* WAMU, radio station
* GLAA, serves gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning people
* DC for Democracy, mostly progressive Democrats fighting for the people
If you like my answers, please make me one of your two votes on Nov. 8 for At Large to the Council. Also campaign contributions would be very welcome. On checks write Elect G. Lee Aikin and mail to 1754 Swann St., NW, Washington, DC 20009*
[Items in brackets were added to the original answers.][The final vote resulted in my coming in third with over 29,000 votes (more than Trump received in DC). In the field of six candidates this is what I had realistically hoped for. I had no illusion that I would win against the Democrat candidate or the incumbent with his $300,000+ war chest.]
In addition to questionnaires there are also YouTube videos of my presentations at various events. This link is to Green TV in Virginia. There is a 26 minute interview with myself when I ran against the Chairman in 2014, and a Virginia green candidate. We cover items like solar, light and high speed rail, and other environmental and social issues. At this site there is also a 6 minute interview from when I ran for "Shadow" Representative to Congress. My current Treasurer, Don Wharton, also spent some time explaining the energy savings from Passive House construction.
Here are listed a number of sites with video or other material on my positions and various candidacies in 2012, 2014, and 2016. There is a link to my answers regarding the current marijuana situation in DC. If elected, even if not elected, I will push for reasonable taxation of commercial MJ production and sale, and use of these funds for addiction related help for all with substance abuse problems. We should be sure to retain the private growth permissions.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
The WAMU questionnaire asked many important questions. Each space provided by WAMU only allowed 1000 characters total. Some of the issues raised were very complex and could not be answered well in only 100 to 200 words. See below for a lot more detail on the issues of my 3 most import actions once on the Council, housing for all, closing down DC General, how to fix criminal justice system, and the Mayor's Constitution. Other answers fit within the space allowed, including why am I the best choice for At Large, taxation of marijuana, and schedule fairness for hourly workers.
Name: G. Lee Aikin
Party: DC Statehood Green Party (SGP)
Age (As MM/dd/yyyy): Given that
date of birth information is one of the things we are warned not to
make public to protect from fraudsters, I cannot for my own safety
give you this information. Just say over 65.
Family: Widow, 2
sons--Grant (wife, Dierdre Ford) and Neal (wife, Michelle Corretjer);
four grandsons—Connor, Archer; Sebastian, Joaquin
Length of residency:
55 years
Education:
*BA, St. Univ. of Iowa, Major—General Science, Minors—Education
and Spanish
*Two
summers, Mexico City College, Mexico City, Mexico
*Dept.of
Agriculture Graduate School, courses in Psychology
Occupation: Self
employed entrepreneur
Are you an
incumbent? No
Website (blog): http://gleeaikin.blogspot.com
Facebook Page: http://G Lee Aikin
Twitter: http://@gleeaikindc
YouTube Channel:
http://
Email Address: gleeaikin@yahoo.com
Campaign HQ Address: Elect G. Lee Aikin,
1754 Swann St., NW, Washington, DC 20009
[Above information is good for filling out and mailing campaign contribution checks, Don Wharton - Treasurer. Report filed with Dir. Campaign Finance, DC Board of Elections]
Campaign
Questions
What are the
three most important actions you would take if elected?
If
you are not including hiring a capable staff, then it would be:
1)
Stop the mad rush to total
gentrification of the city, with major efforts to increase the
building of low and moderate income housing. For example I was
recently informed that over decades DC government had returned
$140million in unspent funds to HUD, from just 1 of 5 programs we
could be using. How much more did we not use in the other 4 HUD
programs? See:
http://gleeaikin.blogspot.com/2015/11/dc-government-fails-to-use-millions-of.html
Change
the law that allows OTR to increase annual property tax assessments
by 10% and more even when no improvements have been made. Basing
this on one or two nearby high end renovations is just plain wrong,
and needlessly causes rent
increases. Change the Basic
Business Law which requires home owners to jump through hoops just to
rent out one or two rooms in their home. It
is a needless barrier and a cruel process for elderly empty nesters
who need income from their vacant rooms.
2)
I have since been told that
there are other programs where available Federal money has not been
used for community needs. Therefore, I would plan to form consulting
teams of experts to keep track of money available in various
programs—housing, education, community development, health, etc.
My conference room would be
made available to such groups. I
would like to keep some of my staff funds available for modest
payments for some of these efforts.
3)
A lot of important work
needs to be done in the area of education. We must not loose our
schools to developers because a right wing funded report says that
Wards 7 and 8 have too many underutilized schools. We must maintain
the cluster concept for our schools. We need our low use schools for
additional programs like adult education, after school tutoring,
meaningful technical and other employment skills education, and
childcare programs. We also need to explore better ways of reducing
violence among our students, starting in the early grades. Given our
large number of dropouts, we need to develop different ways of
engaging the minds and energies of these students, many of whom may
be dyslexic or have ADHD,
and are not taught effectively
by focusing on reading and writing in early grades, or sitting still
in classes for most of the day. With
both a mother and husband (with
12 years in DC Junior and Senior High Schools)
who were teachers I have given these matters a lot of thought.
What are the key
differences between you and your opponent(s) that make you the best
choice?
My campaign is
mostly self-financed which means my loyalty and votes are NOT bought
and paid for. I will always vote for what I believe is best for this
city. This means a balance of housing and benefits allowing a
healthy mix of businesses, entrepreneurs, and employees within DC.
This would allow most of us to afford to live near where we work, and
reduce dependence on private carbon based transportation and costly
public transportation. I would openly vote on important issues. My
guiding philosophy would be to support efforts to enhance success of
the lower ecnomic half of our population while causing minimum
distress to the economic upper half of our citizens. Having worked
in various fields and also been self-employed for 30 years I have had
much experience with DMV, Tax & Revenue, DCRA, and Special
Education and resolved many issues successfully.
How would you
ensure that residents of all income groups can remain in the city?
What would you do to keep and expand affordable housing units for
low-income residents, and what — if anything — would you do to
keep middle-income residents with families who are also being
squeezed by higher prices?
See the next question for answers that also pertain to this
question. In the past, developers building on public land have
promised to build percentages of lower cost housing units.
Frequently they did not and often no legal action was taken by the
city. This must change. Also, we need to see if all larger projects
could be required to build a mix of low, moderate, and market units
that would allow workers of all types to live and work nearby. What
appears to be a taken-for-granted 20% mark up on contracts must stop.
The fact that 2 people were fired for granting a contract to an out
of area builder who wanted $6million rather than $13million is
outrageous. The angry local contractor already has a former employee
sitting on the DC Council. If we need to go out of area to find reasonably priced contractors, then we should do so until our local contractors wake up. This kind of thing is one reason I am
running for At Large.
Several additional measures that could help us keep middle-income
families include:
1) Stop raising property taxes on unimproved homes
10% and more each year based on the renovation activities of one or
two neighbors. Taxes should go up for no more than inflation until
sold at a much higher price when they would be reassessed.
2)
Eliminate the BBL for owners renting only a few units; also simplify
the D-30 tax form for small income owner rentals.
3) Change the one
month Vacant Property law which forces homeowners with serious health
issues or heirs to property to make immediate sales to developers who
then sit on the property for years making minor improvements but
waiting for the market to get better. Neighboring counties have one
year Vacant Property laws we should have the same.
4) Speed up
coupling our D-40 income tax deduction and exemption rates with the
federal rates. This change I began work on in 2004 will put $85
million back into the pockets of
all
earning under $150,000 a year. See:
http://gleeaikin.blogspot.com/2014/10/in-2019-dc-council-approval-of-2-tax.html
5)
In addition almost no one knows about the improved D-40, Schedule H
benefit for renters and home owners. Since tax year 2014 they may
have been eligible for up to $1,000 a year if
individual and family income for those under 70 was $40,000 or less,
or for those 70 and older $60,000 income or
less. There are 3 years to
file an Amended Tax Return, and links
for all forms needed can be
found at:
Do you support
the most recent plan to close the shelter for homeless families at
D.C. General by opening shelters in neighborhoods across the city?
I
support the need to find better housing options for homeless families
than
DC General. However this effort was marred by the Mayor's choice of
options, many of which were specifically designed to reward her
political backers. Already less costly options have been found and
more should be. It is not fair to concentrate such housing in only a
few parts of the city. Lower
income renters are rightfully hostile to any project that proposes to
force them out of housing before suitable replacement housing is
available. The New Communities program (Williams administration)
involving Barry Farms, Park Morton, Northwest One, and Lincoln
Heights has failed to meet it's obectives:
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/housing-complex/blog/13124286/report-d-c-should-redevelop-public-housing-without-replacing-units-first
The
“plans were presented as ready for implementation when they
were in fact very conceptual and lacking all the necessary
ingredients in place, such as site control, partner agreements
and due diligence...." What
has been planned or built is ¼ market rate, ½ moderate income, and
only ¼ low income (amounting to under 400 units). This will not
solve the problem with 70,000 on waiting lists. Perhaps the idea
described in my blog post might
allow faster construction:
http://gleeaikin.blogspot.com/2014/10/can-creative-use-of-shipping-containers.html
Unfortunately, few of our developers are interested in many modest
contracts with no 20% add on. The Trump disease of glitz and glamour
has infected the majority and low cost housing doesn't attract them. If we have to go out of area to find reasonably priced contractors, then we need to do so until our local contractors get the message.
