Responses to the 2022 DC General Election Candidate Music Platform Checklist For The November 8th Election
We have received the responses from candidates for the DC General Election happening on Tuesday Nov 8th. The Candidates made public their opinions on issues including Harmonious Living, Industry Relief Funding, the Creation of a Music Office and much more. The checklist and policy platform, drafted by a coalition of DC music community representatives, was shared with all candidates on October 18th as an effort to better understand which of the candidates support a thriving and talented DC music economy.
The coalition of signatories consisting of local music organizations, venues, nonprofits and artists, crafted the set of statements, policies, initiatives, and proposals that are essential to supporting DC’s music ecosystem. The checklist urges the candidates to support a safe, sustainable, and vibrant music community that has been hit hard by COVID-19 and continues to suffer major losses 2 years later.
The deadline for candidates to respond was Oct 24th. All of the Democratic and Republican primary candidates were emailed back in May and submitted responses by May 27th. All of the Libertarian, Green and Independent Candidates were just contacted in October. The candidates who chose not to respond to the checklist have made it clear that while they may not reject all of our policy objectives, their silence on these issues speaks to their priorities regarding support for our historic, vibrant and talented art and music communities. The candidates who did respond to the checklist include: Dennis Sobin (Mayor), Darryl Moch (Chairman), Elissa Silverman (At-Large), Fred Hill (At-Large), Graham McLaughlin (At-Large), David Schwartzman (At-Large), Brianne Nadeau (Ward 1), Matt Frumin (Ward 3), Zachary Parker (Ward 5), Charles Allen (Ward 6), Brian Schwalb (Attorney General)
Candidates were asked to sign their name and put a checkmark next to the statements they support. A majority of the candidates who returned the checklist support all eleven statements sent by members of the music community. Charles Allen (Ward 6) does not support the Phasing out of ABRA Settlement Agreements Banning Music and Entertainment in Commercial Establishments. The Campaign of Brain Schwalb (Attorney General) wrote to us to let us know that the majority of the questions are budgetary or legislative in nature so therefore outside the scope of the Office of the Attorney General.
The DC Music Stakeholder Coalition thanks the candidates for their participation. There are thousands of musicians, creatives and entertainment industry employees living and working in the city and the issues that matter to these individuals must be acknowledged by all candidates. We hope that DC voters will bear these policies and candidate responses in mind when evaluating their choices of Primary candidates on June 21st, understanding that the health of DC’s music ecosystem is vital to the city’s vibrant cultural fabric.
A PDF of all the Candidate Responses can be found HERE
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RESPONSES FOR THE 2022 DC PRIMARY ELECTION CANDIDATE CHECKLIST
[WASHINGTON, DC] A majority of the 2022 DC Primary Candidates for Mayor, Council and Attorney General have now responded to a music community platform checklist, making public their opinions on issues including Harmonious Living, Industry Relief Funding, the Creation of a Music Office and much more. The checklist and policy platform, drafted by a coalition of DC music community representatives, was shared with all candidates on May 16th as an effort to better understand which of the candidates support a thriving and talented DC music economy.
The coalition of signatories consisting of local music organizations, venues, nonprofits and artists, crafted the set of statements, policies, initiatives, and proposals that are essential to supporting DC’s music ecosystem. The checklist urges the candidates to support a safe, sustainable, and vibrant music community that has been hit hard by COVID-19 and continues to suffer major losses 2 years later.
