FentyReElect

Dear Friends:

I write to share with you why I have decided to vote for Mayor Adrian M. Fenty on September 14th. I'm writing this message because I believe strongly that we, as District voters, have an incredibly important decision to make when we go to the polls: whether or not we want to continue the progress this city has made during the last four years, especially in the area of public education. For me, the answer is an obvious and emphatic "Yes!"

I have made this decision as a 35-year resident of the District who has worked for all three branches of government and witnessed this city's highs and lows from both personal and professional vantage points. While you make your decision, I urge you to do what I did while making mine:

Look at what this city has become. The District has achieved a level of progress that I did not think possible when I worked for the Council when the control board was in place in the late 1990s.

The DC Public Schools have made more progress during the last four years than during my entire lifetime in the District. I recently got married and bought a home with my husband on Capitol Hill. Because of the progress that has taken place under Mayor Fenty's and Chancellor Rhee's leadership, I want to send my children to public schools. I am voting for the Mayor because I never want to face the painful decisions that my parents and friends' parents faced while I was growing up in DC: do we move out of the city we love because of education? Or do we spend every penny we make on private schools? Imagine a DC where families don't have to contemplate these decisions. I believe firmly we are on the path to being that city. And that the progress can continue only with the right leadership in place; leadership that puts the pursuit of academic excellence above every other interest. Look no further for evidence of the results of that kind of leadership than at the gains made at Sousa Middle School, as reported here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/05/AR2010070502915.html.

The District is on track to having fewer than 100 homicides this year. When I was in high school, the District had almost 500 homicides in one year. When I started working for the Council, there were years when our homicide clearance rate hovered around 30%. There are many factors that contribute to crime, but you cannot reduce it without strong leadership and good policing. Today, the clearance rate is 75%, putting the District among the nation's best performing cities. The tide has turned in the District, and it has turned against getting away with murder, no matter who the victim is. As Chief Lanier said in Sunday's Washington Post, the homicide drop "represents the realization of a belief that we can make this a safe city for everyone." (available here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/17/AR2010071702372.html)

Mayor Fenty CAN claim credit for this progress. I have heard some people say that Mayor Fenty cannot claim credit for all of this progress. It is true that it is the result of years of hard work by many people. But what is unique about Mayor Fenty is his insistence that we raise the bar in the District to demand these kinds of results, the kind of results that others do not think possible, or do not have the courage to pursue. We have a long way to go, particularly in the area of education. Mayor Fenty is the only candidate in this race who will continue to demand results and progress, without excuses, even when doing so is unpopular.

Mayor Fenty has raised our expectations. Whether it's putting a bike lane down the middle of Pennsylvania Avenue, quickly re-building Eastern Market, or realizing the belief that every child can excel in school, no matter what her background or circumstances, he has improved the city in ways that matter to all of us. Demanding and actually achieving these results requires courageous and risk-taking leadership.

And yes, at times, this has ruffled feathers. But, for me, the results are worth it. The District's time is now, and I have never been more proud to live here. I urge you not to take our hard-fought progress for granted. Keep our expectations high and vote for another four years of progress, by voting for Mayor Fenty on September 14.

Sincerely,

Amy Mauro

Fenty 2010 launches a second round! Hear how Adrian Fenty continues to make great progress in the communities.

Today the Fenty 2010 campaign launched its second round of television ads, each including a District resident whose community has seen great progress under Adrian Fenty’s leadership.

“These stories are just a few examples of what we’re hearing citywide,” said Adrian Fenty. “Going door to door every day, residents tell me how excited they are about new state-of-the art public facilities, better schools, and lower crime in their neighborhoods. They know that with four more years, they’ll keep seeing results.”

The three new 15-second spots, as well as three released last week, can be viewed online on the Fenty 2010 YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/fentyreelect).

Read on to hear why Sondra, Jack, and Mike are supporting Adrian Fenty.

Meet Sondra

“As a community advocate, organizer and mother of two young boys in the Rosedale Community, I'm a witness to the great things Mayor Fenty has done.  Mayor Fenty walked our neighborhood five times, even holding a cabinet meeting at the dilapidated recreation center to make sure his directors knew it needed attention. We watched as the Mayor and various agency heads walked through Rosedale, recorded a long list of complaints and concerns and resolved them right away. I told him of our need for a new community center and library, and how we lobbied for many years while we tried to keep hopeful about promises that were made to us. There was even one resident that had told the Mayor how he had been waiting over 27 years just to get his alley paved. The alley is paved now. This is why I support Mayor Fenty.”