I have one more question. Why the sudden rush to vacate DC General? What is planned there? Will any of it include low and moderate cost housing???
Former Police
Chief Cathy Lanier recently said the city’s criminal justice system
was “broken.” What are the most practical things you think the
council can do to fix it?
Police
officers are deeply distressed that they have had almost no increase
in pay for SEVEN years. A
reasonable and fair increase needs to be negotiated; this is not the
depths of the 2008 recession. We should not be loosing seasoned
officers because they know they will have an inadequate pension based
on the present salary rates.
Good
officers are concerned that
they no longer patrol, hunting for crime and difficult situations.
They do not consider that stationing officers in
cars at high visibility
stationary posts is a good substitute. Hardheaded stubbornness by
both labor and management in grievances and other situations has
resulted in many unsettled arbitration cases. Hopefully a new Chief
will handle these things better.
Murder
rates have increased 50% in the last 2 years. Auto theft is rampant.
I understand there is no Auto Theft Unit. Does organized crime need
a special unit? Given the recent publicized police killings of
people with mental and drug problems, perhaps specialized training
and experience with the hospitalized mentally ill would be useful.
Perhaps the formation of a Mental Health Unit, similar to Special
Victims, would help and could be called upon to report rapidly to
appropriate scenes to take over negotiations and arrests. In several
cases of police killings it appeared that police acted quickly to
kill someone who probably would have surrendered weapons if handled
patiently and with empathy.
[An
incident from my own life illustrates what drives good employees
away—job insecurity and disrespectful treatment. My late husband
taught 12 years in DC (including 8 at Eastern High School), but most
years we did not know until the latter half of August if he had a job
for the next year. One year he was offered a job on Aug. 20th
in Arlington Adult Education. We decided he should take it. On
August 27th
a DC Schools manager called and said, “Hey, Aikin, you are to
report to XXX on XXX.” “I'm sorry, sir” said Robert, “but I
have a signed
contract with
Arlington.” A few hours later a higher level manager called and
insisted in knowing why he
would not report to DC schools. Again my husband explained. Finally
the top man called and demanded to know why he was not going to
report. Again
he explained to this rude ex-boss. Arlington Schools was a decision
he never regretted.]
Do you support
the statehood strategy Mayor Bowser is currently pursuing?
Absolutely
not. No one elected her or her four associates to write a new
Constitution. We are being forced to either vote AGAINST STATEHOOD,
or if voting For Statehood, then approving her very undemocratically
written New Constitution.
This
scam was furthered by holding 3 SO-CALLED Constitutional Conventions
(actually 3 days of 3 minute testimony) at which the large majority
testified they were against this whole process.
Between
spring and summer a new ARTICLE VII, Sec. 3, (c) was added. This
says that NO CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION could be held until FIVE years
AFTER we gain Statehood. Five long years for the big money folks to
consolidate their power with the governor and delegates. Five more
years to force low and moderate income voters out of the city with
their housing policies.
Neither
the document given us this spring at the Lincoln Cottage, nor the
document now online and made available at the 9/27 and 10/6/16 have a
date on them. Thus we are being asked to vote for a Constitution which
could have changes made after our vote with no way to prove when they
were actually made part of the Constitution.
This
Constitution does not protect the guaranteed 2 seats on
Council (future legislature) which means it is highly unlikely that a
Statehood Green, Republican, Libertarian, or Independent could ever
be elected again. Even honorable Democrats should be against this
disenfrancisement of minorities. [This remains unchanged.]
[I and others also testified before the Council on Sept. 2 and Oct. 6, 2016. Fortunately the Council made some important changes in the Mayor's Constitution which makes it more likely that people will vote YES for Statehood, which means YES for the Constitution as well. See link for details and testimony: http://gleeaikin.blogspot.com/2016/10/dc-constitution-statehood-sept-27-oct-6.html]
Should the city
be preparing a system for the taxation and regulation of marijuana
sales within the District?
Even
though Congress is blocking such efforts, to the point of not even
allowing DC government to spend it's money to do that work, we should
move forward with volunteers helping put together such potential
regulation and taxation for more rapid consideration and approval
once we are able to do so. Whatever
taxation and regulations are eventually decided on, the current
system of allowing people to grow a few plants and give presents of
small amounts to their friends should remain the law. Tax
money could then be used for drug, alcohol, and tobacco addiction
treatment. Funds could also be use to deal with obesity issues and
better nutrition.
Should the
Council revisit legislation that would require employers to make
schedules for hourly workers more predictable?
Absolutely.
All workers should have the right to fairness and a degree of
predictability in their hours and working conditions. This includes
planning for time off, whether for doctors visits, vacations, or
family needs. It is especially important that working parents have
at least 48 hours notice to provide alternate childcare if needed.
Many doctors and dentists charge for the visit unless it is
changed/canceled more than 24 hours previously. Of course a good
union can provide some of these protections with a well negotiated
Collective Agreement, but not all workers have good unions.
- - - - - - - - - - -
The GLAA Questionnaire has a 10 point rating scale. My score was 7.5. Four of the 10 points were based on what one had done at a real level to help the GLBTQ community. Since I have not held office or worked for an elected lawmaker, I did not have the advantage that those who have voted for favorable legislation could claim.
Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance of Washington, DC 2016 Questionnaire for DC Council Candidates Answers from G. Lee Aikin, At Large candidate
Before answering the 9 questions I would like to make some general observations. First, GLAA should be recognized for it's very detailed and well prepared position paper, Building on Victory, A 2016 election guide to LGBT issues in Washington, D.C. The extensive and comprehensive list of 90 References is a gold mine of information for anyone interested in working with/for the GLAA community on major issues.
The emphasis on questions regarding health of the old, addicted, and youth, and society's overall treatment of issues regarding sexuality of the non-traditional variety points to the underlying problem of the GLAA community and our wider society—selfishness, prejudice, fear, and anger. The most obvious examples are the violent and hateful treatment seen in bullying, unnecessary incarceration, and deliberate marginalization of sex related business. The more subtle manifestations are overall indifference to the problems of others, and failure to realize that what harms one group and makes them a target reduces security and safety for us all. It is this awareness of and concern for the wider problems that do affect us that makes me want to serve the people of DC. As the bull's eye on the target of indifference, neglect and even hatred, unaddressed GLAA issues for me serve as the “canary in the coal mine.”
HOME RULE - 1. Will you oppose congressionally imposed school vouchers, which have been shown not to improve students' academic achievement, and which often go to schools that operate outside the nondiscrimination provisions of the D.C. Human Rights Act?
YES.
The move by Presidential candidate Ted Cruz and others to force our 660,000 residents to fund a voucher program that we don't even want is disgusting and offensive. The fact they are used for private schools demonstrates the overall effort of the far right to eliminate public education and all government programs that help people, especially those least able to help themselves. The Walton Family Foundation funded IFF Report several years ago proposed closing or charterizing a large number of public schools, mostly in Wards 7 and 8. Now they are at it again, and vouchers is one of their tools. [www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/01/27/walton-family-steps-upsupport-for-school-choice-with-1-billion-pledge/] Our Mayor is reportedly “hopping mad.” at Walmart deceit.
In addition, various studies have indicated outcomes in charter schools are often not as advertised. Moreover, most do not adhere to non-discrimination provisions of the DC Human Rights Act. Nor do those teachers have the protection of the Washington Teachers' Union. I hope that Mendelson, Orange, Todd and Cheh have been or will be persuaded to sign on to the 2015 letter to Rep. Chaffetz opposing their latest voucher program. If At Large Councilmember Orange has not, I will be happy to replace him on the Council and sign that letter.
HEALTH - 2. Will you press the Department of Health to complete and issue the long-delayed LGBT Health Report, which is supposed to be issued annually?
YES.
For our government to have delayed submitting the annual LGBT Health Report since 2010 borders on criminally negligent, especially as it already has much of the needed data. This report should be followed by speedy distribution of funds to appropriate LGBT organizations. An analysis of possible loss of federal funds to LGBT health and other programs would be wise. See this astounding report that DC has returned $140million in unspent housing money on just 1 of 5 HUD programs over decades. [http://gleeaikin.blogspot.com/2015/11/dc-government-fails-to-use-millions-of.html] The fact that in 2014 our DC residents and businesses paid $26.4billion in federal taxes highlights this need for monitoring. If elected I would like to support volunteers and part time paid personnel to examine waste and non-use of all our granted and available federal funds.
How much money has the DC government received from the federal government and failed to spend on LGBT related mental health and substance abuse treatment (question 3); marginalized LGBT workers (question 6); upgrading quality of police, fire and EMS services (questions 4, 6, and 7); or services and treatment for LGBT homeless youth, transgenders, seniors, and terminally ill (questions 5 and 8)? If the housing issue linked above is any example, it must be substantial.
3. Will you support budgets that target funds to address LGBT health disparities, including in mental health and substance abuse treatment, and mandate data collection on this population across all programs?