The deadline for candidates to fill out the checklist was Friday May 27th. Each of the candidates running for office were contacted multiple times through their campaign emails and social media to make them aware of the deadline. The candidates who chose not to respond to the checklist have made it clear that while they may not reject all of our policy objectives, their silence on these issues speaks to their priorities regarding support for our historic, vibrant and talented art and music communities. The candidates who did respond to the checklist include: Robert White (Mayor), Erin Palmer (Council Chair), Lisa Gore (At-Large) Brianne Nadeau (Ward 1), Sabel Harris (Ward 1), Salah Czapary (Ward 1), Matthew Frumin (Ward 3), Beau Finley (Ward 3), Monte Monash (Ward 3), Deidre Brown (Ward 3), Phil Thomas (Ward 3), Kathy Henderson (Ward 5), Gordon Fletcher (Ward 5), Zachary Parker (Ward 5), Faith Gibson Hubbard (Ward 5), Vincent Orange (Ward 5), Charles Allen (Ward 6), Brian Schwalb (Attorney General), Ryan Jones (Attorney General), Bruce Spiva (Attorney General)
Candidates were asked to sign their name and put a checkmark next to the statements they support. A majority of the candidates who returned the checklist support all eleven statements sent by members of the music community. Erin Palmer (Council Chair) and Beau Finley (Ward 3) do not support Making DC’s Liquor Liability Rate the Same as MD and VA’s. Phil Thomas (Ward 3) and Faith Gibson Hubbard (Ward 5) do not support passage of the Harmonious Living Legislation Act of 2021 which was introduced and co drafted by the music community and do not support Establishing a Fair Trade Music Framework for Entities that Receive Government Funding to Present Live Music. Charles Allen (Ward 6) does not support the Phasing out of ABRA Settlement Agreements Banning Music and Entertainment in Commercial Establishments. The Campaign of Brain Schwalb (Attorney General) wrote to us to let us know that the majority of the questions are budgetary or legislative in nature so therefore outside the scope of the Office of the Attorney General. Bruce Spiva (Attorney General) did not check off boxes for Phasing out ABRA Agreements Banning Entertainment, the Liquor Liability Question or supporting a Universal Basic Income Pilot. His campaign says “any boxes that are not checked do not indicate opposition to the initiatives described -- rather, it either doesn't fall under the jurisdiction of the Attorney General's office or that Bruce would need closer study on the proposal before signing on to it.”
The DC Music Stakeholder Coalition thanks the candidates for their participation. There are thousands of musicians, creatives and entertainment industry employees living and working in the city and the issues that matter to these individuals must be acknowledged by all candidates. We hope that DC voters will bear these policies and candidate responses in mind when evaluating their choices of Primary candidates on June 21st, understanding that the health of DC’s music ecosystem is vital to the city’s vibrant cultural fabric.
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The initial list of supporters of this Music Platform can be found below:
Chris Naoum (Listen Local First DC), Aaron Myers (Capitol Hill Jazz Foundation), Daniel Buchner 9Kingman Island Festival), Graham Smith-White (Musician, Advocate, Organizer), Amy K Bormet, (Washington Women in Jazz), Satya Thallam (Musician), Davey S. Yarborough, Shannon Gunn, Dior Ashley Brown - DC Music Summit, Sandra Basanti (Pie Shop DC), Lester Wallace (Shaolin Jazz), Layne Garrett (Rhizome DC), Jenny Langer (ECE, Moonshine Society), Nicholas Fontana (Pearl Street Warehouse), John Chambers (BloomBars), Coniece Washington (Vocalist), Jeremy Castillo (Levine Music), Simona Wright-James (Porchfest DC), Nia Mobley (Porchfest DC), Rev Sandra Butler Truesdale (DC Legendary Musicians), Julianne Brienza (Capital Fringe), Stacey Williams (Jazz Cat Herder), Brewster Lee (Radiant), Elin Melgarejo (singer), Rob Coltun (Bossa Bistro), Dani Weymouth (DMV Music Alliance), Caroline Phillips (National Cannabis Festival), Jess Eliot Myhre (musician, producer), Herb Scott (Capitol Hill Jazz Foundation), Joe Lapan (Songbyrd Music House), Sterling Anderson (Steelosoul), Angela Byrd (MadeInTheDMV) Kymone Freeman (We Act Radio), Karen Baker (Social Art and Culture/Black L.U.V. Festival) Jamie Sandel (CapitalBop), Matt Singer (DC Jazz Festival), Jackson Sinnenberg (CapitalBop, Home Rule Music and Film Preservation Foundation), Jon Weiss (Union Stage, Capital Turnaround, The Howard Theater), Jen Saavedra (Down in the Reeds Festival), Jennifer Vinson (DC Setlist), Dr. Kenneth D. Dickerson (Musician, Educator), DC Strings Workshop
A PDF of all the Candidate Responses can be viewed HERE of scroll below.
A Graphic of the Candidate Responses can be viewed HERE