ELECT CAROLYN C. STEPTOE WARD 5 D.C. CITY COUNCIL

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Certified Election Results

We are THRILLED to know the final count of our campaign garnered 755 certified Ward 5 voters.

The Steptoe campaign is humbled to know our grassroots agenda of bold, old-fashioned committed service resonated with 755 Ward 5 residents. Amazingly, our percentages outpaced many of the well-financed mayoral candidates.

We remain honored, humbled and truly proud to have received your vote. THANK YOU WARD 5.... THANK YOU!!!

-Carolyn C. Steptoe


Certified Results
Election Date: Tuesday, April 01, 2014
Results last Updated: Wednesday, April 23, 2014 11:44:36 AM


MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL WARD FIVE

KATHY HENDERSON 1,822 14.98%

CAROLYN C. STEPTOE = 755 = 6.21%

KENYAN McDUFFIE 9,532 78.36%

WRITE-IN 56 0.46%

Total 12,165 100.00%

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

THANK YOU! Election Results: Steptoe Campaign Garners Over 6% Votes

Of the over 10,000 Ward 5 residents who exercised their right to vote at the polls yesterday, the Steptoe campaign is deeply honored that our grass-roots, people-centered and people-oriented campaign - which included not accepting any campaign monies - garnered a whopping 6.2%.

As a conscientious no-frills, no signage, all-volunteer workerbee campaign devoted solely to the interests of Ward 5 citizens and residents, we are pleased that Steptoe's reputation as a direct, honest and hardworking leader-advocate resonated with Ward 5.

Your support brought us even higher voter percentages than many of the well-financed mayoral campaigns!

With that, we wish to greatly thank all our volunteers, supporters and Ward 5 for embracing the old-time tradition of campaigning. Steptoe shall continue her visibility and hardwork on behalf of our Ward 5 residents and our city.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL! Thank you and may God richly bless you!



http://www.dcboee.org/election_info/election_results/2014/April-1-Primary-Election

MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL WARD FIVE

KATHY HENDERSON
1,549 - 14.59%

CAROLYN C. STEPTOE
658 - 6.20%

KENAN McDUFFIE
8,363 - 78.77%



WRITE-IN: 47


Total: 10,617



Paid for by Candidate Carolyn C. Steptoe, 1257 Lawrence Street, NE, 2013 Ward 5 D.C. City Council candidate (D.C. Official Code §1-1102.10). A copy of our report is filed with the Director of Campaign Finance of the District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics (D.C. Official Code §1-1102.01(e)).



Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Let Your Voice Be Heard! Early Voting and Primary Election Day

Cast your vote for our ward and our city. Don't let others speak for you.... VOTE and speak yourselves.


Don't believe the hype. Voting DOES matter.


VOTE...VOTE...VOTE!



KEY DATES:


Absentee Voting by Mail
March 1 - March 25
Deadline to request: March 25
Request an Absentee Ballot

Early Voting
One Judiciary Square
March 17- March 29

All 13 Early Voting Centers
March 22 - March 29
(Closed Sundays)
Early Voting Center Information

2014 Primary Election Day
Tuesday, April 1

Find your Polling Place - http://dcboee.us/



REGISTER

Online: The deadline to register and update registration information at vote4dc.com or via DCBOE Vote (mobile application) is March 14, 2014. Registrations and updates received after this date will not be processed until after the April 1 Primary. UOCAVA voters (military and overseas voters) may update their registrations until March 25, 2014.

Local voters wishing to register or update their information after March 14 should do so in person at an Early Voting Center or apply for same day registration at their local polling place on Primary Day. (Party changes are not allowed after March 4, 2014)


Check Your Current Registration Status - http://dcboee.us/


Saturday, March 15, 2014

STEPTOE on DCTV's MEET THE CANDIDATE--Air Dates, Times and Channels for Wards 1, 3, 5 & 6

March 9, 2014


Great News!

Beginning today, you can tune in to DCTV's MEET THE CANDIDATES and Meet Ward 5 Council Candidate, CAROLYN C. STEPTOE. Steptoe's DCTV air times, dates and channels are listed below. Tune in and Join Us!

