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Phil Mendelson
DC Council Chairman
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
(1) Resisted tax increases proposed by councilmembers in last several budgets; (2) facilitated passage of RENTAL Act with TOPA reform; (3) facilitated passage of ERAP/eviction reform; (4) authored final version of BEST Act adopted by the Council; (5) negotiated better deal (by ~$800 million) for Commanders Stadium in 8 weeks; (6) advocated for creation of Opportunity DC; (7) support current governing structure for public education and support equitable funding of schools through UPSFF; (8) increased funding for Washington DC Economic Partnership to promote business attraction/retention; (9) authored Vacant to Vibrant Amendment Act; (1) etc.
Please share any accomplishments or experiences that reflect your commitment to
advancing Opportunity DC's policy priorities
(1) Resisted tax increases proposed by councilmembers in last several budgets; (2) facilitated passage of RENTAL Act with TOPA reform; (3) facilitated passage of ERAP/eviction reform; (4) authored final version of BEST Act adopted by the Council; (5) negotiated better deal (by ~$800 million) for Commanders Stadium in 8 weeks; (6) advocated for creation of Opportunity DC; (7) support current governing structure for public education and support equitable funding of schools through UPSFF; (8) increased funding for Washington DC Economic Partnership to promote business attraction/retention; (9) authored Vacant to Vibrant Amendment Act; (1) etc.
All endorsements to date:
Previous offices held:
(1979-1998) At-Large Councilmember (1999-2012), ANC Commissioner
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.
Right-sizing our budget so that we can maintain important programs such as public education, childcare, universal access to healthcare, as well as agency operations such as Department of Buildings and DLCP.
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?
Adequate housing - both market rate and below market rate - by continuing to find/remove barriers to investment and operation (more than TOPA and eviction reform).
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?
Resisting federal interference such as the FY25 Continuing Resolution, the August 2025 alleged public safety emergency, and the most recent disapproval of our tax decoupling law. I have brought to the Council the assistance of a Congressional relations firm.
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.
Agree – I agree
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 - low density neighborhood commercial nodes are not appropriate for high-density residential buildings. Unlike most cities, DC permits residential in virtually every zone district.
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?
There needs to be an honest assessment of the regulatory process: how difficult it is to obtain building permits, obtain timely inspections, and to receive a c of o. If zoning approval is necessary, that should happen more quickly (e.g., not take an average of 6 months to obtain a final order after decision).
Also, there needs to be an honest assessment of the factors that make building affordable housing significantly more costly/unit than market-rate housing.
Both of these assessments should then lead to regulatory reform either by rule or legislation, as I did with the BEST Act (reported out of the Committee of the Whole).
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 - support reducing (it was the Mayor's proposal to increase over 2x)
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?
Support - the bill is in my committee so I commit to holding a hearing. In concept I agree smaller businesses should not have to complete the paperwork, but the hearing will identify whether the bill needs modification. I think the personal property tax should be eliminated, but the fiscal impact prevents that at this time.
What three strategies would you propose to reduce DC government spending or grow our tax base to ensure long term fiscal stability?
Support reducing the time and cost to obtain/renew all occupational licenses to the minimum level necessary.
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?
Yes – I agree
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:
1. Eliminate overspending by agencies. Last year, a number of agencies in the aggregate overspent their budgets by over $200 million.
2. Reduce overtime. For instance, I heard today that the amount paid for police overtime is sufficient to hire 500 police officers. The extensive overtime paid by DC reflects either poor management or inadequate hiring.
3. I am interested in the Business Activity Tax which was almost proposed by the Tax Revision Commission. It would expand our tax base and enable a reduction in many current tax rates.
Oppose - I oppose this because the assessments would probably not be accurate unless done very carefully, which would be time consuming. I have looked at this proposal because the business community has advocated for this in the past. I supported our Budget Office getting the ability to perform economic impact assessments (e.g., Universal Paid Leave and the Commanders Stadium) but these assessments are very time-consuming. Not sure anyone paid attention to either of the two cited.
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?
I won't list three because three don't come to mind immediately. However, it is my belief that agencies and stakeholders must regularly review rules and regulations to (1) identify if any are no longer necessary; and (2) consider whether there is an easier and quicker way to achieve the purpose of the rule/regulation. I will note that I often hear complaints about regulatory burden, but I hold frequent oversight hearings regarding the Department of Buildings and never hear testimony citing specific rules or regulations that are problematic. If consumers (i.e., businesses suffering from rules/regulations) do not raise issues, it is difficult for me to help.
Please provide 1 – 3 policies or strategies you support to make residents, workers, and businesses safer in DC.
More officers - We have budgeted for the hiring of more police officers, and reducing overtime would free up additional dollars for MPD usage.
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?
Yes – I have voted in favor of the curfew law twice
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?
First, close more cases. The recent increase in help from federal officers on warrants, investigations, and crime suppression, has made a big difference. A DC Auditor report found that MPD needed more detectives. Closing cases (i.e., arresting suspects) is necessary if we expect law enforcement to be a deterrent to crime. Several years ago, the closure rate for homicides within 12 months was less than 50%, and for robbery was about 25%.
Second, aggressively prosecute. The research is clear: swift and certain justice works. It's not how long one is sentenced, it is the fact that a perpetrator is quickly caught and punished.
Third, focused deterrence. That means focusing on repeat violent offenders either to turn them around or lock them up. Tried in other cities (Boston in the 1990s, Baltimore more recently) and very effective in reducing violent crime.
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?
Support - support
(Optional) Notes Provided by Candidate
Support - support