Janeese Lewis George Says D.C. Is Ready for a Democratic Socialist Mayor

Both Janeese Lewis George and her critics agree: Her platform is ambitious.

The two-term D.C. Council member, who has swept up endorsements from labor unions, progressive advocacy groups and four of her colleagues during her campaign to be the District’s next mayor, wants to significantly bring down child care costs and utility bills, build 72,000 housing units in five years, and more aggressively stand up to the Trump administration.

But critics — including Kenyan McDuffie, her principal opponent — say much of what Lewis George is proposing is unrealistic given D.C.’s fiscal challenges. She counters that they aren’t thinking big enough.

“One person is saying what the government can’t do, and another person is saying the government should do more,” she said. “I believe people know that’s possible.”

In an interview with NOTUS ahead of this month’s Democratic primary, the 38-year-old democratic socialist detailed her vision for how she would lead the District.

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This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Is D.C. ready for a democratic socialist mayor?

Absolutely. D.C. is ready for a mayor who shifts interests from corporate interests to people. For the last 16 years there has been a small group of wealthy insiders who have benefited from leadership in D.C. that has made decisions based on their interests and not necessarily the interests of the people of the District. And I think it’s time for the people to be the center of D.C., and not these special interest groups.

And I am a believer in sewer socialism, and that is making basic government services work for people. People have been crying out for the government to just have the basics work well. People are tired of hearing what the government can’t do. I’m ready to show them what the government can do.

How do you balance the promises you’re making to voters — whether it’s cheaper child care or for the government to build lots more housing — with the city’s challenging budget situation?

People are underselling how many wasted millions of dollars are happening in the District’s government. My colleague [At-Large Councilmember] Christina Henderson was just yelling about us spending $23 million a year on a lease for the [D.C. chief financial officer’s] office and they’re not even there. We’ve talked about how much money we just spent — wasted — on snow cleanup; we know that we leave millions of [federal] dollars on the table in District agencies.

We can save money through smarter policy choices. I also think we will have the ability to leverage federal funds in ways that we haven’t, and I believe we can look at creative ways to get more revenue and leverage the strengths of our city to bring in more revenue.

Janeese Lewis George hears grievances from the Museum Square Tenant Association. Kainaz Amaria/NOTUS

Whether it’s developers to build housing or businesses to create jobs, you’ll need some of these special interests to work with you as mayor. How can you work with people you’re now so critical of?

In every ecosystem they need people, and we need them. Tenants need housing providers, housing providers need dollars from the District, the District needs housing providers to invest dollars. So I want to show them that there can be a shared benefit in having a functional government and that putting the interests of people first doesn’t always mean that that’s going to hurt you. I think most of them understand that.

Still, business groups like the D.C. Chamber of Commerce, local Realtors, and builders have endorsed your opponent. They don’t seem to share your vision.

My message to the business community is I want to work with them and they should be open to a change that actually could grow our businesses here. I have laid out a vision for D.C. of how we’re going to leverage our strengths and innovative ways in which we can support our smaller businesses and our bigger businesses. They should be excited to lean into the change and plans I have laid out. I have spoken to many in the business community who are excited about doing things differently. I can’t wait to work together.

Janeese Lewis George meets with voters at the Wah Luck House Adult Day Care Center in Chinatown. Kainaz Amaria/NOTUS

You’ve said you support imposing a new Business Activity Tax, which would hit law firms and lobbying shops in D.C. that don’t currently pay traditional business taxes. Would you increase any other taxes to fund your plans?

I have been clear that I would not [raise taxes on] working families [or] middle class residents.

I think closing this loophole is smart policy and fair tax policy. It’s a matter of fairness. Closing that loophole is not a tax on a D.C. resident or a D.C. business, so I’m confused why people are so upset about something that I consider a fairness argument. We’re talking about creating a fair tax system, and a potential of an additional $500 million in revenue.

I question why my opponent is so concerned about Maryland and Virginia people instead of D.C. residents getting what they need and deserve and having that revenue to do the things we know we need to do to help our city and residents.

