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Candace Tiana Nelson
DC Council At-Large
Opportunity DC's Questionnaire
Opportunity DC advocates for priorities that grow our local economy, make government work better and faster, and make DC a more affordable place to live. We partner with pragmatic leaders to pass
effective legislation and help elect champions capable of leading our city forward.
Our questionnaire project is dedicated to providing DC Voters with the information to make the best decision possible for the District. No answers have been edited for the candidates, except light formatting changes.
Biographical Information
Please share any accomplishments or experiences that reflect your commitment to
advancing Opportunity DC's policy priorities
My career in DC government has focused on strengthening institutional performance,
economic resilience, and equitable growth all core to Opportunity DC’s priorities.
As a Special Projects Officer at the DC Department of Health Care Finance, I managed
oversight of a $110 million contract tied to the District’s integrated eligibility and case
management system. That role required performance-based accountability, fiscal discipline, and cross-agency coordination to ensure taxpayer dollars were spent efficiently and transparently.
As Chief of Staff to a DC Councilmember, I worked across agencies to improve
implementation of legislation, ensure compliance with Council directives, and align policy
goals with operational execution. I have seen firsthand that good policy only works when
government is coordinated, predictable, and outcome-focused.
I am also a member of Cohort 3 of the Federal City Council’s Emerging Leaders Program,
where I have engaged deeply in conversations about economic diversification, housing
production, downtown revitalization, and long-term fiscal stability. That experience reinforced
my commitment to expanding DC’s tax base through housing growth, targeted industry
recruitment, and modernized regulatory processes.
Throughout my career, I have worked to advance policies that strengthen workforce
pathways, protect vulnerable residents, and improve government performance. I believe strong public institutions, strong workers, and strong economic growth are mutually reinforcing
and essential to DC’s long-term competitiveness.
Please share any accomplishments or experiences that reflect your commitment to
advancing Opportunity DC's policy priorities
My career in DC government has focused on strengthening institutional performance,
economic resilience, and equitable growth all core to Opportunity DC’s priorities.
As a Special Projects Officer at the DC Department of Health Care Finance, I managed
oversight of a $110 million contract tied to the District’s integrated eligibility and case
management system. That role required performance-based accountability, fiscal discipline, and cross-agency coordination to ensure taxpayer dollars were spent efficiently and transparently.
As Chief of Staff to a DC Councilmember, I worked across agencies to improve
implementation of legislation, ensure compliance with Council directives, and align policy
goals with operational execution. I have seen firsthand that good policy only works when
government is coordinated, predictable, and outcome-focused.
I am also a member of Cohort 3 of the Federal City Council’s Emerging Leaders Program,
where I have engaged deeply in conversations about economic diversification, housing
production, downtown revitalization, and long-term fiscal stability. That experience reinforced
my commitment to expanding DC’s tax base through housing growth, targeted industry
recruitment, and modernized regulatory processes.
Throughout my career, I have worked to advance policies that strengthen workforce
pathways, protect vulnerable residents, and improve government performance. I believe strong public institutions, strong workers, and strong economic growth are mutually reinforcing
and essential to DC’s long-term competitiveness.
All endorsements to date:
None at the moment
Previous offices held:
Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner, President of the Ward 4 Democrats, President of the DC Democratic Black Caucus, and Delegate to the Democratic
National Convention.
District Priorities
DC residents tell us their three most important issues are the cost of living, public safety, and jobs and the economy. Please list one legislative or regulatory solution you support to address each policy challenge.
Cost of Living
I support comprehensive zoning and permitting reform to accelerate housing production at all income levels. That includes streamlining approvals, reducing duplicative regulatory barriers, and incentivizing mixed-income development near transit corridors and underutilized local and federal properties. Increasing housing supply is a sustainable way to lower costs, stabilize neighborhoods, and support long-term economic growth.
Public Safety
I support legislation to strengthen coordinated violence reduction efforts by fully integrating behavioral health, workforce access, and youth engagement into a unified public safety strategy. We must focus resources on repeat violent offenders while investing in prevention and economic pathways for people. Safe neighborhoods are foundational to attracting residents, businesses, and
long-term investment.
Jobs and the Economy
I support creating a targeted economic growth package focused on diversifying DC’s economy beyond federal employment. This includes tax incentives to attract high-growth industries, faster business licensing processes, and workforce alignment programs that connect displaced federal workers and DC residents to emerging sectors. We should also strategically reposition surplus
federal properties into mixed-use, job-creating hubs under local control.
Accessible & Affordable Housing
DC’s average housing costs are 140% above the national average. DC laws, rules, and
regulations make building housing here more expensive, time-consuming, and bureaucratic compared to other jurisdictions—creating a scarcity of available housing that drives up rent and home prices. Do you agree that increasing the supply of available housing, including market-rate, will lower the cost of rent and homes for residents over time?
