CAROL SCHWARTZ FOR MAYOR
1005 Seventh Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 393-7300 - Fax (202) 639-8738

BRING IT HOME

24-POINT PLAN FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL

As Mayor of the District of Columbia, I intend to chart a new course for economic development and community renewal. The primary goals of my economic development plan are to sustain and stimulate existing businesses, recruit new industries and businesses, develop the economic potential of every neighborhood, and create good jobs for our residents. Effectively implemented, my economic development plan will reduce the overall tax and regulatory burden that weighs heavily on businesses and individuals in the District. By reducing the tax and regulatory burden, we will spur consumer confidence, business expansion and job growth. We will create an economic climate which will be competitive with our region and the nation.

Stimulating And Sustaining Existing Businesses. I have always been committed to tax reduction. To sustain current businesses and to stimulate their growth, I will propose a complete revision of the existing tax laws to create a more equitable and more competitive tax climate in the District of Columbia.

1. No New Taxes for District Businesses or Residents. My opponent's proposal of a tax on gross receipts is yet another example of the type of wrong headed tax policy that has caused businesses either to flee the city, or to never even consider locating here. I oppose a tax on gross receipts and I will hold the line on any tax increases while moving to cut the most punitive and regressive taxes as this becomes fiscally possible. Instead of driving people and businesses out of the city by gouging them with taxes, I want to generate more revenue from lower taxes paid by more people and businesses.

2. Restructure the Sales Tax. Sales taxes are among the most regressive of all taxes. Those hit the hardest are low-income families and fixed-income seniors, for whom every dollar — every dime — counts the most. l will pursue the following goals for sales tax restructuring:

• Work to lower the D.C. sales tax rate to 4.5%. At 5.75 %, our sales tax rate on most goods is the highest in the metropolitan area.
• Jump-start retail shopping in the District by introducing tax-free shopping days that would be jointly promoted by the city and our merchants.
• Move to completely eliminate the sales tax on clothing and shoes costing less that $100 as part of a permanent effort to boost our retail industry and spur economic development, and make these necessities more affordable for our fixed-income seniors and low-income families.

3. Reduce the Individual Income Tax Rate. During my previous term on the Council, I succeeded in getting income taxes reduced from 11 percent to 9.5 percent. That rate is still too high. We must achieve a more competitive footing with Virginia (where the top rate is under 6 percent) and Maryland (where the flat rate is around 5 percent). To stop the exodus of Washington residents to the suburbs and to attract new residents to the city, I propose to incrementally reduce the District's top individual income tax rate as soon as we can by as much as we can, with a rate of 6% as the ultimate goal.

4. Reduce the Corporate Franchise Tax. The District's corporate franchise tax of nearly 10% is one of the most compelling deterrents to new businesses locating here and a catalyst for existing businesses to leave the city. A high corporate franchise tax is not compatible with the goal of an expanded business community. It is in the District's best economic interest to gradually lower the corporate rate to 7 percent to compete with rates of 6 and 7 percent in surrounding jurisdictions. Accomplishing this would be a clear sign that the District is open for corporations to locate and remain here.

5. Eliminate the Professional License Tax. The $250.00 annual fee that the District charges professionals who set up shop here should be eliminated. It is yet another reason why many professionals choose to establish themselves outside of the city, where no such fee is imposed.

Recruiting New Industries and Businesses. In order to support city services while reducing the tax burden, we must generate new sources of revenue. As Mayor, I will propose that the City Council create business recruitment incentives that will make the District of Columbia as competitive as any state or city in the nation. In addition, I will work diligently to ensure that the federal government meets its obligations with regard to the District of Columbia.

6. Streamline the Licensing, Permitting and Regulatory Processes. The D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs' (DCRA) inability to efficiently issue licenses and permits and to conduct timely regulatory inspections essentially creates a hidden tax on businesses because they must either hire someone to expedite their transactions or spend long hours navigating the current processes. My vision for the DCRA is a lean and efficient organization which supports and encourages economic development while promoting the health and safety of our workers, citizens and visitors. As Mayor, I will:

• Create a “one-stop shopping” mechanism to streamline licensing and permitting procedures.
• Assign businesses a project number so that their transactions may be easily tracked.
• Eliminate unnecessary and costly licensing and permitting procedures.
• Move to equip the DCRA with the technology it needs to conduct more business by mail and by electronic means.
• Rewrite or eliminate costly and cumbersome business regulations.