Meet Jack

"I“Some people say Adrian Fenty doesn’t play well with others.  I’m the longest-serving Councilmember, and I know that Adrian pulls people together to get results. School Without Walls was long overdue for renovation. It finally got done because Adrian Fenty worked with the community, the Council and the school to complete the project. The District needs an executive who brings people together to get things done. That’s why I support Adrian Fenty.”

Meet Mike

“Adrian Fenty told Ward 8 we’d see the kinds of change we’ve been waiting for.  I’ve seen a whole lot of change since he came into office—new libraries, schools, grocery stores and new rec centers. I’m a graduate of the Calvin Woodland Foundation’s job training program. Mayor Fenty told me that if I completed the program, he would help me find a job. I’ve been working hard ever since. I’m voting for Adrian because he keeps his word.”

Fenty 2010 hits the airwaves! Hear how Adrian Fenty has made a difference in these residents’ lives.

Meet Kamili

"Some people say Adrian Fenty has changed, that he's arrogant. But as Councilmember, and then as Mayor, I know he’s shown the same determination in working with me and my community. For years we wanted someone to do something about the Tewkesbury apartment building, which was abandoned and a source of blight in my neighborhood. Adrian came along and took action. He made sure the blighted Tewkesbury apartment building got renovated into great affordable homes for ward 4 residents. And it wasn’t just this one example—the whole time, he was thinking about how to change the system so it wouldn’t happen again. He listens to folks, and then he gets about doing the job.”  Kamili Anderson, Ward 4.

Meet Scottie

"I own a DC-based construction company, and I’ve been a local business owner for over 25 years. I'm supporting Adrian because he's rebuilding our city, and he's making sure small local businesses have the opportunity to share in the work. Finally we have a Mayor who has a real sense of urgency about supporting small business. Adrian’s administration, with people like Neil Albert, have done an outstanding job of knowing what small businesses need to be successful and helping them get there. Some people say Adrian Fenty doesn’t support local businesses. But I know he’s putting the building blocks together to create support that we’ve never had. That’s why I’m supporting Adrian Fenty.” Scottie Irving, Ward 1.

Meet Monica

"Some people say Adrian Fenty hasn’t delivered for people East of the River. I know that’s not true—he’s renovating the old Congress Heights School, which had been vacant for more than 25 years. He’s modernizing the Washington Highlands Library, which is right in my neighborhood. We have new restaurants and grocery stores for the first time in decades. And it’s important to remember that we’re seeing decreased crime and increased test scores in Ward 8. I’m happy about that too. Adrian is different because he makes the difficult decisions—and you know he cares because he’s getting things done.” Monica Ray, Ward 8.

Look who else has joined the team! Fenty 2010 has had a busy week.

Last weekend, we kicked off GoGo4Fenty with endorsements from GoGo icons Chi Ali and Suttle Thoughts, Big G and Backyard, Sugar Bear and EU, Ben and TCB, Junkyard, and D-Floyd. At an afternoon-long cookout, each endorsed Adrian Fenty as the candidate who has delivered for residents East of the River and throughout the District.

This past Monday, the Greater Washington Board of Trade endorsed our campaign. The BOT commended him for assembling a skilled team of leaders in District government and spending taxpayer dollars more efficiently rather than raising taxes.

Jim Dinegar, Greater Washington Board of Trade President and CEO, said: "Our endorsement of Mayor Fenty for a second term recognizes that the Mayor has developed a strong team of top talent, who he appropriately holds accountable for making progress," said Dinegar, acknowledging the fact that the Board of Trade did not endorse Fenty four years ago. "The Mayor has backed key initiatives important to the Board of Trade and to the region at large, especially by collaborating on rail to Dulles, prioritizing regional emergency preparedness and emphasizing the need to better manage government expenses rather than seek to raise taxes."

Wednesday night at Halo in Logan Circle Representative Jared Polis (D-CO), one of three openly gay members of Congress, endorsed Adrian. Rep. Polis cited the Adrian’s leadership in legalizing same sex marriage and his unprecedented progress towards reforming District schools.

