Elissa Silverman

Where Silverman stands

Topic headings are Vote Book’s; quoted words are each candidate’s own, with the source under each one. “As reported” items are a news outlet’s description, not an exact quote.

Immigration & border

Is protecting the safety, rights and access to city services for immigrant communities the responsibility of elected officials? Why or why not?

It most certainly is the responsibility of elected officials to keep our immigrant neighbors safe, to keep our workers safe, and our community safe. It's not just about MPD and being clear about ICE non-cooperation, it's also about making sure that workplaces including schools know what to do when ICE shows up. It's making sure the AG's guidance is distributed and people know their rights. It's about keeping programs in place, like the DC Healthcare Alliance, which primarily helps our immigrant residents get access to health services and insurance. And making sure we don't create a generation afraid to talk to police and government officials. I look forward to working with our future mayor in protecting our most vulnerable communities.

Crime & public safety

Do you have further thoughts on the Justice System?

We need to make sure that there are swift and certain consequences for lawbreaking, but also that the punishment is appropriate. Sometimes that means diversion programs, and sometimes that means having supports in place so that residents who are returning from incarceration can earn income and provide for their families. We must look to experts and evidence based practices that have been proven to work. For example, we can look to Baltimore and their use of violence interruption. Too often we commission reports on what has worked elsewhere, but then we never implement them or implement them poorly. Details matter. Results matter. Let's do it right and make strategic policy decisions and budget investments to make our city even better.

Public safety

We need to better identify and focus on the people who are known troublemakers, those likely to pull a trigger on a gun

Jobs, wages & cost of living

How will you use this job to protect our rights and keep Congress and the President out of our local government business?

Our city has too often been caught by surprise in dealing with the Trump administration. Rather than developing proactive strategies, key leaders have obeyed in advance. For a better path forward, we can look to New York where Mayor Mamdani has played strategic offense to leverage federal dollars for housing while working with city leadership, including NYPD, to prevent federal overreach. We need to coordinate between our Council, the Mayor, and Attorney General to ensure that we are developing strategies to defend DC’s autonomy. My experience and leadership in getting hard things done will be an asset to the Council in this regard. For example, I made sure that Paid Family and Medical Leave, my bill, was delivered on time and under budget.

Elections, ethics & government

What are the two most important things Council should do and how will you make them happen?

First, the D.C. Council needs to have a strategic approach to the reckless Trump administration and Republican Congress with regard to our city, to protect our residents and to safeguard our economy as much as possible. We need to follow our own law and be clear that the law does not permit MPD collaboration with ICE on immigration matters. We need to get our residents back to work, both by seeing if we can use their talents in our own government, encouraging them to be entrepreneurs and also shifting our economy and getting our residents into our big industries like healthcare. Second, given the devastating impacts of Trump, we need to use our $22 billion budget much better. That means holding government agencies accountable, so that trash gets picked up on time, 911 picks up the phone efficiently and effectively, and we have high-performing public schools that keep families in DC.

Should DC be a state? Yes or No? If yes, what are the two most important steps you would take to make statehood happen? If no, what is your plan for achieving full voting rights for DC?

DC should be a state. We need to work with our great statehood allies in Congress, like neighbor Rep. Jamie Raskin and Senators Chris Van Hollen and Tim Kaine, to have a strategy to get the votes in the House and Senate. We also need to get to know Republicans who believe in Statehood. There are a few. And we need to convince our own residents we deserve to be a state. I think Trump's tyranny and threat to Home Rule is helping with that.

DC is required under Law 24-176 to reduce harmful gas emissions resulting from DC government activities. What are two measures you would take to comply with this law?

1. We need to continue to incentivize renewable energy through our solar and green buildings programs. I am a frugal homeowner and the SREC value convinced me to install solar. 2. We need to fund Metrorail and Metrobus, build pedestrian and bike infrastructure that keeps people safe when they decide to walk, bike, or take public transit instead of traveling by car. Outside of public transportation, we need to continue to fund DOEE programs like the home charger and vehicle conversation tax credit.