About The Candidate

• Office Sought: City Council At-Large
• Occupation: Manager of government relations, ML Strategies.
• Web site: http://www.patrickmara.com
• E-mail address: patrick@patrickmara.com

Education

BS, environmental science and political science, Marist College; MBA, entrepreneurship, Babson College.

Offices and positions held

Member, D.C. Republican Advisory Council; former board member, Hope for Kids; three-year mentor, Hoop Dreams Scholarship Fund.

On the Issues

The D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics had problems with thousands of phantom votes in the September primary, and during the Potomac Primary in February it ran out of paper ballots for voters. What would you do to help guarantee a smoother election process and protection of District voters' franchise?

BOEE should thoroughly review the election day process in advance of election day. I would also suggest some dry runs to test the technology. Multiple BOEE personnel should monitor results to lessen the likelihood of human error. In fact, any error is unacceptable when it comes to the District's election results. As for paper ballots, each precinct should have more than enough paper ballots for every member of that precinct. Extras should be on hand at BOEE for delivery. As I write this, it is still not certain what went wrong on election day.

What do you think about the Capital Gains experiment, Rhee's plan to pay some students for doing well in school?

While initially quite skeptical of this proposal, with up to 50% dropout rates and poor test scores, I believe it is essential we try almost anything to ensure our students are successfully educated. Half of this $2.7 million program comes from private sector funds. It is imperative that this public-private partnership shows positive results prior to a possible expansion of the program. Too often in the D.C. government we expand unsuccessful programs or increase programs without the appropriate oversight.

Do you support Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's plan to move the homeless into permanent housing?

Yes, the so-called "housing first" method has shown that homeless are more rapidly able to rehabilitate their lives in permanent housing. In fact, studies have shown that housing those homeless afflicted with a mental illness is equal to the cost of remaining homeless. Not only is this a humane method of dealing with this serious problem, but it is cost-effective.

How do you see elected officials helping residents through these difficult economic times?

Elected officials need to provide a calming influence for our citizens during these dificult economic times. Economic cycles are just that: cycles. Elected officials should not express extreme alarm over governmental budget situations. At the same time, they should provide leadership in terms of suggesting costs savings both for government and for individuals. Citizens should be able to look to elected officials for thoughtful reflections and not sound bites aimed at gaining political advantage.

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