Effective Oversight, Thoughtful Legislating, and a Healthier Politics
For years, Ward 3 has been represented by a hardworking and effective legislator. A Councilmember that asked probing questions and wasn’t afraid of the blowback from hitting the pause button on bills where the hype didn’t match the reality.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for all members of the Council.
For many, oversight does not seem to be an important part of the job, even though it is one of the most essential. Others appear to approach legislating as a performative exercise, focused more on playing to the crowd on Twitter than actually putting the work in to craft a bill that can pass and move the ball forward on a particular issue.
MY commitments in brief:
I will:
Conduct aggressive oversight and hold officials accountable for missteps.
Pressure-test legislation and not be afraid to push back on half-baked ideas.
Practice responsible, values-driven budgeting.
Proceed cautiously given uncertainty about the District’s finances.
Support a fair and equitable tax code.
Defend the Fair Elections Program.
Fight for Ranked Choice.
Ward 3 Needs An Independent Voice
As your Councilmember, I will:
Not be afraid to ruffle feathers. I am not a machine-backed candidate concerned about staying in the good graces of local powerbrokers. When there is malfeasance or incompetence, I will not stay silent. When a colleague spews bigotry and nonsense, I will not look the other way. And when an official attempts to filibuster their way out of answering a hard question, I will not relent. The voters of Ward 3 deserve nothing less.
Conduct aggressive oversight and hold officials accountable for missteps. As an attorney, I have worked on sprawling and complex investigations and bet-the-company litigations. I know how to identify the key issues, craft targeted document requests and interrogatories, and ask the right questions and follow up questions.
Pressure-test legislation and not be afraid to push back on half-baked ideas. As any lawyer can tell you, laws are drafted poorly more often than not. Loopholes are sometimes intentional, but they are frequently just the result of carelessness on the part of the bill sponsor. We need a Councilmember who can fill the void of losing Mary Cheh, an experienced and competent legislator. It is not enough to read the summary memo or the tweet thread accompanying a bill’s introduction. Councilmembers must dig into the legislative text and parse the language, ask hard questions, and gain an understanding of how other states have approached the same issue. When drafting my own bills, I will engage stakeholders, widely solicit ideas and comments, and explain why I made the choices that I did. Legislating should be a thoughtful exercise, not a rush job by someone trying to meet a deadline.
Practice Responsible, Values-driven Budgeting. Budgets reflect our values, which issues and constituencies we prioritize over others. They are also incredibly complex. Few read them cover to cover—including the politicians asked to vote for or sign the documents into law. Interest groups, many touting laudable goals, will push for their projects to be moved to the top of the priority list.
In such a dynamic, it is critical that the Council be responsible stewards of our tax dollars. That does not mean, however, that we have to say “no” to things that would be extremely impactful for Washingtonians just because doing so will be expensive. It isn’t true that we can’t spend more money on childcare or public schools or housing or transit or reducing poverty or evidence-driven solutions to chronic violence or any other important policy area so long as we are willing to make hard choices about other parts of the budget. That might mean trimming or zeroing out certain programs that aren’t, upon reflection, particularly impactful or important—especially when compared to some other policy goal. It could also mean reducing tax giveaways.
But even within the confines of responsible fiscal policy, there is still scope to up our ambition. That begins by crafting a budget that better reflects our values and priorities.
Proceed cautiously given uncertainty about the District’s finances. In 2020, it was widely expected that state and local finances would come under enormous strain. That didn’t happen to the degree we expected because of extraordinary federal investment and support. But the COVID-related funds that staved off the anticipated budget crunch will soon expire. This necessitates a cautious and thoughtful approach. The key to navigating such an environment is to have a clear vision about your priorities. For me the overarching goal is clear: we need to make this a city where everyone can afford to live, raise a family, and age in place.
Support a fair and equitable tax code. In 2021, the Council passed a modest tax increase on high earners—many of whom are concentrated in our ward. This followed a failed vote on a similar bill the year before. In voting against the increase, Councilmember Cheh cited concerns that the process was being rushed and recommended holding off until after the tax reform commission completes its work. I respect the argument, which has some merit. Tax policy is complex and the Council should be cognizant that dramatic tax increases can have unintended effects. But this was a very modest increase. For me, the talking points about tax flight were simply not persuasive, especially when weighed against the important policy initiatives that would be funded by the additional revenue. If I were on the Council, I would have voted differently.
Defend the Fair Elections Program. Without the Fair Elections program, I would not be running. It would have been difficult for me, a non-machine candidate, to raise the necessary money in a normal race. It would be impossible here given the compressed timeline of this campaign. Fair Elections gives regular voters a voice and, perhaps even more importantly, reduces the influence of special interests over our elected officials.
Fight for Ranked Choice. This primary will be yet another example of why we need ranked choice voting! It is unacceptable that candidates routinely win office in DC with a tiny fraction of the vote. Although we live in a solidly Democratic town, there are strong divides in DC politics. Crowded primaries with candidates sporting similar positions and appealing to overlapping constituencies put voters in a difficult and unfair situation. Our system should be designed to let voters be voters, not pundits.
Ben testifies in favor of ranked choice voting
Support permanent adoption of a hybrid model to allow public witnesses to testify virtually or in-person. The transition to virtual hearings was initially rocky, but one thing has become clear: the ability to participate virtually greatly broadens the types of voices in the conversation, whether it be an ANC meeting or Council hearing. It is simply not feasible for most ordinary Washingtonians to attend Council hearings, which tend to be during the workday and span multiple hours. Witnesses have testified from their car, bike, living room couch, and even prison. ANC Commissioners, including Ben, have testified at hearings that they would otherwise have been unable to attend due to childcare, work, or other personal obligations.
Ben calls on the Council to continue allowing virtual testimony