Get to know Brandon Todd, candidate for Ward 4 Council
/Petworth News interviewed the three Democratic candidates for Ward 4 Council, and is presenting their answers to a questionnaire here and a follow-up separate interview. All content below is supplied by the candidate. Each section was limited to a 200 word response. Reminder that Petworth News does not endorse in any election.
(Photo courtesy Todd campaign)
Candidate Name: Brandon Todd
Where do you live? #Ward4Proud…#PetworthProud!
How long have you lived in Ward 4? 24 years.
What is your current profession? DC Councilmember representing Ward 4, the best ward in the District.
Website: brandontodd2020.com
Facebook Page: facebook.com/BrandonTodd4Ward4
Twitter: @brandonttodd
Provide your campaign platform: Why are you running, what do you stand for?
I’ve committed my career in public service to ensuring that Ward 4 has affordable safe neighborhoods, world-class educational facilities & programs, vibrant & equitable economic empowerment and unparalleled senior services and care.
I’m honored that Ward 4 residents know that they can call me at any hour to ensure that their families’ housing, safety, educational, health and employment priorities are addressed efficiently, effectively and quickly by their District government.
So far this has meant:
2,000+ affordable units either built or in the pipeline
$100 million annual Housing Production Trust Fund
120 new small businesses
$1M+ in Main Streets Programs for Ward 4 small enterprises
$300M+ in school modernizations
20% crime reduction
Provide an overview of your professional and/or personal background and experience, including volunteer work, activism, and what you have done to help residents that qualifies you as a great choice for Ward 4 Council.
A third-generation Washingtonian, I was inspired by two loving, tenacious women: An entrepreneurial mother who ran a small business, and my grandmother, whose background in higher education instilled in me a commitment to lifelong public service.
I have served Ward 4 for more than a decade seeing it from a Council staffer perspective and, past Chairman of the Ward 4 Democrats, learning each neighborhood’s unique priorities and concerns. For the past five years,as a Councilmember, I’ve been a staunch advocate for affordable housing, education reform, safe neighborhoods and protecting seniors.
A deep understanding of Council procedure and strong relationships with my colleagues and the Mayor allows me to navigate the process to get things done for Ward 4. I chair the Committee on Government Operations and serve on the Health, Human Services, Transportation & the Environment and Youth and Recreation Affairs committees. I am also proud of my regional leadership roles as Chair of the Large Cities Council of the National League of Cities and Chair of the Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee where I advocate DC priorities, as well as a board member of the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB).
What are your Legislative Priorities as a Councilmember? What do you want to achieve that makes you a better candidate?
Affordable housing is a fundamental, non-negotiable priority. Passing laws that guarantee a solid roof over every Ward 4 resident’s head is a gateway to broader social justice. That’s why my legislative priorities also emphasize standing up for traditionally marginalized communities, on issues like:
Defending domestic workers
Strengthening women’s reproductive health
Public worker equity
Protecting consumers from identity theft
Promoting health literacy
Preventing elder abuse
Over more than a decade as Councilmember and staffer, I’ve ensured that my neighbors get the service and resources they’ve earned. Especially during this public health emergency, my experience and understanding of government and relationship building couldn’t be more critical. It’s paramount that Ward 4 have strong proven representation as we unite during one of the most turbulent moments of our generation and beloved city.
(Image courtesy Todd campaign)
Share your position on Education issues in Ward 4. How can we ensure local schools, from elementary to high school, get the funding and support they need to encourage local residents to send their children to local schools?
Today’s world is increasingly interdependent and we must prepare our students to be globally competent citizens. Education is one of the most important investments we can make for our future. Since being elected in 2015, I have prioritized efforts to address educational equity and close the education gap. In my first four years, we opened two brand new, stand-alone middle schools, when none existed in the ward. We shepherded six schools through full modernizations, moving West Elementary’s planning up by one year and ensuring that every Ward 4 school was included in the capital improvement plan.
We have introduced legislation to:
Develop a roadmap to triple the number dual language seats in DC schools by 2025:
Establish a dyslexia & reading disability screening and intervention program
Secure $12.5 million for the “Keep Childcare Affordable Tax Credit”
Create an Adverse Childhood Experiences Prevention Program
Establish Social Emotional Learning Task Force
Share your position on Transportation issues in Ward 4. How can we ensure non-automobile options are expanded, such as bike lanes, safer pedestrian crossings, etc?
Key to achieving my top priority of affordable housing is ensuring transportation options near all residents’ homes. Since day one, we’ve funded more buses and evening, weekend and holiday service for lines ward-wide, supported the expansion of bike shares in Ward 4 and explored bus-only lane infrastructure across the District.
Our “DC Circulator Equity Act” eliminates fares, expands routes, creates new routes in all eight wards and I’ve supported the effort to subsidize SmartTrip cards for WMATA.
We helped shape the Mayor’s Vision Zero Initiative to reach zero transportation fatalities/serious injuries by 2024, and are a key DDOT safety and access partner. We also supported the 20x20 campaign for 20 miles of equitable protected bike lanes by the end of 2020.
We spearheaded the District’s first-ever “Bus-to-Work Day”, signifying the District’s commitment to transportation equity and promoting the environmental benefits of public transportation for all.
Share your position on Public Safety in Ward 4, focusing on what you will do to prevent gun violence, resolve nuisance properties, prevent drug dealing and ensure the civil rights of Ward residents. Additionally, do you support bringing back VICE squads to DC and Ward 4 in specific?
