The Politics Hour
Transcript for:
The Politics Hour MR. KOJO NNAMDI
12:06:43
From WAMU 88.5 at American University in Washington, welcome to "The Politics Hour," starring Tom Sherwood. I'm Kojo Nnamdi. Tom Sherwood is our resident analyst. He's an NBC 4 reporter and a columnist for The Current Newspapers. There's a lot to talk about today, so I took notes. Tom Sherwood got sunburned at the Nats game Sunday. Mayor Vincent Gray did jury duty Monday.
MR. KOJO NNAMDI
12:07:14
I did jury duty Tuesday. I went to the Nats game Wednesday. V.O. is not running for chair. The Nats won the series against the Rays. The Senate bill would allow Frederick Douglass statue at -- wait, V.O. is not running for chair? Tom Sherwood got sunburned at the Nats game Sunday. What's the priority there? Which is more important?
MR. TOM SHERWOOD
12:07:31
I think your video, the one that Michael Martinez and Brendan Sullivan (sic) put together, you know, sabotaged his campaign before it got off the ground.
NNAMDI
12:07:41
You think so? You think that the...
SHERWOOD
12:07:42
Although it was a pretty good video if you haven't seen it, if people haven't seen it.
NNAMDI
12:07:42
...that -- that tasteless video that we ran here last week...
SHERWOOD
12:07:46
I'm the best. I'm the best.
NNAMDI
12:07:48
I'm the best.
SHERWOOD
12:07:48
Unity, U-N-I-T-Y.
NNAMDI
12:07:51
It...
SHERWOOD
12:07:51
It was actually a very good video.
NNAMDI
12:07:52
It really was very good.
SHERWOOD
12:07:53
And that -- you know, he's got -- if he runs, he'd have to be on the ballot twice. Maybe we'll talk to our guest about it shortly. But it'd be very difficult to be on Election Day on two different ballots, one for chairman, one for at-large. It seems to be, but maybe, you know, multitasking is the way the world these days.
NNAMDI
12:08:10
Congratulations to Michael Martinez and Brendan Sweeney for putting that video together.
SHERWOOD
12:08:14
Did I say Sweeney or Sullivan?
NNAMDI
12:08:16
It -- you said Sullivan, but if...
SHERWOOD
12:08:17
Oh, he's the lawyer. We don't want to mention his name yet.
NNAMDI
12:08:19
He is somebody else's attorney.
SHERWOOD
12:08:21
Sweeney, I apologize.
NNAMDI
12:08:21
He's somebody else's attorney. If in fact, something happened and the mayor was not running for reelection, could there also be a mayoral race in November?
SHERWOOD
12:08:34
Yes. You know, there are rumors about it.
NNAMDI
12:08:34
And would that mean technically that one person could be on three ballots for...
SHERWOOD
12:08:40
Well, no, that would be a -- well, I guess, technically, yes...
NNAMDI
12:08:42
...for at-large, for chair and for mayor, theoretically?
SHERWOOD
12:08:45
That person would be -- deserve to be soundly defeated...
NNAMDI
12:08:49
But, theoretically, it could happen.
SHERWOOD
12:08:50
You know, Mayor Gray is going to China. You know, there's a big rumor this week -- yet another rumor. I was talking to him about it. I said there's -- I even asked him, I said, I heard a rumor that he was going to go China and seek political asylum from the investigation. He said, there are just a lot of rumors out there, but we'll see.
NNAMDI
12:09:06
How did you get sunburned at the game?
SHERWOOD
12:09:08
I sat in seats where the sun was. I think that's pretty simple, was a scientific...
NNAMDI
12:09:12
No. I mean, there's sunblock.
SHERWOOD
12:09:13
...mystery...
NNAMDI
12:09:14
There's lotion.
SHERWOOD
12:09:15
Well, you know, I put sunblock on my ears and the back of my neck, but I forgot about the front of my face and my arms.
NNAMDI
12:09:22
And that's why you look so red today.
SHERWOOD
12:09:23
I was so excited about the team playing the Yankees and winning that I didn't take care of my own personal business.
NNAMDI
12:09:30
Speaking of excited, should we be excited that a Senate panel has agreed to have the statue of Frederick Douglass placed in Statuary Hall on behalf of the District of Columbia? All states have two statues each there. The District was prevented from having one. Our statues of Frederick Douglass and Pierre L'Enfant have been parked at One Judiciary Square if, in fact, this is approved in the House also. The House did have such a measure last year. It means that it will be entering Statuary Hall. Is this something we should be happy about?
SHERWOOD
12:10:02
Well, happy in the sense, yes, that it'd be nice, but, actually, we should be irritated as Congress has taken so long. You know, our good friend Mark Plotkin has beaten this drum for some time.
NNAMDI
12:10:13
Yes.
SHERWOOD
12:10:13
And the fact is we should be angry that it's taken so long. Yes, relieved maybe that it's happened or is going to happen. But is the second statue Pierre L'Enfant or (word?) ?
NNAMDI
12:10:26
I'm not sure. I think the second statue is Pierre L'Enfant according to the latest.
SHERWOOD
12:10:30
But Frederick Douglass is one -- you're right -- at least 50 percent right.
NNAMDI
12:10:34
Yes. It is L'Enfant. And Plotkin thinks we should have a huge -- make a huge deal of it, invite the president of the United States to attend the ceremony.
SHERWOOD
12:10:42
Only if they were serving food will he come.
NNAMDI
12:10:44
And we will see what happens in that situation.
SHERWOOD
12:10:47
Tell him there's a new restaurant opening on the Hill, and he'll be there.
NNAMDI
12:10:49
Well, there's a lot of other stuff to talk about because this is an issue that we will be continuing to follow. Mayor Vincent Gray has appointed a new housing director, Michael Kelly, but in his previous post in Philadelphia, there was a sex scandal of sorts. He admitted to having an affair with a subordinate in that office. He was accused by others of giving the subordinate unfair promotions and raises. He said it was investigated that did not occur, and he is penitent. And it looks as if the mayor -- the Gray administration is going to stick with Michael Kelly.
SHERWOOD
12:11:20
Well, I don't know how much penitent involves, but I think the federal housing and urban development folks investigated this and said that he did not give this person any additional monies and had nothing -- it was wrong for him to sleep with a subordinate. Hello. Welcome to 2012. But he did do that. He apologized. That person has left the employment up in Philadelphia, but, you know, he -- it was wrong. The mayor doesn't need anymore person -- scandals involving his top aides and staff and employees. It's unfortunate 'cause Michael Kelly does have a pretty good reputation.
NNAMDI
12:11:58
A lot of affordable housing advocates do want him back here...
SHERWOOD
12:12:02
Yes.
NNAMDI
12:12:02
...but is the District of Columbia setting a low ethical bar by having him back here at a time when we're having (unintelligible) and ethical issues?
SHERWOOD
12:12:08
Well, he wasn't accused of -- I mean, he hasn't been accused of any wrongdoing. There's no -- to my knowledge and investigation, there's nothing that's going to occur. He quit abruptly in Philadelphia, come back to work here, where he previously worked. It's just -- again, it's just a cloud over the city that doesn't need to be there. It's unfortunate that that has to happen.