YES.
Our DC government spends entirely too much money supporting rich sports franchise owners and high end developers, including some who have never even engaged in competitive bidding. Given the higher levels of stress and disapproval experienced by LGBT children growing up, it is not surprising that they have a higher than average level of PTSD and suicides. Back in the 1980's I remember a study showing 30% of gay men reported less safe sex practice now that HIV/AIDS was a known fatal health issue. This figure correlated well with other forms of slow suicide like drug abuse and alcoholism. Money and efforts spent to treat the underlying PTSD will bear dividends in lower costs for mental and physical health care. Newer coverage through Obamacare and trans-inclusive coverage should be a big help.
The Council should be alert to funding and laws needed to adequately support HIV testing and linkage to care, as well as appropriate use of PrEP and PEP. It was ultimately proven that government paid monitoring was needed to insure consistent follow-up treatment of Tuberculosis. This Bulletin from the World Health Organization [http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/85/5/06-038927/en/] outlines the kinds of steps useful for stopping the spread of TB, and could contain useful advice for monitoring PrEP usage and other issues covered at HAHSTA.
Without proper collection and dissemination of health related statistics, it is hard to properly and effectively allocate resources both human and monetary, and for the Council to make correct decisions on the legislative aspect of these allocations. As more and more elderly become widowed or divorced, they become especially vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and other STDs that were not an issue when happily mated to a spouse. For elderly these chronic illnesses become especially costly given their frailty.
4. Will you support separating Emergency Medical Services from the Fire Department?
YES.
It makes sense to separate these functions. Effective EMS personnel do not need training in firefighting. Some people with chronic conditions need repeated EMS assistance over time. There should be a readily available data base and communication procedure so that appropriate assistance is sent to people who should be listed in a rapid help evaluation system. There is no need to send a hook and ladder truck where it is known that a repeat illness victim is not morbidly obese and lives on the 1st or 2nd floor. Information on a preferred hospital would be good where the victim is unconscious. DC schools should do more in the way of vocationally oriented education to prepare young people for such jobs as EMS and Firefighting. My son was in ROTC for 3 years, and the discipline there encouraged him to look at possible work as a firefighter. More can definitely be done to enhance public education to help our young people explore career options in health and public safety. My son's ROTC training enabled him to enlist as a better paid Private 1st Class, rather than Private 3rd Class.
JUDICIARY - 5. Will you support and press for passage of Bill 21-38, the Death with Dignity Act?
YES with questions.
I have read the complete bill and also the criticisms. First, some of my concerns are based on caring for my mother slowly dying at my home of congestive heart failure, and my husband of 44 years slowly dying at home of Alzheimer's. Fortunately, neither was experiencing extreme pain or suffering as some might when dying of cancer and other illnesses. I read the provision requiring a written request. If my husband had been dying of both Alzheimer's and painful cancer, he would have been unable to write a request in any form even 2 years before he died. There is no mention of the prescribing physician being required to be present when this written request is made, so I wonder what protects the dying from predatory or impatient relatives and caretakers.
When my husband was 4 months from death I went to see the VA doctors about his advanced directive for NO heroic measures to sustain life (tube or intravenous feeding, ventilator, etc.). Two VA doctors examined him and asked about the advanced directives. He was unable to answer them so I repeated the questions in simplified terms. He answered with an emphatic NO!!! When I followed their instruction to ask again, he again answered NO emphatically. When he was on his death bed, my son and I were able to call them and received appropriate specific instructions about feeding or not feeding. I think refinement could be made in language regarding witnessing some steps of the process that would safeguard the mentally vulnerable from coercive actions by family, doctors or institutions. My husband died at home with visits from a hospice nurse. The funeral parlor put that he had died in a hospice on the Death Certificate. I reported this to Medicare as a possible case of fraud.
Thus, while I generally favor this bill, I think there are some ways in which it could be improved. I would hope to bring my very hard won experience to perfecting this measure for all who might need it. However, I do not believe that search for the perfect should be the enemy of the good. Councilmember Alexander should move forward to obtain additional public input on ways in which this bill satisfies the needs of the dying and caregivers, or ways in which it could be improved.
As a separate but related piece of legislation, I would like to see an expansion of the DC D-40 individual income tax provision for Exemptions. It allows (2015 tax year) a $1775 exemption for a blind person. I would like to see the same exemption for any person medically certified as handicapped as much as a blind person. In the last 2 years of life my husband needed much more care and supervision than a blind person. A person in the 15% tax bracket would save $266.25 in tax payment, and in the 25% tax bracket save $443.75. Such a saving might permit an exhausted family caregiver to hire a non-family caregiver and occasionally go out alone to a movie or do necessary shopping.
6. Will you press for the District to provide “Jobs Not Jails” by developing alternatives to incarceration for marginalized citizens who resort to sex work for survival?
YES.
Incarcerating adults (16 in DC with an age gap provision) for any agreed upon activity with a consenting adult is stupid and wasteful. However, we must make it easier for young adults to learn and find work that does not force them into making unwanted decisions in order to survive. The failure I referred to in Question #2, of DC to spend government money to build much needed low-cost housing must be stopped. It even seems as thought there is collaboration among most of our leaders to make it almost impossible for lower and lower middle income people to find low-cost or affordable housing.
Prevention of bullying and fighting in our schools is essential. The Council will need to be alert to effective implementation of the Safe School Certification Program due to begin in the 2016-17 school year. In addition to encouraging this implementation the Council should also determine that the $3.8million grant from the National Institute off Justice is being spent effectively. I am not aware that bathrooms are a transgender school problem in DC, but am sympathetic to the issue.
During the fight to keep the IFF Report from closing schools in our poorer neighborhoods, I thought it might be good to use one or more of those schools as a low cost dormitory for youth under 22 years. It/they could have “dorm advisers” who were graduate students of Sociology, Psychology, Public Health and similar disciplines receive free room and board and a stipend to supervise these dwellings. Included could be a cafeteria and laundry where the young residents would work part time and receive training and rental credit. In addition there should be counseling and other treatment and adult health education made available. This is just one example of kinds of creative alternatives to incarceration or street living for our marginalized citizens I have imagined. I would work to implement others as well.
7. Will you support and press for passage of a reintroduced Bill 20-63, the Police Monitoring Enhancement Amendment Act, to give the Office of Police Complaints unfettered access to information and supporting documentation of the covered law enforcement agencies?
YES.
The Bill 20-63, Police Monitoring Enhancement Amendment Act, formerly introduced by Tommy Wells needs to be reintroduced. Apparently earlier language requiring “unfettered” access of the Office of Police Complaints (OPC) to information and documents had been converted to the vague term “reasonable” access. The stronger term “unfettered” should replace “reasonable” in a newly introduced bill.
I have several questions which depending on the answers might require legislation and/or funding. Have the OPC and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) ever adopted the Police Complaints Board's recommendation that OPC and MPD together establish a joint monitoring system for allegations of inadequate police response to reported hate crimes? Has OPC been better able to determine the number of hate crime related complaints referred to MPD? Does OPC now have access to complaints filed with MPD's Internal Affairs bureau? Is there now a “rapid response” protocol for handling routine, customer service oriented complaints? Given the potential fear of reprisal felt by members of the LGBT community, does OPC now have the capacity to look at MPD performance and responses to LGBTQ complaints even for just a small number of them? In recent years I have noticed a definite increase in reports of harmful treatment of Transgender people. Has the review of complaints regarding demonstrations of police bias toward people of color been expanded to include LGBTs and especially Transgenders?
8. Will you support improved services and treatment for LGBT homeless youth and seniors, including transitional housing?
YES.
Since a significant minority of LGBT youth are rejected by their families and made miserable in school, homelessness is a serious issue for them. For the elderly, loss of a partner and shared economy, or inability to work because of age and illness are some causes of homelessness. In addition LGBT youth are at higher risk of suicide, and isolated seniors are probably also at higher risk. Thus, both these LGBT populations need more specialized counseling, education on health and sexuality, and assistance with housing needs. The fact the DC government seems to have no interest in providing low cost housing hasn't helped. The fact that anyone wishing to rent out a room or two needs a Basic Business License doesn't help. See answer at Question #9.
Here again you have these particular vulnerable populations serving as the “canary in the coal mine.” Given the overall failure of the city to promote low cost housing, and basic employment education for much of the population, it becomes especially noticeable among young and elderly LGBTs. In addition to working specifically to help vulnerable LGBT populations, it is important for GLAA to work closely with other groups engaged in the good fight against greedy and indifferent developers and the politicians they support.
For example, how can support services for needy populations be paid for when the city plans to spend $3billion tearing up the streets and putting ALL electric lines underground? Where homes are far apart it is cheaper and quicker to repair above ground cable breaks, and pay arborists and tree trimmers to keep dangerous branches cut beforehand. Why should over $60million be allocated this year to destroy over 20 acres of historic water filtration caverns at McMillan Park when this space could be used for STEM education and projects growing hydroponic food and fish to feed the poor and teach useful skills? Has all the money spent on the H Street light rail system been a total waste? The common element here is that in each case developers and contractors will earn heaps of money, often at inflated rates, and only they and upper income residents will benefit. I am told that NO housing developer has ever been sued by the city for failing to include the promised lower cost units that were negotiated and agreed to before permits were issued.
