The crowd at Zion Baptist Church in Northwest didn’t engage in the rowdy shouting that has defined past candidates’ forums. Instead, those attending focused intently on the policies of the candidates vying for the at-large seat on the D.C. Council left vacant when Kwame R. Brown became chairman. Nine people are competing. But only five — Dorothy Douglas, Patrick Mara, Joshua Lopez, Bryan Weaver, and Vincent Orange — attended the forum.
Sekou Biddle, selected by the D.C. Democratic State Committee to temporarily fill the seat, had been arrested by Capitol Police. He and others protested congressional budget action limiting how the District could spend its local funds and reinstating the education voucher program.
Biddle, described as Brown’s protege, until earlier this year served as an elected member of the State Board of Education. Still, some residents, citing his close relationship with a chairman crippled by scandals, have questioned Biddle’s judgment.
Truth be told, Lopez, Weaver, Orange and Mara are far more impressive: A young, sharp Hispanic, Lopez led the write-in campaign for Mayor Adrian Fenty in the November general election; 27,000 voters participated in the effort.
Weaver, a nonprofit executive, ran an interesting campaign against Ward 1 Councilman Jim Graham. Mara is a member of the state education board. And Orange, a two-term councilman, ran last year for chairman. He received 50,000 votes.
I have admired them for their tenacity and their dedication to good, clean government worthy of the public’s trust. But, after Monday’s forum, I concluded Mara and Orange deserve citizens’ consideration in the special election scheduled for April 26.
Mara and Orange railed against waste, fraud and abuse in the government. They argued for better protections for small businesses; for an aggressive jobs creation program; more strategic economic development, and continued education reform.
Orange has a record of achievement: He brought big box retail to Ward 5 and pushed passage of the city’s living wage law. He was “Mr. Reform” before Michelle Rhee, advocating rigorous academic standards. He has voiced support for federally funded vouchers, a subsidy program for low-income children to attend the schools of their choice. Other money — about $40 million — would go to District public schools. “It’s not as though the money is coming out of our budget. It’s $60 million; [that’s] nothing to turn away.”
Mara defined himself as “socially progressive and fiscally responsible.” He has eschewed inappropriate tax increases like those proposed by Mayor Vincent Gray in his 2012 budget. “In Washington, D.C., there’s no realization that the money is real. Officials keep taxing and spending.”
Both men would bring fresh ideas, a strong voice and independent thinking, which could help restore the public’s confidence in the government. Either would serve the city well, I thought as I left the forum.
Then I paused. I wondered whether Orange’s leadership role in the local Democratic Party would mean he might play footsie with members, most of whom also are Democrats. Would he compromise a little too much?
That’s the question.
Jonetta Rose Barras’ column appears on Monday and Wednesday. She can be reached at [email protected].
