SABRINA SOJOURNER for At-Large Council
1216 Michigan Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20017
phone: (202) 526-4442 fax: (202) 526-0554 email: sojourner@crystalbuddha.com

Statement of Sabrina Sojourner
Candidate for At-Large Council

Responses to Making Our Votes Count Questionnaire

1. Committee Choices: Education, Government Operations, and Human Services
Focus: Education
We need a different kind of leadership when it comes to education in the District of Columbia. l am passionate about public education. l believe its original mission is still much needed in our country and the District of Columbia. l would like the education committee to work with the District of Columbia Public Schools to develop a clearly articulated vision. Once accomplished, the Council would provide the guidance and accountability needed to implement that vision. Many believe DCPS has enough money. It just does not use its resources well. Areas I know that are in need of repair include, but are not limited to, special education, teacher training, administrator and supervisor development (including principals), in-school counseling, and central administration service delivery.

It is not enough to say our schools are in bad shape. We need to move the inertia of that system. The Council is in the position to use its responsibilities to demand substantive change. If nothing else, we need to articulate our vision and pursue the means of its implementation. We need to support the identification and development of different approaches such as flexible public school choice (the ability to easily go beyond the boundaries of one's neighborhood), enhancement of school resources, upgrading of technology and teachers’ skills to use, teach that technology; and the streamlining of school bureaucracy. We need to update the technology of the bureaucracy so that it can better deliver the services the community, schools and public officials expect.

One vision could be our schools as a hub in neighborhoods. They ought to be part of the gear system that keeps us - the residents of the District of Columbia - going. Before and after school and community programs provide important opportunities for kids and adults. Special attention needs to be paid to post-secondary education. Traditional Adult Education, Adult remedial education, vocational, vocational enhancement, occupation or career change and continuing education are issues to which we have paid little attention and what we do provide, we fail to highlight.

Our pre-K and Kindergarten are among the best in the country. As a result of our pre-K, our kids enter Kindergarten ready to learn. As a result of our Kindergarten, our First Graders test above the national average. It is after the First Grade that scores begin to falter then fall. We need to take our successes and move them through out our system.

Our kids need to be taught an accumulation of skills that will enable them to succeed in life — not just pass a standardized test. The ability to effectively communicate orally or in writing, comprehend and analyze another’s writing, solve visual and verbal problems, understand and use technology are just a few of the skills our students need to master.

We have entered an era in which learning opportunities need to be life-long. From cradle to grave, we, the residents of the District of Columbia, deserve a top-flight educational system that fulfills those needs.

I would introduce a bill to expand the hours of our libraries as my first piece of legislation. Our libraries are an important resource, enriching the lives of everyone. I would like to see them returned to their proper stature in our lives.

2. Structuring a Hearing. I would work with the community to develop sets of written questions for the proposed nominee. The answers would provide the committee and the community with a sense of the depth and breadth of knowledge, experience, skills and vision a nominee brings to a particular post. I would perform my own review of the nominee's background, soliciting both on and off the record comments from previous associates. “Red flags” would be followed only to determine their legitimacy. The public notice for the hearing would outline the process for community input. Notices would also be mailed to persons and organizations known to be vested in the agency or the board for which a person was being nominated. On the day of the hearing, I would use my opening remarks to set the desired tone for the hearing. I would ask legal counsel to be present so that witnesses would swear to uphold the truth.

3. Filling Vacancies in Length of Six Months or More. I would first write the Administration requesting a timely explanation as to why nominees have not been forwarded, and what, if anything, my office might be able to do to expedite the process. If the Administration failed to respond, or to communicate their process, I would proceed with a second letter. Any failure to respond would result in a hearing and witnesses being subpoenaed.

4. Voting Against a Mayoral Appointee. While circumstances are important, below is the list of criteria I would use to decide to vote against a Mayoral Appointee:
a. unqualified or minimally qualified,
b. no expressed vision for direction,
c. little to know understanding of the issues being faced by agency, board or commission,
d. legitimate questions regarding ethics (more than philosophical differences,
e. little to know understanding of population to be served, and
f. recent failures for which the individual has no understanding of the issues faced or the lessons learned.

5. Vague Budget I would ask that the budget to be resubmitted fully detailing the information needed for the public and I to make informed decisions regarding its passage.

9. Use of the District of Columbia Auditor Yes, I do think the DC Auditor should be used more. The first investigation would be Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. The second would be the Office of Grants Management. We need to know where the hell we are.

10. Staggering of Council Hearing. Yes!

11. Charter Revision. I support the revision of our charter. I would: have at least one more hearing to obtain community ideas and interest; seek to establish a charter review commission that would include members appointed by the Mayor, the Council, and elected by the Community; hold hearings on the initial recommendations of the Commission; and, place their final recommendation(s) before DC voters as a referendum.

12. Relationship to Federal Government. Regarding federally mandated power known as the Financial Authority or Control Board, I am confident that much of the showboating and cock-fighting is behind us. Dr. Alice Rivlin has a very different management style and philosophical approach. I do not see the leading Mayoral or Council Chairman candidates taking a decidedly adversarial role with the Authority. Cooperation and collaboration, regardless of how intense discussions might be, are the key to the restoration of limited Home Rule and any future expansion of Home Rule.