NNAMDI
12:12:28
Tom Sherwood is our resident analyst. He's an NBC 4 reporter and a columnist for The Current Newspapers. Joining us now in studio is Michael Brown. He's an at-large member of the D.C. Council. He is an independent. Michael Brown, thank you for joining us.
MR. MICHAEL BROWN
12:12:40
Kojo. How are you, Tom? Always a pleasure to see the both of you.
SHERWOOD
12:12:42
Can we just -- I realize you're the host. But Mr. Brown just came from the ceremony...
BROWN
12:12:48
Yes.
SHERWOOD
12:12:48
...where the nine victims of the Metro crash three years ago -- a plaque was established, and maybe you can tell us just briefly what happened there.
BROWN
12:12:56
Sure. As you probably -- maybe you don't remember, but I was on the Metro board, Metro/WMATA Board during that crisis and that accident, that tragedy. And today, three years later, they had a victim plaque unveiling ceremony at the bridge in New Hampshire Avenue and the Charles Langley Bridge.
BROWN
12:13:13
And it's one of those things where you want to -- you can't forget these things, and you want to remember folks. But, more importantly, you want to make sure this doesn't happen again. So I know the culture at Metro has changed. It's now all about safety and service. And, hopefully, something like this won't happen ever again.
SHERWOOD
12:13:29
Good.
NNAMDI
12:13:29
If you would like to join the conversation with Michael Brown, you can call us at 800-433-8850. And since we have begun this show on a slightly unorthodox manner, I'd like to continue in that vein by going to Ann, who's on the phone in Washington, D.C. Gentlemen, please, don your headphones because she would like to speak to an issue that we just discussed. Ann, you're on the air. Go ahead, please.
ANN
12:13:52
Hello. I just wanted to say that I was listening to your initial comments about the -- Eleanor's efforts to get our two statues, Pierre L'Enfant and Frederick Douglass in the Capitol Statuary Hall and that the deal that we're being offered is to put one statute. At the same time, they're also giving it to Guam, the Northern Marianas, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, i.e. we're being treated like another territory, i.e. colony.
ANN
12:14:18
And the only way we're going to get two statues and a whole lot of other things that we deserve is if we become a state. And people need to start realizing that the real solution to so many of our problems is the fact that we've got to get out of our colonial status and get the same rights as everybody else through statehood.
NNAMDI
12:14:36
I didn't want to start off with a softball for Michael Brown, but, for him, this is truly a softball. Michael Brown?
BROWN
12:14:42
Well, that's -- I know that's Ann Loikow, who's an unbelievable statehood advocate, and she and I have worked unbelievably hard. And she and I are on the same page. Yes. There's -- is voting rights important? Absolutely. Is budgetary and legislative autonomy important? Of course, it is. But until we get statehood -- and that has to be the main focus because all the other things we still have to do the things, and Congress can still put their nose in our business. So statehood is the number one priority relative to our self-democracy.
NNAMDI
12:15:11
And...
SHERWOOD
12:15:11
How do you get there?
BROWN
12:15:13
I think -- it's hard. No one -- I don't think anyone suggested it's easy. I think it's continuing to pound the drum. And, frankly, when you look at some of the recent history, we've had two opportunities that I don't think we really took advantage of. If you go back to the Clinton election, depending on what side of the aisle you're on, but the Democrats controlled the Senate and the House, and we had the -- and had the White House, and really did not do much. President Clinton put the license tags on his car. That was about it, late in his term.
BROWN
12:15:38
And then President Obama, same dynamic, had the White House, Senate and the House. When I say had, favorable to D.C. statehood. And again, nothing has really been done. President Obama hasn't put the license tags on. I'm a -- as you know, I'm a surrogate speaker for the Obama-Biden campaign, but that's one thing I disagree on. And that's where or how little he's done related to statehood for the District of Columbia.
SHERWOOD
12:16:00
And to wrap that subject up, you know, Tom Davis, a Republican from Northern Virginia, said, let's have a deal. We'll work out a deal with -- I think it was Utah or something, we'll get at least a voting member of the House, and the leadership of the city said no to that.
BROWN
12:16:13
Well...
SHERWOOD
12:16:13
As an interim step, we could have a voting member right now. Wasn't that a mistake?
BROWN
12:16:16
Well, depends on what you look as a mistake. If you recall, there was some little rider also put on that, something called the gun rider, and that certainly caused folks some problems because it's one thing to take two steps forward relative to democracy. But if you're taking three steps backwards 'cause they're telling you how -- what your gun laws need to look like, that was a problem...
SHERWOOD
12:16:33
But the way to solve the gun problem is let the Congress put -- these -- let the gun law pass, and then we'll put all the gun shops right there on Capitol Hill with them. They can walk by them every day.
BROWN
12:16:44
Little punitive measure.
SHERWOOD
12:16:45
Wouldn't that be great, with great big, yellow neon signs flashing like a shotgun right at them.
BROWN
12:16:50
Well, we have to do something to change the narrative, absolutely.
NNAMDI
12:16:53
Ann, thank you very much for your call. Our guest is Michael Brown. He's an at-large member of the D.C. Council. He's an independent. You were smack dab in the middle of the news coming out of the Wilson Building this past two weeks. You were elevated to chairman pro tem last week, but you've also said that a rundown of arguments against your holding that position is not news. But allow me to run it down again...
BROWN
12:17:16
Oh, lucky me. Thanks. Go right ahead, Kojo.
NNAMDI
12:17:17
You'll have the opportunity to respond.
BROWN
12:17:20
Go right ahead.
NNAMDI
12:17:20
This is from Tim Craig's blog in The Washington Post: In January 2011, The Post reported that Brown and his wife failed to pay property taxes on their Chevy Chase home. Same article noted that the Internal Revenue Service filed a $50,000 lien against Brown in the preceding April for failure to pay income taxes dating to 2004. According to a copy of the lien, Brown failed to pay $7,128 in 2004, $28,625 in 2005, $5,176 in 2007, $11,951 in 2008.
NNAMDI
12:17:51
Brown is on a repayment plan, but his tax issue resurfaced this month after the Washington Times noted that a fresh lien was filed against him in April. According to the Times, the latest lien for $20,000 cites income tax obligations through 2010. Since his election, however, Brown has also had trouble paying his rent on time. In April, The Washington Post reported that Brown missed rent payments on two apartments that have been under his name at the Rittenhouse Apartments on 16th Street NW over the past two years.
NNAMDI
12:18:17
Then there's Jonetta Rose Barras in the Examiner. Brown, after all, is the person who was at the center of the shenanigans surrounding the failed attempt to bring Internet gambling to the nation's capital. Brown also pleaded guilty in 1997 to federal campaign finance violations. According to published reports, he made illegal contributions in his own name. Then he persuaded other people to make donations for which he reimbursed them.
NNAMDI
12:18:36
That's called making contributions in the name of another, which is illegal. The reason I say all of those things is because you are absolutely correct. None of that is news. However, it is a part of your record. Why should that not have disqualified you from the position given the ethical issues that brought the chairman down?
