News
Adrian Fenty Wins Ward 2 Democrats Straw Poll
07.22.2010
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Adrian M. Fenty won the Ward 2 Democrats straw poll last night, leading the opposition 97 to 63. The straw poll was held Wednesday evening and took place at the Washington Plaza Hotel.
"Thanks to all the residents who took the time to come out last night," said Mayor Fenty. "With your support, we'll continue to build great schools, drive down crime, and deliver better city services, not only for Ward 2 but for all residents, for four more years."
As they came in to place their votes, Ward 2 residents spoke about the results they are seeing citywide. Logan Circle resident and ANC 2F Chairman Charles Reed said, “Mayor Fenty has made great improvements in our community and in the city over the last three years. It is crucial that this progress continue, and under Mayor Fenty’s leadership, it will.”
Fenty gets warm reception in Columbia Heights
07.21.2010
D.C. police chief transcends race and gender in serving the city
07.18.2010
D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier had taken a dinner break Friday while checking up on officers deployed for All Hands on Deck, her controversial crime-stopping tactic, which saturates the city with a highly visible police presence.
"I didn't see any cruisers out there -- where are they?" she asked an assistant chief who was monitoring police activity on an Apple iPad next to his dinner plate. I chimed in that two cop cars with lights flashing and sirens blaring had zoomed past the restaurant just before she arrived.
"Then we've failed," Lanier replied.
What?
"If you hear sirens, it means we have failed to prevent the crime," she explained. "If we have to make an arrest, then we've failed." Last year, D.C. police made about 48,000 arrests -- just the kind of "failure" that I imagine crime victims want to see.
Very impressive: Push the troops, wow the public. And after less than four years on the job, Lanier is basking in the glow of being one of the city's most effective, and popular, public officials.
Her homicide squad has the highest closure rate in three years and, so far this year, homicides are on track to drop below 100 for the first time in decades.
According to polls taken earlier this year, she has a 71 percent approval rating among D.C. residents -- compared with 47 percent for Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee and 43 percent for Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, who appointed them both.
No small feat.
Back in 2006, when she was nominated for the job, Lanier got mad at me -- "frustrated," as she put it -- for asking whether it mattered that the top cop in a mostly black city was a white woman. "I thought more people would be interested in the new police chief's policies and crime-fighting strategies than in her race and hairstyle," she said at the time, sounding exasperated.
But let's face it: Race and gender matter. Only 1 percent of the nation's police chiefs are women, and Lanier is just the third white chief in the District's modern era. (Before that, Congress had put only white men in charge of law enforcement.)
"The high approval rating is not for me, it's for the department," Lanier said while we dined at Ray's the Steaks, her favorite restaurant, in Northeast. "Nobody likes the chief when the officers aren't doing their jobs."
Of course, not everybody likes the chief even when the department is on the case. Some worry, for instance, that Lanier is turning the police force into something akin to a high-tech, military covert-ops unit, lacking only a Predator drone, so far.
"Look here," she said, taking her iPad and touching a special Google Earth icon on the screen. An aerial view of the Washington metropolitan area came into view, with the names of every neighborhood clearly labeled. She zoomed in to rooftop level and said softly, "I can take a camera from here and look up and down a street."
As to complaints that she plays fast and loose with civil rights, Lanier is unfazed.
"We've got the kind of community cooperation going where people are starting to believe that we can get under a hundred homicides this year," she said. "It's a symbolic number, but it's important because it represents the realization of a belief that we can make this a safe city for everybody."
Asked last week by Kojo Nnamdi, talk show host on WAMU radio (88.5 FM), whether she would stay on the job if Fenty were to lose his bid for reelection in the fall, Lanier said, "The people determine whether I stay or go. That's who I work for."
Throughout the dinner, the people kept waving and stopping by the table to express their appreciation. Outside the restaurant, you'd have thought she was a rock star.
