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JACK EVANS
Friday, September 05, 2008
I
AM
WRITING
to
ask
for
your
support
on
Sept.
9
in
the
Democratic
Primary
for
the
Ward
2
Council
seat.
It
has
been
among
my
most
satisfying
accomplishments
to
have
worked
so
closely
with
the
LGBT
community
and
HIV/AIDS
activists
on
so
many
issues
over
the
years.
When
you
go
cast
your
vote,
please
remember
this:
it
is
not
enough
to
be
supportive
of
the
community;
it’s
important
to
elect
someone
who
will
be
an
activist
for
and
effective
champion
of
these
issues.
I
have
been
proud
to
play
a
role
championing
these
issues
on
the
Council
and
proud
to
have
received
the
endorsement
of
the
Gertrude
Stein
Democratic
Club,
as
well
as
a
perfect
10
rating
from
the
Gay
&
Lesbian
Activists
Alliance
in
recognition
of
my
effectiveness
working
on
behalf
of
my
constituents
in
the
LGBT
community.
Not
only
have
we
made
a
difference
together
on
LGBT
issues,
but
Ward
2
and
the
city
as
a
whole
are
in
much
better
shape
than
we
were
a
decade
ago.
Ward
2,
which
stretches
from
Shaw
to
Georgetown,
and
includes
Logan
Circle,
downtown,
Dupont
Circle,
Foggy
Bottom
and
Sheridan-Kalorama,
is
the
envy
of
the
entire
city
and
is
the
embodiment
of
what
it
means
to
have
a
city
where
you
can
live,
work
and
play.
On
LGBT
issues,
I
led
the
Council
in
reforming
the
District’s
archaic
sodomy
law,
and
worked
with
the
community
and
my
colleagues
to
reform
a
wide
variety
of
other
outdated
statutes.
I
led
the
Council
in
pushing
for
domestic
partnership
benefits,
and
authored
and
cosponsored
numerous
amendments
over
the
years
to
expand
those
benefits
so
they
are
comparable
to
the
benefits
accorded
to
spouses.
I
WAS
THE
first
elected
official
in
the
District
to
support
equal
marriage
rights
for
gay
and
lesbian
couples,
and
I
will
continue
to
work
alongside
the
community
to
ensure
the
District
recognizes
such
marriages
from
other
jurisdictions.
I
have
fought
for
better
funding
for
HIV/AIDS
prevention
and
treatment
programs,
and
authored
the
legislation
creating
the
clean
needle
exchange
program
and
strongly
supported
condom
availability
programs
in
our
schools
and
corrections
system.
I
helped
start
the
LGBT
Liaison
Unit
at
the
Metropolitan
Police
Force,
and
successfully
fought
last
year
to
keep
that
program
intact.
I
have
worked
on
a
wide
variety
of
bias-related
crime
issues
over
the
years,
and
this
is
an
area
where
we
will
need
to
continue
to
focus
our
efforts.
I
fought
for
proper
funding
for
the
Office
of
Human
Rights
and
helped
write
the
legislation
to
reestablish
the
Office
of
Police
Complaints,
and
so
much
more.
In
helping
to
make
Ward
2
a
better
place
to
live
and
work,
I
passed
successful
amendments
to
the
ABC
Code
to
lure
Whole
Foods
to
Logan
Circle
and
permit
new
restaurants
along
9th
Street
in
Shaw.
I
worked
with
the
communities
I
represent
to
fight
crime,
improve
community
policing,
identify
funds
to
put
ShotSpotter
technology
to
work
in
Shaw,
and
a
wide
variety
of
other
initiatives
over
the
years.
I
secured
the
funding
for
the
O
Street
Market
project
in
Shaw,
the
new
Convention
Center
Hotel,
and
built
Gallery
Place,
among
others,
all
of
which
will
help
redevelop
the
Ward
in
positive
ways.
I
HAVE
ALSO
fought
for
you,
the
taxpayer.
I
have
a
strong
legislative
record
that
includes
fighting
for
the
10
percent
annual
property
tax
cap
for
homeowners,
property
tax
relief
for
small
businesses
establishing
an
Earned
Income
Tax
Credit
for
working
families
and
championing
funding
for
the
Housing
Production
Trust
Fund,
which
has
enabled
several
tenant
associations
in
Ward
2
to
buy
their
buildings.
I
authored
the
financing
package
behind
the
School
Modernization
Act,
which
dedicates
$100
million
a
year
to
rebuilding
our
schools
and
strongly
supported
Mayor
Fenty’s
and
Chancellor
Rhee’s
reform
efforts
to
bring
more
accountability
and
efficiency
to
the
school
system.
A
decade
ago,
the
District
was
in
a
very
sad
state.
We
were
bankrupt
and
our
bonds
were
junk.
Today,
we
have
balanced
our
budget
13
consecutive
times
and
enjoy
reserves
of
more
than
$1.4
billion.
We
have
gone
from
the
laughingstock
of
the
nation
to
being
in
better
financial
shape
than
our
neighbors
to
the
north
and
south.
I
am
proud
of
my
service
as
the
Ward
2
Council
member,
and
believe
together
we
have
truly
made
a
difference,
not
only
on
issues
of
importance
to
the
LGBT
community,
but
in
helping
our
Ward
and
our
city.
I
would
greatly
appreciate
your
consideration,
and
your
vote
on
Sept.
9.
Let’s
face
the
challenges
ahead
together.
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