7. Effectively Manage Federal Grant Dollars. We are shortchanging ourselves by not aggressively pursuing and wisely spending every available federal dollar. In my role as chairman of the D.C. Council's Committee on Local, Regional and Federal Affairs, I convened a series of hearings to determine whether the District was making full use of the federal grant money already available. We concluded that it was not. In FY 1997 alone, the District lost $141 million in available federal grants under the grants management stewardship of the former Chief Financial Of ficer. As Mayor, I will:

• Consolidate management of federal grants under the Office of the Mayor to ensure proper supervision and management of all federal grant dollars.
• Use every resource available to find more federal grant dollars to bring into the city.
• Tap in to the Administration's commitment of technical assistance for the District of Columbia.

8. Establish the District of Columbia as a Major Financial Market. Economic development requires capital. The District of Columbia, the seat of the federal government and home to embassies, international foundations and associations, and major universities and institutions, is uniquely situated to become a major player in both the national and global monetary markets. As Mayor I will:

• Work to eliminate burdensome and anti-competitive laws or regulations which discourage banks and other financial institutions from locating in the District.
• Offer incentives to those institutions to locate in the District of Columbia.
• Work with financial institutions to obtain Community Reinvestment Funds for use in the development or expansion of small businesses in the city, especially in disadvantaged neighborhoods where greater access to capital and credit is critical.
• Make certain the Tax Increment Financing Law (TIF), which I co-sponsored and which was passed by the City Council, is fully implemented and utilized.

9. Consolidate Local Development Activities. Every state and major city, and even most smaller cities, have one economic development office charged with the responsibility of overseeing all efforts aimed at attracting and competing for new business and other new sources of revenue. As Mayor, I will be actively involved in the effort to recruit new businesses and revenue for the city. I propose to create a more rational and efficient system of recruiting business by:

• Consolidating the city's economic development activities so that our various agencies and community organizations collaborate, rather than compete, to bring business to the city.
• Using the Office of the Mayor as the primary vehicle to identify, educate and attract business prospects looking to expand or to establish new production or office facilities.
• Creating an incentives package similar to the "Empowerment Zones" incentives to compete for new business.
• Using incentives to encourage expansion of existing businesses.

10. Support Promising Business Initiatives. Recently, a group of local business leaders asked Congress to establish significant investment tax credits for corporations that locate in the city's targeted economic development areas. To qualify for this federal tax relief, companies would need to invest $25 million and create 400 jobs. Potential federal incentives such as tax credits offered to companies locating or relocating from other areas into Empowerment Zones could be made sufficiently attractive to lure technology and information management companies. As Mayor, I will support the business community in efforts such as these that will lead to new ventures and new jobs for the District.

11. Lift the Ban on Taxing Income at Its Source. "The Commission's highest priority for help from the federal government is lifting the ban on the District's ability to tax all income at its source. No state government is prohibited from taxing revenue earned within its borders." That is a direct quote from the District of Columbia Tax Revision Commission's June 1998 report Taxing Simply, Taxing Fairly. I will argue strenuously that the ban be lifted and that the District be allowed to modestly assess those who regularly use its services.

12. Regain the Federal Payment. The District, in my opinion, was sold short by the "President's Plan" (the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 1997.) This was no "bailout." It was the federal government finally unburdening us of the under- financed pension they foisted upon us in 1974 and taking on its "state" responsibilities in other areas. But it was also a further emasculation of home rule, and taking away the federal payment was a crime. The annual federal payment was not a handout. It was an obligation owed to the District of Columbia because of our unique constitutional status as the federal enclave. It was a relatively paltry reimbursement ($660 million) for some $2 billion in annual services and tax exemptions that the city provides for the federal government. I will work diligently to insure that the federal government assumes its obligations to the District of Columbia, and my administration will lobby fiercely for a resumption of the federal payment.

