Why Mayor Fenty on September 14th

Nearly four years ago Mayor Fenty was handed the keys to the Wilson building, and the responsibilities of the District’s executive. He was elected on the promise that he would bring change to the District by creating a place where parents would want to send their children to school, where residents would feel safe and where government would be accountable to the people.

On these three important promises, his record is clear. He delivered. How often do you get to say that in politics? Mayor Fenty’s strong leadership needs to continue in the District for the next four years.

Washington, D.C. was the murder capital of the world in the 90’s. After four years of Mayor Fenty’s leadership, we have decreased crime by unprecedented levels, and we are on pace to decrease last year’s 43 year low in homicides by another 15 percent!

Math and reading scores are increasing in our public schools by historical margins, libraries are popping up or being improved all over the District, more students have competent teachers and President Obama just chose our public schools as one of the few “Race to the Top” jurisdictions in the country, granting the city $75 million for our leadership in education reform.

Under Mayor Fenty, each District agency has been required to publicly post a performance plan and a performance accountability report every fiscal year. This plan and the subsequent report provide demonstrable results on how District agencies are performing in providing services and support to District residents. District agencies are held accountable for their progress in achieving results and, consequently, residents have seen dramatic improvement across District government over the past four years.

Today, however, after unprecedented and undeniable results in a very challenging time, Mayor Fenty trails his Democratic Primary challenger Vincent Gray in the polls. He has transformed the city and accomplished results, but he has done so without appeasing the “interest groups” (where I come from, these “interest groups” are called “lobbyists”).

Because of this, he has been labeled arrogant and interest groups have refused to endorse his re-election because he would not meet with them to let them set policy. Others have called him insensitive when he trimmed budgets and made the hard decisions he was elected to make about how best to provide services for all District residents. And when he takes decisive action to make common sense decisions instead of spending two years on a commission to get to obvious answers, he is called secretive, irresponsible and out of touch.

In essence, he has done everything we demand of our elected officials except act like a politician. With Mayor Fenty, we have exactly what we ask for – an honest, smart, efficient and effective leader that makes decisions he knows to be right, even if they are unpopular.

The most perplexing issue regarding Gray’s popularity is that he has not disagreed with Mayor Fenty on one substantive policy issue. He merely wants to talk longer and act slower. He wants to give more opportunity for “interest groups” to influence policy. In short, he wants to slow down our progress. I don’t know about you, but I like progress – particularly when it can be done efficiently, effectively and responsibly, which is exactly how it has been done under Mayor Fenty.

Mayor Fenty has turned the corner on the dark days of corruption under Marian Barry, a strong, vocal and consistent supporter of Gray. To be fair, Gray is no Marian Barry, but he is also not the hard-charging, quick-thinking executive we need. Given the challenges the District will continue to face over the next four years, we need a leader that will act in the best interest of all District residents at the risk of upsetting some “interests groups.”

The last four years Mayor Fenty has responded to both well-established and unforeseen challenges, and the next four years promise to bring the same. We need a leader we know can rise to the challenge, lead our District, and continue to move us forward. Most importantly, we need a leader who is willing to make hard choices at the risk of being seen as unpopular.

Care about where you live. Demand results. Reward tough choices and stand against the status quo. Vote for Mayor Fenty on September 14th, because results matter and Fenty has delivered.