About The Candidate

• Office Sought: City Council Ward 4
• Occupation: I resigned from NASA in December.
• Web site: http://www.barutijahiward4.com
• E-mail address: bjahi@aol.com

Education

BA, African American studies; MA, political science; PhD, political science, Howard University.

Offices and positions held

Recipient, MPD Community Service Award, 2007; president, Shepherd Park Citizens Association, 2006-07; member, local school restructuring team, 2006; captain, 2004-present; block captain, 2004-present, Orange Hat Patrol.

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.

District government officials are not doing enough to hold developers accountable who receive public financing when it comes to affordable housing and jobs for District residents. The District government should invest in a home ownership program targeted for those District government employees who provide social services for city residents. The affordable housing could help to create long term stability in District neighborhoods, and give hard working District employees, i.e. teachers, principals, police and fire officials, a major stake in their community. Moreover, District residents and businesses should be considered for District financed job and business opportunities within their particular ward.

Do you believe the amendments to the Noise Control Amendment Act were necessary to protect free speech? How would you control noise levels in your community?

Yes, but only indirectly, if at all. This Act in no way infringes upon any of the protections guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Constitution. Limiting the volume of speech does not inhibit one’s right to speak or the content of such speech. By clearly differentiating between commercial and non-commercial public speech, and the volume of such within a particular distance from its source, this Act effectively controls noise levels within the community. By setting a subjective standard Law enforcement can now act accordingly in response to the public’s concern about amplified noise levels in the District of Columbia.

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 has not been as effective as she could be. She has not clearly articulated a substantive plan to improve educational achievement, and has failed to get public support for her initiatives. The manner in which she fired educators and closed schools is questionable; and the recent improvement in test scores is more due to the programs of her predecessor. Public education involves public facilities and public finances. Public decisions should not be made in private forums. Public education is a collective effort and Chancellor Rhee needs to respect the community and secure their buy-in before she implements initiatives.

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?

It remains to be seen exactly what impact the Supreme Court’s decision will have on District residents. The safety of our children is of the utmost concern. The data supports that 1.69 million children live in homes where firearms are not in safe places. Trigger locks are effective safety devices that protect innocent people from becoming victims of firearms accidents. Requiring that all new handguns be sold with trigger locks will help to decrease the number of accidents that occur from the misuse of firearms. One child’s life lost due to a preventable firearm accident is one life too many.

What is the most urgent problem facing your jurisdiction?

Crime in Ward 4 is the most urgent problem. The types of crimes may fluctuate, but their impact on our quality of life remains constant. Residents throughout the ward are concerned about the number of homicides, assaults with a deadly weapon, auto thefts and burglaries occurring in neighborhoods. Crime prevention and reduction should include multiple approaches because of the personal nature of these crimes. One approach is to deliver social services to the community to help decrease criminal activity. Two other approaches are to increase law enforcement officers on foot patrol and to severely penalize criminals for gun-related crimes.

Why should voters elect you?

Ward 4 residents deserve better representation. I am committed to improving our quality of life, and I will not rest until the job is done.

• Read more | RSS Feed