One result is that although the Tax Revision Commission agreed with my 11 year effort to restore the parity D-40 Deductions and Exemptions rates had with IRS 1040 rates in 1973 when we gained home rule, the Council approved scheduling this restoration of justice over SIX years. Thus, it will be 2020 before the full $85million a year will flow back into our pockets and out to our local businesses. For this April's 2015 taxes, a young single could deduct $6,975 on the D-40, but $10,300 on the 1040. An elderly single could deduct $8,750 on the D-40, and $11,850 with the IRS 1040. Somewhat better savings were given in 2015 than in 2014, but see [http://gleeaikin.blogspot.com/2014/10/in-2019-dccouncil-approval-of-2-tax.html] for a more detailed view of previous figures.
CONSUMERS AND BUSINESSES - 9. Will you defend the right of adults in the District to choose adult-oriented entertainment for themselves, and the right of appropriately licensed and zoned businesses to provide it?
YES.
Adult-oriented entertainment and business are part of our “life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.” When young and exploring the hidden world of sexuality, I read some gay porn. I believe my husband of 44 years benefited from some of the knowledge gained. There was also a period in the 1980s when my husband was away a lot and the children almost grown that I visited a number of gay oriented clubs including Ziegfeld's, Tracks and Lost and Found near S. Capitol. Living near DuPont Circle, I more often went to Friends, the Fireplace and Rascals, including to their 3rd floor, and others. I remember how the S. Capitol clubs were displaced by the subsidized ballfield, and wondered why it was fair to pay off one business at the expense of another.
If I should be on the Council while businesses are being displaced by the Buzzard Point soccer stadium, I would certainly work to persuade other Councilmembers to pass fair legislation. As an increasingly popular city for tourism and late night entertainment, we should not allow prudes to dictate the legal and properly regulated pleasures of others. The legitimate desire of people to gather in appropriate public settings to socialize and use marijuana also needs fair and practical action.
Two other measures I would pursue if elected would be to make it easier for young, elderly, and small entrepreneurs to begin a micro-business. Even something as simple as a lemonade stand can bring grief [http://www.copblock.org/7170/lemonade/]. All non service businesses in DC require a Basic Business License. If one owes the city a traffic fine, back taxes or other monies above $100 it is impossible to get the BBL. A waiver should be provided for payments that are in adjudication or negotiation. An elderly friend with 5 joint replacements needed a BBL for an agent to rent out her apartment for 6 months. The number of hours and places she had to visit to achieve obtaining the BBL were physically painful and exhausting. Therefore I would recommend not requiring a BBL until one year after grossing $250,000. Instead the prospective entrepreneur should take a ½ day course on how to file DC business (D-30) and income (D-40) taxes and the federal business taxes they are based on.
This brings me to the second issue—the D-30 Unincorporated Franchise Tax. In 1986 it was determined that any business grossing over $12,000 should pay a minimum $100 fee and taxes for profits above that. Recently, the $100 minimum was raised to $250, but the $12,000 gross income was not adjusted for inflation which should bring it up to between $25 and $30,000. In addition if all earnings are DC based then there is no need to have the long, complicated, poorly explained D-30 form filled out. One should merely have to submit the IRS 1040 Schedule C for general business, or the Schedule E for rental income, along with the first 2 pages of the D-30.
Related Personal Actions and Experience - Your record is part of your rating. Please list any actions that you have taken that may help illustrate your record on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.
In the past four years I have made a point of forwarding articles about GLBT issues and human interest to appropriate members of the GLBT political and journalistic community. A number of years ago I made a presentation at Whitman-Walker on new highly effective methods of dealing with emotional/PTSD/abuse issues (which I used for 10 years seeing clients about such issues). When my husband died from Alzheimer's, I gave all his adult diapers to Joseph's House. I would be happy to speak with a GLBT group about home care of the dying, and planning an at-home death. I personally observed a number of people in the early 1980's experiencing the problems of living as a GLBT person. My husband was seldom around and my sons were mostly off with their friends, so I started going to the bars on P St. near my DuPont Circle home. I especially liked the piano bars at Friends and the Fireplace. As a fun but maternal figure a number of young gay people became my friends and long term acquaintances. They would tell me their troubles and ask for advise. I was answering so many questions about nutrition and health that I wrote and printed a 20 page pamphlet titled “PROTECT YOUR HEALTH THROUGH BETTER DIET (from AIDS and other diseases).” I distributed free copies to anyone who asked.
I will outline some of these people's stories. They have mostly all died, so I don't think I will be breaking confidences. However several followed my advice about careful sex and super-nutrition and were still healthy and alive ten years after HIV first appeared in DC.
A) A man in his 30's who had suffered severe sexual abuse by his brother and was neglected by his alcoholic mother. He developed AIDS and gradually went blind. He called me one day in panic, “I can't see anything, it's all black.” He lived with an abusive lover who didn't believe he was blind and left obstacles for him to trip over, and even refused to let him get a guide dog. I begged him to let me find a better placement for him, but he refused. They both died a year or two later.
B) A 17 year old, emancipated as a 15 year old minor to flee the abusive foster home system. He lived with an older gay man who died of AIDS. We did some renovation work together, I taught him some some skills, and he developed his artistic talent and started a business. He succeeded in creating a good life for himself, including providing my son a job and mentorship, but died at 50 from Hepatitis C caught in those early years.
C) An artistically and dramatically talented young man who was reasonably successful as a drag performer. I gave him a free place to live in my home for several months. He had been severely abused physically and emotionally by his alcoholic single mother. Subsequently he was raped by an HIV positive “friend”. He probably became HIV positive (he had practiced protected sex in the ordinary course), and ODed either accidentally or on purpose a year or two later.
D) A man in his 30s who was into leather daddies who beat and bruised his butt so badly I warned him he was in danger of dying from a lung embolism. He started coming to a free self-help therapeutic group I had organized. In a major breakthrough he realized the origin of his behavior in his relationship with his distant father who passed off discipline of this son onto his overwhelmed wife. After this he no longer engaged in abusive sex, and had several relationships before he died of AIDS a few years later.
E) A man in his 30s who had been abused by both his upper middle class parents. When we first met his T-4 level was around 400 and he could only walk a few blocks before exhaustion struck. He was also a cocaine addict. His father arranged for me to monitor a stipend for his rent and food. We went shopping and sometimes cooked together. I set him up with an array of supplements. After 4 months his T-4s were 1100, and we could walk 11 blocks without suffering fatigue. Two years later his father stopped the stipend and he moved home. He misplaced his supplements in packing, his parents restimulated feelings from his childhood abuse, and a lover dumped him. He died 3 months later.
I could provide at least a half dozen other stories, but the point is, I have heard the tragic early histories and watched the successes and failures of a number of GLBT people over time and helped where I could. I will continue to do so whether elected or not.
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DC for Democracy Questionnaire - For 2016 General Election Council Position Sought: At Large Candidate Name: G. Lee Aikin (DC Statehood Green Party)
1. Bills now before the DC Council are intended to reduce the influence of big money donors through several approaches:
● banning corporate campaign contributions,
● keeping donors who make very large contributions from getting government contracts and special tax breaks, and
● providing for public financing of political campaigns through a system that matches small donations, similar to what it used in New York City.
Where do you stand on each of these approaches?
a. The amount allowed for all contributions needs to be seriously reduced, and those from corporations need to be clearly identified. Voting in Council to do this and speaking out for our people to support the Move to Amend is something I will do whenever appropriate. Corporations are not people, and money is not speech.
b. If (a) is done there won't be any very large contributions, open bidding on government contracts should be allowed by all, but special tax breaks like the East Banc deal at 22nd and L Sts. should never be allowed, nor should the NO-BID contract and $1million annual subsidy to destroy McMillan Park be permitted. Contributions by bidders should be clearly identifiable to all, and the Independent Auditor should remain so.
c. I would certainly want to know a lot more about the New York City matching donations program, as well as others that have been tried. How effective have they been, have people discovered ways to game these system, and how does the general voting population feel about them and their fairness?
2. The DC Council recently passed a law to gradually raise the DC minimum wage to $15 by 2020. However, they failed to eliminate the difference between the tipped minimum wage, as called for by the ballot initiative that prompted the law. What is your position on the tipped minimum wage?
For many years the minimum wage has been ridiculously low. Efforts are finally succeeding in raising it closer to the level it should have been if increased often to reflect inflation. The tipped minimum wage has also been very low for a long time, and should be raised in fair proportion to it's relationship with the minimum wage increase.
