American Federation of Government Employees
District 14
Candidate for Mayor 1998

Biographical Information

Name: Kevin P. Chavous

Address: Chavous for Mayor
1328 Florida Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20009
Campaign Telephone: 332-7400

Treasurer: Victor L. Reid

Questions

1. Why are you seeking this office?

My entire life has been committed to public service. As a young lawyer I was asked by the residents of the Benning Road Power Plant area to represent them on a pro-bono basis in their battle against PEPCO's desire to expand its power plant by building two additional oil-fueled turbine generators. The proposed expansion threatened to further pollute one of the District's most polluted areas. Two years later, working with the River Terrace, Eastland Gardens, Mayfair, Parkside and Kenilworth Gardens community we succeeded in convincing PEPCO to forego their plans. I learned through that experience the strength of a strongly organized community and how to represent the desires of the community.

The District of Columbia is at a critical crossroad in its history. Over the past ten years, many residents and businesses have left the District. To stem this exodus and to rebuild the city, I will focus policy decisions on stabilizing neighborhoods, retaining existing businesses and attracting residential and business development within our neighborhoods. As neighborhoods are protected, supported and helped — local-shopping areas with businesses in them once again will become the norm rather than the exception.

My life mentors include A. Phillip Randolph and Walter Reuther whose legacy has made our Country the great nation that it is today. Their struggle to provide fair pay, working conditions and benefits for the nation's workers must not be forgotten by those who wish to become elected representatives of the people. I am seeking the Mayor's office to make the District a world class city, that delivers services in a cost-efficient user friendly manner, provides a quality education for all of our children, delivers health care for those in need and respects the elderly. I plan to reform city government from top to bottom focusing on improving the delivery of city services. In order to achieve this end, a goal of my administration will be to provide District workers with the tools they need to accomplish their work in a timely, cost efficient and safe manner. My top priorities include improving neighborhood schools to assure that every child has equal access to quality education, rebuilding the police department, focusing on making the police more responsive to the constituents they serve. I also will settle for nothing less than the rule of law in the administration of government. It is my hope that success in these areas will assist in the restoration of our democratic rights.

2. What does it mean to you as a candidate to have labor's endorsement and support?

Labor's endorsement and support is critical to winning this election and to reforming the operations of the District government. As indicated above, one of the goals of my administration will be to improve service delivery to District neighborhoods and commercial corridors. Such a commitment cannot be achieved without involving front-line workers in analyzing service delivery problems and participating in the decision making process necessary to improve service delivery. Reform of the District government cannot occur through the intimidation of workers. My administration will treat workers with respect, promote fair wages, foster safe work environments and welcome the participation of workers in efforts to improve service delivery. Labor's endorsement and support of my candidacy would be a welcome sign of our unity on these matters.

3. If labor endorses your candidacy what role would you expect labor to have in your campaign? Explain:

I expect the unions to have a labor desk in my campaign office and to have direct access to me and all aspects of my campaign. I welcome receiving volunteer assistance, help with issue development, financial contributions, host "Meet and Greets", sponsor neighborhood walk throughs, telephone banking, mailing assistance, fund raisers, precinct workers, transportation, distribute flyers, voter registration, data entry and election day workers.

4. If elected will you be an advocate for workers in matters that come before the Council that affect them?

Yes, I welcome an ongoing relationship with the unions and your membership.

5. Do you think that public employees should have the right to strike? If you feel that public sector workers should not have the right to strike, do you support binding arbitration on both parties as a means of settling contract disputes between the D.C. government and its union workers? Explain:

I always believe that the best resolution to disagreements is for the parties to meet, discuss and attempt to resolve their differences. As Mayor, it will be my goal to always attempt to resolve contract disputes without the need for employees to consider a strike. Without a negotiated agreement, I certainly would support the principle of binding arbitration on a case-by-case basis.

6. In the past the Council aborted the collective bargaining process by annulling pay raises and imposing wage settlements without going back to the parties involved, would you support this type of unilateral action?

As Mayor, I certainly could not unilaterally abort the collective bargaining process by annulling pay raises and imposing wage settlements without going back to the parties involved. Under my administration those who negotiate labor agreements for the government will fully understand the range of authority and level of funding available for potential labor agreements.

7. The D.C. Revitalization Act, passed by the Congress and signed by the President, directs the Control Board to enact recommendations to eliminate rent control, begin immediate vacancy decontrol and eliminate the Rental Housing Conversion and Sale Act (RHCSA). Do you support the elimination of rent control in the District of Columbia? Explain:

No. I have always been and will remain a strong advocate for rent control and affordable housing.

