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Dwight Davis
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
Please share any accomplishments or experiences that reflect your commitment to
advancing Opportunity DC's policy priorities
All endorsements to date:
Previous offices held:
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. Federal interference in the DC’s self-governance remains a fundamental challenge. Congress retains the ability to overturn local laws and delay our budget, creating uncertainty for residents, businesses, and city agencies. When our government cannot act decisively, it affects everything from public safety resources to housing investments. As a Councilmember, I would work with regional partners and national leaders to defend DC’s autonomy, advocate for statehood, and ensure that District agencies are operating efficiently and transparently so we can demonstrate responsible local governance.
2. Affordability—particularly housing—continues to put pressure on District families. We must accelerate housing production by streamlining permitting processes and removing unnecessary bureaucratic barriers that slow development. At the same time, the Council must strengthen oversight to ensure public investments in housing produce units that working families can afford.
3. We must ensure our education system prepares students for real economic opportunity. As an educator, I see that students thrive when learning connects to careers. Expanding career and technical education, early college programs, and partnerships between schools, universities, and local industries will help build a stronger workforce pipeline while giving families access to high-quality schools that meet their children’s needs.
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.
Addressing the District’s housing shortage requires policies that both increase housing supply and ensure that residents across income levels can continue to live in our city. I support several practical reforms that can make DC a more competitive place to build housing.
First, the District should streamline the housing permitting and approval process. Developers often face lengthy and complicated regulatory reviews that delay projects and increase costs. Establishing clearer timelines, improving coordination among agencies, and modernizing our permitting systems would help bring housing online more quickly while maintaining strong safety and planning standards.
Second, we should continue to encourage housing development near public transit and major job centers. Transit-oriented development allows the District to make better use of existing infrastructure while creating walkable neighborhoods where residents can live closer to work, schools, and services.
Third, the District should strengthen partnerships between the public and private sectors to build mixed-income housing. The city can use tools such as publicly owned land and the Housing Production Trust Fund to partner with developers to build both affordable and market-rate housing. Strategic public investment can help unlock larger private investments and increase the number of homes built across the city.
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?
Support
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?
Oppose
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?
What three strategies would you propose to reduce DC government spending or grow our tax base to ensure long term fiscal stability?
1. We should improve operational efficiency across agencies. Too often residents, businesses, and nonprofits encounter duplicative processes and lengthy delays in permitting, procurement, and licensing. Modernizing technology systems, improving interagency coordination, and conducting regular performance audits can reduce administrative costs while improving service delivery.
2. We must focus on revitalizing and expanding its economic base, particularly in downtown and commercial corridors. The shift to remote work has significantly reduced commercial activity and property tax revenues. Encouraging office-to-residential conversions, supporting small businesses, and attracting emerging industries such as technology, life sciences, and creative industries can help bring new residents, workers, and investment into the city.
3. We should strengthen oversight of large capital projects and contracts to ensure public dollars are being used efficiently. Stronger accountability measures, transparent procurement practices, and clearer performance benchmarks can help prevent cost overruns and ensure that public investments deliver real value to residents. By improving government efficiency, revitalizing the DC’s economy, and strengthening fiscal oversight, we can build a sustainable revenue base while continuing to invest in the core services that residents rely on.
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:
First, the District should modernize and streamline the permitting and inspection process for housing and commercial development. Currently, developers, homeowners, and small businesses often face lengthy delays due to overlapping reviews across multiple agencies. Establishing clearer timelines, improving interagency coordination, and expanding digital permitting systems would help reduce delays while maintaining strong safety and planning standards.
The District should simplify the business licensing process. Many entrepreneurs must navigate multiple agencies and confusing requirements when starting or expanding a business. Creating a more unified “one-stop” licensing system and improving online access to licensing services would reduce administrative burdens and make it easier for small businesses to operate in the District.
The District should review duplicative reporting and compliance requirements placed on nonprofits and community-based organizations that partner with the city. These organizations often provide essential services but must navigate complex contracting and reporting systems. Streamlining procurement and reporting processes would allow these organizations to focus more resources on serving residents rather than managing bureaucracy.
More 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?
Please provide 1 – 3 policies or strategies you support to make residents, workers, and businesses safer in DC.
First, the District should strengthen youth programming and expand Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways that connect students to real career opportunities. Many young people disengage from school when they do not see a clear pathway to economic success. Expanding programs in areas such as technology, healthcare, construction trades, and sports-related careers can help students develop valuable skills while creating stronger connections between schools, employers, and the local workforce.
The District should continue investing in community-based violence interruption programs. These programs work directly with individuals and neighborhoods most impacted by violence and help mediate conflicts before they escalate. Evidence from cities across the country shows that well-supported violence interruption programs can reduce retaliation cycles and build stronger community trust.
The District must ensure that the Metropolitan Police Department has the staffing and resources needed to respond quickly and effectively to residents and businesses. Strengthening recruitment, improving training, and building stronger partnerships between officers and communities will help rebuild trust and improve public safety outcomes.
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 chronic truancy requires more than new programs—it requires rebuilding strong relationships between schools, families, and communities. When students and families feel disconnected from their school community, attendance often suffers. As an educator, I have seen that meaningful engagement with families is one of the most effective ways to improve student attendance.
First, schools must strengthen partnerships with families and community organizations. Schools should prioritize proactive outreach, regular communication, and trusted relationships with parents and guardians. When families feel welcomed, respected, and included in the school community, students are far more likely to attend consistently.
Second, the District should strengthen early intervention systems that identify attendance issues before they become chronic. Schools need dedicated staff and support services to work directly with families facing barriers such as transportation challenges, housing instability, or health concerns.
Third, we must ensure that students see school as relevant to their future. Expanding career and technical education (CTE), career exploration programs, and real-world learning opportunities can help students see a clear connection between education and economic opportunity.
Programs alone will not solve truancy. Real progress happens when schools build authentic relationships with families and students and create learning environments where young people feel connected, supported, and motivated to attend every day.
(Optional) Notes Provided by Candidate
Question 8: Occupational licensing requirements should always be reviewed to ensure they are efficient and not unnecessarily burdensome. However, these standards also exist to protect public health, safety, and professional quality. Many of the professions listed—including cosmetology, athletic training, and personal care services—involve direct physical contact with clients and require training to prevent harm.
Rather than broadly reducing time and training requirements, the District should focus on improving the efficiency of licensing processes, reducing unnecessary administrative delays, and ensuring that training programs remain accessible and affordable for residents seeking to enter these professions.
Professional standards help protect consumers and ensure that workers are properly prepared to serve the public. Maintaining strong training and certification requirements, while improving the licensing system’s efficiency, strikes the right balance between workforce opportunity and public safety.
Question 16: I support funding students at equitable levels through the Uniform Per Student Funding Formula, weighted by student need. Every student in the District deserves access to the resources necessary to succeed regardless of the type of public school they attend.
At the same time, equitable funding must be paired with strong governance, accountability, and transparency. All publicly funded schools should operate under clear performance standards and evaluation systems that provide meaningful feedback on student outcomes and instructional quality. Additionally, we must ensure that public dollars invested in DC’s schools are used to directly support District students and communities. Strong oversight is necessary to ensure that funds are being used responsibly and that school operators—particularly large national networks—remain accountable to the District and the families they serve.
Equitable funding, paired with strong accountability and transparency, will help ensure that every student in the District receives a high-quality education.