First, VICE squads never left MPD, but were centralized within the department. I fully support bringing VICE squads back to the ward level because they bring a specialized level of intel to help prevent crime.
Public safety has and will continue to be a consistent focus of mine. There is nothing more important than the safety and security of Ward 4 residents. That’s why I funded additional violence interrupters, formed the Ward 4 Public Safety Task Force and the Ward 4 Advisory Committee, and introduced a bill to steepen penalties on property owners liable who neglect to abate public safety issues.
In last year’s budget, I fought hard for:
$8M in community-based grants for violence interruption
$3.5M for 4 additional ambulances and 45 additional firefighter paramedics
$3M for 70 additional police officers
$1.6M: Build pilot sites for place-based trauma informed care services
(Photo courtesy Todd campaign)
Share your position on Affordable Housing in Ward 4. What will you do to help long-time residents remain in their homes, what will you do to help new affordable construction?
Every DC resident should live in safe, affordable housing. As my neighbors’ voice on the Council, no issue is more urgent than creating affordable communities for ALL residents. Together, we’ve made great progress, but there’s more to be done to ensure Ward 4 is a place where families can afford to raise the next generation and our seniors can age with dignity.
Our track record:
Delivered 1,050 new or preserved units since 2015, with another 1,000 in the pipeline for 2021.
$100 million in annual investments to the Housing Production Trust Fund (HPTF)
Increased HPTF funds by $16 million in FY2020
Homestead Exemption Increase Amendment Act of 2019:
Increase exemption from $74,850 to $125,000
Providing $426 in benefits to every District homeowner
Won funding for:
At least 742 new affordable housing units by 2021
$140+ million to repair public housing
300+ new senior affordable housing units
Share your position on Seniors Issues / Aging in Place in Ward 4.
Ward 4 seniors hold a special place in my heart. They are the lifeblood of our communities and we owe them a debt of gratitude. My annual Ward 4 State of the Senior address is an excellent reminder of the amazing seniors that make up our communities. I remain committed to ensuring they can age in place by investing in essential resources and programs such as:
Budget and Legislative:
$2 Million increase for the Safe at Home aging in place program
Keep Housing Affordable program $5.2 million expansion to help keep seniors in homes
Expanding senior dental pilot program by $500,000
$250,000 expansion of the Hearing Aid program
Funding Senior Strategic Plan, ensuring residents are active and engaged
Introduced a bill to exempt some seniors from real property taxes, who have seen skyrocketing increases
Established a senior legal clinic at the University of the District of Columbia
What will you do to ensure bilingual communications in the Ward?
Ward 4 is one of the most diverse, boasting the largest number of Latinos, Africans and Caribbean Americans. I’m proud to have been named a “champion for multilingual education in the District” by DC immersion for our work on the “Dual Language Immersion Accelerator Amendment Act”. The measure mandates the development of a world language roadmap for District-wide multilingual education, including DCPS immersion programs in every ward.
Through my oversight over the Office of Latino Affairs, I advise the mayor on assisting limited English-proficient residents, providing grants to nonprofits serving these populations and strengthening the District’s community relations and outreach in this area.
We’ve worked with the Mayor’s office to ensure that non-English speakers are aware of all available Government services and resources and supported efforts to protect our immigrant community.
(Photo courtesy Todd campaign)
What are the top three problems that you see with the current state of DC government?
Housing distribution in the District remains inequitable. I support the mayor’s goal of achieving 36,000 units by 2025 through strategies that require the entire city and the development and business community to contribute to attaining adequate affordable housing.
As if we needed a further reminder of the inequity of the District’s statehood status, the recent federal treatment of our community as a territory, shortchanging our residents during the pandemic underscores the urgency not merely of full Congressional representation, but of statehood for the District.
We will not achieve the public safety our residents rightfully expect until we approach the issue not merely from a law enforcement perspective, but as a matter of public health, too. That’s why I fought to fully fund the Neighborhood Engagement Achieves Results (NEAR) Act, which offers alternatives to prevent at-risk youth from entering the criminal justice system.
With the COVID-19 crisis severely impacting small businesses in the Ward, what are your recommendations for support / stimulus packages, and what is your implementation plan?
The Council passed a 25 million dollars microgrant package to support the immediate needs of businesses. However, it's time to look at post-COVID recovery business needs. I've convened my Ward 4 small business advisory committee and voted to support our businesses and provide expanded Unemployment Insurance benefits. We will need to consider tax and rent relief, additional grant dollars and will need to work with DSLBD and DISB to look at loan restructuring and or forgiveness.
But our locally funded programs aren’t enough to guarantee that small businesses come back and our workers are able to survive financially until then. We need full federal funding for more programs and I will fight to make sure the District is treated like every other state for that funding.
(Photo courtesy Todd campaign)
Additional Thoughts:
There is so much at stake in this year's elections, both nationally and right here in Ward 4. The DC Board of Elections has announced that in-person voting will be dramatically limited to only three early-voting centers in Ward 4. Luckily, they have also made voting from the comfort of your own home the safest and easiest way to cast your vote this year.
Download the "Vote4DC" app wherever you get your mobile apps. This is the easiest way to request your ballot.
Visit: dcboe.org/AbsenteeBallotRequest. Print and complete the form and send it to the Board of Elections by mail, email or fax.
Call the Board of Elections (202) 727-2525.
We know that people are most likely to vote when they have a PLAN TO VOTE. Make your plan, request your ballot and vote BRANDON TODD, #1 on your ballot.
Website: brandontodd2020.com
Facebook Page: facebook.com/BrandonTodd4Ward4
Twitter: @brandonttodd
