Dear Ward 5 neighbors,
Work on the Council can get full of noise—competing priorities, lots of moving legislation and oversight, and hundreds of thousands of neighbors counting on their government to deliver. Amid the many demands, I am clear-eyed about one thing: everything we do must be people-first.
As a city, we are grieving for the people whose lives were forever changed in yesterday’s horrific Logan Circle shooting. I am deeply grateful for the dozens of first responders who quickly secured the scene and provided life-saving care. My heart goes out to the victims and their loved ones. While agencies investigate the shooting and what led to such a senseless act, our community’s people-first response is one of care, healing, and safety.
Thanksgiving Grocery Giveaway
A people-first vision also means ensuring every neighbor has a nutritious and filling meal during the holidays. If you haven’t yet, you can sign up here to receive a Thanksgiving grocery bag as part of my office’s annual giveaway next Wednesday, November 18. Grocery bags will include stuffing, mac and cheese, green beans, and corn. Want to help us stuff bags and make deliveries? Sign up to volunteer here!
New Interim At-Large Councilmember Jamal Holtz
This week, Chairman Mendelson swore in the newest member of the Council: Jamal Holtz. Councilmember Holtz now fills the At-Large seat formerly held by Robert White, Jr., who resigned as he steps into his next chapter as our Congressional representative. Councilmember Holtz will hold this seat temporarily until either the DC Democratic State Committee selects another interim Councilmember or until the At-Large Special Election, set to be held in Spring 2027.
During Councilmember Holtz’s inauguration speech on Monday, I was moved by his people-first story. He is a native Washingtonian who has overcome tremendous obstacles, sharing memories of times he and his mother slept in their car and struggled to make ends meet. But Jamal was focused on a life of service. At 16, he served as the Youth City Administrator as part of the Marion Barry Youth Leadership Institute. For years, he’s worked to make our city a better, more equitable place for everyone, and now he will sit on the dais as Councilmember Holtz. This is what it means to be people-first—that no matter your circumstances or background, there is always the opportunity to succeed and to give back.
Robotaxi (Waymo) Legislation
Yesterday, the Committee on Transportation and the Environment took up legislation in markup that would authorize autonomous vehicles in the District. I joined two of my colleagues in voting against the measure, and it failed. While I support bringing autonomous vehicles to DC, the legislation considered at yesterday’s markup missed the mark. There are too many unresolved questions that still need to be addressed: safety concerns raised by DC Fire and EMS, worker displacement concerns raised by labor unions, and questions about the technology’s ability to navigate the District’s unique challenges with First Amendment activities, motorcades, and more. A people-first approach to this bill means getting those questions answered confidently before moving forward.
I know some neighbors are disappointed to not see this bill move forward yet—especially because of the traffic safety that autonomous vehicles can deliver. I share those priorities! But there a just a few points in this vein that I think help bring some perspective to the conversation. First, there are approximately 160,000 car trips per day in the District, and the legislation would authorize deployment of 800 Waymo vehicles. That’s just 0.5% of all daily car trips. What’s more, the vast majority of crashes and dangerous driving is not caused by rideshare vehicles, which is the share of trips Waymo stands to replace. In other words, the numbers do not bear out the narrative that robotaxis will significantly, measurably improve our current traffic safety outcomes (that’s a bigger, separate conversation and one I am eager to keep tackling!). Second, the bill has a fiscal impact (several millions of dollars) which means that the earliest it could be implemented is after our budget cycle, in the second half of 2027. This means we still have plenty of time to get the important outstanding questions right and stay on track for funding and implementation.
When we tackle any challenge in the District—whether it’s autonomous vehicles, public safety, healthcare, or poverty—our work must always be people-first. We must see each other’s humanity and work together in good faith to deliver real results. I look forward to working with my colleagues and all stakeholders to do just that as we wrap up this Council Period and look to the year ahead.