"Chief Lanier, may I take a picture with you?" a man asked as he handed a cellphone camera to one of her assistant chiefs. From across the street, a woman who appeared to be in her late teens swooned: "Chief Lanier! I'm so proud of you."
So, I mused, that she, of all people, appeared to have overcome the burden of race and gender in a city frequently divided by both.
"When I put on this uniform, I am not white, nor am I a woman," Lanier replied. Then, after smoothing a swath of blond hair beneath her chief's hat, she added with a streetwise twang, "I am the po-lice."
A national battle plan against HIV/AIDS
07.14.2010
Professional Bike Race Draws Thousands
07.12.2010
D.C. youth justice agency's school improvements deemed 'remarkable'
07.09.2010
Michelle Rhee's role in the D.C. mayoral race
07.06.2010
Teacher Tenure Breakout
07.01.2010
In the long war between teachers unions and education reformers, the reformers won a big victory this week that could serve as a model for school districts across the U.S. The breakthrough is a new contract between the District of Columbia and 4,000 public school teachers that shatters taboos on teacher tenure, seniority and pay-for-performance.
The contract, which was approved by the D.C. Council on Tuesday, is a triumph for hard-bargaining Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, who took on American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten and has lived to tell about it. "Seniority used to drive all kinds of decisions, including who was hired or laid off," said Ms. Rhee during a recent visit to the Journal. "Now that will be determined by performance and quality."
Among other things, the new contract abolishes lock-step pay and implements a voluntary performance-based system that could add $20,000 to $30,000 to the salaries of teachers whose students show above-average improvement in test scores. Tenure rules will no longer compel principals to hire rotten instructors.
Teacher performance will be judged by student achievement and evaluations by administrators and "master educators" appointed by Ms. Rhee's office who can make surprise classroom visits. Bad teachers can be terminated more easily, while teachers rated "minimally effective" will have their pay frozen and can be fired after two years if they don't improve.
These may seem like common sense reforms to anyone outside of public education, but they have been fiercely opposed by the AFT, the National Education Association and their local affiliates. In most states, teachers receive tenure after only two or three years in the classroom, and then it's nearly impossible to fire them. Students are the victims of this system meant to serve adults with lifetime sinecures.
How has Ms. Rhee pulled this off when so many others have failed? One reason is the political support of Democratic Mayor Adrian Fenty, who appointed her in 2007. Another is the awful state of the schools she inherited, where only 8% of eighth graders were performing at grade level in math when she took over, even though D.C. was spending $14,300 per student, or $6,300 more than the national average. Even Ms. Weingarten couldn't defend those results.
Ms. Rhee adds that she had more than the usual bargaining leverage thanks to some earlier reforms that let her decide how teachers are evaluated. The wholesale flight of D.C. children—some 38%—from traditional public schools to charter schools increased her negotiating power. Credit also goes to the Washington Post, which has supported Ms. Rhee even as most big city liberal newspapers have backed the status quo.
Ms. Rhee's challenge now is to use the new rules forcefully enough to drive improvements because the unions will assume they can wait her out. Meanwhile, Ms. Weingarten and the national unions are trying to downplay the D.C. contract lest other school chancellors take it up as their reform model. Their greatest fear is that they will have to defend against reformers determined to rewrite teacher tenure rules on multiple fronts.
Unfortunately, most school chancellors are careerists who don't want to upset the unions because they are always looking for their next job. One example: Clifford Janey, whom Ms. Rhee replaced in D.C., went on to become the superintendent in Newark, N.J., whose schools may be worse than D.C.'s. Ms. Rhee, by contrast, came to her job as an outsider willing to endure the considerable abuse that the unions and their political backers threw at her.
School reform can sometimes seem like a Sisyphean task, but D.C.'s breakout on teacher tenure shows that the status quo can be broken. Let's hope more big city mayors and chancellors have the courage of Ms. Rhee's and Mayor Fenty's convictions.
Fenty wins backing of gay activist Rep. Jared Polis
07.01.2010
If Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's facing dwindling support in the city's gay and lesbian community, it certainly wasn't apparent on the upper floor of the Halo nightclub Wednesday night.