Developing the Economic Potential of Every Neighborhood. Neighborhoods must be a focus in any comprehensive, citywide approach to renewed economic vitality and opportunity. With the right kind of leadership, we can keep our downtown plans on track; ensure that our more prosperous areas continue to thrive; and, most importantly, provide our long- neglected, under-served neighborhoods every opportunity to earn the reputation of "comeback community." Using every available resource, leveraging every available dollar and pushing both existing and new tax incentives, my administration will attract new businesses for the jobs they create, the services they offer, the vitality they bring, and the safety that increased neighborhood activity provides.

13. Enterprise Zones. As an At-Large City Council member, I was the first local elected official to promote Enterprise Zones as a means of stimulating economic activity and expanded employment opportunities in capital-starved neighborhoods. We are beginning to see the fruits of these legislative initiatives, but there are many more opportunities within our zones waiting for the right person with the right project. As Mayor, I will aggressively pursue every worthy, neighborhood-compatible project that comes to my attention. My office will follow through on all inquiries related to development proposals within our Enterprise Zones and do everything within its means to support viable, environmentally sound projects that bring services and jobs to our communities.

14. Community Development Corporations. Community Development Corporations (CDCs) are on the front lines of community renewal. These non-profit groups with tremendous civic spirit nurture economic life by bringing new commercial centers and housing to areas sorely in need of such services. As Mayor, I will foster a mutually beneficial relationship with our CDCs. I understand the importance of government support for these organizations. Even modest public investment from local government enables CDCs to leverage substantial investment and vital resources from the private sector and federal agencies. In a Schwartz Administration, I will look to our highly motivated Community Development Corporations and other non-profit groups for their guidance as we develop a plan for community renewal and will make public investment in their neighborhood revitalization missions a priority.

15. Expanding Homeownership Opportunities. Expanding homeownership opportunities is crucial to the economic renewal of our city. A person who works and lives in the District means a great deal more to our economy than someone who simply spends his or her working hours here, then goes home to Maryland or Virginia. Plus, there are no better stewards of our neighborhoods than people with a vested interest in the vitality of their communities. Incentives to buy a home here, such as the $5,000 federal income tax credit created last year for people who buy in the District, must be widely publicized. Improving services, reducing crime and properly developing neighborhood business centers are crucial factors in making Washington a good place to live. I will work to ensure that these things happen. Making our communities clean, safe and convenient, combined with tax incentives, low-interest loans and aggressive promotion, will breath new life — and bring new homeowners — into our neighborhoods.

16. Easy Parking, Easy Shopping. To make our neighborhood commercial corridors and our businesses downtown more attractive for evening and weekend shoppers, I introduced the Parking Fee Moratorium Act, which was passed by the City Council and went into effect in July. Now, with few exceptions, people who shop downtown or on Georgia Avenue, on H Street NE, on Capitol Hill and on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue do not have to worry about feeding the meters. They now have three hours of free parking in the evening and on the weekend. We must make sure that this moratorium is well publicized, and that it is implemented with a minimum of exemptions.

17. Tourism: On the Mall and in our Neighborhoods. Tourism is big business in Washington, generating $5.7 billion in annual revenue for the region. But visitors to Washington should not confine their sightseeing to monuments on the Mall. The District of Columbia's neighborhoods are filled with monuments, theaters and parks reflecting our diverse culture, history and architecture. These treasures are just waiting to be discovered. As Mayor, I will encourage discovery of our neighborhood treasures such as the Frederick Douglas home in Anacostia, the 14th Street Theater Corridor, the myriad parks in our neighborhoods, and the nightlife along U Street and in Adams Morgan. We must let visitors to our city know about our rich and diverse neighborhoods. We must bring tourist dollars home to our community.

18. Arts a Cornerstone of Neighborhood Development. The arts can be a catalyst for neighborhood revitalization as we have seen most recently with the development of the 14th Street Theater Corridor. The arts were deemed crucial in the successful creation of cultural districts in other cities. We can continue successful development of the arts in the neighborhoods of Washington by creating a more welcoming environment for the individual arts and artists.

