Candidate Statement: Brian Cox ANC 6C05

I've posted several statements from ANC Candidates, and here's one more. As always, the mere posting of the statements does not constitute an endorsement, but is instead merely offered as a public service.

Candidate Statement

Brian Cox for ANC (SMD 6C05)

I am running for Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner because I believe in the power of an organized community. I believe that by working together, we can make our neighborhood the best place to live or do business in Washington.

ANC 6C has almost $90,000 in taxpayer funding available to invest in the community. Yet the Commissioners have been extremely slow to reinvest those funds.

My pledge:

Action
The ANC can make a meaningful difference in our lives by making smart and strategic investments in our neighborhood. I have a plan to identify the best investments.
• Better promote the availability of grants
• Create competition among grant applicants to identify smart investments
• Invest in the best programs
• Evaluate the success of each program throughout the year
• Seek to grow and replicate highly successful and tested programs

Transparency
As an ANC Commissioner, I pledge to be a good steward of taxpayer funding. Today, most of the ANC’s funds are unspent and sitting idly, earning only 80 cents in interest each month. We must have higher standards. If our personal investments generated such a low rate of return, we would fire our bankers. For the ANC to be accountable to our community, it must:
• Publish grant reports on the ANC’s website along with program evaluations
• Publish ANC 6C’s checking account online
• Publish Treasurer’s Reports online so residents can access financial information without digging through meeting minutes

Responsiveness
As your Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner I will be on call for you day and night. Whether you need help getting solutions from the District of Columbia, or have great ideas for our neighborhood, I will be your “Go-to Guy” for problems large or small. It’s time to take full advantage of modern communication technologies, so that each resident can keep up in a way that works for them.
• Easy to reach - Contact me by e-mail (brian@briancox.us), Facebook, mobile (202-905-2697), Twitter (briancoxforanc) or on the web (www.briancox.us)
• Swift follow-up – Response within 24 hours. I will provide regular updates and follow-up until solution is reached.
• Advice on navigating the D.C. Government – If you need something from the D.C. Government but don’t know where to start, I will be your first call. I will help you navigate the D.C. beaurocracy and get the answers you need!

With so much changing around us, the ANC provides a unique opportunity for residents to be heard in the process. I have lived on the Hill for almost five years. Like my neighbors, I have been inspired by the promise of a growing community. As your Commissioner, I will be your connection to change and your voice in the process. I ask for your support and your vote on November 2nd.

The Result:
A smarter, safer, more vibrant community.