Folks who went Saturday to the Carnegie Library on Massachusetts Avenue Northwest, hoping to hear specifics about D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray’s mayoral platform, surely were disappointed. The nearly 30-minute kickoff speech — flatly delivered, despite aid of a teleprompter — was a broad outline of the usual issues and a series of attacks on incumbent Mayor Adrian M. Fenty.
“If we’re going to accomplish … real school reform, jobs for every District resident, and safer communities, we need to restore a public trust in city hall that has been shattered. And for good reason. It seems like every day there’s another story about mismanaged public dollars and shady deals, ” Gray told a cheering crowd of about 300.
His supporters appear to be old-guard politicos: former government functionaries and longtime residents unhappy with changes in their neighborhood — a code phrase for white gentrification. He also has a sprinkling of disgruntled Fentyites, who had imagined the young executive as politician-wizard reforming the government without controversy, slaying — not succumbing to — a century-old patronage system and remaining unaffected by the powers of the office.
The issues Gray identified in his speech — public safety, jobs/unemployment and education — aren’t new. They don’t separate him from the incumbent. In fact, Fenty has had measurable success in all, particularly in education. Polls indicate residents believe the city is moving in the right direction.
“If there’s one thing most District residents can agree on, it’s that the council has led the city in the right direction over the past few years,” said Gray, attempting to co-opt Fenty and his administration’s positive evaluation.
But, there’s evidence the process-driven council chairman has slowed or arrested the reforms Fenty has sought to implement. For example, Gray describes himself as an education reformer. As proof, he touts his support of the mayoral takeover of D.C. Public Schools; his push for universal pre-kindergarten; and his involvement with the creation of a community college at the University of the District of Columbia.
But in recent months, the Gray-led legislature has mimicked the former, dysfunctional D.C. State Board of Education, significantly intruding on everything from education policy to personnel decisions. Last week, despite conflicting reports about the DCPS’ finances, several council members attempted passage of emergency legislation requiring reinstatement of more than 200 school employees who had been fired in October because of a budget deficit.
That kind of behavior creates doubts in the minds of citizens who didn’t like the government before Fenty and his predecessor Anthony A. Williams arrived on the scene.
Gray will need many of those folks if he wants to win. He won’t get them by rehashing well-known problems or by attacking his opponent. I concede I love a political brawl, except that’s what residents have seen for the past two years.
If Gray wants to move the city forward, the next time he has a captive audience, he could try less Fenty trashing and more future focusing.
Jonetta rose barras can be reached at [email protected].