Also, be sure to view our website for events, forums, releases and candidate media (including Washington Informer, WAMU and League of Women Voters). Our website is: http://steptoe4ward5.blogspot.com.

Thank you for your support! VOTE "STEPTOE" on April 1, 2014.

Carolyn C. Steptoe,
Candidate for Ward 5 D.C. City Council
steptoe4ward5.blogspot.com
A CARING, COMPASSIONATE AND COURAGEOUS VOICE FOR WARD 5

******
Dear Candidate,

Thank you for participating in DCTV's Meet the Candidate for the office of Wards 1, 3, 5 & 6

Attached, please find the schedule of air dates, times and channels that your segment will air within the group of candidates.

In addition, DCTV will send you a link of your individual PSA no later than Tuesday March 11, 2014 by 5pm.
You can utilize the link as you see fit.

Again, thank you for participating.

Join us for our 25th Anniversary Celebration During 2013-2014. http://www.dctv.org

Channel 1 = Comcast 95/ RCN 10 / Verizon 10
Channel 2 = Comcast 96/ RCN 11 / Verizon 11
Channel 3 = Verizon 28

AM = Morning
PM = Afternoon / Evening

DCTV Meet the Candidates 2014
Wards 1, 3, 5& 6

Sun - 03/09/14 - 04:01 PM - Channel 1
Mon - 03/10/14 - 09:00 AM - Channel 2
Mon - 03/10/14 - 09:30 AM - Channel 3
Mon - 03/10/14 - 08:00 PM - Channel 2
Tue - 03/11/14 - 07:00 AM - Channel 1
Thu - 03/13/14 - 04:31 AM - Channel 1
Thu - 03/13/14 - 07:00 AM - Channel 2
Thu - 03/13/14 - 05:30 PM - Channel 3
Thu - 03/13/14 - 06:30 PM - Channel 1
Fri - 03/14/14 - 11:00 AM - Channel 1
Fri - 03/14/14 - 09:05 PM - Channel 3
Sat - 03/15/14 - 08:30 PM - Channel 2
Sun - 03/16/14 - 12:30 PM - Channel 1
Sun - 03/16/14 - 04:00 PM - Channel 3
Mon - 03/17/14 - 12:30 AM - Channel 3
Mon - 03/17/14 - 02:30 PM - Channel 2
Tue - 03/18/14 - 08:31 AM - Channel 1
Tue - 03/18/14 - 06:00 PM - Channel 1
Thu - 03/20/14 - 09:00 AM - Channel 2
Thu - 03/20/14 - 05:01 PM - Channel 1
Thu - 03/20/14 - 05:30 PM - Channel 3
Fri - 03/21/14 - 02:30 AM - Channel 1
Fri - 03/21/14 - 02:30 PM - Channel 1
Fri - 03/21/14 - 03:30 PM - Channel 3
Sat - 03/22/14 - 07:30 PM - Channel 3
Sun - 03/23/14 - 04:00 PM - Channel 3
Sun - 03/23/14 - 04:01 PM - Channel 1
Mon - 03/24/14 - 12:30 AM - Channel 3
Mon - 03/24/14 - 09:00 AM - Channel 2
Mon - 03/24/14 - 08:00 PM - Channel 2
Tue - 03/25/14 - 07:00 AM - Channel 1
Thu - 03/27/14 - 04:31 AM - Channel 1
Thu - 03/27/14 - 07:00 AM - Channel 2
Thu - 03/27/14 - 05:30 PM - Channel 3
Thu - 03/27/14 - 06:30 PM - Channel 1
Fri - 03/28/14 - 11:00 AM - Channel 1
Fri - 03/28/14 - 03:30 PM - Channel 3
Sat - 03/29/14 - 07:30 PM - Channel 3
Sat - 03/29/14 - 08:30 PM - Channel 2
Sun - 03/30/14 - 05:30 PM - Channel 3
Mon - 03/31/14 - 02:00 AM - Channel 3
Mon - 03/31/14 - 02:30 PM - Channel 2
Mon - 03/31/14 - 08:30 PM - Channel 2
Tue - 04/01/14 - 02:00 AM - Channel 3
Tue - 04/01/14 - 07:30 AM - Channel 3
Tue - 04/01/14 - 01:00 PM - Channel 3
Tue - 04/01/14 - 01:30 PM - Channel 2
Tue - 04/01/14 - 02:01 PM - Channel 1
Tue - 04/01/14 - 06:01 PM - Channel 1


