If you live in the DC/MD/VA area like I do, you’ve likely heard about Mayor Williams. I live in the DC area and don’t follow DC politics closely enough. I couldn’t tell the difference between Vincent Orange and a real orange if you threw them at me.
One thing I do see is that Mayor Williams brought back a much needed respectability to the DC Mayor office, especially after the Marion Barry days. But if you read about the former Mayor, its hard to escape the feeling that he was underappreciated. While the Mayor does admit he did not focus a whole lot on issues dear to the black community heart, he’s done some good things.
So, what do you think of DC Mayor “Bowtie” Williams?
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I remember Barry losing the election and swearing in Williams and him continuing one or two more terms after that.
A city like DC, the seat of the U.S. government - it’s like running two different cities. The city where people are born, raised, live, etc. And the Congress rarely give DC’s basic needs much regard. Last I checked, the delegate (not representative) to DC is in name only, no power to recommend bills, etc etc. The other city is the US government employees brought in from other states as lobbyists and legislative aides, foreign nationals for the World Bank, etc. New York is not dissimilar but a different city altogether.
Our mayor Bloomsberg and Bowtie have something in common - they improved their office and they’re lacking some personality or charmisa but hey, they get the work done as opposed to drama. I’m a manager at work and boy is it difficult to balance what needs to be done and personality of myself and my staff. Hat tip to Williams.
The only downside I see to Bowtie is raising of rent/mortage whatever that forced DC working class out to far away places. It started to happen around 99 or 2000 I think.
The Bowtie adminstration surely transformed DC in more ways than other previous mayoral adminstration. For both best and worst.
Too soon to tell what is the Williams’ legacy in DC. The first supermarket in Southeast DC for 30 years is very significant for the whole DC.
One thing, I do not forgive Anthony Williams’ constant failure to transform the DC schools. He is still a techocrat, not really the visionary leader.
The William adminstration frequently violated the formal agreement between the city adminstration and disability rights group for providing the terps to deaf city residents and business clients.
I really don’t know what Williams have done for deaf people so far. Williams reduced the VR fundings for deaf people.
Williams failed to change the DCRA from the real incomptent to responsive agency.
Few postive things about Willams for hosting the citywide forums with free lunches and other receptions.
RLM