Public safety seems to be a vulnerability for progressive candidates. How do you manage that and respond to residents’ very real concerns about crime?

I don’t see it as my vulnerability. If I wasn’t a former prosecutor it would be a vulnerability. When it comes to criminal justice and crime, it is my actual expertise. And I have the nuance that comes with that from being a person who grew up on Kennedy Street when gun violence was prevalent, when it was a go-go song to say don’t ride through KDY, which was our neighborhood, because of the gun violence. So I understand very much why and how deeply we need safe communities. I also understand what it takes to have swift and certain prosecution and deter crime. I have not only the professional experience, the life experience, I have the results from the work I have done as Ward 4 Council member.

At the end of the day, I’m a mom and I’m raising a Black son. That in and of itself is nuance; my conversation with my son about policing is always going to be nuanced. … I also want him to be able to walk around. When his early childhood educators take him outside, my mind is like, “If they walk around the block, is a stray bullet going to hit him or is he going to be in the middle of something?” That fear of, “Is my community safe enough for my son to walk around in it, and is my son safe as a Black boy to not be policed in a way that brings him harm?” That’s a nuance I have to deal with and always will.

What do you tell voters who are skeptical or may not feel comfortable voting for you because of public safety?

I say, “These are Republican fear tactics, this is fear-mongering. They want you to go to the ballot box in fear, I want you to go to the ballot box in hope.” That’s why I’m running.

A big issue over the last year has been these teen takeovers in places like Navy Yard and the back-and-forth debate over teen curfew zones. Why have you opposed the use of those zones?

We saw a video a couple days ago where [federal agents] were harassing people in Mount Pleasant. Those were adults, but those could have very easily been young people, and I have to weigh the harm and the benefits. We have proof they are enforcing D.C. law — and with our young people it is such a grave risk to open the door further.

We’ve always had a curfew in D.C. This isn’t about whether we have a curfew, it’s whether we expand the powers of [the Metropolitan Police Department] in this moment to just be able to place curfew zones any and everywhere. We know they are not operating alone, and we can’t be naive about that.

I want people to see clearly that this issue became more of an issue because of the pressure from the federal government, and we shouldn’t let the federal government pressure us into potentially creating harm for our young people.

“I think it’s time for the people to be the center of D.C., and not these special interest groups,” said Lewis George. Kainaz Amaria/NOTUS

Kenyan McDuffie says D.C.’s leaders need to take steps — like using the teen curfew zones — to prevent more federal interference.

It’s a weak argument. We know that has not worked. We have been using that same strategy and we are still facing the same affronts to our home rule and autonomy. Who are we willing to throw under the bus? We’ve already thrown our immigrant communities under the bus. Now we’re willing to now throw our Black and brown youth under the bus? Where is the line for you as a leader as to who you are willing to protect and how are you willing to step up and protect them? That’s a real question in this race and what sets us apart.

It’s clear to me that he wants to implement the same strategy despite saying, “I’m going to stand up to [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and end MPD cooperation.” But now you’re saying let’s institute these youth curfews because [U.S. Attorney for D.C.] Jeanine Pirro wants them. That is not the thought process of somebody who is going to stand up to this administration.

A recent poll from City Cast DC showed that Kenyan McDuffie was getting more support from older Black voters who have lived in the city for a long time. How do you feel about that?

I believe I have a broad coalition of support, and I have had so many older Black residents, men and women, say they’re so excited for the change I’m going to bring. I am a D.C. girl through and through. My family is three generations here, with deep roots in every ward in this city.

To me [the poll] told me that I need to continue sharing my story with people and what we find is that when people meet me, or get to know me, or hear my story, they say, “OK, I trust that she’s going to look out for the best interests of D.C. residents.”

I have to do a better job talking about how I have been a champion for Black D.C. residents. I’m going to fight for you everyday, like I fought for you on the Council [on the] earned income tax credit, when I saved librarians in schools, when we did the Pay Equity Fund [for child care workers]. These are all positions where Black and brown women have been underpaid or underserved or underappreciated for the work they bring to our community.