Frankly I also think there should be a maximum wage law. For example 35 or more years ago the ratio between top CEO pay and low level worker pay in their companies was about 40 to 1. Now it can be as much as 1,000 to 1 and is often 400 to 1. Fifteen dollars x 40 hrs. per week x 52 weeks = $31,200. That wage times 40 = $1,248,000. So let's round that out to $1,250,000 and say that any business that pays their executives more than that cannot deduct the excess salary from their corporate income taxes. This is a complex idea, but that is an example to start us thinking about ways to curb the corporate excess which among other things is robbing Social Security. See: http://gleeaikin.blogspot.com/2012/10/saving-social-security-wage-cap.html. Read how corporate wage inflation has destroyed the 90% wage cap that both parties agreed to in 1983, and is now threatening the future of SS benefit payments.
3. Child care on average costs $21,000 a year for families. What would you do to ensure access for all families? Do you support universal child care?
A few years ago the Walmart funded IFF Report said we should close or repurpose over 40 “underutilized” DC schools, the majority located in Wards 7 and 8. DC government should use some of that excess space to house low or no cost childcare programs. Among the developed countries, only in Switzerland is the cost of childcare a greater percentage of family income, a figure which should shame our country into doing better. For this and other important social programs a slight increase in upper level income taxes would help. California's top rate is 13%. DC's is 8.25%
4. In recent years, DC has lost tens of thousands of units of affordable housing. Over the next few years, we are projected to lose thousands more. How many of these units should the DC government replace or preserve? What steps do you propose to replace and preserve that many units?
The poison of all big development, expensive housing, and gentrification is driving all low and moderate income workers to MD and VA. Our Metro woes show how dangerous Council actions are to continue that trend. Soon few firemen, teachers, police, hotel restaurant, or hospital workers will be available in any emergency.
All builders of big housing should be required to supply a mix of low, moderate, and market rate units to allow workers of all types to live and work near home. Mark-ups of 20% on contracts must stop. DC workers were recently fired for granting a $6million contract to a distant bidder, rather than a $13million bid by a local contractor whose f ormer executive is now on our Council. We should continue to reward low bids, even if the bidder is out-of-area, until local bidders learn honesty and make competitive bids.
Our Mayor recently proposed a high priced plan for housing the homeless that rewarded campaign contributors. Immediate negative reaction has forced finding some less expensive alternatives, but more should be found. Low income renters are rightfully hostile at being kicked out before promised housing is built. The Williams administration's New Communities program involving Barry Farms, Park Morton, Northwest One and Lincoln Heights failed to meet it's objectives. What was planned and built is ¼ market rate, ½ moderate income, and only ¼ low income (less than 400 units). There are 70,000 on waiting lists. For one of my low cost housing ideas see: http://gleeaikin.blogspot.com/2014/10/can-creative-use-of-shipping-containers.html
Other fixes include: 1) Stop raising property taxes 10% and more on unimproved homes because some neighbors renovated. 2) Eliminate BBL for owners renting a few units and simplify the D-30 for small owner rentals. 3) Change the one-month Vacant Property law to the one year VP used in nearby counties. This has caused panic selling, by people who are ill or heirs at the worst time of their life, to real estate speculators (who then sit on the building waiting for the market to go up).
5. What actions would you take to enhance public safety and reduce violent crime while reforming racialized policing that unfairly targets people of color?
Violent behavior begins early. Danes and Germans react very differently when children fight on playgrounds. Danish methods could be taught to our parents. We need to hire a new police chief who does not repeat past mistakes and can negotiate effectively with police representatives. Making police sit in cars at high visibility static posts frustrates good officers who want to patrol, hunting for crime and other trouble. Do we need a special unit for rampant auto theft?
Regarding recent police killings of people with mental or drug problems, more training to deal with mental illness and intoxication is needed. Perhaps a new Mental Health Unit, like Special Victims, should exist to provide better negotiation and unrushed empathic handling on scene. Police are upset with one small pay raise in 7 years. Long term officers leave early because pensions are based on 3 best earning years. This is not 2008, we can pay more. DC jail could use more funding for counseling, education and treatment of illness and mental health.
6. Good government requires checks and balances between the Council and the Mayor. Which policies do you support that are different from Mayor Bowser’s policies? Please be as specific as possible.
The Mayor's Statehood/Constitution effort is a real danger to checks and balances. The current document still limits future Delegates to a smaller number than approved and voted in 1982. It is harder for special interests to influence a larger number than a few Delegates. Her Constitution eliminates the 2 Council member set-aside for nonmajority party candidates like Statehood Greens, Republicans, Libertarians or Independents, further limiting independent thought and votes on the Council. Putting the Independent Auditor and Chief Finance Officer, as well as the Attorney General under direct control of the Governor is very dangerous. The Auditor, who questioned the NO-BID contract allowing one contractor to plan destruction of our last big parkland, McMillan, is an example. The recent firing of workers for approving a much lower bid to an out of area contractor rather than a well connected local one is another example.
The Mayor has added a provision to the Constitution to not allow a true Constitutional Convention for at least 5 years after statehood. Does the Council have the courage to oppose the Mayors dictatorial moves which many testifiers brought to the Councils's attention? [The Council in fact did vote to call for a Constitutional Convention within 2 years of achieving Statehood.] These moves include her creating a committee of 5, with the Council Chairman on it, to write/approve this Constitution when this was not in their job descriptions when we elected them. Holding 3 days of Constitutional Convention, which in fact were merely hearings with people allowed 3 minutes to testify, with no one elected as a Delegate to actually write or vote was a total denial of the 1982 Constitution process. Then elected Delegates worked and wrote a document DC voted to approve in Nov. 1982.
Now they want our YES vote for Statehood Nov. 8. This vote contains the POISON PILL of an undated Constitution that is dangerous and anti-democratic. Vote NO if the Council fails to correct and date the Mayor's dictatorial Constitution before you vote. [The Statehood Green Party will meet on Nov. 3rd to decide if the Council's changes merit a YES vote on Nov. 8th. I am inclined to accept the Council's recent changes and vote YES, but want my party's guidance.]
7. The New Columbia Statehood Commission has proposed a Statehood Initiative that calls for an Advisory Referendum that includes approval of a new Constitution and boundaries to be adopted by the DC Council. If you had designed the Statehood Initiative, would it be different in any way, and if so, how?
Many of the problems with the Mayor's proposed Statehood Initiative are described above in question 6., but here is how I would have done it differently.
With voter input, I would have prepared an Advisory Referendum for voting on Nov. 8, through the regular Initiative process with many thousands of petition signatures by DC Voters. There would have been 3 separately voted sub-items on the ballot. The Initiative would have included a stand alone vote for Statehood. There also would have been a separate call for a Constitutional Convention, like 1982, beginning a date early in 2017 with a date for completion. A separate vote for a manner of electing Constitutional Convention delegates and the number of delegates would have been included. No actions influencing the time and content of the Constitution should be made by the current Council which still has two lame duck members. [Who did, if fact, vote for the improvements in language.] The repudiation of 3 of the Mayor's supporters in the Primary elections makes current Council actions regarding our future Constitution highly inappropriate.
Detailed articles related to some of the issues above can be found on my blog: gleeaikin.blogspot.com. Click INDEX under my photos for a complete list of over 70 articles which I write in detail and update where appropriate.
*Campaign expenses paid for ELECT G. LEE AIKIN, campaign committee, 1754 Swann St., NW, Washington, DC 20009. A copy of our report is filed with the Dir. of Campaign Finance, DC Bd. of Elections.
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The GLAA Questionnaire has a 10 point rating scale. My score was 7.5. Four of the 10 points were based on what one had done at a real level to help the GLBTQ community. Since I have not held office or worked for an elected lawmaker, I did not have the advantage that those who have voted for favorable legislation could claim.
Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance of Washington, DC 2016 Questionnaire for DC Council Candidates Answers from G. Lee Aikin, At Large candidate
Before answering the 9 questions I would like to make some general observations. First, GLAA should be recognized for it's very detailed and well prepared position paper, Building on Victory, A 2016 election guide to LGBT issues in Washington, D.C. The extensive and comprehensive list of 90 References is a gold mine of information for anyone interested in working with/for the GLAA community on major issues.
The emphasis on questions regarding health of the old, addicted, and youth, and society's overall treatment of issues regarding sexuality of the non-traditional variety points to the underlying problem of the GLAA community and our wider society—selfishness, prejudice, fear, and anger. The most obvious examples are the violent and hateful treatment seen in bullying, unnecessary incarceration, and deliberate marginalization of sex related business. The more subtle manifestations are overall indifference to the problems of others, and failure to realize that what harms one group and makes them a target reduces security and safety for us all. It is this awareness of and concern for the wider problems that do affect us that makes me want to serve the people of DC. As the bull's eye on the target of indifference, neglect and even hatred, unaddressed GLAA issues for me serve as the “canary in the coal mine.”
HOME RULE - 1. Will you oppose congressionally imposed school vouchers, which have been shown not to improve students' academic achievement, and which often go to schools that operate outside the nondiscrimination provisions of the D.C. Human Rights Act?
YES.
The move by Presidential candidate Ted Cruz and others to force our 660,000 residents to fund a voucher program that we don't even want is disgusting and offensive. The fact they are used for private schools demonstrates the overall effort of the far right to eliminate public education and all government programs that help people, especially those least able to help themselves. The Walton Family Foundation funded IFF Report several years ago proposed closing or charterizing a large number of public schools, mostly in Wards 7 and 8. Now they are at it again, and vouchers is one of their tools. [www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2016/01/27/walton-family-steps-upsupport-for-school-choice-with-1-billion-pledge/] Our Mayor is reportedly “hopping mad.” at Walmart deceit.