BROWN
12:18:54
I'm not sure. I can't speak to those. But on the couple things that you mentioned -- and I know it's easy to use these terms -- fail to pay. None of those things are true. When you're on a payment plan, that doesn't mean you fail to pay. It means you're on a payment plan. The issue with the Sen. Kennedy campaign, I was in my 20s, took unbelievable full responsibility. And, frankly, there was nothing more that could be done to me more than what my father did to me when he found out.
BROWN
12:19:16
And so those are issues related to the -- to all of us. We all have issues that the voters take a look at and male decisions on. And I've -- took -- taken responsibility for things that have affected me and impacted me. But the voters seemed satisfied with the things I've done. I have reelection coming up, and we'll see if I've either gained voters or lost voters.
SHERWOOD
12:19:34
You -- just to...
BROWN
12:19:35
But my legislative record, I hope, will also have some balance and some context relative to the great things I've done in my first three years.
SHERWOOD
12:19:41
It is hard to get to when we -- there was some Rittenhouse Apartment, 16th Street thing filed this year. What is -- it's just, like, three. I just checked the record, and there are three -- at least three moves to get you to pay arrears there. I mean, what is the (unintelligible)...
BROWN
12:19:58
You mean currently? Well, I'm not going to give a lot of my living status. But I was two days late, and I think that was also reported. But it's easier to say he didn't make his rent. But I was two days late. Some buildings have more aggressive approaches than others and, you know, paid it on the same date.
SHERWOOD
12:20:11
And I checked. You had this -- and this will be the last thing that I know of that we can talk about. But at the convention center, there's a copying company there back -- you had this big blow-up with a partner in the copying service at the convention center. There was some judgment against you of he had to owe $50,000.
BROWN
12:20:28
Judgment, which was reversed, that wasn't reported either.
SHERWOOD
12:20:30
That judgment was reversed?
BROWN
12:20:31
It was, against me. It was. I was just on the board.
SHERWOOD
12:20:33
But they -- whatever his name is, he did get some money from you and your partners.
BROWN
12:20:37
No, from the company, not from me. That is not true.
SHERWOOD
12:20:39
So what is the status of all that, so (unintelligible) ?
BROWN
12:20:40
I'm not really related to the company anymore. I have no idea.
SHERWOOD
12:20:44
OK. But you -- I guess, the overall picture is Kwame Brown struggled in his private life, forged a document to buy a boat, which is not more than a struggle. But he had a lot of issues, paying credit card debts, a lot of personal things in the turmoil of his personal life that could and may have affected his public life. How do you separate the two? How can you deal with a $10 billion budget if you have all these issues?
BROWN
12:21:12
Well, I've been doing a good job so far over the last three and half years. I'll put my first term record up against anyone's related to moving the city forward, related to...
SHERWOOD
12:21:19
But the image of the council is all the trouble is whether, you know, whether it was Jim Graham and his chief of staff and whether how close Jim Graham was to that, but no charges were brought. You know, Jack Evans had the JACPAC one year, and he's kind of moved beyond that, tried to in any event. I mean, just -- the people will say, look at that council. We ought to replace them all.
BROWN
12:21:36
Well, that's for the voters to decide. That's what's wonderful about democracy. Voters go into the voting booth, and they weigh on the different things.
SHERWOOD
12:21:41
Then what's the deal with Colby King?
NNAMDI
12:21:43
If...
BROWN
12:21:44
I have no idea...
SHERWOOD
12:21:44
Colby King, the Post columnist who...
BROWN
12:21:46
He clearly does not like me. I don't know why.
SHERWOOD
12:21:49
Have you talked to him?
BROWN
12:21:50
I've tried to, and we've had some conversations but clearly not successful.
NNAMDI
12:21:54
If, in fact, we are to move forward from this, what would you say are the three -- two or three most important things the council can do in the near-term to demonstrate to D.C. residents that it is serious about ethics?
BROWN
12:22:06
Well, I think it's two -- I think it's a couple of things, Kojo. I think, first of all, I think, we also have to look to see what great stead our city is in, both economically, financially. And to give it some context, if you go back kind of the late '80s, early '90s when there were clearly issues with some of our elected officials, there did seem to be a correlation between an impact between what was going on in the Wilson -- the District Building then and managing our city properly.
BROWN
12:22:29
But when you look at it today, we have about 1,100, 1,200 new residents per month climbing on -- in all over themselves to get in our city. Businesses are staying. Businesses want to come here. We have to be more competitive clearly with the surrounding jurisdictions to keep businesses and get more business. Our fund balance has been high. It hasn't been this high in years. So, you know, from our standpoint, we're doing great as a city, but we've got other jurisdictions, Kojo.
BROWN
12:22:52
Other things are happening all over the place. The new social media, I think, is also becoming part of what's going on related to our elected officials. But you know what? We all signed up for this. No one put a gun to our heads to come and run for office. But, frankly, this is the greatest city right now to be in. We have 42 cranes doing wonderful things. We're trying to hire as many D.C. residents as possible working on affordable housing issues. Our city's going great.
NNAMDI
12:23:15
Would you support…
BROWN
12:23:15
Do we have some ethical clouds? Yes. Do have to work on them? Absolutely.
NNAMDI
12:23:18
Speaking of working on them, would you support the ballot initiative that some activists are pushing right now known as Initiative 70 that would limit corporate contributions to political campaigns?
BROWN
12:23:29
No. I have not -- I do not support. I tell you, I go much further. I have, I think, one of the only people, maybe there are a couple of others, who have really stood up and said I'm for public financing of campaigns. That's how you level the playing field, take the money out. So if you really want to go further, 'cause the corporate -- when you're taking corporate money out of the campaigns, it doesn't really do anything.
BROWN
12:23:47
If you look at the federal side, when they have corporate campaigns, they still have PACs. They can give unlimited amounts of money. So that doesn't stop the problem. The problem is if you really want to stop it, you do public financing for campaigns.
SHERWOOD
12:23:56
But in the meantime, why don't you have more disclosure? I mean, but why not go ahead and support one step, and I agree with you in a corporation that's barged from contributing one way. We'll find another way to contribute. But, at least, it would send the message. I think people don't feel like either you or the council members or even the mayor, at this point, has a strong opinion that the ethics laws need to be tougher and they need to be enforced.
SHERWOOD
12:24:18
I don't hear anyone calling for more investigators into the Ethics offices to really get them going. We've got a new Ethics Committee that still doesn't have an office space, as far as I know, and it's got to start working this fall. It just seems like ethics is a backburner issue when it should be the engine.
BROWN
12:24:36
Yeah, I don't know if it's a backburner, Tom. I understand what you're saying, but, you know, we also -- as we deal with ethics, as we deal with campaign finance, which are two separate issues, by the way, we also have to make sure...
SHERWOOD
12:24:46
But not in the public's mind. I realize legally, technically, officially, but yes, but...
BROWN
12:24:48
Oh, that's what I mean, but either way...
SHERWOOD
12:24:50
It's a morass in the public's mind.
BROWN
12:24:52
But I don't know if we've seen a lot of evidence of pay-to-play politics, though. Have you seen that? I haven't seen any evidence or charges of folks that have been paid by a particular campaign person, and then there were some quid pro quo. I haven't seen that, so I don't know if there's any pay-to-play.
NNAMDI
12:25:04
How would you feel about your colleague Jack Evans' proposal that transparency would solve everything if we just make sure that all corporate contributions or all contributions have to be disclosed...
