MAKING OUR VOTES COUNT FOR A BETTER CITY

1998 Questionnaire

Biographical Information:

Name: Phyllis J. Outlaw
Telephone: 202-638-1112
Address: 1350 Sheridan Street, NW
Ward: 4 Precinct: 60
City: Washington, D.C.
State: D.C. 2ip: 20011
Campaign Address: 1012 14th Street, NW Suite 1007B
Washington, DC 20005
Campaign Treasurer: William P. Lightfoot
Campaign Chairman: Robert Bush
Assistant Campaign Manager: Douglass Sloan

At-Large

1. Name your three committee choices? Select one and explain how your being on that committee will contribute to that Area of public life. What, if any, legislation do you feel is needed in the area? Why? What would be the first bill you would introduce?

Consumer Regulatory Affairs, Human Services, and Government Operations. I would like to serve on the Government Operations committee to establish management policy and training for our senior managers and directors and to ensure that funds are appropriated in the budget to provide for annual evaluations and training. I would introduce a bill to audit legislation to determine its effective implementation, need, and financial impact.

2. Identity an Agency over which your “chosen” committee has oversight, and assume you are in charge of the confirmation hearings for the newly appointed director of that agency. Briefly summarize how you would structure the hearings.

Department of Human Services. I would seek testimony from the appropriate social organizations, managers, and supervisors; as well as from citizens whose lives are affected by the agency and ether interested persons. The nominee for director would testify last in order to ensure that all input from citizens and others could be included in his/her response.

3. One of the reasons for the District Government’s management problems is the problem of vacancies in key posse. For example, after Vernon Hawkins was removed from his poet as Director of Human Services, he Was not replaced for a year. Not until this July were nominations of three members of the Historic Preservation Review Board presented to Committee on Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. If you serve on a committee that has oversight over an agency in which the post of Director remains vacant for six months or more or a Board of Commission that has trouble functioning because of vacancies, what, if any action, will you take?

I would recommend that at a minimum an interim director be appointed and I would hold frequent oversight hearings to deal specifically with the issue. I would investigate streamlining the process to expedite appointments.

4. Under what circumstances would you vote against the confirmation of a mayoral appointee?

I would vote against the confirmation of a mayoral appointee in those situations where there were irregularities in the nomination or misrepresentation of facts in a candidate’s background or experience. I would also vote against the confirmation in those circumstances where the nominee was clearly unqualified for the position, or if the nominee performed poorly during the confirmation nearing process, or if a clear majority of the population opposed the appointment.

5. Budgets for District of Columbia agencies are often vague and fail to explain the relationship between expenditures and program objectives. If you feel the budget for your “chosen” agency fails to reveal enough about the services the taxpayers are buying, what, if anything, will you do?

I would request that the budget be modified and or supplemented with the appropriate information. I would hold the Director and Director's staff accountable [or internal program and budget accountability; request an internal audit of suspect programs; and schedule public oversight hearings and recommend required corrective actions.

Council Chair

6. When the Council is organized at the beginning of the next session, will committee chairmanships be based on seniority or party?

7. What are your priorities for the first hundred days of the next Council session?

8. During the next Council session, how will the City Council work with the Mayor, the Control Board, the Advisory Neighborhood Commissions and other citizens participate in shaping the city’s economic development? Will the comprehensive plan play a significant role in this process?

At-Large and Council Chair

9. Are you in favor of making greater use of the District of Columbia Auditor. If not, why not. If so, what are the first two investigations the auditor should undertake during the next session of the Council?

Yes, I am in favor of making greater use of the Auditor. The Auditor should be utilized to investigate all agency budget line items that appear to be unjustified or unutilized by the agency. It should also audit those agencies responsible for applying for and distributing federal and local subsidies for programs that benefit the residents of the District.

10. Typically, Council hearings are held during regular business hours, making it difficult for many citizens to participate. However, recently some have been “staggered” so that they fall in both regular business and evening or Saturday hours. Will you support making staggered hearings standard practice?

Yes. I am a strong advocate for citizen participation and believe we should hold Council hearings at convenient times to facilitate and maximize public involvement.

11. Should the charter of the District of Columbia be revised? If not, why not? If so, How? What action(s) will you take to make it happen?