Keeping Jobs, Creating Jobs, and Training Our Workforce. In the last eight years, more than 54% of new federal jobs have been placed in the suburbs. The District lost 12% of its federal jobs between 1980 and 1994. In 1997 alone, Congress pushed to relocate the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms to Virginia; the few remaining District-based operations of the Food and Drug Administration to Maryland; and new facilities of the Bureau of Printing and Engraving to Texas. In my administration, we will guard the jobs we have, we will aggressively pursue new ventures for the jobs they bring, and we will train our workforce to better compete for the jobs we create.

19. Keeping Federal Jobs Here. Because the federal government has both an obligation to — and a vested interest in — the well being of our city, I will support creation of legislation that would require the federal government to prove a compelling need to relocate a substantial federal facility out of the District.

20. Attracting New Jobs. The District could have added 51,300 private-sector jobs to its economy from 1990-1997 had small business expanded as fast in the District as it did in the nation during that period, according to data from the U.S. Labor and Commerce departments. It is vital that we create new jobs that pay living wages so that the District can finally get its unemployment rate, which is still hovering around 9 percent, closer to the 4.5 percent national average. Focusing on attracting business with measures outlined in this plan, the District will see the pace of small business expansion accelerate, as will job growth.

21. Job Training. Job training is one of the District's most critical functions and for far too long has failed its residents. The U.S. Department of Labor, in a recent report describing the District's poor track record in this area, wrote that the District's job training programs were "substantially below national averages in most categories," and that costs were too high. In short, we are not getting nearly enough bang for our buck. The District must require those who provide job training services to produce better programs and more job placements for the participants. We must also ensure that the private sector assumes a role so that workers who successfully complete comprehensive training programs and who have acquired the requisite skills are given fair treatment when they seek entry into the workforce.

22. Creating Internships and Training for Youth — The CITY Program. A Schwartz Administration will institute a progressive, innovative internship program for our youth. The CITY Program — a public/private partnership — will not only be summer employment, it will be a direct link to continuing work opportunities down the road. Washington has tremendous resources in both the public and private sectors, yet these resources have gone largely untapped. My administration will be about building bridges and sharing resources as we set the foundation for our city's renewal. The CITY Program will call upon every business, government agency, university and non-profit foundation or association to take a more active part in our community by creating internships and training opportunities for our students. Each spring, my administration will sponsor a CITY Internship Fair where high school juniors and seniors may apply for any and all available internships that interest them. All students would receive certificates upon completion of their internship programs, as well as invaluable access, experience and references. Businesses will be given tax credits and special incentives to create internships that benefit not only our students, but the businesses as well. I will work tirelessly to ensure that we get maximum participation from both the public and private sectors so that our young people are open to the vast and wonderful possibilities that exist right here in their hometown.

Aiming High: Baseball and the Olympics in D.C. We love our Wizards, we love our DC United, we love our Mystics, our Capitals and our Redskins (even though they should be in D.C., and not in Raljon, Maryland). With the proven success of the MCI Center downtown, we must focus on other large-scale ventures that attract business and generate revenue for the city. What better place for baseball, the national pastime, than in the nation's capital? And what better place for the Olympics than in the capital of the free world?

23. Bringing Baseball Back to Washington. My administration will work closely with the District of Columbia Sports Commission in its efforts to make this dream a reality. Baseball would be a win-win situation for residents, businesses and visitors. The increase in jobs, revenues and tourism dollars that a major league baseball team would bring will further bolster our local economy. As a venue, I would first look to possibilities at a renovated RFK Stadium, where the Senators used to play. If that proved unworkable, however, then I would support construction of a new stadium under the terms of a deal (similar to the MCI Center) that works in the best interest of the District of Columbia.

24. The Olympics in 2012. What better way to boost our stature as a premier, international tourist destination - and boost our revenue from tourists' dollars — than to host the Olympic Games? I am delighted that Washington and Baltimore have agreed to cooperate in putting together a regional bid for the 2012 Olympics. I believe this joint bid will substantially strengthen our prospects for hosting the Olympic Games. I will do everything in my power as Mayor to help further the cooperation needed to make this effort a success.

