Jeffrey Gildenhorn
Democrat
Candidate for Mayor in the
September 15, 1998, primary election

Answer: I am in favor of a strong mayoral form of government, with significant changes beings made at the city council level. I propose an elected five-member full-time city council consisting of four at-large council members and a chairperson to replace its 12 part-time council members each making $80,000 dollars a year salary. Taxpayers would save over a half a million dollars yearly under this concept.

In legislative matters the majority of the five members would rule. The Executive branch, (Mayor) would have the same power as he had before the control board took charge of District affairs. The Mayor would have authority to fire any mayoral appointee, whether it be a member of a commission or board, the Police Chief, School Superintendent, Chief Financial Officer or City Manager. I would recommend the appointment of a City manager to run the day-to-day affairs of the government, and be accountable to the Mayor. Additionally, I propose an elected Attorney General for the District of Columbia to monitor or investigate any wrong doing or negligence by the Mayor or City Council; our public servants must be held accountable to the people.

2. Detail the single most important step you would take as mayor to improve the city's schools.

Answer: I would focus on the teachers that educate our children. Teachers are the instruments of learning. First and foremost, before teachers are allowed to work in our public school system, they should be required to take rigorous academic exams, be thoroughly interviewed by a psychologist and have a complete background check so that only the brightest, best and emotionally balanced teachers are hired by our school system. I would see to it that they have the tools of learning at their disposal, whether it be books, computers, etc. I would demand excellence in their teaching techniques through yearly written academic and psychological examinations. In return for demanding excellence from our teachers, they should feel free to teach in a protective, secure environment, and be the best-paid rank and file public teachers in the nation.

3. Describe in terms the most important steps you would undertake to make the police department more effective.

Answer: I would first start with requiring rigorous physical and mental standards, beginning at the training level at the police academy. Our police department should require all rookies to be as disciplined as U.S. Marine recruits. Our officers must not only be physically fit for the job, but mentally prepared as well. To attract only the finest officers we must offer them the highest monetary benefits, paying more than any other city in the country. We are the Capital of the world. our men and women in blue must be representative of only the highest standards. We must deploy more officers in the streets and backup our officers with state of the art equipment. We must overhaul our 911 Emergency System recruiting only those individuals who measure up psychologically. The stressful job of responding to 911 calls requires a high degree of judgement, attention and detail. We must maximize their performance with standards they meet through yearly evaluations by their superiors. Last but not least, we must rely on a judicial system that takes a hard line on felony offenders. We as Washingtonians must respect, admire and acknowledge our men and women in blue every chance we get.

4. What would you do to create new jobs in the city?

Answer: First. we must strive for a crime free environment to encourage businesses to stay or move back into the city. Next, we should encourage retailers to move into the District by offering an investment tax credit equal to the amount of sales tax they collect in their first year of business, provided that the retailer signs a six (6) year lease with the landlord. The city collects five years of taxes, and sets aside the first year to rebate the retailer over the course of the lease. Everyone benefits — the landlord, the retailer, the consumer, and the government. With more businesses moving into the District, more taxes are created. accompanied by the development of many new jobs. In wards east of the park where there is a shortage of full-service restaurants, I propose an on-site training facility — “Hamburger College”. With on-site job training, young men and women have the opportunity to become future managers and owners in the hospitality industry. Couple “Creative Economics” with public funded trade schools, our youth will find their way into the job market, rather than the crime market.

5. Describe any other issue which you see as vital to the city’s future and how it would be handled under your leadership.

Answer: REDUCTION OF PERSONAL INCOME TAX AND “BUY AND SELL” ECONOMICS.

I propose to rebate 25% of the taxes paid in by the D.C. taxpayer in the form of a voucher. which must be spent on goods and services in the District of Columbia within the same year (thus guaranteeing that the money remains in the city). This proposal has a pyramiding effect. generating a self-perpetuating economy. The vouchers collected by the merchants would be redeemed by the D.C. government and reimbursed to the merchant. I also propose a concept called “Buy and Sell” economics. There are areas in Washington D.C. that have not been rebuilt since the riots of 1968. Boarded-up businesses permeate 14th Street, New York Avenue, New Jersey Avenue, Bladensburg Road, and Chinatown to name a few. SOLUTION. Let the government buy the properties and raze them (which will eliminate a blight to both residents and tourists); then re-sell them to developers at bargain prices with a condition that the developer must build within a specified period of time.