Meet The Candidate: Brooke Pinto For DC Council In Ward 2

WASHINGTON, DC — In addition to voting for president and vice president of the United States in the Nov. 3 general election, voters in Washington, D.C., will choose a delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives; at-large member of the D.C. Council; member of the D.C. Council for wards 2, 4, 7 and 8; U.S. senator; U.S. representative; at-large member of the State Board of Education; member of the State Board of Education for wards 2, 4, 7, and 8; and Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner.

Brooke Pinto, 28, is the Ward 2 council member on the D.C. Council. She won the special election earlier this year to fill the council seat vacated by Jack Evans. She is running for reelection.

As part of its coverage of the 2020 election, Patch has asked candidates in select races in D.C. to fill out a questionnaire to describe why they think they're the best person to fill the job they're running for.

Candidate

Brooke Pinto

Age (as of Election Day)

28

Please specify which DC City Council seat you are running for (Ward 1, At-large, etc.):

Ward 2

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

James and Dale Pinto (parents), Caren Pinto (sister), Nick Pinto (brother)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

Education

Cornell University, Georgetown University Law Center

Occupation

Ward 2 Councilmember

Campaign website

brookepintoforward2.com

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Ward 2 Councilmember (current)

The single most pressing issue facing the District is the housing crisis, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Our city has been facing a housing crisis for the last decade, and our local leaders have largely failed to prevent long-time DC residents, many of whom are families of color, from being pushed out. DC has experienced the highest intensity of gentrification of any city in the country and has the highest per capita rate of homelessness. This is shameful. We have to do better.

Now, with the financial impacts of COVID-19, more and more Washingtonians are struggling to pay their rent and mortgages. We have to get cash assistance into the hands of renters as soon as possible to empower them to pay their rent and stay in their homes. On the Council, I have been fighting for rent control and support to all tenants struggling to pay the rent. At the OAG, I saw people were oftentimes victims of predatory landlords. It is especially important now that we have stronger protections for tenants and legal representation for those who are mistreated.

Do you support Black Lives Matter and what are your thoughts on the demonstrations held since the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake?

Police killings of unarmed black men and women across this country are shameful and horrible. The murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless others have further proven that racism is deeply ingrained in our society. Black lives matter – we must make sure that we do not just say those words, but that we actually live by them. I fully support the Black Lives Matter movement and all those standing up and demanding change. We have established a Police Reform Commission to provide recommendations to the Council in December, 2020 of criminal justice reform efforts, and I look forward to implementing many of the important demands of the movement and moment.

What are your thoughts on the campaign to "defund" the police?

Racism is deeply ingrained in every corner of our society. We must be mindful and intentional in every policy decision we make to ensure all changes we enact works towards a larger goal of addressing racial inequity. I support police reform to combat police misconduct, excessive force, and racial bias, and I have been an advocate for body cameras and racial bias training in the Metropolitan Police Department. We are also working to shift enforcement responsibilities out of MPD into other agencies. For example, noise enforcement, property disputes, and mental health care challenges, should all be dealt with subject matter experts and do not require armed officers to intervene.

What are your thoughts on the state and national response to the coronavirus pandemic? Do you favor such measures as limiting operation of non-essential businesses or restricting indoor/outdoor dining? And do you favor a nationwide mask mandate?

We know now that COVID-19 is not the great equalizer, as many originally argued. COVID-19 has exacerbated racial and socio-economic inequalities that have always existed in our city. We have to ensure that all residents have access to quality healthcare and education, clear air and water, and safe housing. I am proud that these are key tenets of my COVID-19 Relief and Recovery plan.
The lack of a true national response to the pandemic from the Trump administration is disturbing and unacceptable. I am in favor of listening to the public health experts to determine a safe way to reopen. I am proud to have fought for the establishment of streateries, so that restaurants were able to reopen in a safe manner. I absolutely support a nationwide mask mandate.