Carol Schwartz for Mayor Committee
1005 Seventh Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 393-7300 - Fax (202) 639-8738

MAYORAL CANDIDATE CAROL SCHWARTZ UNVEILS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Washington, DC — Carol Schwartz, Republican candidate for Mayor of the District of Columbia today rolled out her 24-point plan for economic development and community renewal. At a press conference in front of a row of abandoned business in the heart of Anacostia, Schwartz promised supporters that she would create an economic climate which will be competitive with the region and the nation. The Schwartz Economic Development Plan calls for business expansion and retention, growth and development of community businesses, job training for residents and reduction of taxes.

“We still have too many vacant buildings, too many abandoned businesses and too much potential,” she said. Schwartz expressed her commitment to implement development plans east of the river and in other sections of the city that have been neglected far too long.

No new taxes for District businesses or residents is the linchpin of the Schwartz Economic Development Plan. She said, “I oppose the broad-based tax on gross receipts favored by my opponent. His proposal for this new tax is yet another example of the wrongheaded tax policy that has caused businesses to either flee the city or never even consider locating here.”

To effectively compete with neighboring jurisdictions, the Schwartz Economic Development Plan advocates restructuring of the sales tax, reduction of the individual income tax rate, reduction of corporate franchise taxes and an elimination of the professional license tax. A key element of her tax revision proposal is lowering the sales tax to 4.5%. Schwartz also plans to completely eliminate the sales tax on shoes and clothing costing less than $100 and to initiate tax free shopping days in order to jump-start retail sales in the District.

“The people of this city have known me for 33 years. They know that they can trust me to provide the leadership that will keep our downtown plans on track, ensure that our more prosperous areas continue to thrive, and, most importantly, provide our neglected, under-served neighborhoods every opportunity to earn the reputation of 'comeback' community,” she said.

Paid for by the Carol Schwartz for Mayor Committee, Richard A. Smith, Treasurer, 1005 Seventh Street, NW, Washington. DC 20001
A Copy of the report is on file with the Office of Campaign Finance

Carol Schwartz for Mayor Committee
1005 Seventh Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 393-7300 - Fax (202) 639-8738

DC Mayoral Candidate and At-Large Councilmember Carol Schwartz delivered the following statement today in Southeast Washington.

It's great to be in Ward 6 and here in the heart of Anacostia to put forth my economic development plan for the District of Columbia. We stand today at the corner of Good Hope Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, a place where I stood four years ago when I last ran for Mayor. Not much has changed. We still have too many vacant buildings, too many abandoned businesses and too much lost potential.

But a change is going to come.

I want to see this commercial corridor in this wonderful and historic neighborhood thrive again. Not just with liquor stores, but with places to buy shoes and clothing, places to shop for a child's birthday present or Christmas gift, and more places where we can sit down, relax and have a bite to eat.

For this neighborhood, and for many others across our city, I intend to aim high. We see the benefits of ambitious planning downtown, where the MCI Center has spurred the opening of new stores and restaurants and attracted more visitors to the city s core. Also downtown, the new Convention Center at Mount Vernon Square — where the groundbreaking is set for this weekend — will bring more people and more business.

What does this all mean for you, the people of Anacostia? And what does it mean for the folks in Brookland, and in Petworth, and in Deanwood?

Well, I'll tell you what it means.

The more revenue we generate through large projects such as the MCI Center and the new Convention Center, the more opportunity we will have to reduce the tax burden on the residents and small businesses of this city. And the more we reduce the tax burden on residents and businesses, the more residents and businesses we are going to have — not just downtown, but across our city.

What are the goals of my plan for economic development? First: To stimulate and retain the businesses we have in the District. Second: To recruit new businesses and industries. Third: To develop the economic potential of every neighborhood. And fourth: To create jobs that pay a living wage for our residents.

My plan starts with taxes. Not creating new ones, and not increasing the ones we already have, but reducing some and eliminating others.

