Responses of Bill Rice to
GLAA 1998 Questionnaire for Council Candidates
1. If elected, what will you do to encourage the Council to exercise its powers more responsibly and thereby facilitate a speedy return of home rule powers to the District?
As far back as 1989 in a Washington Post Outlook piece (attached), I warned that the "do-nothing" Council could contribute to the loss of home rule -- a prediction that, unfortunately, came to pass.
I will be a full-time councilmember who will hasten the return of Home Rule by pushing the Council to use all its powers -- to legislate, to confirm or reject appointees, to investigate, to budget and to make news -- so that we are co-equal to the mayor and up to the job of overseeing our government.
The Council's role in confirming agency chiefs is particularly important. In this campaign, I have repeatedly said that the Council should never have confirmed Larry Soulsby as police chief and David Watts to head the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. Good appointments are a key aspect of good government and the Council has not used its confirmation powers as it should. As these two demonstrate, councilmembers too often settle for what the Control Board and mayor send up rather than examining the nominee carefully.
In contrast, the selection procedure for Police Chief Charles Ramsey, was a model of public and Council examination and involvement.
The Council must also take on problems rather than let other them [sic] run their course. For instance, why hasn't the Council begun an investigation, such as a report by the D.C. Auditor, on how to stop the reported widespread selling and theft of auto license tags, residential parking permits and inspection stickers?
The Council also needs high-quality advice to be effective. Therefore, I support increased professional staffing, particularly of the budget office.
2. The Council has seldom aggressively exercised its oversight powers over the District government. Instead, too often it has been passive and reactive in addressing the mismanagement problems which routinely plague the District government's administration. What will you do to improve the Council's performance of its oversight responsibilities?
[See response to Question 1.]
3. Do you support passage and full funding for the new civilian complaint review system to be established by Bill 12-521, the "Citizen Complaint Review Act of 1998"?
I support a fully functioning Civilian Complaint Review Board with appropriate funding (about $1 million per year). I am writing Chief Charles Ramsey to ask that he support the legislation and that he commit to working with the Council to make sure that the new Board works as intended to redress and prevent police abuses of civilians.
4. Do you support Bill 12-612, the "Opened Alcoholic Beverage Containers Amendment Act of 1998" (a.k.a. the "Chardonnay Lady Bill"), that would allow people to drink alcoholic beverages on their porches without fear of arrest?
Quiet drinking on one's porch should not fall under a "zero tolerance" prohibition. The "Chardonnay Lady Bill" appropriately changes D.C. law to legalize such non-disruptive activity. However, drinking by large crowds on porches can be very disruptive to the peace and quiet of a community and the police department must exercise appropriate judgment to continue to enforce disorderly conduct laws to prevent the new law from creating new problems.
5. In an apparent effort to bolster his standing with some segments of the District community, the recently-ousted chief of the Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs, David Watts, instituted a zoning regulation earlier this year barring video stores from deriving more than 15% of their revenue from sexually-oriented videos. Do you agree that this attack on the rights of adult consumers is utterly unwarranted and that there should be no limits on the proportion of video store revenues derived from adult videos?
I strongly support the constitutionally protected right of adults to have and use in the homes any sort of sexually explicit materials. The task is to find the appropriate balance between the rights of consumers in the market place to purchase any legal items and the need to give residential neighborhoods a voice and protection from the placement of certain kinds of retail establishments in and near residential zones that the residents find legitimately objectionable.
While the 15 percent limit seems too low, some kind of restriction is called for, with examples, such as in Dupont Circle, of stores that sell sexually explicit materials without objection close to residential areas. Such videos are usually in a separate areas [sic] with a door of some kind for the adult customer. This "separate room" solution could be made part of the regulation.
6. Will you support legislation to authorize and regulate the issuance of liquor licenses to establishments (in designated non-residential commercial districts) that want to offer nude dancing as entertainment?
I am willing to discuss expanding the areas in which nude dancing is allowed.
7. Do you support Initiative 59 (or similar legislation) to legalize the use of medical marijuana when a patient's doctor recommends it as a means to combat some of the effects of AIDS, cancer, and other diseases?
I support the medical use of marijuana as would be permitted by Initiative 59. My father died last year and anything that could legally relieve his suffering was most welcome.
8. The New York State Legislature recently passed legislation saying that: (1) doctors must report the names of people who test positive for HIV to public health officials; and that (2) health workers must attempt to have infected patients identify their sex of or drug-use partners and then must notify those partners of possible exposure. Such measures are invariable counter-productive and discourage those most at risk from being tested and treated for HIV. Will you oppose any such legislation in the District?
I oppose mandatory notification of health authorities of positive HIV test results. This would not only violate doctor-patient confidentiality, it would also deter people from seeking treatment. There are other, less intrusive ways to collect public health data.
9. Do you support an increase in District government funding to combat AIDS in line with the continuing increase in the caseload?
I support increased District funding of AIDS programs if the funds are efficiently spent and the services are being delivered as needed, particularly for teens and heterosexual women. We also must make sure that we take advantage of all resources, especially federal dollars.
10. Do you support continued District government funding for the needle exchange program to combat the spread of AIDS?
I support needle exchange, same-sex marriage and adoption by unmarried couples. I will work with our Delegate to vigorously oppose any attempt by Congress to restrict these activities in the District.
11. Do you support legal recognition of marriages between partners of the same sex?
[See response to Question 10.]
12. Do you support the current District policy, sanctioned by a court rule, of allowing adoptions by unmarried couples?
[See response to Question 10.]
13. Do you support both an increased budget for the Office of Human Rights (OHR) so that its heavy case backlog can be eliminated, and the re-establishment of OHR as an independent, Cabinet-level agency whose Director has direct access to the Mayor?
The Council should place the agency under a specific "watch" with additional funds to make sure the backlog is cleared up. Once the agency is up-to-date, a community-wide search should be undertaken to find good managers who will build up the agency, including a good means of following complaints. Direct access to the mayor is desirable, but Council oversight is necessary to make sure the agency functions at an excellent level.
14. Will you support legislation codifying OHR's current practice of granting top priority to discrimination complaints from those afflicted with AIDS or other life-shortening conditions?
Yes, I would support legislation giving people with AIDS and life-shortening conditions priority in proceedings before the OHR.
15. Proposals for establishing a system of vouchers for private schools, whether here or elsewhere around the country, would funnel taxpayer dollars to religious schools controlled by denominations that fr3equently are aggressively homophobic. Will you oppose any legislation authorizing vouchers for religious schools?
I oppose public funding of vouchers for private schools. We must spend the money to build up our public education system.
Bill Rice
Democrat for Councilmember At-Large
Campaign office:
1351 U St. NW, Suite 200
Washington, D.C. 20009
phone: (202)238-9421
fax: (202)238-9558