8. As Mayor do you subscribe to the concept of Labor-Management Councils as a viable process for resolving difficulties in the workplace and is there a role for this process in the government of the District of Columbia?

I view Labor-Management Councils as partnerships that are key to transforming District government agencies into effective service delivery operations. We need to move away from the antiquated autocratic management structure that has for years micro-managed the work of District employees. Workers at all levels of government must be given the tools of their trade to work efficiently. Businesses and government have successfully used Labor-Management Councils to build teamwork, foster creativity and help to resolve difficulties in the work place. I will encourage all District government agencies to establish Labor-Management Council's within the Chavous administration.

9. Would you work for full funding of all negotiated collective bargaining contracts? Explain:

Those representing the District at collective bargaining negotiations must know the range of funding that exists for potential collective bargaining agreements. If the negotiators exceed these levels, I, as Mayor, would not sign the proposed agreement until I was certain that funding for the contract had been identified.

10. What would be your priorities as Mayor of the District of Columbia? Explain:

See Answer to Question #1.

11. The D.C. Financial Responsibility and Management Assistance Authority has assumed most of the authority and powers of the elected officials of the District of Columbia. How do you as a candidate for an elected position feel running for a position that may be rendered inconsequential? Explain:

I am not in this race to be Mayor of the Department of Recreation. I'm running to be the Chief Executive Officer and primary policymaker of the Nation's Capitol. I intend to win this election with a strong majority of the vote and with this mandate from District voters I will lobby 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.

12. Please explain in detail your position or views on the following issues: D.C. government downsizing (both personnel and services); re-engineering; contracting out of service which have been performed by the D.C. government employees; and privatizing.

Downsizing & Re-engineering: Never again should the District government downsize based on achieving an arbitrary FTE position ceiling. Reforming the District government requires that workers and their unions be viewed as valuable resources whose recommendations can help set the foundation for excellence in government. I support establishment of performance measures and a system of rewards for Labor-Management teams who are able to streamline operations, increase productivity and reduce operating costs.

Contracting out/Privatization: For years I have been hearing the Control Board discuss their desire to promote managed competition, yet to date, I have not seen one contract issued by the Control Board or by the Government that has allowed District employee to bid on government contracts. I have seen examples of our work force performing work that later resulted in a contractor charging more than the cost of the prior in-house government employee service. (The most recent bids for the recycling contract are a case in point.) As far as I'm concerned, it is time for the government to step to the plate, level the playing field, and allow District workers to bid on contracts and privatization proposals. I am certain that we will see our workers winning many of the contracts.

Over the past three years, many studies of District government operations have been completed by a number of private consultants paid with public funds by the Control Board. One of the best reports that I have read was titled "Service Excellence: A Union Vision for the District of Columbia". The American Federation of government. Employees, AFL-CIO, presented this report to the District, at no cost to District taxpayers. As Mayor, I intend to implement many of the recommendations outlined in "Service Excellence".

13. Would you introduce and work for the passage of a Council resolution supporting the right of all workers in the District of Columbia to organize? Explain.

Yes.

14. Would you support legislation which would bar any tax breaks, licenses, abatements, zoning variances or any other governmental forgiveness to any D.C. employer who has violated any labor, occupational safety and health, or other federal or D.C. Law? Explain:

As a member of the Council's Committee on Public Works and the Environment, I voted in favor of the Clean Hands Legislation that denies the issuance of licenses and permits to any business or individual who fails to pay solid waste or litter violations. I certainly would be interested in meeting with your leadership to discuss expanding this concept to those who have violated labor, occupational safety and health laws.

15. As Mayor what is your position on legislation to combine the Worker's Compensation plan (private sector) and the Disability Income plan (D.C. government) and to change the manner in which they operate including the benefit level. Do you support this direction and approach when in the past parties involved (labor and management) worked out a compromise.

My first goal would be to examine the operations of the District plan to assure that it is operating in a cost efficient manner. Savings generated through reductions in operating costs could then be directed to increasing benefit levels. As to the merger of the private sector and District government program I would support such a merger if guarantees were in place that the merger would result in streamlining operating costs with no reduction in benefit levels for either group of employees.

16. As Mayor do you subscribe to the business community's position that Workers' Compensation and Unemployment Compensation benefit levels are the real reasons that businesses may not locate in the District of Columbia? Do you view them as a disincentive for businesses to remain in the District?

It is my opinion that Workers' Compensation and Unemployment Compensation benefit levels are a factor but certainly not the "real" or only reason that businesses may not locate in the District. Other factors include high rental rates, parking difficulties, taxes, urban density and rush hour commutes.

