D.C. Mayor Bowser and her challengers clash over crime and future of the city

At a televised debate Wednesday evening, council members Robert White and Trayon White attacked Mayor Muriel Bowser’s plan to extend police funding, arguing the town wants extra violence intervention and alternatives for younger folks.

Why it issues: Violence within the nation’s capital has taken middle stage lower than three weeks earlier than major Election Day. The District witnessed an 18-year excessive in murders final yr, and homicides are up 7% this yr.

The scene: Organized by Georgetown College and Fox 5, the talk was held contained in the ornate Gaston Corridor, with supporters within the viewers continuously interrupting the stay broadcast and cheering zingers.

State of play: Bowser has outlined a plan to rent extra police to succeed in a drive of 4,000 officers — which is opposed by each challengers — and he or she hit again at her two opponents for supporting “defunding our police drive.”

• Robert White, an at-large lawmaker, rejected that characterization and joined Trayon White, the Ward 8 council member, in arguing the mayor was sluggish to fund violence interruption packages.

The large image: Bowser stated she deserved a 3rd time period to steer the District’s pandemic comeback and touted her reasonably priced housing investments.

• Robert White persistently criticized Bowser’s time period in workplace, saying she was sluggish to embrace concepts reminiscent of changing places of work to residential buildings downtown. “We’re not seeing any new concepts coming,” he stated.
• Trayon White stated Bowser’s reasonably priced housing initiatives have “turn into a slush fund for builders” and that Black and brown residents “haven’t seen a return on that funding.”

Moreover, Robert White criticized the mayor’s management on training and stated he would oversee a “large enlargement of commerce and vocational training” and pilot a boarding faculty mannequin for college kids who want around-the-clock help.

The opposite aspect: Bowser defended mayoral management of colleges — referring to the 2007 mayoral takeover of public training from an elected faculty board that launched a wave of reforms — and stated her challengers are “going to again away from that and switch the clock again 15 years.”

• However Trayon White stated extra space is required in overflowing school rooms, and Robert White stated mayoral management of colleges has not ensured that funding for at-risk college students reaches these in want.

? Cuneyt’s thought bubble: Even with Bowser’s benefit as an incumbent, the dearth of any respected public polling in current months has left many insiders bracing for the potential of an unpredictable end on June 21.

Nonetheless have questions concerning the June 21 major elections? Try Axios’ Q&A with the candidates and our voting information.