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David T. Gatling
DC Mayor 2026
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
Native Washingtonian with over three decades of service in DC government. Proposes a 'Horizontal Order'—a community-based model for economic growth. 'Save the Seed' approach treats public funds as strategic investments rather than expenses.
Please share any accomplishments or experiences that reflect your commitment to
advancing Opportunity DC's policy priorities
Native Washingtonian with over three decades of service in DC government. Proposes a 'Horizontal Order'—a community-based model for economic growth. 'Save the Seed' approach treats public funds as strategic investments rather than expenses.
All endorsements to date:
No endorsements listed.
Previous offices held:
No previous offices listed.
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.
1. Unleashing Innovation through Stability: Innovation requires the mental and financial bandwidth to take risks. When we fully fund the Pay Equity Fund and the Child Care Subsidy Program, we provide that bandwidth. A community-based model recognizes that a parent who has access to stable, high-quality childcare is a parent who is free to join the workforce, start a business, and contribute to the District's GDP.
2. Creating Housing through Equity: We will accelerate housing production by treating our neighborhoods as partners, not just parcels of land. By focusing on community-centered development, we ensure that new housing creates a 'Horizontal' benefit—lowering costs for residents while preventing the displacement that currently drains our city of its essential workforce.
3. Lowering Costs by Protecting the 'Seed': Resource diversion is the enemy of affordability. When we divert the $12.5 million net benefit generated by early childhood investments, we are removing the 'seed' of our future economy. The data is clear: every dollar invested here yields a 23% return. Diverting those funds forces costs up for families in the long run through lost wages and increased social service needs. My administration will protect these investments as the primary engine for lowering the cost of living in D.C.
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?
1. Restoring Diverted Investment: For too long, resources meant for our communities have been reallocated to large-scale commercial redevelopment projects. As advocates from DC Action have warned, prioritizing commercial growth over community stability is a 'tragic breach' of our social contract. My 'Save the Seed' approach restores those diverted funds to the Pay Equity Fund and the Child Care Subsidy Program, ensuring that the foundational layers of our economy are strong and safe.
2. Community-Based Violence Prevention: We cannot have safe communities without collaboration. I will strengthen the partnership between the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE) and local community advocates. By using a public health model that addresses the root causes of crime—such as poverty and lack of opportunity—we supplement the work of law enforcement with a sustainable, 'Horizontal' shield of protection.
3. Sustainable Affordability: True affordability is not just about rent; it's about the total cost of living. When we lower the cost of childcare through restored investment, we put money back into the hands of residents, allowing them to remain in their homes and contribute to a safer, more stable District. Safety is a byproduct of a community where every resident feels valued and secure.
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?
No written response provided.
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.
No written response provided.
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?
No written response provided.
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?
No written response provided.
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?
No written response provided.
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?
No written response provided.
What three strategies would you propose to reduce DC government spending or grow our tax base to ensure long term fiscal stability?
No written response provided.
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?
No written response provided.
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:
No written response provided.
No written response provided.
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?
No written response provided.
Please provide 1 – 3 policies or strategies you support to make residents, workers, and businesses safer in DC.
No written response provided.
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?
No written response provided.
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?
No written response provided.
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?
1. Protecting the Early Seed: A quality education starts long before the first day of kindergarten. My 'Save the Seed' approach prioritizes the Pay Equity Fund and Child Care Subsidies. The data is clear: these investments return 23% in dividends to our community. When we stabilize our educators, we stabilize our students' foundational years.
2. Equitable Access Across All Wards: A community-based model ensures that a 'quality education' isn't determined by your zip code. We will streamline the bureaucracy that prevents resources from reaching classrooms in Wards 7 and 8. By valuing the contribution of every educator and laborer in the system, we create a school environment that meets the diverse needs of every neighborhood.
3. Restoring Diverted Dividends: We must stop the practice of reallocating funds meant for our students into commercial projects. Working with community advocates like DC Action, I will ensure that our tax dollars are reinvested into school modernization and vocational innovation. We are not just 'funding schools'; we are securing the District's regional competitiveness for the next fifty years.
(Optional) Notes Provided by Candidate
No written response provided.