17. What will you do to retain federal jobs in the District?

As the newly elected Mayor, I will request a meeting with the President and key Congressional leaders to discuss the return of Democratic rights to our citizens and a commitment to the retention of federal jobs within the District.

18. How many workers does D.C. need? What agencies would you increase, decrease or reorganize?

As stated in response to #12, I don't believe in setting arbitrary staffing levels. Both the Department of Public Works and the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs need additional staff and equipment to restore and improve a number of basic service delivery and licensing functions. In general, Reforming the District government requires that workers and their unions be viewed as valuable resources whose recommendations can help set the foundation for excellence in government. One goal of the Labor-Management teams should be an evaluation of proper staffing needed to deliver government services.

19. What will you do to improve education?

My educational goal for our children is to improve neighborhood schools, making sure that every child has equal access to a quality education. My goal for our workers is to insure that each District agency educates workers in the latest skills necessary to accomplish their work.

20. Do you think D.C. government workers are over-compensated, under-compensated or compensated about right? Why? What will you do about it?

As a general statement the non-union work force appears to be under-compensated due to the number of years that they have worked without a change in their DS scale. I support the collective bargaining process for union workers and will urge that performance measures be established by and for front-line workers and all management/supervisory workers. Achievement of agreed upon performance measures should be fairly and objectively rewarded.

21. Congress has changed D.C's Reduction-in-Force rules to make seniority count for little if anything. Do you agree with these changes? If not, what would you change?

The District has experienced a severe brain drain through past Reduction-in-Force policies. I feel that we must encourage experienced employees to remain in the government through a system of rewards that reflect performance of assigned duties and time spent on the District's workforce.

22. What would you do to improve health care in D.C.?

We first need to increase public education about the District's new health maintenance programs, for those on Medicaid. This new program requires selection of a health care program and primary care provider and for those not experienced in this form of health care service delivery, public education is key to a successful program. The Chavous Administration will promote greater citizen awareness of health care and preventive health maintenance through an aggressive public awareness educational campaign. Issues such as adequate prenatal care, HIV/aids awareness and prevention, proper funding for the delivery of health care services, immunizations, HMO managed care, etc., will be featured as part of this effort. D.C. General must remain open and the work of non-profit health providers must be fully supported.

23. Post 1987 D.C. employees have a totally inadequate retirement program. What would you do to change it?

Recently, I have received a number of calls from post 1987 employees complaining about difficulties that they have had in receiving retirement benefit statements from the new defined benefits plan provider. I have also heard that employees are having great difficulty contacting the provider. I intend to meet with Councilmember Patterson to bring these issues to her attention and request that her Committee conduct an investigative hearing. I also would support expanding retirement options to allow employees a greater selection in retirement programs.

24. What specific steps will you take to improve the City's relations with Congress?

I have been meeting with members of Congress and fully intend convene several discussions with the Congressional leadership following my election. I am confident that I can work with the Congress to restore our Democratic rights without selling out the District to placate the Congress

25. Who do you view as the key players in Congress and describe your relationship with them.

As I stated above I have met with a number of members of Congress and am confidant that a good working relationship already exists. I would prefer not to mention who I view as key Congressional leaders since those not mentioned may object to not being included.

26. How do you evaluate the quality and number of the current D.C. government workforce?

Over the past few years the District government workforce has faced furloughs, salary, fringe benefit and pension reductions, abolishment of night and Sunday pay, limitations on overtime and non-union workers have not had a pay increase in years. In addition, FTE reductions have increased employee workloads while little investment has been made to modernize equipment used by our employees. Our workers, both front-line and managerial, must be treated as a resource to be rewarded when performance measures are exceeded, provided with the tools of their trade and trained so that the District can benefit from state of the art service delivery techniques.

27. How do you evaluate the quality and number of the current D.C. managers and supervisors?

As stated above, our workers, both front-line and managerial, must be treated as a resource to be rewarded when performance measures are exceeded, provided with the tools of their trade and trained so that the District can benefit from state of the art service delivery techniques.

28. What will you do to see that D.C. government workers are treated with fairness and respect?

I will treat all workers with the same fairness and respect that I would expect as an employee and I will require everyone in my administration to act in a similar fashion.

29. What will you support upward mobility programs for D.C. government workers?

In viewing workers as a resource to be developed, I will do all that I can to see that funding is provided for employee training.

30. After the Control Board period, how would you change D.C.'s relationship with Congress?

I have already started to work on creating a new constructive relationship with the Congress.