SHERWOOD
12:25:14
Fully disclosed.
NNAMDI
12:25:15
...fully disclosed, that, in his view, that could help or solve the problem?
BROWN
12:25:19
Again, that's one of the things I've talked about on several occasions. Whether it's public financing or some of these ideas that some of my colleagues have, let's get some experts in in a hearing and hear what either, A, other jurisdictions are doing, what the new trends are. I have no problem opening the door to all those ideas.
SHERWOOD
12:25:31
Do you feel like most of your council members are ethical and honest?
BROWN
12:25:35
Yes.
NNAMDI
12:25:36
You have...
SHERWOOD
12:25:36
And yourself, I'm presuming, included.
BROWN
12:25:37
Oh, absolutely. I mean, I think we also have to be careful relative to what is the definition of ethics. And I think it's become such a broad stroke on what that is that, I think, it's becoming a little dangerous.
NNAMDI
12:25:50
Tom is hoping that one day we'll get an elected official here who says, Tom, now that you really asked me, I'm really dishonest.
SHERWOOD
12:25:55
I'm unethical as I can be. What about you? Are you...
BROWN
12:25:58
But keep in mind, do they -- does the ethics expand? Yes, to the elected officials.
SHERWOOD
12:26:01
Which, I think, is following the laws...
BROWN
12:26:03
Well, absolutely. But -- right. Well, see, to you, to some people, it's that. To other people, it's if you jaywalk, are you now not ethical? If a person is in their basement...
SHERWOOD
12:26:12
Only in the most Buddhist sense of the word, but I would -- but...
BROWN
12:26:14
But if there's a person who's doing a blog, who's a blogger...
SHERWOOD
12:26:16
What do you think about the rumors the mayor is going to resign?
BROWN
12:26:18
...who's a blogger in their basement, what ethics -- responsibility do they have? Can they just make up things if they want to? And that...
SHERWOOD
12:26:23
Well, they do. That's called the free press.
BROWN
12:26:26
See, that...
SHERWOOD
12:26:27
Free de-pressed.
BROWN
12:26:27
So that's how the definition going for the press.
SHERWOOD
12:26:29
But what about he rumors that one -- the mayor is going to resign, he's under -- some people say he's going to resign within a matter of weeks, some people, matter of months. He's going to limp to the finish line. What is your own view of how the mayor is handling the fact that he's under federal criminal investigation over his 2010 campaign?
BROWN
12:26:46
Well, I haven't heard any of the rumors you just articulated. Clearly, I hope none of that occurs 'cause I don't think it's good for our city. But I guess we'll have to wait to see what occurs. I know he's continuing to do his job. I can't go anywhere in the city without seeing Mayor Gray at either a ribbon cutting or a jobs program or affordable housing. He's everywhere. So he's still doing his job no matter what's going on now externally.
NNAMDI
12:27:07
Mayor Gray wants to bring, as we mentioned earlier, wants to bring Michael Kelly back as the director of the city's Department of Housing and Community Development. He has admitted to having an affair with a subordinate. Is that an ethical issue?
BROWN
12:27:20
Well, in my committee per view, we'll have oversight over his confirmation, and I'm sure I'll ask a question or two about what has been resolved. But I'm not get into any personal matters. This is a personnel matter, and I look forward to -- I know I worked with Michael Kelly before when he was at the House authority, and I look forward to working with him again. But I don't know if that would disqualify someone from...
SHERWOOD
12:27:39
Would you recommend that the department heads not sleep with their subordinates?
BROWN
12:27:43
Well, clearly, that's obviously not a good thing in any industry, not just in housing.
NNAMDI
12:27:47
You have hung your hat on housing issues until recently. You're now the chair of the Committee on Economic Development and Housing. And we have several callers who would like to ask you questions more specifically about economic development issues. We'll start with Barry in Washington, D.C. Barry, you're on the air. Go ahead please.
BARRY
12:28:05
Thank you, Kojo, Tom and Councilman Brown. Kojo, you had on last week the deputy mayor's office and the developer and few other callers on McMillan site.
BARRY
12:28:17
And I'm wondering, now that Michael Brown is head of economic development committee, what he sees to the future there and moving that plan forward along with potentially moving up the streetcar phase three to coincide with the development of McMillan for an overall economic boom to the area, similar to what Boston experienced with the Silver Line, because that streetcar line will connect most of the universities in the district.
NNAMDI
12:28:46
For those of our listeners who are unfamiliar with the McMillan site, it's the site that border -- that's bordered on side by North Capitol Avenue, on another by Michigan Avenue and on another by Fourth Street, and there's First Street and all kinds of other streets involved. But it's in the general area of Children's National Medical Center.
BROWN
12:29:03
Correct. And as you can imagine, I've talked to Councilman Kenney McDuffie, he's our new colleague from Ward 5.
NNAMDI
12:29:09
He lives right across the street from here.
BROWN
12:29:10
He's just right -- directly across the street. And as you can imagine there are a lot of different community groups that have different visions for the site. So I'm going to start having some conversations in the community related to that. I know folks want some green space. Folks want some parks because there are a lot of families that live over in that part of the city now. For the young people...
NNAMDI
12:29:28
But folks are not agreeing.
BROWN
12:29:29
Pardon me?
NNAMDI
12:29:29
They're -- folks are not agreeing. There seems to be (unintelligible).
BROWN
12:29:30
No. No. No one, and then you got folks that want retail, you know. You have folks that want housing. So you're exactly right, and that's what's, I guess, one of the jobs I'll have is to try to figure that out with Deputy Mayor Hoskins to make sure that we try to get as many people as happy as possible 'cause I don't think 100 percent of happiness (unintelligible).
NNAMDI
12:29:45
What do you want there, Barry? Barry, what...
SHERWOOD
12:29:45
What about the streetcar? The streetcar.
BROWN
12:29:47
Oh, and the streetcar -- sorry, Barry. On the streetcar issue, you can imagine a lot of communities now want streetcars. Ward 8 would like to see a streetcar. Ward 4 in Upper George Avenue would like to see a streetcar, and obviously over by McMillan, so -- but all these things cost money. And so we -- the budget is the tail that wags the dog related to these particular issues. So not to say no one wants a streetcar, but we have to figure out how to pay for it.
NNAMDI
12:30:09
Thank you for you call, Barry. Tom?
SHERWOOD
12:30:12
Well, Mayor Barry, I think, has raised issues. He wants to hold up the streetcar issue on Eighth Street. Do you see streetcars -- some people criticize streetcars, put them in the same category as dog parks and that these new yuppie Washingtonians want these things, that the people who live here a long time don't. Are streetcars more symbolic of something than just transportation?
BROWN
12:30:38
I don't think so. You've probably heard me talk about some of the issues related to gentrification, and which I am in favor of. I have no problem with revitalizing some of our older neighborhoods to give them the services they need as long as you don't displace people. That seems to be the fear. But I don't think so. When you have 1,200 new residents coming in per month, and assuming a large percentage of them are going to still have cars, we have to do something different related to transportation.
