Ward 8 Questionnaire: Sheila Bunn

Safe Communities

Please provide 1 - 3 policies or strategies you support to make residents, workers, and
businesses safer in DC.

Small businesses are essential to our communities. They stimulate the local economy, create jobs,
support local events, and contribute to a diverse economic landscape. To support their growth, it
is crucial to reduce administrative burdens and streamline processes. Additionally, creating safe
public spaces and business corridors can attract investment and further stimulate economic
activity.

Increasing student engagement and providing more challenging work will decrease chronic
absenteeism and truancy. To improve literacy rates for all students, Sheila recommends
implementing the OSSE's Early Literacy Task Force 2023 recommendations. These include
requiring structured literacy training for teachers and administrators, providing more support to
teachers, and recommending high-quality ELA curriculum based in the science of reading. To
address low math proficiency, Sheila recommends funding a comprehensive citywide strategy.

Expanding the availability of affordable and workforce housing to support renters who are not yet
prepared for homeownership. Additionally, given that only 23% of Ward 8 residents owned their
homes in 2023 compared to 41% citywide, we must work to increase homeownership rates. This
can be achieved, in part, by improving homeownership tools such as HPAP, EPAP, and TOPA, and
by supporting housing cooperatives and community land trusts to enable more residents to
transition from renting to owning, building generational wealth.

Abundant & Affordable Housing

1. DC’s average housing costs are 140% above the national average. Many experts argue that
DC laws, rules, and regulations make building housing here expensive, time-consuming, and
bureaucratic – creating a scarcity of available housing that drives up rent and home prices.
Do you support or oppose reforming the housing permitting process to make building new
housing easier?

a. Support
b. Oppose

2. Opportunity DC believes that DC must modernize and streamline outdated regulatory barriers
like The Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) to dramatically increase the supply of available
housing and bring down the cost of rent for residents. Do you support or oppose exempting
market-rate buildings built or significantly renovated in the 21st century from TOPA
requirements?

a. Support
b. Oppose

3. Do you support or oppose B26-0046, the Emergency Rental Assistance Reform Amendment
Act of 2025, to normalize DC’s ERAP program and help stabilize DC’s housing ecosystem?
a. Support
b. Oppose

What policies and strategies do you support to address the housing needs of current and
future residents at all income levels in the District?

Organizations like the Douglass Community Land Trust (DCLT) work to create and preserve
affordable housing by acquiring land and developing housing that remains affordable over time.
DCLT focuses on preventing displacement in rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods by involving
residents in the decision-making processes.

Economic Growth & Workforce Development

1. Last July, 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 expenses 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
last year’s payroll tax increase on DC employers over the next four years?

a. Support
b. Oppose

2. Do you support or oppose B25-0999, 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 threshold?

a. Support
b. Oppose

3. In DC, some workers must obtain occupational licenses from government-appointed boards
and pay large fees just to work as an interior designer, barber, cosmetologist, athletic trainer,
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 workforce
categories listed above?

a. Support
b. Oppose

Quality Education

1. Do you support or oppose Mayoral control of the District’s public school system, as
established by the Public Education Reform Amendment Act of 2007?

a. Support
b. Oppose

2. 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?

a. Support
b. Oppose

Efficient & Effective Government

1. 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 impact District employers?

a. Support
b. Oppose

Since 2020, the District’s budget spending has outpaced new revenue growth. DC government will have to become more efficient and grow the tax base, without raising tax rates, to sustainably fund core services moving forward. Where are three areas you believe the government should reduce spending or grow our tax base?

1. Intentional and regular audits of our agency programs and spending can identify inefficiencies
and areas where spending can be reduced or programs eliminated without compromising
essential services.

Do you believe there are any government rules or regulations that should be updated,
streamlined, or eliminated to make government more efficient and lower administrative
burdens on residents?

1. I believe we need to review licensing and permitting processes that small businesses must
go through in order to ensure

Additional Questions

What do you believe are the three largest policy challenges facing the District and what are
your legislative or oversight solutions?

1. Public Safety: Recruitment of MPD to get them to a level where we are not paying current
members overtime which bloats the budget. Also,we must continue to support the Safe Passage
program that moved from DME to DMPSJ. This is a vital program that has shown a decrease in
violence for our students traveling to and from school.

2. Education. Teacher Recruitment and Retention. After the WTU gains a new wage, this must be
equally done through the USPFF. Also, we want to ensure buildings are equally maintained, which
means the charter facility allotment must be maintained and receive a 3% increase annually to
keep up with cost.

3. Comprehensive Planning. The Office of Planning is undertaking the first full rewrite of the
District’s Comprehensive Plan in nearly 20 years. This process will help to align our growth with
community values, promoting equitable and resilient neighborhoods.

(Optional) Please elaborate on any of your answers above.

Please visit www.bunnforward8.com to learn more. Thank you.

General Information - More About Sheila Bunn

Candidate Name: Sheila Bunn

Campaign Website: bunnforward8.com

Campaign and/or candidate social media account(s): Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Please share any accomplishments or experiences that reflect your commitment to
advancing Opportunity DC's policy priorities.

In November 2024, attended a business focus group session hosted by Opportunity DC to learn more about the concerns and issues of business owners in the District.

Current and recent occupations(s):

Most recently served as Chief of Staff to former Mayor and Ward 7 Councilmember Vincent C. Gray.

Professional Affiliations:

Serve on the Board of Directors for Martha’s Table, is the First Vice President of the Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative Board of Directors, and co-chairs the William O. Lockridge Community Foundation Events Committee.

Community service honors:

An active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., where I am the Chair of the Social Action Committee for The Federal City Alumnae Chapter, utilizing my expertise to advance advocacy efforts in the community. Additionally, I am the Immediate Past Chair of the Claudia L. McKoin Public Service Leadership Training Academy, whose mission is to train women of color, especially those in Wards 5, 7 and 8 to run for elected office.

All endorsements to date:

Not yet public

Involvement with business organizations:

Have supported and participated in events hosted by the DC Chamber of Commerce and DCBIA. In my capacity as Chief of Staff to Councilmember Gray, I regularly met with business owners and association representatives to discuss issues and legislation affecting the business community.

Previous offices held:

Currently, an Add-on Member of the DC Democratic Party & 1st Vice
President of the Ward 8 Democrats