First — and let me get this one out of the way — I oppose the broad-based tax on gross receipts favored by my opponent. His proposal for this new tax is yet another example of the type of wrongheaded tax policy that has caused businesses to either flee the city, or never even consider locating here. Instead of driving people out of the city by gouging them with taxes, I want to generate more revenue from lower taxes paid by more people and businesses.

Let's talk a little bit about our sales tax. At 5.75%, our tax on retail sales is the highest in the region. Over the past 8 years, real revenue from sales taxes has fallen by 16 percent. Why? Because our citizens are doing more and more of their shopping in Maryland and Virginia, where sales taxes are lower.

The result for D.C.? A disheartening loss of businesses, and a continuing decline in revenue.

As Mayor, I will work to lower the sales tax rate to 4.5% as soon as possible. Also, to jump-start retail sales in the District, I am proposing that we initiate tax-free shopping days that will be jointly promoted by the city and our merchants. On these days, patrons of D.C. businesses will get a break right up front - at the register — when they buy certain goods. This has been tried in New York City and was a big hit, both with businesses and with their customers.

Sales taxes, as we all know, are among the most punitive and regressive of all taxes. Those hit hardest are low-income families and fixed-income seniors. for whom every dollar — every dime — counts. As part a permanent effort to boost our retail industry and to relieve the sales tax burden on those who can least afford it, I will move to completely eliminate the tax on clothing and shoes costing less than $100.

We also have to do something to stop the exodus of Washington residents to the suburbs. During my last term on the City Council, I succeeded in getting our personal income tax rate lowered from 11 percent to 9.5 percent. Well folks, that's still too high. In order to achieve a more competitive footing with Maryland and Virginia, I will propose that we reduce our personal income tax rate as soon as we can by as much as we can.

Of course, to support city services while reducing the tax burden, we must generate new sources of revenue. As your Mayor, I will work to make the District of Columbia competitive with any city in the nation. Using every available resource, leveraging every available dollar and pushing both existing and new tax incentives, my administration will attract new businesses for the revenue they bring, the jobs they create, and the services they offer.

Step one in that process of revenue creation will be to streamline the existing licensing, permitting and regulatory process to support and encourage economic development while promoting the health and safety of residents and visitors alike.

Step two — the effective management of federal grant dollars ù will require constant supervision by this Mayor. On my desk, I am going to put a copy of that old sign, "The Buck Stops Here." There is no excuse for the District not getting or not using the dollars to which it is entitled. If that happens in my administration, you can hold me accountable.

Step three will be to gain access to more capital and credit for business ventures in D.C. The District of Columbia, the seat of the federal government — home to embassies, international foundations, major universities and research institutions — is uniquely situated to serve as a major force in national and global monetary markets. We can help ourselves to become a major player in the world of finance through the elimination of anti-competitive laws and regulations which serve as disincentives to relocation in the District.

Step four will be consolidation of local development activities. Using the Office of the Mayor as the primary vehicle to recruit new business by creating incentive packages such as Empowerment Zones.

Step five will be to pursue Congressional support of significant investment tax credits for corporations agreeing to locate or relocate in our city's targeted economic development areas.

Another priority will be to ensure that the federal government meets its obligations to the District of Columbia by lifting the ban on taxing income at its source. No state government is prohibited from taxing revenue earned within its borders. Why should the District be any different?

And the federal payment? That was no gift. The annual federal payment was a relatively paltry $660 million reimbursement for the $2 billion in services and tax exemptions that the District provides the federal government each year. We do a lot for the federal government, and they should compensate us for it.

The District of Columbia, as we all know, is not just the federal city. It is home to over 500,000 citizens who live in our many diverse neighborhoods. For too long, we have neglected those neighborhoods.

During my previous term on the City Council, I was the first local elected official to promote Enterprise Zones as a means of stimulating economic activity and expanded employment opportunities in capital-starved neighborhoods. We are beginning to see the fruits of these legislative initiatives, but there are many more opportunities waiting for the right person with the right project.

As Mayor, I will aggressively pursue every worthy project that comes to my attention. My office will follow through on all inquiries related to development proposals within our Enterprise Zones and do everything within its means to support viable, environmentally sound projects that bring services and jobs to our neighborhoods.