BROWN
12:31:00
So I understand what some of our residents who have been here for quite sometime -- I think the larger issue is when the construction comes to do those streetcars, it really hurts businesses. The residents are frustrated by it. And then we still have to talk economics because these streetcar -- laying these tracks is extremely expensive and to the businesses 'cause the businesses lose money as well.
NNAMDI
12:31:20
You said, once we don't displace people. And it seems to me -- and you've said that you're willing to work with Michael Kelly. It seems to me that the District of Columbia is becoming increasingly difficult for middle-class families to be able to afford to live in. What do you think we need to do about affordable housing so that we don't essentially run a lot more people out of the city, especially young married couples who would like to raise children here?
BROWN
12:31:43
Absolutely, and that's one of the things I'm proud of. My record over the last three-and-a-half years was really fighting for affordable housing. And do not take my word for it. If you ask some of the more prominent housing advocates in our city who has moved the affordable housing agenda far, they would say me. And I'm proud of that. But it's an ongoing effort. It's not going to happen overnight.
BROWN
12:31:59
The political will that my colleagues show to restore some of the money for the housing production trust fund for the 2013 budget and restoring some for the 2012 budget is exactly what we have to do. We have to make a concerted effort to make sure if you're a teacher, a police officer, a firefighter, a retired person, if you want to be here, you should be able to be here right now. A $320,000 condominium is not affordable housing.
NNAMDI
12:32:22
On now to..
SHERWOOD
12:32:22
One bedroom.
BROWN
12:32:23
One -- right.
NNAMDI
12:32:23
On to Phil in Bethesda, Md. Phil, you're on the air. Go ahead, please.
PHIL
12:32:29
Yes. Hi. Thank you for taking my call. First of all, I want to say thank you for all of your work. I just want to remind the listeners that...
NNAMDI
12:32:35
You're welcome.
SHERWOOD
12:32:36
You're welcome.
BROWN
12:32:38
You're welcome.
PHIL
12:32:38
(unintelligible) and then the Senate and the House do all this together, so you're doing a great job there. My question is I've been (word?) with the Walter Reid situation. And I'm very concerned because there's going to be a vote on Tuesday. And, frankly, Kojo, I'd love it if you could do a show on Monday because the council is getting ready to support a plan that is gonna short change the Ward 4 community, and, frankly, the whole D.C. area because it's a chance to get some free land from the federal government and get a lot of services for the Ward 4, particularly the George Avenue corridor.
PHIL
12:33:11
And instead, the plan that's been put forward by the W -- the Walter Reed LRA does not address that. They say they have -- had a fair and open process. But, quite frankly, 50 meetings where people are listened to but not heard is not fair. And I just was at a meeting at the D.C. Council talking with some people. I know some people I've talked to was Councilmember Brown, and he's very open. Frankly, he could be our knight on this. He could help to make sure that the process is (word?).
NNAMDI
12:33:36
Well, it is my understanding that, clearly, this is not a done deal yet. The federal government has not even yet handed over the land to us. And in order for the federal government to do that, it's my understanding that we have to satisfy some requirements in terms of the homeless population.
BROWN
12:33:49
And this is -- he's exactly right on the concerns of a lot of community members that live not that just near Walter Reed.
NNAMDI
12:33:54
I live right in the community.
BROWN
12:33:55
I know. I know exactly where you live in. And so -- but this is just the first phase. This is not saying what retail shops are coming, what the end use will be. But the first phase is extremely important because until we take care of this first phase, the land transfer process can't even begin. And that's going to take several years even for the first parcels of land. So I understand his concern.
BROWN
12:34:15
As you can imagine, just like McMillan, a lot of different people want different things on the Walter Reed site, which is going to be the anchor for the economic development moving up George Avenue 'cause we have to do something with upper George Avenue as well. As anyone knows, downtown Silver Spring, we're losing so much revenue for folks who lived in that part of the city that go to downtown Silver Spring to shop, to eat, to watch movies, to do whatever they want to do.
BROWN
12:34:35
When we should keep that all that income here and revenue here, we have to do something with upper George Avenue. Certainly, Walter Reed is going to be part of it, but it has to be on two parallel economic development tracks. We can't wait for Walter Reed to deal with upper George Avenue because Walter Reed may take some time. And in the meantime, we have to deal with the homelessness issue first.
SHERWOOD
12:34:53
And can we just do one more development project on...
NNAMDI
12:34:55
Sure. Phil, thank you for your call.
SHERWOOD
12:34:56
...the other side of the city, which would be the Reservation 13, the Capitol Hill, the RFK Stadium, D.C. General site there? Where are you now on that? You know, the Redskins are not making any move to move the training facility there or...
BROWN
12:35:09
Not yet.
SHERWOOD
12:35:10
Not yet. But do you think that can be incorporated up there in some reasonable way that the people will still get park space, open space, riverside space, retail and still make room for the Redskins, or are they too incompatible?
BROWN
12:35:24
Well, you know, we had somewhat of a town hall meeting in Ward 6 a couple months ago...
SHERWOOD
12:35:28
(unintelligible)
BROWN
12:35:28
...the mayor, myself, Councilmember Evans. I think Councilmember Alexander was there. I don't think Councilmember Wells was there. I'm not 100 percent sure. And we discussed it. The plot is so large at Reservation 13. You could do several things. Yes, you could still do green space. Yes, you could do kind of the park environment. Yes, you could do some housing. And yes, if we get the opportunity, I would love to explore, trying to figure out how to get the training facility here because it's a revenue driver and a jobs producer.
BROWN
12:35:53
But you also don't want to do anything that the community doesn't want, and clearly, there are lot of folks that don't want those kind of facilities on Reservation 13, but then again, there are some that do. That's why it's never going to be 100 percent of community agreement on any project you do. You just have to try to keep as many people happy as possible.
NNAMDI
12:36:10
I'd like to go to Chuck in Washington, D.C. Chuck, you're on the air. We're running out of time with Councilmember Brown, so please make your question or comment brief.
CHUCK
12:36:18
Sure. Hank's Oyster Bar in particular has had a lot of problems with the ABC recently, as well as other bars and restaurants in the inner Northwest area, particularly in terms of the concept of a protest of a group of five or more citizens that would supposedly be affected by it. Right now, Hank's went through a hearing at the ABC, and the results could take up to 90 days. In the meantime, this business person who's brought a really good restaurant and something that's very popular to Dupont Circle has been forced to close half of her patio, which is a pretty significant economic...
NNAMDI
12:37:08
As I said, we're running out of time. Any plans to change the five-protester rule?
BROWN
12:37:12
I understand what he's saying. That's some things that we've had major discussion about. We'll continue to have a major discussion about. That's just happening in that part of the city. It seems to be happening all over the city related to our bar and restaurant explosion here in our city, which is a good thing. But, clearly, some neighbors don't like that.
SHERWOOD
12:37:27
You mean -- and it's 17th (unintelligible), this particular place does have a long history. But it does seem that the democracy can get very low to one or two or three people, a handful, stopping projects that other people are had -- glad to have.
BROWN
12:37:41
And that's part of -- the tough part of being -- about a public servant. You got to balance the two.
NNAMDI
12:37:45
Chuck, thank you very much for your call. Michael Brown, thank you for joining us.
BROWN
12:37:47
Kojo, thank you for having me. Tom, always a pleasure to see you.
