About The Candidate

• Office Sought: City Council At-Large
• Occupation: D.C. Council member, at large.
• Web site: http://www.carol2008.com
• E-mail address: carolschwartzforcouncil@yahoo.com

Education

BS, special and elementary education, University of Texas, Austin.

Offices and positions held

Member, at large, D.C. Council, 1985-89, 1997-present; member, D.C. Board of Education, 1974-82, vice president, 1977-80; chairman, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, 1987-88, 1997-2008; co-chairman, Washington Area Housing Trust Fund, 2003-08; member, Whitman-Walker Clinic, 1989-2006; member, Kennedy Center Community and Friends Board; president, Metropolitan Police Boys & Girls Clubs, 1979-2005.

On the Issues

Do you think the District is doing enough to hold accountable developers who receive public funding or public financing when it comes to affordable housing and jobs for District residents? If not, tell us one thing you would recommend regarding affordable housing and one thing you would recommend regarding jobs for District residents.

When a developer receives benefits from the government—whether through public financing, zoning changes, waivers, exemptions, or other accommodations—the public should receive benefits in return—such as affordable housing, first-source hiring agreements, job training, apprenticeship programs, and/or partnerships with LSDBEs. Although we’ve been good at getting promises for such benefits in the past, we have not been so successful in receiving them. We must become better at compliance and enforcement. We need penalties in place. Serial offenders should not be given future opportunities for benefits; in other words, should be taken off the list!

How do you rate Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee's performance with the District schools so far, and what is one thing that you would recommend that she improve upon?

The Chancellor’s obvious enthusiasm and determination have been impressive, and I certainly wish her well in her most important charge. There is no doubt that she could improve on the transparency of her operations, including the school budget. We need to know exactly where the large amounts of money we are directing to the schools are going. And, if she involved more community members, staff, parents and students in her deliberations from the onset, then her ultimate decisions might be better received. I pray every day that Ms. Rhee succeeds beyond our wildest expectations.

How do you think the Supreme Court's decision to strike down the District's handgun ban will affect the city? Is there anything that could or should be done to restrict gun owners, such as requiring trigger locks?

I have mixed emotions about the Supreme Court’s decision, as I have always been an avid libertarian. But I have also always respected the 1976 law banning guns, as it reflected the will of the majority of DC residents. Now that it’s been ruled unconstitutional, we have passed regulations to comply, while keeping numerous protections in place—and I support that. I grew up in Texas in a household with guns, but I never wanted one in my home with my children. I am wary of possible consequences here, but we have no choice but to abide by the Court’s decision.

What is the most urgent problem facing your jurisdiction?

The most important issue is the continued financial good health of the District of Columbia. Without it, chances of significant improvements to schools, health care, crime-fighting, job training, delivery of quality services and caring for vulnerable populations, as well as sustaining our recent economic vitality, are greatly diminished. Through responsible actions, we can avoid the bloated budgets, which I voted against in the 1980s, that led to the severe financial crisis in the early 1990s (when I was not on the council), a crisis that cost us dearly and, for a time, virtually ended our already limited home rule.

Why should voters elect you?

Because of my four decades of passionate advocacy for D.C. and the proven results I have achieved -- not just talked about but achieved.

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