Publisher's Profile
Related
story:
- Capital Improvements
- Growth & Development
Virginia Business
September
2004
Name:
Anthony A. Williams
Title: Mayor, District of Columbia
Born: Los Angeles
Education: Yale College, Harvard
Law School
Military Service: U.S. Air Force |
Anthony
A. Williams began serving as the fourth mayor of the
District of Columbia in January of 1999, 25 years after
the city was granted Home Rule. He began a second term
in January of 2003. The term extends through December
2006.
Q: How did you get into politics?
A: I was drafted to run for mayor. At the time
I was the CFO for the District and didn’t really
plan on running. I had served on the Board of Alderman
in New Haven, Conn., while I was a student there, and
I was in some student government positions during my
educational life, but really wasn’t planning on
making politics a career.
Q: What was the biggest surprise when you took
office?
A: How vicious the political environment can
be.
Q:
What do you consider to be your administration’s
greatest challenge?
A: Public schools, public schools and public
schools. It is the biggest challenge facing the city
right now. The challenges our public education faces
are really the seed of so many issues that flow from
the failures there — issues like drugs, crime
and violence.
Q: What are some of the things the District
is doing to attract businesses?
A: We have created a number of incentives to
attract businesses, technology companies and individuals
in the form of tax credits and low-interest loans. On
top of that we relieve the regulatory burden —
to the extent that we can — between the District
and Maryland and Virginia. But there is just so much
that we can do, given our unique budget situation created
by the federal government.
We have tried to improve the District’s image,
and I think we have been successful in doing that. We
also work hard to market the District now for tourism
and business investment, and they have both been very
successful.
On top of that we are working hard to improve public
safety, improve public works — and both of those
are improving. Then we need to do a better job of improving
public schools — it is happening with the charter
schools and in some areas, but it is not happening as
fast as I would like.
Q:
How did you get started wearing your trademark bow tie?
A: At one of my former jobs, a couple of my
colleagues wore bow ties. They showed me how to tie
them, and I liked the look and have stuck with it.
Q: How do you want to be remembered?
A: I would like to be remembered for the first
long-term plan in the city developed by the citizens
— particularly the planning along the Anacostia
River (see story on page 25).
Q:
What is your position on the major league baseball stadium?
A: It should be in the District – no
question. It’s going to be where it’s going
to be, and I think we put forth the very best plan we
could. Now the decision is in the hands of Major League
Baseball.
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