I am the only candidate with a comprehensive COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Plan. I encourage you to read my full plan on my website at brookepintoforward2.com. I will continue to work with partners on Capitol Hill to ensure we receive the COVID-19 federal relief funding we deserve. I will also continue to draw from my tax experience to rebalance our budget and ensure we provide much needed relief to small businesses and unemployed residents.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am the only candidate who has the business, tax, and legislative experience to get us through this crisis with integrity. I am the most experienced candidate and best-equipped to hit the ground running for four more years. As the current Ward 2 Councilmember, I have been hard at work addressing the needs and concerns of my constituents. I have built great working relationships with my fellow Councilmembers and have worked to provide solution-driven legislation in these times of public health and economic turbulence. I am proud to have the support of the Washington Post, the DC Democratic Party, the Sierra Club, Moms Demand Action, DC Women in Politics, Planned Parenthood, Attorney General Karl Racine, and many other unions and organizations as the Democratic nominee in this election. Instead of just identifying problems, I have a proven track record of addressing problems with realistic, feasible solutions in a quick and efficient manner. Ward 2 residents need a Councilmember who can get things done.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

At the core of my campaign platform and what I have worked on as Councilmember has been our city’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. This pandemic, though, has exposed many of the other inequities throughout our community that I have also made central issues of my campaign: affordable housing, criminal justice reform, and small business support. Our city has been enduring a housing crisis for quite some time, and we must work to support those struggling to pay the rent and those unable to find adequate and affordable housing. Racial injustice that has existed in our society for far too long has once again been brought to light on the national scale, and we must use these calls to action as a sign that reform is needed, and it is needed now. And our small businesses – businesses that line every street and are staples of the communities in which they stand – are struggling now more than ever in this time of great economic uncertainty. We must stand up for them and for our District to get the funding it deserves to help us get out of this economic hole.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

In my first few months on the Council, I have already fought for more support for our small businesses, secured millions of dollars for our parks, schools, and public housing, and worked with my colleagues to balance the budget while increasing social support programs and without raising taxes. My record on the Council of securing millions for Ward 2 parks, schools, and libraries and navigating a challenging budget process speaks for itself as experience that I can handle this job, and I can handle it well. I have written important legislation on issues such as hate crimes, criminal justice reform, small business protection and workers’ rights. I am the only candidate with the tax, business, and city-wide legislative experience needed to be most effective as Ward 2’s Councilmember and ensure our city recovers from this crisis.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success?

While there are so many issues facing our community that I have been proud to work on, there is no greater current threat to our city than the COVID-19 crisis. It is imperative that we work to solve issues of climate change, racial injustice, economic inequality, and affordable housing, but we must also emerge from the economic and public health crisis that we are facing as a city and a nation right now. When we are able to fully recover from this crisis, we must also remember those lives that we have lost, those businesses that have closed forever, and what we must do as a community to build back from this in an inclusive and forward-looking manner.

Why should voters trust you?

Voters should trust me because I have been tirelessly working day-in, day-out on behalf of my constituents to get us out of this pandemic. I have been working with my colleagues on the Council to solve this housing crisis that we face and to deliver real change when it comes to the racial injustice that is so deeply ingrained within our society. Voters should trust me because I will take the time to listen to every single person in my constituency, whether they voted for me or not, whether they agree with me or not. I work on behalf of the people. And voters should trust me because I have already demonstrated that I follow through on my word and my commitments.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the use of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

Every dollar we spend in the government is an important decision in furtherance of the public interest. I believe that it is important to include a long-term perspective on our city’s financial recovery as we balance the imperative need to pay for immediate needs of our most vulnerable residents right now.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

No.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

“The better you get at the job, the more people you can help.” - Attorney General Karl Racine

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am proud to be endorsed by the Washington Post, Attorney General Karl Racine, and dozens of national and local leaders and organizations. I have a reputation for integrity, creativity, tenacity and hard-work. I am the most prepared candidate for this job and would be honored to serve four more years as the first woman to ever hold the Ward 2 Council seat. I can promise you that I will work hard every single day to provide the best representation and leadership I can.