SHERWOOD
12:37:48
All right.
NNAMDI
12:37:49
Michael Brown is an at-large member of the D.C. council. He is an independent. Tom Sherwood is our resident analyst. He's an NBC 4 reporter and a columnist for The Current Newspapers. Tom, we'll be doing a show on Monday about the situation at the University of Virginia, which seems to be getting messier and messier. Right now, the latest is that there's a move afoot to bring back ousted president Teresa Sullivan and...
SHERWOOD
12:38:09
On Tuesday.
NNAMDI
12:38:09
...and they looked like they may have the votes to do that. But I can't help, when I look at this situation, thinking of something that you say all the time, and that is transparency, transparency, transparency. It seems that a great deal of the outrage over what's happening on that campus has to do with the manner in which it was done by the board, because on the campus itself, among students and among faculty and among staff, there was no inkling that there was even a problem with the president of the university.
NNAMDI
12:38:37
And then the board simply moves and ousts the president. And people want to know, well, what the heck happened? Had there been greater transparency, they might not be finding themselves in this situation.
SHERWOOD
12:38:46
It would be. You know, this is -- she -- Teresa Sullivan is -- well, she's been there two years. She's the first female president. There hadn't been that many presidents at the university. So even if people who wanted to remove her, which one of them said, we did the right thing the wrong way. Helen Dragas – Dragas, however she says her name. And -- but it just -- once again, it is a matter of transparency in moving.
SHERWOOD
12:39:10
If they – if there were concerns about this president, whether she was doing -- moving quickly enough into the Internet age, whether she's raising enough money, whether she was doing the things the board wanted, I want to know, do they – where there discussions with her? Did they -- I mean, what happened that had suddenly happened? There was this scandalous email about a cabal getting together to move her out.
SHERWOOD
12:39:31
It just sounds like -- it does sound not like the University of Virginia. And it's unfortunate that such a distinguished university -- I like to call it the -- Harvard as the University of Virginia as opposed the other way around. And it's a great place, has tremendous history, and it's an embarrassment to see this kind of falling around.
NNAMDI
12:39:51
What happened to the casino deal in Maryland? It looked as if there was going to be a casino coming to National Harbor in Prince George's County. County Executive Rushern Baker seemed to think that the deal was done. He thinks that he got promises from the House Speaker Michael Busch, of course, who represents Anne Arundel, which is where that other casino happens to be...
SHERWOOD
12:40:12
Maryland Live!
NNAMDI
12:40:13
…happened to be located. And then, all of a sudden, a deal that was supposed to lower the tax rate for all of the casinos there, that they thought was agreed on, the members from Anne Arundel suddenly said, no, no, we don't think you should lower the tax rate.
SHERWOOD
12:40:26
Well, you know, Anne Arundel was worried they're building this big slots parlor in the place there, and they're concerned that if you open a big, sprawling casino in Prince George's County, that it'll -- it will bleed people from their facilities. I don't blame them for that. But that's -- the governor was saying here at the end of the week that he was going to try to have some more conversation to see if he can restart this thing. But, so far, they've rolled snake eyes.
NNAMDI
12:40:48
And, so far, it seems as if conversations are not -- seems to be what's working here...
SHERWOOD
12:40:53
We're talking big -- no, this is...
NNAMDI
12:40:54
Yes.
SHERWOOD
12:40:54
This is huge money over a long period of time, and the casino is a huge deal for Prince George's County. It could solve a lot of their economic issues, but the rest of Maryland has to go along.
NNAMDI
12:41:06
I got to tell you, Rushern Baker is usually a very polite guy. But when he said he was lied to, clearly indicated that he was lied to by Speaker Michael Busch, you know he's got to be really upset.
SHERWOOD
12:41:16
That's true. I think that was a good example of how tough this fight is.
NNAMDI
12:41:19
Yeah, he's generally a very diplomatic kind of guy. Joining us now in studio is Allison Silberberg. She is a Democratic candidate for the Alexandria City Council. Allison Silberberg, thank you for joining us.
MS. ALLISON SILBERBERG
12:41:30
Thank you so much. Pleasure to be here.
NNAMDI
12:41:32
You're one of the newcomers who emerged victorious in a knockdown, drag-out primary in Alexandria two weeks ago. It seems like two issues -- the development of the city's waterfront and the development plan for the Beauregard area -- split the Alexandria Democratic Party into factions. What were the issues you ran on in the primary, and in what direction you think the Alexandria City Council needs to be going?
SILBERBERG
12:41:55
Well, first of all, thank you, Kojo.
NNAMDI
12:41:57
You're welcome.
SILBERBERG
12:41:57
It's a pleasure to be here. And, Tom, good to see you. I am honored to be one of the six to go forward to the general election, and all the candidates ran excellent campaigns and worked really hard. There is a lot at stake. I love Alexandria, and the city is a great city, remarkable city. But I think we can do even better. And given what happened with the waterfront plan, which, I felt, was not visionary enough...
NNAMDI
12:42:27
Well, you have said that you had voted with the Republican councilmember and the independent councilmember against the current waterfront plan. Why?
SILBERBERG
12:42:37
Because I felt and I feel that the waterfront plan, while it improved over time, was not visionary enough.
SHERWOOD
12:42:43
What did it not have? When you say visionary, I'm...
SILBERBERG
12:42:46
OK.
SHERWOOD
12:42:46
...trying to picture...
SILBERBERG
12:42:47
Yeah.
SHERWOOD
12:42:47
...other than angels. What did it have? What is not visionary enough...
SILBERBERG
12:42:52
Well, the original plan called for three large hotels on the waterfront, and then it was switched to three boutique hotels with 150 rooms each. And then the eventual deal that they struck, that they voted on, that they passed in late January, as you probably know, was for two -- up to two hotels on the waterfront with 150 rooms each. I felt that the traffic and that the character of Old Town wasn't really -- that wasn't the focus of this -- of the Old Town that what I felt what we needed was.
SILBERBERG
12:43:30
And there were some good things in the plan like flood mitigation, which, I felt, should have been done years ago. But the thing that it needed was something remarkable. And one thing I mentioned in a column, a guest column I had in The Post in December, in the Metro section, was I talked about the idea of a small band shell, a permanent arts band shell at the north...
SHERWOOD
12:43:52
So less development rather than more is what I'm trying to...
SILBERBERG
12:43:55
Yes.
SHERWOOD
12:43:56
You thought it's overly developed as opposed to...
SILBERBERG
12:43:59
Well, it wasn't...
SHERWOOD
12:43:59
...developing the character of Alexandria as it is now.
SILBERBERG
12:44:02
Yes, Tom.
SHERWOOD
12:44:03
OK.
SILBERBERG
12:44:03
And that it wasn't creative or remarkable just to say three hotels on the waterfront. I do think we need some small, little cafes where we can have a bite or a glass of wine or a cappuccino on the waterfront somewhere. There's only the Chart House right now where you can do that, and I think that needs to be fixed. But we want people along the waterfront.
SILBERBERG
12:44:24
We want it -- I want it to be a people's waterfront. That's what I envision. And the people who came out and supported me felt the same way, that the plan wasn't visionary enough, and people of Old Town and across the city felt that the plan needed…
NNAMDI
12:44:39
In case you'd like to join the conversation, have questions or comments for Allison Silberberg, you can call us at 800-433-8850. Allison Silberberg is a Democratic candidate for the Alexandria City Council.
