Candidate Profile: Wala Blegay Running For County Council District 6

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — Candidates in the Democratic and Republican parties will be competing on Tuesday in their respective primaries to see who will be on the Nov. 8 ballot.

Patch has asked each of the candidates running in select races to fill out a questionnaire, sharing facts about themselves and why voters should choose them to represent their party in November.

Let's start with your name.

Wala Blegay

What email should be used to contact your campaign?

wala@walablegay.com

What phone number should be used to contact your campaign?
+12406819324

Does your campaign have a website?
https://www.walablegay.com

What city or town do you live in?
Largo

What office are you seeking?
County Council District 6

What is your party affiliation?
Democrat

Please share with us with your education.
Bachelor of Arts, University of Maryland, College Park, Juris Doctor, American Washington College of Law

What is your occupation?
Attorney for 10 years

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.
My parents are from Liberia and Nigeria. I was born in Washington, D.C.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
I do not have family members who work in politics or government

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?
I have never held a public office. I have been an advocate in the community.

How old will you be as of Election Day?
37

Why are you seeking this office?

I am running to lift the burden of property taxes from the backs of homeowners and to work on the council to expand the county’s commercial tax base with economic development that residents want and need because doing so increases funding for schools, senior housing, keeping our county clean, and more services for county resident.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is \_\_\_, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The most pressing issues facing my constituents is safe community, improving schools and access to quality development. I intend work with law enforcement to implement community policing where we hire local residents and collaborate with local schools and our community college, increase mental health services, increase educators' pay and benefits, implement wrap-around services in the school system and implement smart development to attract business, industry, retail and more.

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

The County Council is the legislative body for the County and I am an attorney with legislative background. I have drafted and advocated for legislation and have knowledge on both health and zoning issues.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

Improving Our Schools: When you elect Wala for County Council, you will get an experienced leader who is committed to a budget that supports increasing teacher salaries and creating smaller classroom sizes. She supports bringing wrap-around services into schools for students in need, including increasing school-based health clinics and mental health programs. Wala also supports school renovation and construction, and supports collaborating with local businesses, especially those in the STEM industry, to establish apprenticeship programs.

Bringing Quality Retail to Prince George’s County: Wala supports incentive programs to bring quality retail to compliment our beautiful communities. We must bring our shopping closer to home, which will improve the values of our homes and the commercial tax base.

Support Small Businesses and Creating an Incubator in Prince George’s County: By creating a business incubator program that helps new and existing businesses find pathways to do business with the County, we can see growth in minority-owned local businesses and economic growth. We must also put into place programs that will help bring more high-tech industry jobs to the County.
Increasing Services for Residents: Wala fully supports funding services that benefit residents by meeting them where they are, including affordable housing, senior care, community health centers, mental health services and more support for our communities in need.

Transit Oriented Communities: When done right, transit-oriented development can be an exciting driver of economic development and a creator of a significant number of jobs. Transit orientated development would provide residential, retail, and transportation options in one accessible location. We have to re-envision a more accessible intra-county public transportation system that facilitates ease of travel throughout the County, including sidewalks and bike lanes.

Safe Communities: Wala supports keeping our neighborhoods safe by building on the philosophy of communities being Partners in Community Safety, supporting community-oriented policing and neighborhood coffee clubs and Neighborhood Watch communities.

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

I have been a legal advocate for many communities through my show Chat With A Lawyer where we have brought relief to many families in the community. I also served on the Prince George's County Human Relations Commission, adjudicating discrimination in the county. I was on the ACLU Board where I focused on implementing Police Accountability and civil rights legislation. I am currently council for the DC Nurses Association where I advocate to improve working conditions for our healthcare heroes. In most of these positions, I have been a legislative resource to the community.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?
My father taught me that I should commit to public service and to stay committed to improving my community. I am committed to serve my community because improving my community only improves the lives of those around me.