Agree
Zoning and land use policy can restrict where housing is built and the number of units for a specific project. Transit-oriented development—building housing near thoroughfares and public transit—helps local governments plan housing near key services and transportation hubs. Do you support or oppose requiring all areas of the District currently zoned for commercial development to be automatically zoned for high-density residential development?
Support
In 2025, DC lawmakers modernized the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) to make DC a more attractive and viable place to build housing. Building enough housing to address DC’s supply shortage will require local government to revise legislative code and pass regulatory reforms so that DC can compete within our region and across the country for limited capital investment. What 1 – 3 legislative or regulatory proposals do you support to make DC a more attractive place to build both affordable and market-rate housing.
To attract investment and increase housing production while preserving affordability and community engagement, DC must improve execution and reduce avoidable uncertainty.
We should be able to expect housing projects to move through clearly defined timelines with
concurrent, cross-agency review rather than sequential approvals. A unified permitting
dashboard paired with enforceable review benchmarks reduce delays while delivering required community engagement and regulatory safeguards.
In addition, DC can establish an expedited review pathway for projects that meet existing
zoning, affordability requirements, and environmental standards. This would not eliminate
oversight or public input, but would prioritize agency review, assign a dedicated project
manager, and streamline interagency coordination to reduce avoidable delays and financing
risk.
Increasing our housing supply at different scales, both affordable and market rate, is essential
to stabilize housing costs and strengthen DC’s long-term fiscal posture.
Economic Innovation & Workforce Development
In July of 2024, DC lawmakers increased the paid family leave tax (a payroll tax on District employers) from .23% to .75% of total wages. The additional revenue went to offset $2 billion in new general fund expenditures rather than towards expanding paid family leave. The higher payroll tax makes it harder for local employers, especially schools, hospitals, and small businesses, to grow and hire District residents. Do you support or oppose eliminating the 2024 payroll tax increase on DC employers over the next four years?
Oppose
Currently, all DC small businesses are required to file an annual personal property tax form (FP-31), even if their property assets are below the threshold that would subject their business to the tax. FP-31 is a cumbersome form that forces entrepreneurs to spend hours on compliance for a tax that most businesses are not even subject to. Do you support or oppose B26-0229, The Personal Property Tax Form Simplification Act, which eliminates the requirement for businesses to file personal property tax form (FP-31) if they are below the proposed $325,000 property threshold?
Support
In DC, some workers must obtain occupational licenses from government-appointed boards and pay large fees to work in fields like interior or landscape designer, barber—including hair braiding, cosmetologist, and manicurist, among others. These barriers artificially limit employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for District residents. Do you support or oppose reducing the time and financial requirements necessary to obtain occupational licenses in the fields where licensure is unnecessary and presents no material risks to
consumers?
Support
Efficient & Effective Government
Since 2020, the District’s budget spending has dramatically outpaced new revenue growth. DC will have to spend more efficiently and grow the tax base, without raising tax rates, to sustainably fund core services moving forward. Do you see DC's dramatic budget growth as a challenge that needs to be addressed through increased efficiency while avoiding new taxes on residents and businesses?
Yes
What three strategies would you propose to reduce DC government spending or grow our tax base to ensure long term fiscal stability?
DC’s long-term fiscal stability requires disciplined spending and economic diversification.
We must:
1. Diversify Our Industries and Business Retention
The District must reduce reliance on federal employment by recruiting and retaining experts in high-growth sectors such as life sciences, technology, hospitality, higher education, and advanced professional services. This includes streamlined business licensing, predictable regulatory timelines, and workforce alignment programs that connect DC residents to emerging sectors.
2. Implement Performance-Informed Budgeting Across Agencies
Every agency should be required to tie funding to measurable outcomes. A periodic
performance review process can identify duplicative programs, underperforming
contracts, and structural cost growth that does not deliver results. Savings should be
redirected toward high-return priorities like housing production, workforce
development, and public safety.
3. Expand Housing Supply to Broaden the Residential Tax Base
Increasing housing production particularly near transit corridors and commercial
centers. This supports population growth, stabilizes rents, strengthens neighborhood
retail, and expands the property tax base without raising tax rates.
Fiscal stability will come from growth, disciplined governance, and strategic investment.
Over time, DC lawmakers have added more rules, regulations, and fees that increase costs for small businesses, which are often passed onto consumers, raising prices for everyone. Having more information about the unintended consequences from new legislation can help prevent higher costs for entrepreneurs and residents. Do you support or oppose requiring the Council to review economic impact assessments, generated by the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), for all new legislation and regulations that increase regulatory or financial costs for District employers?
Support
Are there any government rules or regulations that should be updated, streamlined, or eliminated to make government more efficient and lower administrative burdens on residents? Please list up to 3 rules/regulations & how you would change them:
The government must operate with efficiency, clarity, and predictability. Reducing friction
strengthens economic growth and improves public trust.