Paid for by Candidate Carolyn C. Steptoe, 1257 Lawrence Street, NE, 2013 Ward 5 D.C. City Council candidate (D.C. Official Code §1-1102.10). A copy of our report is filed with the Director of Campaign Finance of the District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics (D.C. Official Code §1-1102.01(e)).










View STEPTOE's Campaign Public Service Announcement

March 15, 2014


Hello Friends - Here is the campaign announcement link for Ward 5 City Council Candidate, CAROLYN C. STEPTOE.

http://www.dctvonline.tv/2014_Elections/Carolyn_Steptoe.html.

This link is active through April 1, 2014.

Be sure to also view our website for events, forums, releases and candidate media (including Washington Informer, WAMU and League of Women Voters).

Stay abreast at http://steptoe4ward5.blogspot.com.

Thank you for your support! VOTE "STEPTOE" on April 1, 2014.

Carolyn C. Steptoe,
Candidate for Ward 5 D.C. City Council
steptoe4ward5.blogspot.com
A CARING, COMPASSIONATE AND COURAGEOUS VOICE FOR WARD 5







Paid for by Candidate Carolyn C. Steptoe, 1257 Lawrence Street, NE, 2013 Ward 5 D.C. City Council candidate (D.C. Official Code §1-1102.10). A copy of our report is filed with the Director of Campaign Finance of the District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics (D.C. Official Code §1-1102.01(e)).

Friday, February 28, 2014

THE NORTHWEST CURRENT-WASHINGTON INFORMER VOTER GUIDE QUESTIONNAIRE

2/28/2014

"The Washington Informer newspaper and The Northwest Current are teaming up to provide the official voters' guide for the Ward 5 race. Here are some questions you would need to answer."



WARD 5 COUNCIL CANDIDATE CAROLYN C. STEPTOE’S
RESPONSES TO CURRENT-INFORMER QUESTIONNAIRE
Responses will be published in print newspapers

1) In Ward 5, there are some neighborhoods that have crime problems while others do not. What will you do as a council member to fight crime in the ward?

As an advisory neighborhood commissioner in Ward 5, I regularly attend monthly community meetings and stakeholder meetings wherein our Ward 5 residents address their public safety and crime concerns their ANC and the Fifth District Metropolitan Police Department. While varying in scope, type and degree, residents from all Ward 5 neighborhoods express concerns about specific crimes occurring in their neighborhoods. Whether robberies, assaults, disorderly conduct, theft, metro crimes, burglaries, shootings, and yes, even homicides, no Ward 5 neighborhood is exempt from crime. Recently, my own Brookland neighborhood made news for its snatch and grab ATM robbery and ranking as the most dangerous Metro station. Same as other wards in the District, Ward 5 has struggling communities and populations. Studies have found that those living in poverty and poverty-stricken areas have fewer options in life. They tend to have health and housing issues, high unemployment and education issues. They also tend to live closer to freeways and industrial areas, which are, themselves, traditionally areas of high unemployment. As long as our citizens’ basic needs are left unmet, unfortunately many will turn to crime to survive. However, I believe that, given the opportunity of decent-paying employment, affordable housing and quality education, these struggling citizens will become productive citizens.

As the Ward 5 councilmember, I am sensitive to our struggling populations and shall continue to help them out of disparate poverty and income and educational inequality. As one of only five recipients – citywide - of the 2013 Metropolitan Police Department Citizen of the Year award, I will build on the sustained, collaborative alliance and community partnerships already established with the Metropolitan Police Department. As MPD observes, I am not afraid to face community issues head-on and this is reflected throughout the community, businesses and citizens of my community. I will bring this same vigilance to all neighborhoods of Ward 5. Specifically, our city council must demonstrate its dedication to effective policing by its substantive budgetary allocations on behalf of District citizens and the MPD patrol offices charged with protecting and serving our residents. Appreciatively, the Fifth District Precinct, which patrols the majority of Ward 5, saw the greatest crime reduction in the city in 2013.