SHERWOOD
12:44:51
Should it be a revenue generator? Isn't -- for Alexandria to make money to keep revenue -- property taxes and other things low in other parts of the government? Should it be a revenue generator, the new Alexandria waterfront?
SILBERBERG
12:45:06
Well, I think that that was one of the concerns at the...
SHERWOOD
12:45:07
Small cafes and parkland don't generate revenue.
SILBERBERG
12:45:10
I understand, and I am very concerned about taxes. I don't want -- I want us to continue to maintain our AAA bond rating and be fiscally responsible, of course. I don't see our tax -- I don't -- we have certain financial obligations that are coming down the pike in terms of schools and other infrastructure issues. But I don't think that you ruin what is a remarkable honor to -- we are -- you know, the waterfront and Old Town itself is hundreds of years old, 400 years old.
SILBERBERG
12:45:41
So you can't -- you have to be very careful and smart and creative and do something remarkable and visionary with such a place. Millions of people, over 3 million people came to visit Old Town Alexandria last year. It's a one of a kind place in the country, and I always say that we are all the temporary stewards of this national treasure called Alexandria.
NNAMDI
12:46:02
Well, let's talk politics for a second because it seems that most of the incumbents...
SHERWOOD
12:46:05
I thought we were.
NNAMDI
12:46:06
I mean more specifically electoral politics. Most of the incumbents who got -- who made it past the primary support the waterfront plan. It would also appear that quite a few of the non-incumbents on the Democratic side who made it past the primary also support the waterfront plan. If you get on this council, it looks like you're likely to be outvoted, does it? Am I miscounting?
SILBERBERG
12:46:29
Well, it's a great point, Kojo. First of all, there were a number of candidates who ran, who, I think, were in agreement with my perspective. Second, I am -- I have a wide spectrum of friendships among people who agree and disagree with my point of view. So I am someone who's always been able to work across many different perspectives.
SILBERBERG
12:46:53
So I feel like I will be able to build bridges of understanding. Patsy Ticer, our former mayor of Alexandria and former state senator, not only endorsed me, but called me a voice of reason. I tend to be very balanced and careful and try to reach across the breach, if you will.
SHERWOOD
12:47:13
Would that mean that if you are elected in the fall that you will seek significant changes in the waterfront plan as it now exists?
SILBERBERG
12:47:22
I would love for us to reconsider some of the plans, yes.
NNAMDI
12:47:27
It's my understanding you served on the city's Economic Opportunities Commission and that you like to hang your hat on housing issues. Where do you think Alexandria's priority should be when it comes to housing?
SILBERBERG
12:47:39
Well, I've been honored to be appointed to the city's Economic Opportunities Commission.
NNAMDI
12:47:42
The only thing so far you have not said you've been honored to be on is this show today.
SILBERBERG
12:47:46
Oh, I am honored, Kojo. No. I thanked you.
SHERWOOD
12:47:50
I thought she was very polite, saying she thanked us for being here.
SILBERBERG
12:47:53
I...
NNAMDI
12:47:54
She didn't say she was honored, though.
SILBERBERG
12:47:56
I -- well, then...
SHERWOOD
12:47:56
Well, she's waiting to see how the show goes. I'm not sure she's going to...
SILBERBERG
12:47:59
I'm honored to be on your show, Kojo Nnamdi.
NNAMDI
12:48:02
Just joking.
SILBERBERG
12:48:02
OK.
SHERWOOD
12:48:03
But you've got a serious housing problem in Alexandria.
SILBERBERG
12:48:05
Yeah. Well -- and I've spoken...
SHERWOOD
12:48:06
You're booming in Alexandria, and affordable housing is burying.
SILBERBERG
12:48:09
It's a huge issue, and I've spoken a great deal about it as the chair of the Economic Opportunities Commission for the city. One of our main areas of focus is affordable housing as well as job creation. So the Beauregard plan and other areas of the city need to -- we have to focus on this. I'm lucky that I've been focused on it for eight years on the commission. But we need to think differently about affordable housing.
SILBERBERG
12:48:36
This is a national issue. But in the city of Alexandria, about 10,000 units, affordable housing units have been lost in the last decade. As we approach every plan, we need to continue to have affordable housing units set aside, and we have to negotiate stronger with developers. And we need to think -- and we have to make this a top priority. I think that the city is trying, but I think we have to do better.
SILBERBERG
12:49:03
And we need public-private partnerships. And one thing I've talked about is partnering with nonprofits, like the Enterprise Foundation and other nonprofits that exist, and thinking differently about affordable housing and workforce housing so that we have a vibrant community for all.
SHERWOOD
12:49:19
Well, you had mentioned work. I was going to say a lot of people say affordable housing, and they say that's essentially a modern-day version of public housing and that affordable housing is for people who are middle income or lower-middle income who are just trying to survive in your city. That's who you're talking about, both of those groups.
SILBERBERG
12:49:36
All of it applies. But in terms of police officers and firefighters and teachers and staff for the city, for years, for over a decade I've asked people, do you live in the city? And most of them that I've met have said, no, they can't afford to. So that's, you know, we would love -- I would love to see that people could live in the city that they serve.
SHERWOOD
12:49:57
Financially, is the city all right financially in terms of budget? I mean, you have to balance your budget (unintelligible).
SILBERBERG
12:50:02
Absolutely. We're...
SHERWOOD
12:50:03
What is the overall budget of the city of Alexandria?
SILBERBERG
12:50:05
About $600 million.
SHERWOOD
12:50:06
Six-hundred million dollars.
NNAMDI
12:50:08
We're talking with Allison Silberberg. She's a Democratic candidate for the Alexandria City Council. She's author of the bestselling book "Visionaries I Our Midst: Ordinary People Who Are Changing Our World," a book about individuals who are making a difference. She lists among her accomplishments initiating and leading the commission's citywide effort. That is the -- what commission are we talking about here?
SILBERBERG
12:50:30
Is that the Economic Opportunities Commission?
NNAMDI
12:50:31
Yes, called All Hands On Deck. And last summer, along with two dozen donors, including Home Depot and 100 volunteers, they jointly renovated the city's homeless shelter. I think that tells people a little bit about where your housing priorities are. Tom in Alexandria, Va. would like to know about some other issues. Would you don the headphones, please, so we can all hear Tom? Tom, you are now on the air. Go ahead, please.
TOM
12:50:52
Hi, Allison. Congratulations on your victory. I'm an old friend.
SILBERBERG
12:50:56
Thank you.
TOM
12:50:57
And I wanted to ask you a little about your vision for, sort of, the west end of Alexandria. I know you're from the Parkfairfax area but also interested in what you plan for, sort of, Cameron Station as well.
SILBERBERG
12:51:13
Well, Cameron Station specifically is an incredible community that has...
NNAMDI
12:51:21
Where is Cameron Station?
SILBERBERG
12:51:22
It's near the Beatley Library off of Duke Street.
NNAMDI
12:51:25
OK.