Well over 100 Fenty supporters packed the Logan Circle club Wednesday night for a "meet and greet" for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Washingtonians. They heard Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) - one of three openly gay members of Congress, along with Reps. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) and Barney Frank (D-Mass.) - introduce Fenty and endorse him for a second term.
While Polis acknowledged that Fenty had signed a landmark bill authorizing gay marriages in the District, he spent much of his remarks praising Fenty's record on education, noting his years of service on the Colorado State Board of Education.
Fenty has come under some criticism from members of the politically potent gay activist community is recent weeks. Lane Hudson, an activist supporting Gray, accused Fenty of being "MIA" on gay issues in a Washington Blade op-ed. And last week, Peter Rosenstein, an erstwhile supporter of Fenty's, unleashed a 5,000-word broadside against Fenty's performance as mayor in the same publication.
But the Halo fundraiser attracted a large and diverse crowd -- including several advisory neighborhood commissioners and at least one supporter of his opponent.
Lee Brian Reba, a former deputy chief of staff to Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray, was in attendance. "I'm on Team Gray, but I'm supportive of the mayor. ... I don't think it's fair the way he's been criticized in the gay community," Reba said, before invoking Gray's campaign slogan. "Tonight was to come together. ... At the end of the day, we're still one city."
A survey of attendees found many, like Polis, were quick to cite education and other non-GLBT issues in expressing their support for Fenty.
"I really like what he and Michelle Rhee are trying to do with the schools," said Cary Plair, a Logan Circle resident who has school-age nephews in the city.
"Crime is down, so business is better," said D.C. Allen, a Dupont Circle resident who has owned the Crew Club gym on 14th Street NW since the early '90s.
He, too, supports Fenty's education efforts. "So many young gay and lesbian couples are having children that it is important that we have a netter school system," said Allen. "An educational system is probably the most important thing a city can have."
Fenty Earns Endorsement from Region’s Business Leaders
06.29.2010
WASHINGTON - Fenty 2010 on Tuesday announced the Greater Washington Board of Trade endorsed Adrian M. Fenty as its candidate for mayor of the District of Columbia.
"I am honored to have earned the support of the region's business leaders," Fenty said. "During the last three and half years we’ve worked very closely to build a strong partnership to ensure Greater Washington remains a world-class center for business. As the core of the Washington region, the District's ability to create jobs and attract new businesses and residents will only strengthen our position as the best place to do business in the nation. During the next four years my administration will work even harder to see businesses of all sizes thrive in every neighborhood in the city - from Georgia Avenue to Georgetown to Gallery Place to Good Hope Road."
The Board of Trade is the region's largest business advocacy organization.
"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 Jim Dinegar, the BOT’s CEO. "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."
The BOT recognized the Fenty's achievements in transforming the District's public schools into a national model for urban education reform, implementing progressive transportation initiatives, improving service delivery and reducing crime by record levels.
Fenty Hails Plan to End Homelessness
06.30.2010
Mayor Adrian Fenty has joined with the District Department of Human Services to congratulate the U. S. Interagency Council on Homelessness on its release of the nation's first comprehensive plan to prevent and end homelessness.
The plan is entitled, "Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness," and is the result of a collaborative effort among several federal agencies, with the departments of Housing and Urban Development, Labor and Veterans Affairs listed among them.
However, the effort surrounding homeless veterans in the District provides more than 100 persons labeled as chronic victims with supportive services and housing.
Overall, President Barack Obama's road map to ending homelessness calls for it to be completely eradicated from the veteran community by 2015. A commitment to end the condition across the board is expected by 2020, and accomplishing that feat calls for an increase in leadership and civic engagement, increasing access to supportive housing and economic security as well as improving health and stability and transforming crisis response systems for the homeless.