Yes. In order to revise the D.C. Charter, the Council must submit its recommendations to the Congress so that it may enact legislation to revise the Charter. The Charter should be revised to provide for budgetary autonomy, authority to select judges and control over the criminal justice system, legislative autonomy and authority to elect our own local prosecutor. I would hold town meetings in every ward to generate community and constituent organization support to address the issue of self-governance. I would conduct voter registration drives to educate under- involved portions of the community. I would continue the effort to mobilize national and local organizations to lobby Congress to promote Charter revision and self- determination. In connection with the issue of Charter revision, the matter of voter representation for the citizens of the District of Columbia is very important. In that regard, I would support the bill introduced by Delegate Norton on voting rights for the District of Columbia and the pending lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the denial of voting rights for D.C. residents.

12. What should be the Council’s relationship to the federal and federally mandated powers that be. In the short term, how should the Council work with the Control Board. What, for example, would be your response if the Control Board took an action you oppose? what do you think the District's relationship with the Federal Government should become? hat steps should the Council take to achieve that relationship?

Based upon the history of the Control Board taking legislative action with complete indifference to the goals and policies of the City’s elected officials, I believe that it is paramount to continue to make the Board aware of the opinions of the city’s elected officials. At this point, the Control Board has arbitrarily proposed changes to D.C. laws, regulations and procedures, to be implemented without public comment or Council review. This kind of activity is a direct affront to local self government. As a Council member, I believe that although the control of City agencies and the enactment of new regulations has been taken from us, it would be my immediate interest to realign the Control Board's thinking as it relates to the input of elected city officials.

The control Board has already taken actions that I oppose. These actions are being taken without regard to the wishes of the District’s residents, in a vacuum. As a member of the Council, I would make sure that the citizens are completely Informed of continuing and future actions, and ensure that those actions are taken in accord with existing law (i.e. Public Law 104-8), which is one of the Control Board' s governing mandates .

13. What will you do to see that the next Council does a better job than the current and previous Councils did of protecting the rights of District Government employees, including their right to bargain collectively, while honoring the rights of D.C. voters and taxpayers to have a quality work force?

I support the right of District government employees to bargain collectively. However, that right must be balanced, equitably, against the right of the City's citizens to a quality workforce. The Council should not undertake any unilateral actions because unilateral actions by their very nature circumvent the bargaining process.

I support Labor-Management Councils as a primary means of balancing these competing interests. Far to many disputes are escalated to confrontations because of misinformation and disinformation. LMC's offer an opportunity to review concerns and develop rational solutions that all sides can agree upon. I would encourage the use of LMC's at all levels of District government.

14. The city’s approach to economic development in the past has been a focus on downtown and such big ticket items as the arena and convention center. Do you think that approach should be continued for the most part? How much attention should be given to the City’s blighted neighborhood commercial strips? Should the next head of the Department of Housing and Community Development have a strong track record in neighborhood economic revitalization? Or would you expect the. new National Capital Revitalization Corporation to take the lead in revitalizing neighborhood commercial strips?

There are two aspects to economic development which are interdependent. Downtown development, which attracts tourism, supports business, and provides the life-force of the central city, has been a major focus of previous City administration. As important is the health and vitality of our City’s neighborhoods. Neighborhood support cervices have been allowed to deteriorate over the years, Community shopping redevelopment examples such as the H Street, N.E., Corridor, and the new shopping mall on Alabama Avenue, S.E., are having a significant impact on those areas. A more focused approach to neighborhood revitalization is necessary to attract new residents while retaining the existing population base. That means putting investment into our residential infrastructure that is equivalent to the amounts expended on downtown revitalization.

The next head of the Department of Housing and Community Development must have a strong track record in neighborhood economic revitalization, especially in finding the financial tools to make things happen.

I believe that the National Capital Revitalization Corporation will generate economic growth in the District of Columbia. The development of NCRA offers an opportunity for multi-leveled comprehensive planning and implementation of solutions for both neighborhood and eve city development. The Act will help move the District toward long-term financial stability. The plan will allow a wide range of businesses and organizations to focus on the unique problems facing the District of Columbia. Additionally, the NCRA, in its most comprehensive form, will focus on business retention, anti-business policies and procedures, and the development of programs that foster business creation. However, I would not want the N.C.R.C. to undermine the activities of the D.H.C. Rather, 1 will work to ensure that the N.C.R.C. operates in conjunction, and in support of, existing D.H.C. programs and structures.