SILBERBERG
12:51:28
I spent some time there, of course, during the campaign trail, but before that, of course, I spent a lot of time there. It's a beautiful community with a park space. The Landmark Mall is probably the next big area to be developed on the west end. But, of course, they've been talking about that for, I don't know, how many years, maybe 15 years. I would hope that we could do something wonderful and remarkable there that is mix use and a great deal of affordable housing.
SILBERBERG
12:52:01
The big issue that I see is that we need to think about transit first and how we can incorporate smart, creative development that's around mass transit hubs. We don't have a Metro stop nearby, as you know, Tom, over there. So we need to think about either light rail or bus rapid transit or BRT or anything that we can -- some people are talking about streetcars. But we need to think about transit first and then think about housing.
SILBERBERG
12:52:38
And, of course, the west end, what it just went through with the Beauregard plan and then subsequent to the BRAC Building -- for those who are listening and don't know, there's a massive building at Seminary Road and 395 that is part of DOD, and it's called the BRAC Building for short or Mark Center...
NNAMDI
12:52:55
Base Realignment and Closure, yes.
SILBERBERG
12:52:56
Yes. And it houses about 6,000 employees. And there's no mass transit anywhere nearby. And it just -- it's -- a lot of people would like answers, how this came to be. How do you build a building that large in this era?
SHERWOOD
12:53:11
I mean, what do you do about it now? However it came about, there's not much you can do. It's there.
SILBERBERG
12:53:14
That's right. But, I think, Tom, that we have to figure out how that happened so that it doesn't happen again so that -- why wasn't that built next to a Metro stop? And that building isn't necessarily going to bring in any tax revenue for the city as well because it is DOD.
NNAMDI
12:53:28
Tom, thank you very much for your call. Here is John in Alexandria, Va. John, your turn.
JOHN
12:53:34
Hey, Allison. Good on you for speaking outside the box and going against generally conventional wisdom of money, money, money, generate more money.
SILBERBERG
12:53:42
Thank you.
JOHN
12:53:42
And so I do appreciate that. For the residents of Alexandria, it's a common two-sided issue primarily because we want people to come in, but there isn't enough space for more. So what, you know, I think part of this challenge with Alexandria is accessibility. You were mentioning a mass transit. And as far as I'm concerned, affordable housing in Alexandria is the same thing, almost as affordable housing in Manhattan. It's a high-demand area.
TOM
12:54:13
Unfortunately, more and more people who work there or want to go there are going to have to fit right away to get in and out without actually having to live there. But this waterfront plan seems to be too focused on the waterfront in Old Town. And its great, I really do appreciate it. But what's in it for the residents of Alexandria, primarily more revenue, or is it going to be a place where they can go and enjoy it?
SILBERBERG
12:54:38
Well, that's a great question. Thanks, John, for calling in. I think that the waterfront needs to be a people's waterfront and that access is critical and that people -- that families can go. And that's why I mentioned the small permanent band shell probably at the north end or somewhere along the waterfront where people can gather and have a picnic and sit there and listen to bluegrass music or something, as I was just listening as I waited to come on in here.
NNAMDI
12:55:09
We try to entertain you.
SILBERBERG
12:55:10
Yeah, WAM...
NNAMDI
12:55:10
…'cause Tom brought a band with him, yes.
SILBERBERG
12:55:12
It's a wonderful bluegrass band out there in -- here in the hall. You know, we want to build community, and that's what we have to think about. And I have -- I think that I would bring a sense of mission to our remarkable city. We just have to do better. And we can't -- we do have bills to pay, of course, and we don't want to increase taxes. We have to be very cognizant of that. We have to deal with what we have. But the waterfront is a very special place, and we have to be very careful. And we have to be creative and do something remarkable.
SHERWOOD
12:55:50
What about this thought that Alexandria, much like the District of Columbia, are becoming mini Manhattans where, in fact, if you're not well to do or already established with a home, you have a very difficult time moving in?
NNAMDI
12:56:01
And that follows what this question we got from Michelle. Michelle, I'm sorry I can't put you on the air 'cause we're running out of time. But she wants to know how you're going to incorporate low-income housing into the city, concentrated areas or spreading it out.
SILBERBERG
12:56:14
Well, the city just released its housing master plan recently, and it's still under -- they're still working on it. We have to work across a wide spectrum with all these experts to figure this out, but we want a city that is vibrant for all. And the city does have an issue, like a lot of communities around D.C., where, you know, the medium price of a home as of December 2011 for Alexandria is around 500-, $550,000.
SHERWOOD
12:56:42
That's not low income, moderate or anything.
NNAMDI
12:56:43
If you're low income...
SILBERBERG
12:56:43
That's not low -- no.
SHERWOOD
12:56:45
That's not even near moderate.
SILBERBERG
12:56:46
No, it's very expensive. And so...
SHERWOOD
12:56:48
And it's only going to get worse.
SILBERBERG
12:56:49
That's right, it is. And so we have to work on this.
SHERWOOD
12:56:52
Or better, depending on your point of view.
SILBERBERG
12:56:54
Right. Well, we have to work on this and -- but we want it to be a viable, vibrant city for all. That's what I would think. But we can't just go and build, you know, the city can't go broke building affordable housing. But by the same token, it can be a top priority that we build with nonprofit communities, entities that already exist, and we need to preserve what we can of it, not demolish what we have.
NNAMDI
12:57:21
And I'm afraid we're just about out of time. Allison Silberberg is a Democratic candidate for the Alexandria City Council. Thank you for joining us. Good luck to you.
SILBERBERG
12:57:28
Thank you. It was an honor to be on your show.
SILBERBERG
12:57:32
I hope to come back some time.
NNAMDI
12:57:33
Had to squeeze that out of her.
SILBERBERG
12:57:34
Thank you very much.
NNAMDI
12:57:34
Tom, we got this email from Andrea, "Can you, please, make sure to mention the Post article from this past week? Is Terry Lynch the most annoying man in town? I laughed out loud when I read that headline. He can sure be annoying, but he also gets things done. Squeaky wheel perhaps? The pictures in the Post were funny, too. You'll notice they didn't show his face."
SHERWOOD
12:57:50
Well, you know, but Terry's a great guy. People ought to have more citizens like him. I just wish he would soften that voice a little bit. But can I just add one quick thing?
NNAMDI
12:57:57
Sure.
SHERWOOD
12:57:58
The Nats are playing the Baltimore Orioles this weekend starting tonight. Let's have a sweep by the Nats.
NNAMDI
12:58:03
You know that our producer Michael Martinez is a huge fan of the Baltimore Orioles.
SHERWOOD
12:58:07
Well, that's because he's got his priorities wrong.
NNAMDI
12:58:10
Well, see, there, Michael?
SHERWOOD
12:58:12
He lives here. He lives here.
NNAMDI
12:58:14
Was born and raised here as a matter of fact.
SHERWOOD
12:58:16
Well, I know. He needs...
NNAMDI
12:58:17
He didn't have a team for so long...
SHERWOOD
12:58:18
He needs to let those Orioles go.
NNAMDI
12:58:19
...he migrated over to the Baltimore. Tom Sherwood, he's our current resident analyst. He's an NBC 4 reporter and a columnist for The Current Newspapers. Thank you all for listening. I'm Kojo Nnamdi.
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