"I commend the Obama administration and leadership in the various agencies of the Interagency Council on Homelessness for setting aggressive goals that will make our efforts to end homelessness easier," Fenty said in a prepared statement. "I am especially proud that the successful partnership between DHS and Veterans Affairs and their efforts to house the District's homeless veterans were highlighted as [a priority]."
According to the Washington, D.C.-based Urban Institute, homelessness appears to have increased drastically in the past decade when some 2.3 million people fit the category.
Likening the plight to a revolving door syndrome, the Institute further states on its Web site that while many individuals and families tend to exit homelessness fairly quickly, others are unfortunately becoming homeless on a daily basis.
Triggers for homelessness include personal difficulties such as mental disabilities and job loss. With the onset of the Great Recession two years ago, the situation as it relates to housing market trends, has gotten worse rather than better, according to the Institute.
DHS Director Clarence Carter said Washington should lead the way in abolishing homelessness.
"We look forward to continuing to make the District a national example for ending homelessness as we fulfill the mandate articulated in Opening Doors," Carter said.
Excellence in D.C. schools
06.21.2010
DC Government Using Technology to Serve Residents Better
06.21.2010
LiUNA Endorses Mayor Adrian Fenty’s Re-Election
06.16.2010
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Laborers International Union (LiUNA) and its Baltimore/Washington District Council today threw its weight behind the re-election campaign of Mayor Adrian Fenty. LiUNA endorsed Fenty as the candidate with a record of getting things done—including aggressively pursuing every opportunity to get District residents back to work.
"I am honored to accept the endorsement of the Laborers," said Adrian Fenty. "Working together, there is an enormous amount we can do to rebuild our city's schools, recreation centers, and libraries while creating jobs for our residents."
LiUNA represents nearly 3,000 men and women who work in building construction, environmental remediation, heavy and highway construction, as well as industrial and public sector jobs.
"This is all about putting people back to work!" said International Vice President and Regional Manager Dennis Martire who announced the endorsement. "Our members live in the District and they’ve been hit hard by this economy. We've worked with Mayor Fenty on innovative programs like the Home Weatherization and training program that will not only create new jobs but open doors to the field for hundreds of unemployed District residents. This endorsement is an opportunity to be a real partner with the Mayor in putting DC residents back to work."
"This is the right move," said Local 657 member Beatrice Jackson, a single parent who began her career in construction working on Nationals Stadium. Jackson, who has found work sporadically since the Stadium project's completion, was eager to sign up to canvass for Fenty. "I listened to what the other candidate said, but Mayor Fenty has a plan to help me get back to work, and because my union is part of that plan I know that he will come through."
After the Mayor's speech, Local 657 Business Manager, Anthony Frederick, got the crowd of 250 going with a passionate speech and Obama-esque chant of 'Yes We Can.' During the last election, Frederick led a volunteer effort that saw more than 200 members canvassing the City to elect pro-labor candidates. He expects that LiUNA will exceed that effort this election cycle. "In 2006, our members were excited, but they were working. This year is much more than an election, it’s a fight for survival and we know that only Adrian Fenty can deliver on jobs. Our members are motivated like never before."
Over 21,000 District Residents Put Adrian Fenty on the Ballot
06.14.2010
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today Fenty 2010 submitted over 21,000 petition signatures to the DC Board of Elections, exceeding the number collected during Adrian Fenty’s 2006 mayoral campaign by approximately 9,000 signatures.
"As we collected signatures, we spoke with thousands of District residents who want the progress we've made, from school reform to reduced crime, to continue," said Adrian Fenty. "Thank you to every resident who signed our petitions. We're excited to keep reaching out over the next 92 days."
Fenty volunteers, who helped collect signatures since May 14th, said the petition drive was a great opportunity to spread Adrian Fenty's message of progress and results.
"While I collected petitions, I was able to tell my neighbors about Mayor Fenty's work to secure a new community center, library and field for the Rosedale Community," said Sondra Philips-Gilbert of Ward 6. "Mayor Fenty is a very compassionate person that really cares about our community, and we need his leadership for another four years."
