KEVIN P. CHAVOUS
RESPONSES TO GAY AND LESBIAN ACTIVISTS ALLIANCE OF WASHINGTON
1998 QUESTIONNAIRE FOR MAYORAL CANDIDATES
Part I. Conduct of Office
1. What lessons have you drawn from your own mistakes and the mistakes of others
that will help you facilitate a speedy return of home rule powers if you are elected
Mayor?
My administration will l) develop a nation-wide information campaign so that our fellow
citizens understand the inefficiency of Congress's straggle hold on our policies and tax
dollars; 2) establish an office for intensely lobbying members of Congress; and 3) keep DC
citizens much better informed about the relationship between Congress and the District.
2. As Mayor, will you actively lobby the Control Board for reforms in management,
oversight, and budgets, even for agencies and departments over which you will have no
formal control for much of your term?
The last budget process illustrated that an improved working relationship between the
council, control board and the Mayor's office is possible and can be productive. As Mayor,
I will emphasize centralize information flow and regularly scheduled meetings to
streamline the working relationship between all parties and set goals for the
implementation of the prescribed management reforms. However, I'm running to be the Chief
Executive Officer and primary policymaker of the District of Columbia. I intend to win
this election with a strong majority of the vote and, with this mandate from District
voters, I will work for the restoration of our democratic rights. I am committed to
working with the Control Board, but their policymaking role will be secondary to that of
the elected representatives of the people.
3 Gay and lesbian community leaders were heavily involved in the recent search
process that led to the selection of a new Police Chief. Will you ensure that lesbians and
gay men will be similarly involved in any search for new heads for the police department,
health department, the Agency for HIV-AIDS, and other agencies of particular interest to
our community.
The Gay and Lesbian community has specific issues and history around fair police
practices. Their contribution to the recruitment process for police chief was
indispensable in assuring that city officials considered their very critical perspective.
The same is obviously true in future hirings in the police and health departments, the
Agency for HIV-AIDS, and other agencies of particular interest to our community.
Part II. Public Safety
4. What will you do to improve the often-strained relations between the various
public safety agencies (police, fire department, corrections) and the District's gay and
lesbian community?
Under my administration, a civilian complaint review system will be established. This
board will be comprised of individuals who represent the diversity of the District and is
inclusive of all interest groups. This will ensure that all citizens are involved in the
oversight and review of complaints. The staff will consist of paid full-time professional
staff sufficient to address and investigate District resident's concerns in a timely and
effective manner. The committee will design and implement a review process that includes
the availability of independent investigations.
Additionally, the police and other public safety forces must be trained to eliminate
abuse of District residents and visitors. My administration will not tolerate
mistreatment, refusal of services, slow response time or any other discriminatory act
committed by public officers. The issues surrounding the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and
Transgender community will be fully addressed by my administration. Many reforms are
necessary and I will work closely with the community to ensure they are achieved and
properly enforced. The support of each community will be necessary to ensure the Control
Board fully funds this program and I will work diligently to ensure the necessary support
is present.
5. The federalization and privatization of the functions of the Department of
Corrections have often resulted in the placement of D. C. prisoners in facilities that
have no condom availability programs. To the extent possible, do you favor requiring
private contractors to provide condom availability programs similar to those that have
been in effect in D. C. facilities, and will you lobby federal and state prison officials
to adopt similar programs in facilities where D.C. prisoners are housed?
I support requiring a condom availability program in privatized prisons where D.C.
resident's are housed. The prevention of AIDS will be a top priority in my administration.
This includes education and training at all levels of District government. Condom
availability will decrease the risk of spreading AIDS, especially in areas typically
under-served by AIDS prevention programs.
Additionally, I opposed the privatization of D.C. prisons and will continue to fight
for locally controlled prisons within the District's supervision. The privatization of
prisons compromises the ability of the District to manage and control the facility and
thus exposes our citizens to the mercy of private citizens who are rarely held accountable
for inappropriate actions.
6. Do you support passage and full funding for the new civilian complaint review
system to be established by Bill 12-521 of the Office of Citizen Complaint Review
Establishment Act of 1998?
As earlier stated I am in favor of a citizen complaint review system to ensure citizens
are able to oversee and review complaints. This will be a priority in my administration. I
will ensure the board is comprised of interest groups and fully represents the residents
of the District. Full funding will be necessary to achieve this goal, and I intend to make
sure that happens.
7. Do you support Bill 12-612, the Opened Alcoholic Beverage
Containers Amendment Act of l998 (a.k.a. the Chardonnay Lady Bill), that
would allow people to drink alcohol beverages on their own porches without fear of arrest?
I voted in favor of the Opened Alcoholic Beverages Containers Amendment Act of
1998. While we would all hope that our police could distinguish between excessive
public drinking and non-intrusive recreational drinking on a porch, it was apparent that
our current force needed additional guidance.
8. Will you veto any legislation similar to the recently-defeated Bill 12-279, the
Arrest Without Warrant by Law Enforcement Officers Amendment Act of 1997, that
would expand the right of police officers to arrest people for quality of life
offenses on mere hearsay and without warrants?
Any legislation presented which erodes the rights of District residents will be vetoed.
