About The Candidate

• Office Sought: City Council Ward 2
• Occupation: Vice president, Dutko Worldwide.
• Web site: http://culver4ward2.org
• E-mail address: Christina.ErlandCulver@verizon.net

Education

BA, political science, University of Kansas; MA, national security and strategic studies, U.S. Naval War College.

Offices and positions held

Policy team, Romney for President Education Working Group; board member, Innovative Learning Systems, Living Classrooms Foundation, Wired Education Foundation, America's Future Foundation, Young Executive Board and Washington Scholarship Fund; Sunday school teacher, Christ Church, Georgetown.

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?

There is no excuse why the nation’s capital cannot hold quick and fair elections. Most major cities do this on a routine basis and if elected, I will put in place reform-minded staff with the necessary technologies that can run our D.C. Office of Elections and Ethics. If staff cannot perform to the task they are given, taxpayers should demand well-trained city employees who get the job done. Councilmember Jack Evans has held elected office for 15 years, and under his watch, he has put his head in the sand instead of dealing with issues head on with common-sense reforms.

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?

As the former Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs for the U.S. Department of Education, I think Ms. Rhee is doing an excellent job and has my full support. She has put D.C. in full compliance with N.C.L.B. and returned the schools to a culture of learning and student achievement. She has been a leader in bringing in new principals for DCPS, which is critical to student achievement. Ms. Rhee could improve upon her communication with parents about her decisions to help ensure understanding and trust, and smooth transitions to greater student success.

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

Councilmember Jack Evans was first elected in the early 90s and he has added very little to improve our childrens’ education. I believe Chancellor Rhee should be given the freedom to implement her agenda for school reform and utilize programs that work. As a Councilmember, I would be asked to support the Mayor’s appointed School Chancellor and if elected that is what I would do. I support whatever public-private partnerships are necessary to ensure student achievement.

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

This issue is near and dear to me personally since the Franklin Shelter at 13th Street is facing elimination and is located in Ward 2. As a Councilmember, we need to support Mayor Fenty’s agenda to improve our city. Mayor Fenty’s plan to place the homeless in permanent housing strikes the right balance between our city’s most needy and the interests of our city’s small businesses around that area. I do not think it is humane to place our city’s homeless in a commercial area in downtown like we had with the Franklin Shelter. Our parks become a waiting stage for the shelter’s homeless population and that is not to the benefit of the homeless and the surrounding community.

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

For too long Councilmember Jack Evans has claimed to be a fiscal watchdog while turning his back on taxpayers. Jack has been the biggest culprit of a culture of corruption. History was made as Jack chaired the D.C. Council committee that oversaw close to $50 million dollars stolen as the largest corruption case in D.C. history occurred. This type of negligence rocks at the core of our financial stability. Instead of attracting small businesses, entrepreneurs, homeowners and families, Jack has done virtually nothing. In Jack’s own backyard of Georgetown, the Georgetown library still stands in shambles and we are reminded every day of Jack’s total disregard for competence. I believe the job of a Councilmember is to attract more revenue by increasing our revenue base, not drowning it with taxes and excessive spending. If elected, I will finish the job Jack was first elected to do.

• Read more | RSS Feed