I will also structure a multi-faceted plan to create safer Ward 5 neighborhoods. We need smart investments in effective programs to reduce recidivism; the most serious crimes are committed by previous offenders. At a minimum, our returning residents need a high school diploma and we must invest in job training and apprenticeship programs that help put them on the pathway to a livable, career earning job. Studies show that a good education and a decent, wage-earning job is the best deterrent to crime.

2) Ward 5 has the third highest unemployment rate in the city. What will you do to see that unemployed Ward 5 residents find jobs?

The city is experiencing tremendous economic prosperity and economic dividends. Unfortunately, significant populations in Ward 5 are hurting and suffering in silence. Despite the city’s gentrification and revitalization policies, many Ward 5 residents feel left out, pushed out and ignored by leadership. Economic inequality, joblessness, unaffordable housing, poor schools, poor city services, homelessness and overall fear about day-to-day survival makes the District a tale of two cities for many. The economic and income disparity inequality gap in Ward 5 - same as in Wards 7 and 8 - was reflected in a 2012 census data report. This report was published by the DC Fiscal Policy Institute and showed that the District of Columbia has one of the highest levels of income inequality among the nation’s cities (“D.C.’s gap is one of the nation’s widest’). Only Atlanta and Boston showed higher levels of income inequality in 2010. The report stated that the disparity was the result of two vastly different economies in the District - one economy is populated by college graduates thriving in well-paying information and government jobs; the other is for people lacking higher education, scrambling for even low-paying work. In Ward Five, income disparity is stark and prevalent w/disproportionately high numbers of minority Ward 5 households live just at or below the poverty line, receive food stamps, TANF, are jobless and have low educational attainment.

Our city must substantively allocate funds to re-introduce job readiness (career wage earning trade and technical vocation schools) for our residents. In addition to creating accredited vocational and technical educational schools, I would elicit that local universities, public and private sector collaborative partnerships become re-established as a feeder gateway to ensure successful entry for our youth into living wage earning careers. Trade and vocational programs would range accounting to bookkeeping, automotive technology, nursing; computer information systems, welding, cosmetology, microcomputer support, digital media to graphic design. Our city has, historically, heralded and budgeted taxpayer dollars for trade and technical vocation training. To our credit, our wise city tax dollar investments proved a viable, sustainable benefit for all. We must enact legislation and policy which creates and promotes substantive technical and vocational educational training to ensure the successful workforce, living wage entry of our resident.

3) Ward 5 has the highest concentration of seniors in the city. What will you do to see that seniors can age in place and that the ward is more senior-friendly?

In the District of Columbia, reports indicate that about 11 percent of our city’s 630,000 residents are 65 or older; more than half of those residents live alone.

In recent years, our city budget has made significant cuts to key programs for our seniors. Thousands of older adults depend on services and programs funded by the District -- from home delivered meals to adult day health care. Lack of affordable housing is identified as the biggest challenge to uniting the city and the population grows. Yet our city continues to cut the budget for senior services. In 2013, hundreds of District seniors showed on a very rainy day at a council budget hearing urging the City Council to move $5.8 million from the mayor’s wish list for the D.C. Office on Aging onto the 2014 budget. Although the proposed budget for senior services is roughly $30 million, advocates note more is needed to support life in a city where basic necessities have become increasingly expensive. District seniors deserve what belong to them; they lived and remained in the city when no one else wanted to be here. Our seniors gave their time, money and their life to the District of Columbia and we must ensure they are able to live comfortably, fairly and respectfully in our city in their old age.

As councilmember, I will introduce legislation for more budget allocation to support senior programs. Programs such as transportation, health care and financial counseling for our seniors are necessities. Unfortunately, due to the recession, many senior advocacy groups are experiencing inability to further managing their senior programs. Ward 5’s Seabury, Washington Home for the Aged, the DC Chapter of AARP, Legal Counsel for the Elderly are but a few senior providers impacted by the recession. Since 2009 advocates note, seven nonprofit senior organizations have dropped as lead agency providers.

