Today's guest post is written by Ward 8 Council Candidate Jacque Patterson, Sr. To learn more about Jacque visit his campaign website. If you are so inspired you can make a much needed donation to his campaign HERE. You don't have to be a democrat or Ward 8 resident to be a Ward 8 supporter. 

Given the opportunity to be a guest blogger on Congress Heights on the Rise grants me a rare opportunity to turn the table from being the interviewee as a candidate for public office to becoming an interviewer of the residents of Ward 8.  And I think I’ll be a pretty easy interviewer, as I only have one question for Ward 8 Democratic voters, “ What are you looking for in your next Ward 8 Councilmember?”

I thought about that one question long and hard because it’s the same question I asked myself before I decided to run for the Ward 8 Council seat  in the April 3 ^rd Primary Election.  Because at the end of the day, I’m not only a candidate, I’m a resident, a neighbor and a voter in the Ward we share. My future is tied to your future. 

When I look at it from the perspective of being part of something bigger than being an individual candidate, I see the community first and my candidacy second.

When I think about answering the question I’m asking you, since I am part of your community too, I start to answer it by saying I want a candidate who has shown they possess the professional skills to be an effective councilmember.  We all know Ward 8 has been fed more rhetoric than results for years now.  I would vote for a candidate who has a similar public service record as my own, which includes bringing the KIPP Public Charter School Campus to the Hillsdale neighborhood, the Higher Achievement After-School program to Anacostia, the experience of playing a role in every affordable housing development project currently under construction in our Ward, and has actually helped residents who are suffering under the current economic recession by saving their homes from foreclosure.  A candidate without a list of accomplishments couldn’t win my vote.

I’d like my next councilmember to show that they could bring consensus amongst the various views and visions of the Ward.  Lord knows, if there is one thing we do well as a community, it’s disagree on just about everything.  But if a candidate hasn’t proven by holding leadership positions in the past that they can execute a vision, how are they going to be able to do it as a councilmember?  If a candidate hasn’t been effective in running their respective Advisory Neighborhood Commission or winning a leadership position, is he/she realistically ready to tangle with seasoned elected councilmembers currently exploiting the ineffectiveness of our current councilmember?  To get my vote, I want you to have not only been an ANC, I would want you to have been as productive as I was as chair of ANC 8B. During my tenure, we brought the Andrews Federal Credit Union to the corner of Alabama and Stanton Road SE; we worked hand in glove with the developers of the Giant/IHOP Development and THEARC facility.  Instead of spending money on cell phones and other personal items, we gave out more grants to worthy non-profits than has been given in the Ward by any other ANC.  It’s easy to show up, hype up residents concerned about a community issue through grandstanding public relations tactics, but how are you going to change the situation?  Answer that question first, before I cast a ballot for you.

I’d like my next councilmember to understand how crafting public policy works.  I doubt that any of us would allow a doctor to operate on us if that doctor had not graduated from medical school.  So why expect less of a councilmember, who is equally tasked with life or death decisions when it comes to the future of our Ward, as they attempt to properly perform oversight of major government operations.  How underserved have we been in the past by candidates and elected officials who, although well intended and passionate about community concerns, were ineffective?  I’d expect my next councilmember to have a degree in public administration, possibly be a certified public manager and having attended a Senior Executives in Local and State Government program at JFK School of Government at Harvard would set that candidate head and shoulders above candidates who lack professional training in public service.  Those are exactly the educational programs I took in preparation for a career in public service.  I knew public service was not something I could one day wake up with an epiphany and desire to be an elected official, but something I’d have to train for with the same seriousness of a person wanting to become a surgeon. 

And is it asking too much for a candidate to conduct him/herself in a manner that improves the image of Ward 8.   Not saying  the candidate has to be perfect, but could they include in their formal responsibilities of Councilmember, the unspoken expectation of  role model to what we’d want our children to aspire to be. Ethical behavior, service before self, integrity, moral character.  I’d like the candidate to at least strive to embody these personal characteristics, even as I acknowledge in my own efforts as a husband, father and civic advocate, I’ve made mistakes.

Lastly, but most importantly, as a resident of Ward 8, I’m looking for a candidate with a plan to transform the quality of life in our Ward.  While there is no way any one plan could encompass everything that ever yone wants, it does have to touch on some of the most pressing issues confronting our communities.  Each of the other candidates are great people in their own right.  I take nothing away from their desire to serve Ward 8, but I have to be honest as a voter and question their readiness to serve in the highest elected office of our Ward.  I found it very difficult to see in any one candidate, the qualities I listed above.  That’s why I asked the very same question I asked you at the top of the blog,  of myself , “What are you looking for in your next Ward 8 Councilmember?”  And being unable to confidently cast a vote for the incumbent or the other candidates, decided to run for the office myself.  Our community concerns are too important to continue on the same course or to allow unqualified candidates to win office.

As I change back from being a blogger to a candidate, I’d like to leave you with my “8for8” platform.  

Patterson “8for8” Platform

1. Lowering Unemployment                                                              5. Strengthening Families 

2. Generating Economic Development                                      6. Addressing Seniors/Elders Concerns

3. Advocating for Education Reform                                             7. Improving Public Transportation

 4. Alleviating Public Safety Concerns                                         8. Developing Affordable Housing

Since the Advoc8te has been more than accommodating with space, I won’t go into each one here, but will ask you to go to my web site www.pattersonforward8.com to read more about the details to change the way of life in Ward 8.  Thank you for opportunity to use this venue to serve our Ward!