Responses of Winifred Freeman to GLAA 2000 Questionnaire
for DC Council Candidates
| Yes/No | Substance | Record | Championship | Total |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
97 Elmira Street, SW
Washington, DC 20032
Tel./Fax: (202) 583-8002
August 7, 2000
Bob Summersgill, President
Gay And Lesbian Activists Alliance
P. 0. Box 75265
Washington, D. C. 20013-5265
Dear Mr. Summersgill:
I am forwarding, as per your letter dated July 7, 2000, my responses to the questionnaire which I received from your organization as a candidate for the Ward 8 City Council seat.
Your Agenda 2000 was very informative and I feel that my responses will reflect the extent to which I am interested in working with your organization to achieve more parity regarding the issues addressed in your Agenda.
Thank you for this opportunity to share my thinking with you and I hope this leads to our working for a better city for all of our citizens in the days and months to come.
Sincerely,
(Ms.) Winifred Freeman,
Candidate - Ward 8 City Council Representative
PUBLIC SAFETY
1. Will you vote for a budget for the new Citizen Complaint Review Board and the Office of Citizen Complaint Review large enough to prevent the development of a case backlog?
Yes, I will. However, I do want to monitor the progress of case resolution. If the current legislation does not include a way of flagging potential case buidlup at the outset, then it needs to be so amended.
2. Will you support legislation that will reverse the Council's recent enactment of a ban on moonlighting by members of the Metropolitan Police Department at bars and sexually oriented establishments?
No. The police officer's life is threatened as soon as he or she receives a badge. They need to be alert mentally and physically at all times. I think these owners should consult with a security company for this task. When the circumstances require that the police need to be called, they can do so.
3. Will you support amending recently enacted Sexual Offenders Registration Act, "Megan's Law," so that those who can prove to the court that they no longer constitute a danger to the community will not be required to register as a sex offender?
Yes, but I see that there are still aspects of this law that requires more work. We have so many areas where the District's liabilities as represented by court case losses represent the most substantive portion of an agency's budget. The budget categories reflecting this problem needs serious attention and work to rid the city of this problem. That does not mean that we should ignore the possible need to award attorneys' fees and other charges in cases or suits that persons have won requiring their not being included in the registry.
4. Will you support the full funding and full staffing of the Metropolitan Police Department's newly created Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit (GLLU) as currently proposed?
I support the concept of establishing this unit; I have not seen a copy of the legislation outlining the details of unit configuration and operation.
5. Will you demand mandatory gay male, lesbian, bisexual and transgender sensitivity and diversity training including gay and transgender community representative as a continuing part of the training for all members of the Metropolitan Police Department and the Fire/EMS Department?
Yes, to the extent possible. There are several agencies whose employees need this training. The number of workers and bosses that need this training will more than justify the cost. I want to see this item as a budget line in budgets particularly for the police department, social workers, fire department, and employment services just for starters.
PUBLIC HEALTH & HIV
6. Last year, a unique identifier system for tracking the spread of HIV was approved by the Council and Mayor, rather than a names reporting system that would deter some people from being tested in the first place. Will you insist that unique identifier system be implemented without delay and fairly evaluated?
Yes, I will insist that this system be implmented as soon as possible and then fairly evaluated. It roubles me that these circumstances have developed at all. I need to know why implementation lag time develops once a bill has passed. This situation is occuring with too many pieces of crucial legislation. The implementation of the citizen Complaint Review Board is another instance where too much time passed before getting it underway.
7. Will you oppose Bill 13-240 which would make possession and distribution of marijuana for medical purposes a felony?
No; I am not supportive of the medicinal marijuana legislation. I really think, based upon the increased marijuana use that occured prior to the vote on this issue, that the criminal element is waiting to use the passage of this legislation as a loophole for increasing their level of activity. Also, I've seen literature which indicates that smoking marijuana seriously reduces an individual's CAPACITY TO LEARN. I don't knowingly want to be a part of any activity that leads to that kind of result. Separate legislation needs to be drafted for the other medications that are needed for easier patients' care.