As councilmember, it is not unreasonable for our city to strongly advocate for substantive funding for our seniors. Our city must also retain its momentum to fund senior groups and senior programs. Seniors need community recreation rooms and recreation facilities to exercise and socialize. Many need senior day care centers and senior well centers. Ward 5 has such facilities but not in all Ward neighborhoods. As councilmember, I shall introduce budgetary legislation to support our seniors and their quality of life. Additionally, significant senior waivers, tax credits and tax abatements must be enacted to protect against erroneous tax liens, liabilities and high payments,

4) Ward 5 is changing demographically with new residents coming in and the more established ones feeling a bit threatened. What will you do to bridge this divide and unite the ward?

Gentrification in Ward 5 and the city has created a conspicuous schism - top down. As a current, 3-term advisory neighborhood commissioner in the Brookland neighborhood of Ward 5, I know first-hand the ongoing negative, domino effect, (including very divisive citizen wars) the city’s gentrification-as-a-key-revitalization strategy has on city policy, city legislation, budget allocation and city agency. In Ward 5 and throughout the city, new and old residents, black and white residents are, in real time, polarized and pitted against each other in response to city policies and city legislations derived from gentrification. Old residents feel ignored, shut out and left out as taxpayers. New residents feel entitled, expectant and deserving as taxpayers. Both simply want and deserve quality city services reflective of their individual life and needs.

Meanwhile, city policy and city legislation has created a real-time schism whereby households, individuals and populations in Ward 5 are suffering in silence. Our city is a tale of two cities - the haves and the have-nots - and this disparity is growing. City processes of fair and substantive redress for our citizens’ and their concerns about quality of life issues are typically minimized, marginalized or routinely ignored. In the face of the District’s prosperity dividend, issues involving inappropriate development in our neighborhoods, school closures and poor schools, loss of parks, diminished senior and health services, rising homelessness, reduced youth advocacy are all shuttled to the back to continue the frontal revitalization push of the city’s gentrification agenda, processes and policies. The divide created by the city is huge and the wedge is a reality of unfairness, disparity and sometimes animus. As ANC, the divide took very ugly turns in Ward 5 such that in the course of ANCs’ carrying out their duly sworn duties to provide a voice to the most directly affected residents about issues and projects, intense, mob-like anger, hostility, threats even court action from pro-gentrification factions ensued against ANCs. Such behaviors are an unfortunate residual reality of imbalance city strategies and imbalanced city policy.

As councilmember of Ward 5, brokering discussions and eliciting cooperative engagement among neighborhood stakeholders is tantamount to success. Nationwide, such discussions and dialogues continue, some in very public mediums. Thoughtful legislative sensitivity and substantive, balanced enactments on behalf of our District citizens must take precedence over legislative deference to big business and special interest goals.

As councilmember, since I do not accept any campaign contributions, I will not be beholden to special interest groups or business – only the voters of Ward 5 and their quality of life concerns.






Paid for by Candidate Carolyn C. Steptoe, 1257 Lawrence Street, NE, 2013 Ward 5 D.C. City Council candidate (D.C. Official Code §1-1102.10). A copy of our report is filed with the Director of Campaign Finance of the District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics (D.C. Official Code §1-1102.01(e)).

Monday, February 24, 2014

Carolyn C. Steptoe's Responses to WAMU's 2014 Voter Guide Questionnaire

WAMU will publish its 2014 WAMU Voter Guide candidate profile. The station will initiate a strong push to get WAMU listeners to the voter guide so they can read the candidates' own words, unfiltered by the media.

Responses will be published on WAMU website: www.WAMU.org.


STEPTOE'S RESPONSES TO WAMU VOTER GUIDE QUESTIONNAIRE
(Responses cannot exceed 1000 characters)

AGE: 54

FAMILY: Divorced. I have a very large nuclear family. I am one of twelve children; 8th child; 2nd eldest girl.