Across the District, residents from all walks of life want test scores to keep rising, crime rates to keep falling, and city services to keep improving. That's why they're joining the Green Team.

You can show your support by joining us on Sunday at 11 AM at Whitehaven Parkway and MacArthur Ave NW for the Palisades 4th of July Parade. Email Andrew@fentyreelect.com to RSVP.

Mayor Fenty deserves second term

As a longtime D.C. resident and founder of Lambda Rising Bookstore, I am writing to let the LGBT community know why I am supporting Adrian Fenty for mayor.

First and foremost, I always have great admiration for candidates who actually deliver on the promises they make during a campaign. Four years ago, Adrian Fenty promised us that he would improve the schools. One of his first actions as mayor was to bring Michelle Rhee on board to turn around what was, at the time, a failing education system. You may remember that there were schools in such disrepair that they could not open, schools without textbooks, schools in which it was simply too dangerous to learn. Today, our schools have undergone rehabilitation, they open on time, the students have textbooks, and safety has been improved dramatically. So have test scores, which are up 11 percent, the largest increase in the nation. And now, thanks to Fenty and Rhee, D.C. Public Schools have implemented a new health curriculum that educates students about gender identity and sexual orientation and developed resources for the schools that will help create safe spaces for LGBT youth.

Four years ago, Adrian Fenty promised improved policing and a corresponding decrease in crime, and he has delivered on both, with violent crime down 7.2 percent last year, far ahead of the national average. Only last year, he released the first bias-crime report in the District’s history, which provides the most accurate count possible of hate crimes in our history.

Four years ago, Adrian Fenty promised improved city services at a time when citizens could barely get through to city agencies on the phone. Today, communication by phone and website is vastly improved; you can actually reach public servants and get answers to questions, and the city is making much better use of new technology.

And four years ago, Adrian Fenty was forthright in his promise of support for marriage equality, as he had been since 2000. He made good on that promise, too, when he signed into law the historic Religious Freedom and Marriage Equality Amendment Act legalizing same-sex marriage in D.C. and is vigorously defending this in court and on the Hill.

Of course, there is much left to be done, but in the four years of the Fenty administration, the improvements already made are significant, and many of them impact positively on the LGBT community directly:

• Under Fenty’s administration, the Wanda Alston House was established, providing the first transitional housing program for LGBT youth and issuing updated guidelines for other housing providers offering safe space for LGBT youth.
• His administration released the first epidemiology report dealing specifically with the HIV/AIDS epidemic among men who have sex with men. He also released the most comprehensive reports on HIV/AIDS in the city. And under Fenty’s watch, condom distribution has increased so that the city is now giving away 4.2 million condoms a year.
• The Fenty administration launched and funded an annual GLBT economic development summit that has connected business leaders to government resources and has increased the number of LGBT businesses that are eligible to be on the District government’s supply chain from three to 15.

Citizens have talked for years about getting some of these items done. Mayor Fenty has made it happen. He’s not been shy about making the tough decisions. I know some criticize him for being aloof, but I base my decision on results, not on personalities, and my decision this year is to support Adrian Fenty for mayor because I believe he has proven an ability to get the job done.

Getting Things Done

The Green Team is out in every ward, every day. We're putting up thousands of yard signs and recruiting new volunteers. We're telling everyone we meet about Adrian Fenty's vision for better schools, driving down crime, and improving city services for all District residents. Voters are responding: on May 15, we won the first straw poll of the year at Ward 8's Matthews Memorial Church.

Throughout the District, we continue to see change and results under Adrian Fenty's leadership. Since our campaign headquarters grand opening on April 10th--just a little over a month ago--the Fenty administration broke ground on a new housing and retail project at the Rhode Island Avenue/Brentwood Metro Station, completed renovations at Edgewood Field and Recreation Center, broke ground on 344 affordable housing units at Sheridan Station, opened the new Anacostia Public Library, finished modernizations at Eaton Playground, and opened Ward 7's first fine dining restaurant, Ray's: The Steaks.

Adrian Fenty is rapidly achieving the kind of progress past politicians promised and never delivered. Put simply, Adrian Fenty is getting things done. As we approach the September 14th primary, help us make sure that things continue to get done in the District for four more years. Show your support by getting a yard sign, making a contribution, and joining us to knock on doors!