15. How will you foster efforts to make D.C. residents more employable and to develop jobs?

The District of Columbia has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. The need to train our unskilled and semi-skilled workers is a principal concern of mine. It is essential that we provide training opportunities from within the government and from the business community itself.

I support budget appropriations for state of the art technology and training for D.C. residents. I support the appropriation of funds for upward mobility programs, to educate workers about these programs, and motivate them to higher levels of achievement. I support tax incentives to companies that offer on-site training for unskilled employees. As an employer myself, I have offered this type of training to my employees for more than eighteen years, and I can attest to its success.

16. What role should the Council play in making sure that the District’s public education system prepared the City’s young people to support themselves adequately and to take their place in the twenty-first century work force? Will the University of the District of Columbia be involved? If so, How?

The Council’s role is to provide the budget for the schools. Through oversight hearings in preparing the budget, the Council has input into the programs and procedures designed to ensure the students are prepared to work and function in the twenty-first century.

The Council can also support private/public partnerships, mentor programs, up-to-date equipment procurement, and increased business involvement in the public school.

The University of the District of Columbia must be involved as an integral component of public education in the District. It should be encouraged to adopt a school, assist in providing mentors, tutors, and teaching assistance. The University of D.C. is the higher education component to public education in the District.

17. What role should the Council play in making sure the City has an accessible master school facilities plan?

The residents of the District of Columbia should have access to any plane by which they are affected. I would want to explore the ramifications of the master schools facility plan to determine its applicability and effectiveness in our school system.

18. What role will/should the Council play in making sure the school budget spells out what the taxpayers are getting for their $545 million dollar investment in public education?

The Council should support rigorous public oversight in the school budget requiring a detailed outline of all expenditures by the Superintendent. Before budgets are approved, there should be an annual expenditure audit.

19. What, if any, steps should the Council take to make sure the Department of Human Services implements welfare reform. Should such support services as child care, transportation and appropriate adult education be available to people trying to move from welfare to work?

The Department of Human Services should implement welfare reform by developing self-awareness and empowerment programs that include counseling, training, and job-placement and retention. The Council should provide adequate funding for support services to move from welfare to workfare — i.e. child care, adult education, and vocational education.

20. Are you in favor of having a prison in the city that will house adult District residents who have felony convictions? If so, Where? Under what conditions? Should it be public or private? If private, should the City have a say in selecting the contractor and in monitoring the performance of the contract?

I would commission a study to determine the impact of the existence of a prison within the District of Columbia. I am concerned about governance over our prisons to facilitate rehabilitation programs for prisoners, to include family group counseling programs.

21. What action will you take to make sure the buried tanks and unexploded munitions are removed from the Camp Simms/Oxon Run target range?

Camp Simms/Oxon Run is a former military installation. The military should be responsible for complete removal of these environmental hazards. Under existing law, the owner of property at the time of the creation of an environmental hazard is responsible for that hazard's removal, even if ownership of the property changes. The city should also explore application to the E.P,A, Superfund for financial and technical assistance in removing these hazards. It is in the beat interests of public safety that these hazards be removed.

22. What is your position on privatization of METRO bus service?

The important thing is to have a bus system that delivers the quality of service our citizens expect and deserve. I would commission a study to assess the alternatives. Privatization could lead to an eventual reduction in service, based upon profit-driven economic considerations, which I believe would De detrimental.

23. What should the Council do to improve the effectiveness of solid waste management in the Department of Public Works? How important is recycling?

To improve the effectiveness of solid waste management in the Department of Public Works, the Council should provide appropriate funding and management to allow for the appropriate staff and equipment necessary to complete the task. Efficient management oversight is also paramount.

Recycling should be viewed as an integral part of, if not the cornerstone to, the City’s solid waste management. Recycling provides both environment and economic rewards, when properly managed. As Council Member, I support the restoration of the city ’s Recycling program. I also support initiatives to encourage Recycling not only in the home among our residents, but at work among our businesses and governmental operations.