Our future relationship with the Federal government and the Congress must be radically different. The Congress must provide for our full Constitutional standing before our government, and release its assumed authority over legislative and budgetary affairs of DC so long as those decision do not interfere with the Congressional, Judicial or Administrative ability to carry out its mission. DC must have the ability to tax income at its source. It is to the advantage of those doing business in DC to support that effort. It is to the advantage of the rest of the country.

The Council ought to be on the leading edge of the discussion regarding our relationship to the Federal government, locally and nationally. Most Americans do not know the inequities we suffer as a result of living in the nation’s capital. When they do find out, they overwhelmingly agree that our situation is unfair and undemocratic. We need to support the institutions working to educate people locally and nationally about our unequal status, participate in local educational tour programs with that same goal, promote a national dialogue on democracy in DC, and cease being silent on the undemocratic actions of Congress.

13. Improving how the Council does its business. Governance — the means by which we do the business of the District of Columbia - is my number one issue because making changes in how we conduct our business will determine how successful other change initiatives will be. I am specifically interested in: reducing the amount of emergency legislation passed by the Council, having those who testify swear to tell the truth - and holding them accountable for inaccuracies, defining the position as full-time (I do plan to work full-time), holding meetings and hearings at times convenient for constituents, and taking meetings to the community.

14. Approach to Economic Development. While there will always be a need to focus on downtown development, the neighborhoods also have a great need. Many businesses in neighborhood strips are in need of help. Revitalization plans need to include them, providing the extra help they may need to reach the future in their neighborhoods. Plans for attracting new business should not be at the expense of old neighborhood friends. The next head of the Department of Housing and Community Development should have experience as a planner, able to assist communities through the process of reaching an improved and viable future.

The legislation passed by the Council makes the National Capital Revitalization Corporation an important aide to neighborhoods. However, decisions regarding economic development in the neighborhoods are best made when those living in the area are included in the conversation. The way to effectively manage economic development is to re-establish the Office of Planning.

15. Improving the employability of DC residents. Improving District of Columbia's education system is a major step in that direction. Reading, writing, math and science skills must be greatly improved. We must improve our kids understanding and use of current technology, improve parents understanding of jobs in the hospitality and tourism industry, and make a full commitment to improving post-secondary education in DC. For more information, see #1.

16. See above and #1.

17. Accessible Master Facilities Plan. If the school district is not delivering, the Council needs to provide the leadership to accomplish such a plan.

18. School Budget Problems. As stated previously, I would ask that the budget to be resubmitted fully detailing the information needed for the public and I to make an informed decision regarding its passage. If the schools fail to provide such a budget, I would hold up the approval of their budget. If there are enough votes to go around me, I would not support final passage of the bill until the information is provided.

19. The Role of the Council in Welfare Reform. Welfare to work is one of the most important programs we have. The Council needs to provide diligent oversight and guidance in the implementation of our plan. Appropriate support services, including the ability to exchange some work hours for education hours, very much need to be part of reform plans.

20. Prisons. If the felons housed in DC are minimum security felons with all appropriate precautions, yes. However, I think a minimum security women's prison would be the best possibility for us — if we are going to provide prison services. The New York Avenue Corridor and a couple of spots in Ward 8 seem to provide the best sites. However, we need much more information about cost, security and economic impact before a final decision can be made as to how to proceed.

21. Old Munitions. Though I am not aware of this specific issue, I know there are funds to assist in such a clean up. Additionally, DC can request the help of the Department of Defense to aid in the removal of old munitions.

22. Privatization of Bus Service. I do not believe in the privatization of public transportation.

23. & 24. Solid Waste Management. The Waste Transfer stations need to be shut down and designed to minimize impact on neighborhoods. The companies running them claim they are “state-of-the-art”. But, there is nothing state of the art about open warehouses with trash blowing all over the place, fumes being vented into the air, rats roaming the neighborhood, or traffic hold-ups caused by uncovered trunks from Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and other places. The Council needs to pass legislation and regulations that address these issues.

25. Discharge Petitions I don’t know

26. Capital Improvement Budget. The easiest way is to earmark the money as a line item in Department of Public Works Budget. We could also use a portion of the surplus (once we are sure it is a surplus) to create a capital improvement endowment or trust fund.

27. Housing Strategies. I do support rent control. I do not know if it makes sense to have a “quota” for low income housing. What does make sense is mixed use development so that people are not segregated by income or service availability. Having an office of planning would further our ability to effectively address such questions.

28. Tax Commission. I prefer Carol O’Clairichan’s recommendation for addressing tax reform: the simplification of personal property taxes and business taxes, developing a graduated tax for individual income taxes, and the continued pursuit of the ability to tax income at its source.

29. Grants Management. Federal grant dollars need to be separated from appropriated dollars. The FTE they support also need to be separated. The entire system should be revamped to provide for appropriate monitoring, timely dispensing and obligating of Federal funds.

30. Youth Services. The primary role of the Council is to provide legislative support to enhance such services, if legislation is needed. The schools, human services and recreation need to determine what are the economic and human resources needed to provide programs.