As you fill out your ballot, you may want to know more about our most important yet most underrated local races: the Single Member District ANC commissionership! These brave and generous souls volunteer their time to make sure we can have good governance at the most local level. Meet your ANC candidates and let us know if you have any questions! The candidates’ answers have been lightly edited for clarity. Don’t know YOUR Single Member District? Click here and find it! ––María Helena Carey
Your name
Steve Kolb
Your ANC single member district
ANC 6A07
What is a landmark people may know your SMD from?
Bounded by East Capitol on the South, 8th Street NE on the West, D St on the North and 11th St on the East except for a one block of 12th St from C to D Streets [it’s entirely residential]
Why are you running for ANC?
I’ve long been an advocate for citizen participation in our democracy and agencies of government (I was Public Liaison for the California Energy Commission from 1978-1982) and Public Information Officer for several state agencies) and believe that our system of government works best when our citizens are invested and involved. In 2021 I completed a six-year film project, “Who Cares About DC?” a multi-award winning 57-minute documentary making the case for DC Statehood.
Why do you believe ANC is an important office?
Since the beginning of our limited Home Rule, the ANC has been the closest thing to street/neighborhood-level democracy. It’s the first place for residents to have a role in issues that affect the quality of life in our neighborhoods.
Why should your neighbors vote for you?
As I walked the streets of my SMD, stopping to talk with folks out walking their children, dogs and friends, as well as climbing our old steps to knock on doors to introduce myself to ask for signatures to get on the ballot, very few people were not interested and most thanked me for my willingness “to step up” to represent them. While I’m standing unopposed on the ballot, I nonetheless want to meet and hear from as many of my constituents-to-be as I can. I want to be an effective representative of their voices and interests within the charter of the role of ANC Commissioner. That noted, I’ve audited two ANC 6 meetings and one committee meeting and have developed a very high regard for our current Commissioners. I know that I have a lot to learn and hope to earn the trust and confidence of both Commissioners and constituents. The role of ANC Commissioner is more than something nice to put on a resume: aside from my independent media production and acting interests, I’m retired and am not looking to advance a career. Rather I want to develop a better understanding of out local government and community as well as to collaborate with other Commissioners to help propose solutions to problems dealing with a host of issues that affect DC in general, Ward 6 and ANC 6 in particular.
Why should we all keep an eye on Advisory Neighborhood Commissions as a whole?
Commissioners need constituent participation to identify and elevate problems that affect our community. Recommendations from ANCs to the DC Council, the Mayor and District and Federal agencies are, according to our charter, to be taken “with great weight.”