PHONE: 202-281-4362

LENGTH OF RESIDENCY: Somewhat transitory. I was born in Freedmen's Hospital (Howard University) and I am a 3rd generation Washingtonian on my father's side. My parents divorced when I was six and, being reared by my father, my siblings and I left DC with him and headed south. He was an executive so we landed in Houston, Dallas and Atlanta. I returned to DC when I was 14 but left again at 18 for undergrad (New Orleans). I returned in my late 20s and I have been home ever since.

EDUCATION: • Maple Springs Baptist Bible College and Seminary, MD – Doctor of Ministry (D.Min./candidate), Biblical Counseling • Keller Graduate School of Management, Bethesda, MD – Master of Human Resources Management (MHRM)• The University of the District of Columbia – Bachelor of Arts (BA), History • The Catholic University of America – Nursing• Dillard University, New Orleans – Social Work

OCCUPATION: I have worked my entire career in different capacities within various private sector corporate industries including legal, medical, higher education and telecommunications. I own and operate Twilight Legal Services, Inc., a boutique legal staffing company I started in 1992. Historically, Twilight primarily services D.C. area law firm clients.

ARE YOU AN INCUMBENT? No

WEBSITE: http://steptoe4ward5.blogspot.com

EMAIL ADDRESS: csteptoe@verizon.net

CAMPAIGN HQ ADDRESS: 1257 Lawrence Street, NE


What experiences do you have that qualify you for this position?

Most D.C. city council members are former advisory neighborhood commissioners. Since 2008, I have been elected in the last three consecutive general elections to serve as the Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner of my district. As an elected ANC responsible to a 2000 person constituency, I am entrusted, under oath, to consider a range of policies and programs affecting our District neighborhoods. Some of the policies and programs include traffic, parking, recreation, street improvements, liquor licenses, zoning, economic development, police protection, sanitation and trash collection, and the District's annual budget. As an ANC, I am the body of government with the closest official ties to the people in my neighborhood. I present positions and recommendations on issues to various District government agencies, the Executive Branch, and the Council. I also present testimony to independent agencies, boards, and commissions.

What are the three most important actions you would take if elected?

There are a myriad of important actions needed on the council but, three pressing actions I would take include: (1) Introduce legislation seeking D.C. Council to vote to repeal the 2010 D.C. Council Act 18-344, “Expanding Access to Juvenile Records Amendment Act of 2010.” (2) Introduce and push to enact three legislation: (a) Substantive voucher or subsidized housing/transitional discharge program for aged out emancipated teenage foster children (under age 21) as well as aged out foster youth (up to 25). This will help youth secure essential supports and services available to foster youth seeking to learn to live independently as adults; (b) Allocate substantive city funds to create not less than 1 emergency shelter per ward to provide services and safe haven to homeless youth; (c) Legislation and policy which creates and promotes substantive technical and vocational educational training for our youth and young adults.(3) Introduce legislation and push for D.C. council term limits

What are the key differences between you and your opponent(s) that make you the best choice?

My record of helping Ward 5 residents’ and communities is unmatched by my opponents. Whether private citizen or elected ANC, for almost 10 years, I am routinely asked by Ward 5 residents and communities to help them challenge city policy or city legislation they deem unfair or negative upon their quality of life. In spite of opposition, each time, I agreed to help. Some of the issues include: (1) Asked by Burroughs ES parents and teachers to function as key spokesperson to help stop neighborhood school closings and DCPS firings; (2) Contacted by Ivy City leaders to help fight city council efforts to dump nude strip clubs into their neighborhood; (3) Contacted by Trinidad community leaders to testify and help advocate against police checkpoints; (4) Initiated and led effort to successfully stop historic designation application proposed for Brookland; (5) Joined senior citizen property owners in their fight against a developer to protect their homes and quality of life.

Should council members have outside employment?