In addition, various studies have indicated outcomes in charter schools are often not as advertised. Moreover, most do not adhere to non-discrimination provisions of the DC Human Rights Act. Nor do those teachers have the protection of the Washington Teachers' Union. I hope that Mendelson, Orange, Todd and Cheh have been or will be persuaded to sign on to the 2015 letter to Rep. Chaffetz opposing their latest voucher program. If At Large Councilmember Orange has not, I will be happy to replace him on the Council and sign that letter.
HEALTH - 2. Will you press the Department of Health to complete and issue the long-delayed LGBT Health Report, which is supposed to be issued annually?
YES.
For our government to have delayed submitting the annual LGBT Health Report since 2010 borders on criminally negligent, especially as it already has much of the needed data. This report should be followed by speedy distribution of funds to appropriate LGBT organizations. An analysis of possible loss of federal funds to LGBT health and other programs would be wise. See this astounding report that DC has returned $140million in unspent housing money on just 1 of 5 HUD programs over decades. [http://gleeaikin.blogspot.com/2015/11/dc-government-fails-to-use-millions-of.html] The fact that in 2014 our DC residents and businesses paid $26.4billion in federal taxes highlights this need for monitoring. If elected I would like to support volunteers and part time paid personnel to examine waste and non-use of all our granted and available federal funds.
How much money has the DC government received from the federal government and failed to spend on LGBT related mental health and substance abuse treatment (question 3); marginalized LGBT workers (question 6); upgrading quality of police, fire and EMS services (questions 4, 6, and 7); or services and treatment for LGBT homeless youth, transgenders, seniors, and terminally ill (questions 5 and 8)? If the housing issue linked above is any example, it must be substantial.
3. Will you support budgets that target funds to address LGBT health disparities, including in mental health and substance abuse treatment, and mandate data collection on this population across all programs?
YES.
Our DC government spends entirely too much money supporting rich sports franchise owners and high end developers, including some who have never even engaged in competitive bidding. Given the higher levels of stress and disapproval experienced by LGBT children growing up, it is not surprising that they have a higher than average level of PTSD and suicides. Back in the 1980's I remember a study showing 30% of gay men reported less safe sex practice now that HIV/AIDS was a known fatal health issue. This figure correlated well with other forms of slow suicide like drug abuse and alcoholism. Money and efforts spent to treat the underlying PTSD will bear dividends in lower costs for mental and physical health care. Newer coverage through Obamacare and trans-inclusive coverage should be a big help.
The Council should be alert to funding and laws needed to adequately support HIV testing and linkage to care, as well as appropriate use of PrEP and PEP. It was ultimately proven that government paid monitoring was needed to insure consistent follow-up treatment of Tuberculosis. This Bulletin from the World Health Organization [http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/85/5/06-038927/en/] outlines the kinds of steps useful for stopping the spread of TB, and could contain useful advice for monitoring PrEP usage and other issues covered at HAHSTA.
Without proper collection and dissemination of health related statistics, it is hard to properly and effectively allocate resources both human and monetary, and for the Council to make correct decisions on the legislative aspect of these allocations. As more and more elderly become widowed or divorced, they become especially vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and other STDs that were not an issue when happily mated to a spouse. For elderly these chronic illnesses become especially costly given their frailty.
4. Will you support separating Emergency Medical Services from the Fire Department?
YES.
It makes sense to separate these functions. Effective EMS personnel do not need training in firefighting. Some people with chronic conditions need repeated EMS assistance over time. There should be a readily available data base and communication procedure so that appropriate assistance is sent to people who should be listed in a rapid help evaluation system. There is no need to send a hook and ladder truck where it is known that a repeat illness victim is not morbidly obese and lives on the 1st or 2nd floor. Information on a preferred hospital would be good where the victim is unconscious. DC schools should do more in the way of vocationally oriented education to prepare young people for such jobs as EMS and Firefighting. My son was in ROTC for 3 years, and the discipline there encouraged him to look at possible work as a firefighter. More can definitely be done to enhance public education to help our young people explore career options in health and public safety. My son's ROTC training enabled him to enlist as a better paid Private 1st Class, rather than Private 3rd Class.
JUDICIARY - 5. Will you support and press for passage of Bill 21-38, the Death with Dignity Act?
YES with questions.
I have read the complete bill and also the criticisms. First, some of my concerns are based on caring for my mother slowly dying at my home of congestive heart failure, and my husband of 44 years slowly dying at home of Alzheimer's. Fortunately, neither was experiencing extreme pain or suffering as some might when dying of cancer and other illnesses. I read the provision requiring a written request. If my husband had been dying of both Alzheimer's and painful cancer, he would have been unable to write a request in any form even 2 years before he died. There is no mention of the prescribing physician being required to be present when this written request is made, so I wonder what protects the dying from predatory or impatient relatives and caretakers.
When my husband was 4 months from death I went to see the VA doctors about his advanced directive for NO heroic measures to sustain life (tube or intravenous feeding, ventilator, etc.). Two VA doctors examined him and asked about the advanced directives. He was unable to answer them so I repeated the questions in simplified terms. He answered with an emphatic NO!!! When I followed their instruction to ask again, he again answered NO emphatically. When he was on his death bed, my son and I were able to call them and received appropriate specific instructions about feeding or not feeding. I think refinement could be made in language regarding witnessing some steps of the process that would safeguard the mentally vulnerable from coercive actions by family, doctors or institutions. My husband died at home with visits from a hospice nurse. The funeral parlor put that he had died in a hospice on the Death Certificate. I reported this to Medicare as a possible case of fraud.
Thus, while I generally favor this bill, I think there are some ways in which it could be improved. I would hope to bring my very hard won experience to perfecting this measure for all who might need it. However, I do not believe that search for the perfect should be the enemy of the good. Councilmember Alexander should move forward to obtain additional public input on ways in which this bill satisfies the needs of the dying and caregivers, or ways in which it could be improved.
As a separate but related piece of legislation, I would like to see an expansion of the DC D-40 individual income tax provision for Exemptions. It allows (2015 tax year) a $1775 exemption for a blind person. I would like to see the same exemption for any person medically certified as handicapped as much as a blind person. In the last 2 years of life my husband needed much more care and supervision than a blind person. A person in the 15% tax bracket would save $266.25 in tax payment, and in the 25% tax bracket save $443.75. Such a saving might permit an exhausted family caregiver to hire a non-family caregiver and occasionally go out alone to a movie or do necessary shopping.
6. Will you press for the District to provide “Jobs Not Jails” by developing alternatives to incarceration for marginalized citizens who resort to sex work for survival?
YES.
Incarcerating adults (16 in DC with an age gap provision) for any agreed upon activity with a consenting adult is stupid and wasteful. However, we must make it easier for young adults to learn and find work that does not force them into making unwanted decisions in order to survive. The failure I referred to in Question #2, of DC to spend government money to build much needed low-cost housing must be stopped. It even seems as thought there is collaboration among most of our leaders to make it almost impossible for lower and lower middle income people to find low-cost or affordable housing.
Prevention of bullying and fighting in our schools is essential. The Council will need to be alert to effective implementation of the Safe School Certification Program due to begin in the 2016-17 school year. In addition to encouraging this implementation the Council should also determine that the $3.8million grant from the National Institute off Justice is being spent effectively. I am not aware that bathrooms are a transgender school problem in DC, but am sympathetic to the issue.
During the fight to keep the IFF Report from closing schools in our poorer neighborhoods, I thought it might be good to use one or more of those schools as a low cost dormitory for youth under 22 years. It/they could have “dorm advisers” who were graduate students of Sociology, Psychology, Public Health and similar disciplines receive free room and board and a stipend to supervise these dwellings. Included could be a cafeteria and laundry where the young residents would work part time and receive training and rental credit. In addition there should be counseling and other treatment and adult health education made available. This is just one example of kinds of creative alternatives to incarceration or street living for our marginalized citizens I have imagined. I would work to implement others as well.
7. Will you support and press for passage of a reintroduced Bill 20-63, the Police Monitoring Enhancement Amendment Act, to give the Office of Police Complaints unfettered access to information and supporting documentation of the covered law enforcement agencies?
YES.
The Bill 20-63, Police Monitoring Enhancement Amendment Act, formerly introduced by Tommy Wells needs to be reintroduced. Apparently earlier language requiring “unfettered” access of the Office of Police Complaints (OPC) to information and documents had been converted to the vague term “reasonable” access. The stronger term “unfettered” should replace “reasonable” in a newly introduced bill.
