia and Steve outlying because I care about those things equally. And I would like the voters of this city to finally finally give me a chance to lead us to that better tomorrow. Thank you. Murtha knew it was the same rule applies to you if you can include in your one minute statement something that the voters of the District of Columbia Columbia did not know about Anthony Williams before. Well I think what we often do is on this you know I mean something that people don't know about me and it's often

discussed as I think there is a deep and abiding interest that I have in the children of the city and their future and willing to fight for their future. You know I mentioned earlier that we're talking a lot about what I have or haven't done and what decision was made here or there and who has credit for this or that and the real issue here is a real vision for our city on our schools and on our children. How are we going to ensure the success of our children schools as Neighborhood Centers and the support that they need. How are we going to ensure that our citizens and residents have the jobs that are coming into the city and that our businesses have and our businesses have a role in this new economy. How are we going to continue to rebuild our neighborhoods we've seen progress there is more to come. And finally how can we ensure fiscal responsibility self-determination for Responsibility and representation for the city with an adequate federal contribution those are the issues that are facing our city. And I believe that I put the city in the right direction. I'm the best person to fulfill that vision. That's why sixty four thousand people voted for me on September 10th and that's why I think people are going to come to the Democratic line. Tony we I was on the ballot November 5th.

All of the candidates have toed the line on the one minute limitation so naturally we have some extra time left to give us the opportunity to talk a little bit about campaign financing. Yes especially from the point of view of those parties that are not as well recognized as the Democratic and Republican parties. Steve Duncan do you feel that in a race like this the statehood Green Party has an equal and fair chance that the same kind of chance that the Democrats and the Republicans. Well no not in the current situation where with all due respect to you folks in the media continue to marginalize and dismiss us in spite of us being a major party and we don't raise a kind of fund that the Democrats or Republicans do and we're quite proud of that we have no corporate ties we don't know one of the reasons they raise those funds is to get us more involved in the process and that is by buying time on radio and television stations. Well yeah but it's a tradeoff that you have to ask yourself Are we willing to take. I mean we all of our money comes from local sources like.

At least I know the mayor's got I do have to say that Carol Schwartz refuses money from the national GOP as my assistant would like Correct but that does not necessarily mean that all of the money comes from local sources. Well I got a few relatives outside the city have sent me some money but I did. It's a local. Tricia cares about campaign finance or how do you feel compared to the so-called major parties. Well I think that the people of this city should take a look at the fact that because we're such a heavily Democratic city we've got sort of a lock on the political arena and that that doesn't serve the people well. Our current Democratic State Committee is you know just a rubber stamp for the incumbent. It doesn't generate challengers or anything. And as an independent There is no funding for me so send checks everything. Well you get the last word. Our best wishes go out to all of the candidates. Remember the lection day is November 5th both WHCA to

TV and WMUR radio would like to thank you for joining us. On behalf of Howard University and American University and on behalf of all of the wonderful people who participated in this joint production code.