Council should be expressly prohibited from any outside employment unless it is as faculty or lecturer. Additionally, Council members should be expressly prohibited from simultaneously engaging in outside consultative or professional services, sitting on paid Boards or on Boards comprised largely of individuals or entities with matters pending before or doing business with the District of Columbia. Such concurrent employment is ripe for conflict of interest, influence peddling, graft, corruption, etc. The seriousness of crafting and implementing city laws, oversight of effective, thoughtful viable public policy for government agencies and legislation on behalf of citizenry, along with ongoing, proactive engagement with electorate is an all-encompassing and time-consuming responsibility. Elected public service is an honor. As such, council duties should be given the highest priority and most singular attention by elected council members.

How do you plan on creating an environment where all community members and activists can have their voices heard?

Accessible, collaborative partnerships are invaluable to create substantive dialogues and relationships. Within my first 100 days, I would convene meetings with all Ward 5 ANCs, civic associations, community groups, church leaders and business owners to begin what would remain ongoing, quarterly discussions. More importantly however would be my direct visibility and accessibility to Ward 5 residents. Residents desire an accessible and available councilmember in the community. With that, I would establish and staff a Ward 5 constituent office. This ward-based office would be centrally located in the Ward and I would work there at least one day a week. Residents would know my schedule and would have direct access to their councilmember, instead of travelling or calling downtown. Constituents believe accessibility is indicative of being heard. An unreachable, unseen ward councilmember does not engender confidence amongst residents, community members or activists.

Where do you stand on the development of the McMillan Sand Filtration site?

I attended the 2006, community meeting held by National Capital Revitalization Corporation at Catholic University. NCRC presented their plans for mixed-used redevelopment of the McMillan Filtration site. My position in 2006 was that NCRC redevelop the McMillan site in a manner that sensitively addresses the needs of Ward 5 residents, namely, that the surrounding McMillan site is a safe, open green space, accessible to all residents. I iterated then (as a 2006 Ward 5 council candidate) that Ward 5 has limited and restricted availability to open spaces and that most Ward 5 recreation facilities were neither spacious, green nor relaxing. My then-recommendation was that a substantial portion of the McMillan site, it not all of it, be maintained as a park, with bike and walking paths. Any development should be limited to low-density, low-to-moderate income housing. In 2014, my position remains the same.

What changes, if any, would you like to see to the current school boundaries and feeder patterns?

I would like to see that the current school boundaries and feeder patterns by the Chancellor do not further education inequality, perpetuate segregation of our children and manipulate our children as guinea pigs.

Do you support neighborhood preference for charter schools?

I do not support neighborhood preference for charter schools because I do not support charters. The charter school versus public school debate is flanked with questionable data and disagreement about charter performance - the majority of reports conclude charter achievement is indistinguishable from that of traditional public schools. Because charters are public funded, their autonomy, freedom to establish their own methods of operation and standards of conduct, it is not unusual that charters would not give preference to neighborhood children. Indeed, because the education outcomes of top tier charter schools results from selection bias, their idea to accept demonstratively dedicated students and families validates their existence. Charters can pick and chose who best suits their existence and survival. In the District of Columbia, many neighborhood children and their families are incompatible with this charter ideal.

Do you support campaign finance reform? If so, what reforms would you be in favor of?

Since I do not accept monetary campaign contributions from individuals or special interest groups, lest the prospect of beholden to person(s) other than those who elected me, I would wholeheartedly support DC enacted Arizona’s Clean Elections law. The Clean Elections law would provide public funding for legislative and statewide (DC) candidates who qualify and agree to forgo private fundraising. The law also contained “trigger matching funds,” which were issued to participating candidates who faced high-spending, non-participating opponents or outside groups. Such funds provided publicly funded candidates with additional grants when their opponents or third parties spent more than a threshold “trigger” amount against them. Trigger matching funds enabled states such as Arizona to provide publicly funded candidates with enough money to run in competitive races while avoiding the waste of public funds on uncompetitive races. The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU is a key CFR advocate.




Paid for by Candidate Carolyn C. Steptoe, 1257 Lawrence Street, NE, 2013 Ward 5 D.C. City Council candidate (D.C. Official Code §1-1102.10). A copy of our report is filed with the Director of Campaign Finance of the District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics (D.C. Official Code §1-1102.01(e)).