I have several questions which depending on the answers might require legislation and/or funding. Have the OPC and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) ever adopted the Police Complaints Board's recommendation that OPC and MPD together establish a joint monitoring system for allegations of inadequate police response to reported hate crimes? Has OPC been better able to determine the number of hate crime related complaints referred to MPD? Does OPC now have access to complaints filed with MPD's Internal Affairs bureau? Is there now a “rapid response” protocol for handling routine, customer service oriented complaints? Given the potential fear of reprisal felt by members of the LGBT community, does OPC now have the capacity to look at MPD performance and responses to LGBTQ complaints even for just a small number of them? In recent years I have noticed a definite increase in reports of harmful treatment of Transgender people. Has the review of complaints regarding demonstrations of police bias toward people of color been expanded to include LGBTs and especially Transgenders?
8. Will you support improved services and treatment for LGBT homeless youth and seniors, including transitional housing?
YES.
Since a significant minority of LGBT youth are rejected by their families and made miserable in school, homelessness is a serious issue for them. For the elderly, loss of a partner and shared economy, or inability to work because of age and illness are some causes of homelessness. In addition LGBT youth are at higher risk of suicide, and isolated seniors are probably also at higher risk. Thus, both these LGBT populations need more specialized counseling, education on health and sexuality, and assistance with housing needs. The fact the DC government seems to have no interest in providing low cost housing hasn't helped. The fact that anyone wishing to rent out a room or two needs a Basic Business License doesn't help. See answer at Question #9.
Here again you have these particular vulnerable populations serving as the “canary in the coal mine.” Given the overall failure of the city to promote low cost housing, and basic employment education for much of the population, it becomes especially noticeable among young and elderly LGBTs. In addition to working specifically to help vulnerable LGBT populations, it is important for GLAA to work closely with other groups engaged in the good fight against greedy and indifferent developers and the politicians they support.
For example, how can support services for needy populations be paid for when the city plans to spend $3billion tearing up the streets and putting ALL electric lines underground? Where homes are far apart it is cheaper and quicker to repair above ground cable breaks, and pay arborists and tree trimmers to keep dangerous branches cut beforehand. Why should over $60million be allocated this year to destroy over 20 acres of historic water filtration caverns at McMillan Park when this space could be used for STEM education and projects growing hydroponic food and fish to feed the poor and teach useful skills? Has all the money spent on the H Street light rail system been a total waste? The common element here is that in each case developers and contractors will earn heaps of money, often at inflated rates, and only they and upper income residents will benefit. I am told that NO housing developer has ever been sued by the city for failing to include the promised lower cost units that were negotiated and agreed to before permits were issued.
One result is that although the Tax Revision Commission agreed with my 11 year effort to restore the parity D-40 Deductions and Exemptions rates had with IRS 1040 rates in 1973 when we gained home rule, the Council approved scheduling this restoration of justice over SIX years. Thus, it will be 2020 before the full $85million a year will flow back into our pockets and out to our local businesses. For this April's 2015 taxes, a young single could deduct $6,975 on the D-40, but $10,300 on the 1040. An elderly single could deduct $8,750 on the D-40, and $11,850 with the IRS 1040. Somewhat better savings were given in 2015 than in 2014, but see [http://gleeaikin.blogspot.com/2014/10/in-2019-dccouncil-approval-of-2-tax.html] for a more detailed view of previous figures.
CONSUMERS AND BUSINESSES - 9. Will you defend the right of adults in the District to choose adult-oriented entertainment for themselves, and the right of appropriately licensed and zoned businesses to provide it?
YES.
Adult-oriented entertainment and business are part of our “life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.” When young and exploring the hidden world of sexuality, I read some gay porn. I believe my husband of 44 years benefited from some of the knowledge gained. There was also a period in the 1980s when my husband was away a lot and the children almost grown that I visited a number of gay oriented clubs including Ziegfeld's, Tracks and Lost and Found near S. Capitol. Living near DuPont Circle, I more often went to Friends, the Fireplace and Rascals, including to their 3rd floor, and others. I remember how the S. Capitol clubs were displaced by the subsidized ballfield, and wondered why it was fair to pay off one business at the expense of another.
If I should be on the Council while businesses are being displaced by the Buzzard Point soccer stadium, I would certainly work to persuade other Councilmembers to pass fair legislation. As an increasingly popular city for tourism and late night entertainment, we should not allow prudes to dictate the legal and properly regulated pleasures of others. The legitimate desire of people to gather in appropriate public settings to socialize and use marijuana also needs fair and practical action.
Two other measures I would pursue if elected would be to make it easier for young, elderly, and small entrepreneurs to begin a micro-business. Even something as simple as a lemonade stand can bring grief [http://www.copblock.org/7170/lemonade/]. All non service businesses in DC require a Basic Business License. If one owes the city a traffic fine, back taxes or other monies above $100 it is impossible to get the BBL. A waiver should be provided for payments that are in adjudication or negotiation. An elderly friend with 5 joint replacements needed a BBL for an agent to rent out her apartment for 6 months. The number of hours and places she had to visit to achieve obtaining the BBL were physically painful and exhausting. Therefore I would recommend not requiring a BBL until one year after grossing $250,000. Instead the prospective entrepreneur should take a ½ day course on how to file DC business (D-30) and income (D-40) taxes and the federal business taxes they are based on.
This brings me to the second issue—the D-30 Unincorporated Franchise Tax. In 1986 it was determined that any business grossing over $12,000 should pay a minimum $100 fee and taxes for profits above that. Recently, the $100 minimum was raised to $250, but the $12,000 gross income was not adjusted for inflation which should bring it up to between $25 and $30,000. In addition if all earnings are DC based then there is no need to have the long, complicated, poorly explained D-30 form filled out. One should merely have to submit the IRS 1040 Schedule C for general business, or the Schedule E for rental income, along with the first 2 pages of the D-30.
Related Personal Actions and Experience - Your record is part of your rating. Please list any actions that you have taken that may help illustrate your record on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people.
In the past four years I have made a point of forwarding articles about GLBT issues and human interest to appropriate members of the GLBT political and journalistic community. A number of years ago I made a presentation at Whitman-Walker on new highly effective methods of dealing with emotional/PTSD/abuse issues (which I used for 10 years seeing clients about such issues). When my husband died from Alzheimer's, I gave all his adult diapers to Joseph's House. I would be happy to speak with a GLBT group about home care of the dying, and planning an at-home death. I personally observed a number of people in the early 1980's experiencing the problems of living as a GLBT person. My husband was seldom around and my sons were mostly off with their friends, so I started going to the bars on P St. near my DuPont Circle home. I especially liked the piano bars at Friends and the Fireplace. As a fun but maternal figure a number of young gay people became my friends and long term acquaintances. They would tell me their troubles and ask for advise. I was answering so many questions about nutrition and health that I wrote and printed a 20 page pamphlet titled “PROTECT YOUR HEALTH THROUGH BETTER DIET (from AIDS and other diseases).” I distributed free copies to anyone who asked.
I will outline some of these people's stories. They have mostly all died, so I don't think I will be breaking confidences. However several followed my advice about careful sex and super-nutrition and were still healthy and alive ten years after HIV first appeared in DC.
A) A man in his 30's who had suffered severe sexual abuse by his brother and was neglected by his alcoholic mother. He developed AIDS and gradually went blind. He called me one day in panic, “I can't see anything, it's all black.” He lived with an abusive lover who didn't believe he was blind and left obstacles for him to trip over, and even refused to let him get a guide dog. I begged him to let me find a better placement for him, but he refused. They both died a year or two later.
B) A 17 year old, emancipated as a 15 year old minor to flee the abusive foster home system. He lived with an older gay man who died of AIDS. We did some renovation work together, I taught him some some skills, and he developed his artistic talent and started a business. He succeeded in creating a good life for himself, including providing my son a job and mentorship, but died at 50 from Hepatitis C caught in those early years.
C) An artistically and dramatically talented young man who was reasonably successful as a drag performer. I gave him a free place to live in my home for several months. He had been severely abused physically and emotionally by his alcoholic single mother. Subsequently he was raped by an HIV positive “friend”. He probably became HIV positive (he had practiced protected sex in the ordinary course), and ODed either accidentally or on purpose a year or two later.
D) A man in his 30s who was into leather daddies who beat and bruised his butt so badly I warned him he was in danger of dying from a lung embolism. He started coming to a free self-help therapeutic group I had organized. In a major breakthrough he realized the origin of his behavior in his relationship with his distant father who passed off discipline of this son onto his overwhelmed wife. After this he no longer engaged in abusive sex, and had several relationships before he died of AIDS a few years later.
E) A man in his 30s who had been abused by both his upper middle class parents. When we first met his T-4 level was around 400 and he could only walk a few blocks before exhaustion struck. He was also a cocaine addict. His father arranged for me to monitor a stipend for his rent and food. We went shopping and sometimes cooked together. I set him up with an array of supplements. After 4 months his T-4s were 1100, and we could walk 11 blocks without suffering fatigue. Two years later his father stopped the stipend and he moved home. He misplaced his supplements in packing, his parents restimulated feelings from his childhood abuse, and a lover dumped him. He died 3 months later.
I could provide at least a half dozen other stories, but the point is, I have heard the tragic early histories and watched the successes and failures of a number of GLBT people over time and helped where I could. I will continue to do so whether elected or not.