1. Interagency Permitting Timelines & Coordination Requirements
DC’s permitting process often requires sequential approvals across multiple agencies (DOB, DOEE, DDOT, utilities), leading to costly delays. I would establish statutory timelines for
agency review and create a single, publicly accessible permitting dashboard with clear
accountability standards. Agencies should be required to coordinate concurrently rather than sequentially.
2. Occupational Licensing Reviews
DC should implement a recurring “sunset review” of occupational licensing requirements to determine whether they remain necessary to protect public health and safety. Where licensure presents minimal consumer risk, training hours and fees should be reduced to lower barriers to work and entrepreneurship.
3. Small Business Tax & Compliance Simplification
The District should consolidate duplicative tax filings and eliminate reporting requirements for
businesses below certain revenue or asset thresholds. Many small businesses spend
disproportionate time navigating compliance for taxes they ultimately do not owe. Simplifying
forms and aligning reporting deadlines would reduce administrative burden without reducing
revenue.
The same number of officers
Do you support legislation to authorize the Chief of Police to declare dedicated zones with earlier curfews for large groups of young people as needed?
Yes
Please provide 1 – 3 policies or strategies you support to make residents, workers, and businesses safer in DC.
Residents and businesses deserve a city that is safe, vibrant, and constitutional. Where enforcement and prevention work together to strengthen long-term stability and community trust.
I support a comprehensive strategy that combines adequate staffing, precision enforcement, and prevention, grounded in accountability and public confidence.
1. Restore and Modernize MPD Staffing Levels
The District must rebuild sworn officer staffing toward recommended levels while investing in recruitment, retention, modern training, and constitutional policing practices. Strategic, data-driven deployment in high-incident areas, commercial corridors, and transit hubs will help restore confidence for residents, workers, and visitors while maintaining civil liberties. Public
safety efforts must also preserve community trust, including ensuring that local policing does not create fear among immigrant residents or undermine workforce stability in key sectors like hospitality and small business.
2. Focused Deterrence & Repeat Offender Accountability
A small number of individuals are responsible for a disproportionate share of violent crime. I support coordinated efforts between MPD, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our Attorney
General to ensure swift and consistent accountability, paired with violence interruption and diversion programs that reduce recidivism. Enforcement tools should be precise and time-limited focused on behavior, not broad populations.
3. Prevention Through Activation & Youth Opportunity
Safety also depends on investment. Well-lit streets, clean public spaces, active retail corridors, youth employment programs, expanded after-school opportunities, and Crisis Response Teams all reduce opportunities for crime. Public safety strategies must be data-driven, transparent, and paired with strong youth engagement to ensure we protect both safety and opportunity.
Quality Education
In 2006, DC had one of the worst performing public school systems in the country. Only 12% of eighth graders were proficient in reading and 8% in math, only 43% of students graduated in five years, and the system was mired in mismanagement. Following the passage of the Public Education Reform Amendment Act (PERAA) of 2007 and enabled by PERAA’s governance reforms, DC tripled proficiency in reading and math and saw the highest rate of post-COVID test score improvement in the country. Do you support or oppose Mayoral control with Council oversight of the District’s public school system, as established by the Public Education Reform Amendment Act of 2007?
Support
Approximately 48% of DC public school students attend charter schools, which are free, public, and open to all students from all wards. Do you support or oppose funding DC Public School (DCPS) and DC public charter school students at equal levels, weighted by student need, through the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula?
Support
Chronic truancy among DCPS students has increased dramatically in recent years. How do you propose we reduce truancy levels to ensure students receive a quality education?
Reducing truancy requires partnership between families, schools, and city agencies. Attendance must become a shared priority, with both support and accountability built into the system.
1. Early Identification & Real-Time Data Intervention
Schools should receive weekly attendance dashboards that flag patterns early, not after a
semester of missed days. Cross-agency coordination between schools, child welfare,
behavioral health, and housing services should activate quickly when attendance drops.
2. Targeted Family Support & Accountability
Many families face barriers such as transportation challenges, housing instability, or mental
health needs. We must expand school-based social workers and attendance support teams
while also reinforcing clear expectations. Chronic absenteeism should trigger structured
intervention plans, not passive monitoring.
3. Make School Relevant Through Work-Based Learning
Students are more likely to attend when they see a pathway to opportunity. Expanding career academies, internships, apprenticeships, and industry-aligned credentials (particularly in high-growth sectors) strengthens engagement and prepares students for success in college.
(Optional) Notes Provided by Candidate
Throughout my responses, I have emphasized fiscal discipline, economic growth, and long-term sustainability. With respect to the Paid Family Leave payroll tax adjustment, my concern is not solely about expanding taxation. It is about protecting the integrity of a program
that directly supports working families.
Paid Family Leave is a self-sustaining social insurance program that thousands of District residents rely on, including myself. If revenues collected for that purpose are redirected to backfill unrelated general fund expenditures, it undermines predictability and trust in the
program. My priority is ensuring that funds dedicated to Paid Family Leave are used exclusively for that purpose and that the program remains actuarially sound.