8. Will you support the use of District taxpayer funds to implement a needle exchange program?
Yes, I will support the enactment and funding of legislation permitting the operation of a clean needle exchange program. The City Council and the Mayor need to find a way to get Congress to take a "Hands Off" posture on this program so that we can work to not only stop the transmission of the AIDS virus among our intravenous drug users, but also introduce health initiatives that will improve their quality of health.
9. The Administration for HIV/AIDS (AHA) is still unable to account for its spending. Will you ask the Inspector General to audit AHA contracting.
I will not only ask the Inspector Gneeral to audit the Administration For HIV/AIDS (AHA) contracting, I will want to know why their investigation of this situation has not been initiated and resolved before now.
10. Will you support earmarking funds to combat mental health problems and homelessness among sexual minority youth?
It is unfortunate that you even have to ask this question, but yes, I will support earmarking funds to combat mental health problems and homelessness among sexual minority youth. Actually, this category of funding needs to be addressed for ALL of our youth considering the see-saw growing up has on their minds and bodies from the seventh grade on.
HUMAN RIGHTS
11. Will you support a temporary increase in the annual budget for the Office of Human Rights (OHR) over the next several years until its persistent 700-case backlog has been eliminated?
Yes, I will support earmarking funds needed on an annual basis for the Office of Human Rights over the next several years to eliminate the current 700-case backlog that exists in that office. I am concerned that you refer to this funding adjustment as a temporary increase. I would prefer to look at this issue as a budget line item that needs to be funded annually so that they not only eliminate the existing backlog, but also prevent the development of this situation in the future.
12. Will you support legislation that will codify OHR's former practice of giving top priority to discrimination complaints filed by people with AIDS or other major life- threatening diseases?
I will support legislation that will reinstate the practice of giving top priority to discrimination complaints by people with AIDS and other major life-threatening diseases without potponing the resolution of other cases indefinitely. There is a tendency in our governmental structure to derail the solution of complaints or serious cases (such as the Tyra Hunter case) by establishing a procedure which delays rather than expedites achieving a solution or resolution of the matter. In lieu of delaying case resolution, the court or other proper entity should establish an awards ceiling which can be used to [sentence unfinished]
13. DC's rate of HIV infections among teenagers is significantly higher than the national average. Will you support legislation to increase HIV prevention efforts targeted towards sexual minority youth?
Yes; actually the legislation needs to address HIV prevention for ALL of our youth, including the sexual minority youth.
DEFENDING OUR FAMILIES
14. Will you support legal recognition of marriages between partners of the same sex?
Yes; while I totally believe in the traditional family development process, we have a more diverse population composition and, for that reason, must expand our human rights agenda to address the needs of all populations.
15. Will you agree that the District should recognize the same-sex civil unions established in Vermont or other jurisdictions?
The above-mentioned legislation should include language which recognizes the same-sex unions established in Vermont or other jurisdictions by reciprocity.
16. Will you support legislation in the District similar to Vermont's civil unions law?
I prefer developing new or amending existing legislation to address this issue rather than establishing an independent bill. A bill per issue becomes pretty cumbersome.
17. Will you support the well-established decision by D.C. Courts, which recognize the right of unmarried couples to adopt children jointly?
If it's an established practice, then I will recognize the right of unmarried couples to adopt children jointly. It is the responsibility of the adoption agency to identify any potential harm a child may experience prior to awarding the custody of a child to adoptive parents. I expect this aspect of assessment to be applied to all potential parental situations - same sex or not.
YOUTH AND PUBLIC EDUCATION
18. Will you support legislation prohibiting harassment of students in the District schools (both public and charter) on the basis of any of the protected categories enumerated in the D.C. Human Rights Law?
Yes, but please explain to me why we have to create legislation to notify people that discriminatory human rights infractions toward youth or anyone else will NOT be tolerated at any time.