My administration will strongly support the protection of District residents by opposing
legislation that in effect places them at the mercy of individual discretion. Legislation
of this sort breeds discrimination, as much is left to the discretion of an individual
whose personal beliefs may over-power their professional goal. It is absolutely imperative
that our rights remain intact. I will veto any legislation that threatens to eliminate
those rights.
Part III. AIDS and Other Public Health Issues
9. Do you support Initiative 59 (or similar legislation) to legalize the use of
medical marijuana when a patient s doctor recommends it as a means to combat some of the
effects of AIDS, cancer and other diseases?
I signed the petition and support the Initiative.
10. What will you do to combat the persistent failure of District health
agencies to spend their full appropriated local funds to combat AIDS? Do you agree that
these agencies should be required to monitor all their grant funding?
The District consistency turns away funds that are rightfully ours and needed to run
critical programs. Within my first 100 days, I will establish an office which may
or may not be permanent to identify, apply for and track federal and foundation
monies. We must determine why our bureaucracy is unable to bring in these monies and
implement a process that enables us to get our rightful share of programs that
would benefit our citizens.
11. What will you propose as strategies for promoting AIDS-related education and
services for underserved and high-risk populations?
I intend to work closely with community-based organizations and agencies that are
currently providing AIDS education. My administration will work to fill holes in the
current education program. I will work with the Department of Health to ensure that
under-served areas where there is a high incidence of AIDS are targeted for education
programs in the schools, hospitals and clinics. I will work closely with community based
health services to place services where they are needed.
12. The New York State Legislature recently passed legislation saying that:
(I) doctors must report the names of people who test positive for HIV to public health
officials; and that (2) health workers must attempt to have infected patients identify
their sex or drug-use partners and then must notify those partners of possible exposure.
Such measures are invariably counter-productive and discourage those most at risk from
being tested and treated for HIV. Will you oppose any such legislation in the District,
vetoing it if necessary?
I will ask the assistance of all groups working to control the spread of AIDS and other
sexually transmitted disease to join in devising an effective means of controlling the
transmission OF AIDS without intruding on the rights of the infected.
13. Do you support an increase in District government funding to combat AIDS in line
with the continuing increase in the caseload?
The prevention and treatment of AIDS will be a top priority of my administration. The
budget will reflect this commitment.
14. Do you support continued District government funding for the needle
exchange program to combat the spread of AIDS? Will you actively resist congressional
efforts to end such funding?
The City Council passed the legislation for this program. Of course, I'll fight against
congressional interference in our social programming.
Part IV. Curbing Regulatory Abuse
15. Do you agree that the attack on adult consumers is utterly unwarranted and that
there should be no limits on the proportion of video store revenues derived from adult
videos?
The case you are referring to illustrates the failure on the part of DCRA to implement
correctly existing zoning and business regulations. The issues are complex, and the
process was arbitrary This has to be corrected. Our laws have to clear and our enforcement
orderly.
16. Will support legislation to reauthorize and regulate the issuance of
liquor licenses to establishments {in designated nonresidential commercial districts) that
want to offer nude dancing as entertainment?
No.
Part V. Defending Our Families
17. Do you support legal recognition of marriages between partners of the same sex?
Same sex marriages are contrary to my religious beliefs and training. However, I voted
for the District's Domestic Partnership Bill and feel strongly that many of our
nontraditional relationships deserve and need access to insurance coverage and inheritance
rights.
18. Will you lobby Congress to overturn the current Congressional
restrictions on the District s funding of the DC Health Care Benefits Expansion Act of
1992?
Yes. My administration will 1) develop a nation-wide information campaign so that our
fellow citizens understand the inefficiency of Congress's straggle hold on our policies
and tax dollars; 2) establish an office for intensely lobbying members of Congress; and 3)
keep DC citizens much better informed about the relationship between Congress and the
District.
19. Will actively resist congressional efforts to outlaw by unmarried
couples?
District children awaiting adoption or placement with foster parents need immediate
access to loving, committed couples and individuals. The District must ensure that racial
and gender barriers don't block adoptions by committed couples and singles.
Part VI. Upholding the DC Human Rights Law
20, 21. Reestablishment of the Office of Human Rights (OHR) as an independent,
Cabinet-level agency whose Director has direct access to the Mayor.
I will monitor the performance of the Office of Human Rights and ensure that its budget
permits efficient operation. None of my agencies will be permitted to operate with a
backlog.
22. Yes, I would support legislation giving people with AIDS and life-shortening
conditions priority in proceedings before the OHR.
23. Do you agree that District government agencies are indeed covered by the DC
Human Rights Act of 1977?
No DC agency should discriminate based on characteristics of race, sex, sexual
preference, national origin, disabilities, etc. All agencies should focus on one thing:
job performance. In my administration, all agencies heads and managers will be evaluated
on their ability to supervise a productive multi-cultural, multi-productive, multi-cultural,
multi-racial staff composed of men and women whose non-work-hours relationships are not a
part of their performance ratings.
24. Proposals for vouchers.
I am opposed to vouchers. I believe they will further weaken our public schools.
25. How do you propose to improve District government services for gay and lesbian
youth?
I intend to develop a counseling code with the DC public schools and clearly define
students' rights and responsibilities. Research states that gay and lesbian youth are at
higher risk of suicide and drug-use. School counselors will be trained to develop a
supportive atmosphere for gay and lesbian youth and for students questioning their sexual
orientation. |