24. What, if any, actions should the Council take to see that emergency regulations on Buffer zones around solid waste transfer stations are enforced and made permanent. Do you consider this legislation to be overly burdensome regulation? would you welcome its expiration?

The Council should address the issue of buffer zones by enacting permanent legislation and ensuring its enforcement. Permanent buffer zones are not overly burdensome. They are a necessity for preserving public health and safety. I not only support permanent enforcement of buffer zones, but also a moratorium on the establishment of any further transfer stations within the District.

25. Do you favor discharge petitions for transfer station and tobacco and liquor advertising legislation?

Yes, I support discharge petitions for transfer stations and tobacco and liquor advertising legislation.

26. D.C. citizens get surprised by budgetary demands for major maintenance items that were put off, such as schools and police stations. What should the Council do to see that the District of Columbia has a capital budget that provides for maintaining the City’s infrastructure?

The Council must implement and enforce an ongoing cycle for renovation and repair of the city's infrastructure. Funds for maintenance as well as a reserve for replacement must be established and fully funded on an ongoing, annual basis, to avoid “surprises” which were fully foreseeable. An automated, supervised work order system should also be implemented for the coordination of normal, daily maintenance operations. Finally, a capitol projects audit should be performed on at least a tri-annual basis to determine the validity of continued funding for various projects.

27, Year, after year, the City’s stock of affordable housing declines. What, if any, strategies do you favor to stop foes of and increase the stock of affordable housing? Support retention of rent control? Adopt and implement a comprehensive affordable housing strategy? Commit to a specific number of affordable housing units during each year of the next Council session? If so, How many? Promote employment and social service programs that will enable people who receive housing assistance to become as economically self sufficient as possible? If so, what agencies would be providing these services?

To stop the loss of and increase the stock of affordable housing, it is necessary to manage the government in such a way to make appropriate funds available in an expeditious and efficient manner to CDCs and CBOs for community development and the renovation of abandoned properties owned by the District. I support the retention of rent control. I would encourage the creation of public/private partnerships to develop affordable housing with discount incentives for new home owners, I would commission a study to determine the number of housing units needed to be placed on the market on an annual basis.

Generally, 1 support programs that prepare residents to nave J financial responsibility for the homes in which they live. The Department of Housing and community Development and the Department of Human Services should jointly administer programs for housing assistance to enable residents to become economically self sufficient.

28. Identify two recommendations of the Tax Revision Commission, other than the commuter tax, with which you agree and explain why. If there are not two that you favor, identify two problems the tax commission attempted to address and suggest alternative recommendations.

a. Streamlining the individual tax return filing procedures by conforming the District income tax to federal net taxable income.

I support this measure because it t will simplify the process of calculating District tax liabilities and remove income filing requirements for poorer families. Tax administration will be made simpler by having fewer returns to process and fewer tax calculations on the returns themselves.

b. Consolidation of four existing business taxes into a single, all encompassing broad-based business activities tax.

I support this measure because the single, all encompassing activities tax could have a far lower tax rate than the taxes it replaces and still raise the same amount of revenue because of a brooder base. I agree with the Commission's conclusion that consolidation would result in administrative ease, revenue stability, fairness, and economic neutrality.

29. The District of Columbia’s experience with federal grants is very disappointing. It falls to obtain, and in many cases, even apply for grants that could provide urgently needed funds. Even worse, contracting and grant-making operations in some agencies, such as the Department of Health, are so inadequate, that the city is unable to upend grant money it does receive. What will you do as a member of the council to turn this situation around?

I believe that the District needs to hire staff with substantial technical expertise in the area of grant-writing. It must also implement monitoring programs to ensure the full use of grant money that is awarded to the District.

30. Many District children and youth seem to be without opportunities for constructive activities. Cutbacks in recreation services and programs make it very difficult to help youth stay out of trouble. Can the City afford to correct this situation? Can it afford not to? what, if any, role should the Council play in expanding after-school and recreational programs,, particularly in under-served areas of the City?

Yes, the city can afford to address this problem. In fact, it can’t afford not to. There are many agencies that have line items for expenditures that may or may not be valid and justifiable. As Council member, I would call for the audit noted above, with the goal of redirecting any expenditures identified in the audit toward after-school and recreational programs. I strongly support recreational services and programs in every ward of the City.