We also want more people to buy homes in the city. There are no better stewards of our neighborhoods than people with a vested interest in the vitality of their communities.

Incentives to buy a home here, such as the $5,000 federal income tax credit created last year for people who buy in the District, must be widely publicized. Providing better services, reducing crime, improving our schools and properly developing neighborhood business centers are crucial factors in making Washington a good place to live. I will make these things happen.

To make our neighborhood commercial corridors and our businesses downtown more attractive for evening and weekend shoppers, I introduced the Parking Fee Moratorium Act, which went into effect in July. Now, people who shop downtown or on Georgia Avenue, on H Street NE, on Capitol Hill and here along Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue do not have to worry about feeding the meters.

The District of Columbia's neighborhoods are filled with monuments, theaters and parks which reflect our diverse culture, history and architecture. These treasures are just waiting to be discovered by our many visitors, who miss so much if they do not venture beyond the Mall. As Mayor, I will encourage discovery of our neighborhood sights such as the Frederick Douglass home here in Anacostia, and our city's many other hidden treasures.

I want robust economic development for many reasons. Among the most important is jobs. In my administration, we will aggressively pursue new ventures for the jobs they bring, we will guard the jobs we have, and we will train our workforce to better compete for the jobs we create. And the federal government must do its part.

Because the federal government has both an obligation to — and a vested interest in — the well being of our city, I will support legislation that would require the federal government to prove a compelling need to relocate a substantial federal facility out of the District.

It is vital that we create new jobs that pay living wages so that the District can finally get its unemployment rate — which is still hovering around 9 percent — closer to the 4.5 percent national average. Focusing on attracting business with the measures outlined in my plan, the District will see the pace of job growth accelerate.

Job training is one of the District's most critical functions. For far too long, it has failed its residents. The U.S. Department of Labor, in a recent report describing the District's poor track record in this area, wrote that the District's job training programs were "substantially below national averages in most categories," and that costs were too high. In short, we are not getting nearly enough bang for our buck. The District must require those who provide job training services to produce better programs and more job placements for the participants.

For high school students, I will institute a progressive, innovative internship program. The CITY Program — Creating Internships and Training for our Youth — will provide our young people with a direct link to continuing work opportunities down the road. The CITY Program will be a public-private partnership. I will call upon every business, government agency, university and non-profit foundation or association to take a more active role in our community by creating internships and training opportunities for our students.

Washington has tremendous resources in both the public and private sectors. We should make use of them all in the education of our children. In the CITY Program, businesses will be given tax credits and special incentives to create internships that benefit not only our students, but the businesses as well. I will work tirelessly to ensure that we get maximum participation from both the public and private sectors so that our young people are open to the vast and wonderful possibilities that exist right here in their hometown.

Now, let's talk just a little bit about baseball — and hitting homeruns. Mark McGwire hit 70, Sammy Sosa hit 66, and I intend to hit a few myself.

We love our Wizards and Mystics, we love DC United and our Capitals, and we love our Washington Redskins (even though they should be in D.C., and not in Raljon, Maryland). With the proven success of the MCI Center downtown, we must focus on other large-scale ventures that attract business and generate revenue for the city.

What better place for baseball, the national pastime, than in the nation's capital? Baseball would be a win-win situation for residents, businesses and visitors. The increase in jobs, revenues and tourism dollars that a major league baseball team would bring will further bolster our local economy. I want to hit a homerun and bring baseball home to D.C.

While on the subject of bringing it home, what's a better home for the Olympic Games in 2012 than in the capital of the free world? I think it's great that Washington and Baltimore have agreed to cooperate in putting together a regional bid for the 2012 Olympics. I believe this joint bid will substantially strengthen our prospects for hosting the Olympic Games. I will do everything in my power as Mayor to help further the cooperation needed to make this effort a success.

My plan for economic development and community renewal is ambitious, but if we don't aim high, we may fall short.

The people of Washington have known me for 33 years. They know they can trust me to provide the leadership that will keep our downtown plans on track; ensure that our more prosperous areas continue to thrive; and — most importantly — provide our neglected, under- served neighborhoods every opportunity to earn the reputation of comeback community.