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DC for Democracy Questionnaire - For 2016 General Election Council Position Sought: At Large Candidate Name: G. Lee Aikin (DC Statehood Green Party)
1. Bills now before the DC Council are intended to reduce the influence of big money donors through several approaches:
● banning corporate campaign contributions,
● keeping donors who make very large contributions from getting government contracts and special tax breaks, and
● providing for public financing of political campaigns through a system that matches small donations, similar to what it used in New York City.
Where do you stand on each of these approaches?
a. The amount allowed for all contributions needs to be seriously reduced, and those from corporations need to be clearly identified. Voting in Council to do this and speaking out for our people to support the Move to Amend is something I will do whenever appropriate. Corporations are not people, and money is not speech.
b. If (a) is done there won't be any very large contributions, open bidding on government contracts should be allowed by all, but special tax breaks like the East Banc deal at 22nd and L Sts. should never be allowed, nor should the NO-BID contract and $1million annual subsidy to destroy McMillan Park be permitted. Contributions by bidders should be clearly identifiable to all, and the Independent Auditor should remain so.
c. I would certainly want to know a lot more about the New York City matching donations program, as well as others that have been tried. How effective have they been, have people discovered ways to game these system, and how does the general voting population feel about them and their fairness?
2. The DC Council recently passed a law to gradually raise the DC minimum wage to $15 by 2020. However, they failed to eliminate the difference between the tipped minimum wage, as called for by the ballot initiative that prompted the law. What is your position on the tipped minimum wage?
For many years the minimum wage has been ridiculously low. Efforts are finally succeeding in raising it closer to the level it should have been if increased often to reflect inflation. The tipped minimum wage has also been very low for a long time, and should be raised in fair proportion to it's relationship with the minimum wage increase.
Frankly I also think there should be a maximum wage law. For example 35 or more years ago the ratio between top CEO pay and low level worker pay in their companies was about 40 to 1. Now it can be as much as 1,000 to 1 and is often 400 to 1. Fifteen dollars x 40 hrs. per week x 52 weeks = $31,200. That wage times 40 = $1,248,000. So let's round that out to $1,250,000 and say that any business that pays their executives more than that cannot deduct the excess salary from their corporate income taxes. This is a complex idea, but that is an example to start us thinking about ways to curb the corporate excess which among other things is robbing Social Security. See: http://gleeaikin.blogspot.com/2012/10/saving-social-security-wage-cap.html. Read how corporate wage inflation has destroyed the 90% wage cap that both parties agreed to in 1983, and is now threatening the future of SS benefit payments.
3. Child care on average costs $21,000 a year for families. What would you do to ensure access for all families? Do you support universal child care?
A few years ago the Walmart funded IFF Report said we should close or repurpose over 40 “underutilized” DC schools, the majority located in Wards 7 and 8. DC government should use some of that excess space to house low or no cost childcare programs. Among the developed countries, only in Switzerland is the cost of childcare a greater percentage of family income, a figure which should shame our country into doing better. For this and other important social programs a slight increase in upper level income taxes would help. California's top rate is 13%. DC's is 8.25%
4. In recent years, DC has lost tens of thousands of units of affordable housing. Over the next few years, we are projected to lose thousands more. How many of these units should the DC government replace or preserve? What steps do you propose to replace and preserve that many units?
The poison of all big development, expensive housing, and gentrification is driving all low and moderate income workers to MD and VA. Our Metro woes show how dangerous Council actions are to continue that trend. Soon few firemen, teachers, police, hotel restaurant, or hospital workers will be available in any emergency.
All builders of big housing should be required to supply a mix of low, moderate, and market rate units to allow workers of all types to live and work near home. Mark-ups of 20% on contracts must stop. DC workers were recently fired for granting a $6million contract to a distant bidder, rather than a $13million bid by a local contractor whose f ormer executive is now on our Council. We should continue to reward low bids, even if the bidder is out-of-area, until local bidders learn honesty and make competitive bids.
Our Mayor recently proposed a high priced plan for housing the homeless that rewarded campaign contributors. Immediate negative reaction has forced finding some less expensive alternatives, but more should be found. Low income renters are rightfully hostile at being kicked out before promised housing is built. The Williams administration's New Communities program involving Barry Farms, Park Morton, Northwest One and Lincoln Heights failed to meet it's objectives. What was planned and built is ¼ market rate, ½ moderate income, and only ¼ low income (less than 400 units). There are 70,000 on waiting lists. For one of my low cost housing ideas see: http://gleeaikin.blogspot.com/2014/10/can-creative-use-of-shipping-containers.html
Other fixes include: 1) Stop raising property taxes 10% and more on unimproved homes because some neighbors renovated. 2) Eliminate BBL for owners renting a few units and simplify the D-30 for small owner rentals. 3) Change the one-month Vacant Property law to the one year VP used in nearby counties. This has caused panic selling, by people who are ill or heirs at the worst time of their life, to real estate speculators (who then sit on the building waiting for the market to go up).
5. What actions would you take to enhance public safety and reduce violent crime while reforming racialized policing that unfairly targets people of color?
Violent behavior begins early. Danes and Germans react very differently when children fight on playgrounds. Danish methods could be taught to our parents. We need to hire a new police chief who does not repeat past mistakes and can negotiate effectively with police representatives. Making police sit in cars at high visibility static posts frustrates good officers who want to patrol, hunting for crime and other trouble. Do we need a special unit for rampant auto theft?
Regarding recent police killings of people with mental or drug problems, more training to deal with mental illness and intoxication is needed. Perhaps a new Mental Health Unit, like Special Victims, should exist to provide better negotiation and unrushed empathic handling on scene. Police are upset with one small pay raise in 7 years. Long term officers leave early because pensions are based on 3 best earning years. This is not 2008, we can pay more. DC jail could use more funding for counseling, education and treatment of illness and mental health.
6. Good government requires checks and balances between the Council and the Mayor. Which policies do you support that are different from Mayor Bowser’s policies? Please be as specific as possible.
The Mayor's Statehood/Constitution effort is a real danger to checks and balances. The current document still limits future Delegates to a smaller number than approved and voted in 1982. It is harder for special interests to influence a larger number than a few Delegates. Her Constitution eliminates the 2 Council member set-aside for nonmajority party candidates like Statehood Greens, Republicans, Libertarians or Independents, further limiting independent thought and votes on the Council. Putting the Independent Auditor and Chief Finance Officer, as well as the Attorney General under direct control of the Governor is very dangerous. The Auditor, who questioned the NO-BID contract allowing one contractor to plan destruction of our last big parkland, McMillan, is an example. The recent firing of workers for approving a much lower bid to an out of area contractor rather than a well connected local one is another example.
The Mayor has added a provision to the Constitution to not allow a true Constitutional Convention for at least 5 years after statehood. Does the Council have the courage to oppose the Mayors dictatorial moves which many testifiers brought to the Councils's attention? [The Council in fact did vote to call for a Constitutional Convention within 2 years of achieving Statehood.] These moves include her creating a committee of 5, with the Council Chairman on it, to write/approve this Constitution when this was not in their job descriptions when we elected them. Holding 3 days of Constitutional Convention, which in fact were merely hearings with people allowed 3 minutes to testify, with no one elected as a Delegate to actually write or vote was a total denial of the 1982 Constitution process. Then elected Delegates worked and wrote a document DC voted to approve in Nov. 1982.
Now they want our YES vote for Statehood Nov. 8. This vote contains the POISON PILL of an undated Constitution that is dangerous and anti-democratic. Vote NO if the Council fails to correct and date the Mayor's dictatorial Constitution before you vote. [The Statehood Green Party will meet on Nov. 3rd to decide if the Council's changes merit a YES vote on Nov. 8th. I am inclined to accept the Council's recent changes and vote YES, but want my party's guidance.]
7. The New Columbia Statehood Commission has proposed a Statehood Initiative that calls for an Advisory Referendum that includes approval of a new Constitution and boundaries to be adopted by the DC Council. If you had designed the Statehood Initiative, would it be different in any way, and if so, how?
Many of the problems with the Mayor's proposed Statehood Initiative are described above in question 6., but here is how I would have done it differently.
With voter input, I would have prepared an Advisory Referendum for voting on Nov. 8, through the regular Initiative process with many thousands of petition signatures by DC Voters. There would have been 3 separately voted sub-items on the ballot. The Initiative would have included a stand alone vote for Statehood. There also would have been a separate call for a Constitutional Convention, like 1982, beginning a date early in 2017 with a date for completion. A separate vote for a manner of electing Constitutional Convention delegates and the number of delegates would have been included. No actions influencing the time and content of the Constitution should be made by the current Council which still has two lame duck members. [Who did, if fact, vote for the improvements in language.] The repudiation of 3 of the Mayor's supporters in the Primary elections makes current Council actions regarding our future Constitution highly inappropriate.
Detailed articles related to some of the issues above can be found on my blog: gleeaikin.blogspot.com. Click INDEX under my photos for a complete list of over 70 articles which I write in detail and update where appropriate.
*Campaign expenses paid for ELECT G. LEE AIKIN, campaign committee, 1754 Swann St., NW, Washington, DC 20009. A copy of our report is filed with the Dir. of Campaign Finance, DC Bd. of Elections.
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