Responses from D.C. Mayoral Candidate

Jack Evans to Questions from

D.C. Action for Children

Question 1 — Considering that health and human service budgets have been cut by 65% between FYs 1992 and 1997, and considering that the District had a $186 million surplus in FY 1997 and expects a surplus of $254 million in FY 1998, how much and to what programs would you restore funding regarding children and families.

Response 1 — I am committed to using fifty percent of any budget surplus to pay down the city’s debt. I also advocate limiting any new spending increases until the city’s fiscal house is in order and the Control Board is discharged.

At the same time, while I do not support increased spending of D.C. appropriated dollars, I am a strong proponent of maximizing the federal dollars that are available to the city. In the past, the city has squandered federal funding opportunities and wasted federal dollars. For example, the city delayed spending $89 million in federal grant money intended to provide housing for AIDS patients, screen for breast cancer, examine pregnant women and treat tuberculosis patients because poorly trained officials simply failed to monitor those federal grants from 1991 to 1996. The city also failed to spend $55 federal block grant money targeted for housing for the poor, building sewers and parks, and subsidizing day care.

Question 2 — What is the biggest problem facing youth today and how would you address it.

Response 2 — For many of the District’s youth. their biggest problem is one of simple survival. Too many young people have passed through a school system which has not given them the technical skills and academic knowledge they will need to survive in he highly competitive technological society that will be ours in the 21st century. As mayor I will seek the power to hire and fire the superintendent of schools, and I will demand that citizens hold me and everyone else who has a role in the success of our public school system — the superintendent, principals, teachers, students and parents - responsible for the outcome. Then and only then can we ensure that our schools fulfill their mission and their mandate to educate our young people for their future.

The survival of our young people also is threatened by the violence which surrounds them, in the schools and in the streets. The Washington Post reported that during the ‘97-‘98 school year administrators confiscated 358 weapons from students, including a sawed-off shotgun and nine other firearms, a sword, a machete, and 316 knives, box cutter scissors and razors. There were a total of 80 assaults with deadly weapons, 3 I 3 simple assaults, 70 bomb threats, I 00 school break-ins, 193 thefts, and 1 13 students caught with concealed deadly weapons — including ten handguns or shotguns, three BB guns, one pellet gun, 316 knives or razors, and fourteen canisters of pepper spray.

D.C. Schools have higher levels of violence and crime than similar schools, but have fewer suspensions per student, indicating that violent or disruptive students are not being disciplined. As mayor, I will impose a zero tolerance standard for violence and guns in the schools and on the streets, and I will put in place procedures to combat violence in our schools and provide a safe reaming environment for our students.

Washington has the highest murder rate of all the nation's big cities, and our violent crime rate in 1996 was nearly four times the national average. One of my first acts as mayor will be to put an additional 1,000 police officers on the street.

Question 3 — For some time, there has been talk about establishing a cabinet for children, youth and families. What are your views on such a concept? How would the cabinet be structured?

Response 3 — Many critical government programs exist to serve children, youth, and families. Consolidating the various programs under a single-purpose department with cabinet level status is a concept that is worth investigating. As a husband and father, I believe that the family is the base social unit of our society and should be protected.

Structuring such a cabinet level department should not be difficult. The Youth Services Administration of the Department of Human Services would be a logical starting point. Other programs in DHS, the D.C. Department of Recreation and Parks, and the D. C. Public Schools could be the nucleus of a Department on Children, Youth and families.