William Lightfoot

William Parker Lightfoot (born January 3, 1950) is an attorney and politician in Washington, D.C.

Early years and education Originally from Philadelphia, Lightfoot graduated from Howard University.Knight, Althelia. "D.C. Lawyer Lightfoot To Seek Seat on Council". The Washington Post. June 19, 1988. p. D3. He earned a juris doctor from the Washington University School of Law in 1978.Richburg, Keith B. "Fast Lane Into Firms: The Revolving Door: As City Government Matures, the 'Revolving Door' Speeds Up". The Washington Post. March 12, 1981. p. DC1.

Political career Lightfoot began his political career as a staff member for District of Columbia Council member Wilhelmina Rolark from 1979 to 1981.

District of Columbia Cable Design Commission In 1981, a voter referendum was proposed that would allow taxpayers a $1,200 income tax credit for each dependent child attending school.Richburg, Keith B. "Foes Dispute Petition on Tax Credit Issue". The Washington Post. July 29, 1981. p. A12. Lightfoot successfully challenged the petitions as being collected by someone who was not a District resident, which made those signatures invalid."Board Says No To Initiative: Signatures Collected Illegally". Washington Informer. August 6, 1981. p. 1. Without sufficient valid signatures, the referendum was not on the November ballot.

The Council appointed Lightfoot to chair the District of Columbia Cable Design Commission, a commission to write a request for proposal that would determine how cable television should operate in the District, in 1982.Sherwood, Tom. "Panel to Start Work On D.C. Cable TV". The Washington Post. December 29, 1982. p. C5.Sherwood, Tom. "D.C. Commission Asks Extension Of Cable Study". The Washington Post. February 15, 1983. p. C2. The Council gave the Commission 90 days to write the request for proposal, but the Commission asked for another six months to complete it. Lightfoot was opposed to the additional time, saying it unnecessarily delayed the awarding of a cable franchise. The Commission released the request for proposal in July 1983. The Commission determined that there should be minimum offering of 60 channels for residents and 25 channels for businesses and governmental agencies.Teeley, Sandra Evans. "Approval of 60-Channel Cable System With Few Changes Predicted for City". The Washington Post. July 6, 1983. p. D3. The winning franchiser should set aside several of the channels for municipal and community use, provide studios to the public to produce programming, provide grants to support public-benefit television programs, provide service to all eight wards, and complete all work within five years. The Washington Post named Lightfoot one of "Five to Watch in 1984", calling him the "cable czar"."Five to Watch in 1984". The Washington Post. January 2, 1984. p. B4.

Lightfoot held several public forums to hear from residents about the imminent cable television service.Owusu, Kofi. "Cable Forums Scheduled". Washington Informer. January 18, 1984. p. 3. Lightfoot said that residents should be able to participate in the process of bringing cable television to the District and learn how it would increase employment and training.Owusu, Kofi. "Rolark Chairs Cable TV Forum". Washington Informer. February 22, 1984. p. 55. The first forum was held in Ward 7.

After the bidding process was complete, District Cablevision was awarded a contract to provide a 79-channel cable system to residents of the District within four years.Smith, Philip. "Firm Sues Over D.C. Cable Pact: Injunction Is Sought to Block Franchise Agreement". The Washington Post. November 21, 1984. p. B3.Slacum, Marcia. "D.C. Council Votes Cable TV Award to District Cablevision: D.C. Council Votes Cable TV Franchise Award". The Washington Post. December 5, 1984. p. A1.

Council of the District of Columbia 1986 campaign In June 1986, Lightfoot announced he would run as a Democrat for at-large member of the Council of the District of Columbia, essentially challenging Betty Ann Kane's reelection.Jackson, Kirk. "Attorney Lightfoot Will Oppose Kane". Washington Informer. June 04, 1986. p. 1. Lightfoot said that Kane had helped big businesses more than working residents.

The next week, John L. Gibson announced his candidacy for the same seat on the Council.Brown, Oswald T. "Hot Race Now Seen For At-Large Seat". Washington Informer. June 11, 1986. p. 1. Gibson had been a commissioner of the District of Columbia Board of Parole; a community organizer for the United Planning Organization and the Washington Urban League; and a staff member for the District of Columbia Board of Education, the District of Columbia Office of Personnel, and the Department of Housing and Community Development. Gibson said he was surprised that Lightfoot had decided to run because he was under the impression that Lightfood had said he would support his campaign. Gibson speculated that perhaps someone had mistakenly told Lightfoot that Gibson would not actually run for the office.

Lightfoot dropped out the following month, saying, "By remaining in the race, I would have split votes with Mr. Gibson, who shares my views on the issues. ... In the past, candidates with similar views would split the votes, allowing someone with another view to win. That is a mistake I did not want to repeat."Brown, Oswald T. "Forty-One Enter Field For Primary Elections". Washington Informer. July 16, 1986. p. 1. Lightfoot endorsed Gibson's campaign.

Kane won the Democratic primary election with 69 percent of the vote,Sherwood, Tom; Evans, Sandra. "Spaulding Unseated In D.C. Council Race: Ward 5 Incumbent Defeated by Thomas". The Washington Post. September 10, 1986. p. A21. and she won reelection in the general election, receiving 60 percent of the vote in the general election.Jackson, Kirk. "Mayor Barry Easily Wins A Third Term". Washington Informer. November 12, 1986. p. 1.

1988 campaign In 1988, Lightfoot ran again for an at-large seat on the Council of the District of Columbia, this time running as an independent.Sherwood, Tom. "Endorsing Season Warms Up". The Washington Post. January 21, 1988. p. J1.

After leaving the Council, Lightfoot changed his registration to the Democratic Party.Noble, Andrea. "Minority parties see power grab for D.C. vote". The Washington Times. April 16, 2014. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Lightfoot's goal was to unseat Republican Carol Schwartz, who was expected to run for reelection.Sherwood, Tom. "John Ray Launches Reelection Bid: D.C. Council Member Attacks Illicit Drug Use, Racial Hostility". The Washington Post. May 15, 1988. p. D7.Sherwood, Tom. "Barry Ally's Moves Leave D.C. Democrats Wondering What's Next". The Washington Post. May 26, 1988. p. DC1. Schwartz later decided not to run for reelection, citing the recent deaths of her husband, mother, mother-in-law, and best friend as factors in her decision.Knight, Athelia. "Schwartz To Retire From Council: Exit Reshapes Race For At-Large Seat: Schwartz Cites Personal Tragedies". The Washington Post. June 3, 1988. p. B1.Horwitz, Sari. "Taxi Panel Spokesman to Seek D.C. Council Seat". The Washington Post. June 6, 1988. p. D2.

Other individuals who ran for an at-large seat on the Council included incumbent Democrat John L. Ray; Republican Jerry Moore, former Council member; Independent David Watson, former spokesperson for the District of Columbia Taxicab Commission; Independent R. Calvin Lockridge, D.C. school board member; Statehood Party Tom Chorlton, gay rights activist; Statehood Party David Watson; and Libertarian Dennis Sobin.Knight, Athelia. "Lockridge Declares For D.C. Council Seat". The Washington Post. June 7, 1988. p. B5.Knight, Athelia; Fisher, Marc. "Lockridge Fans D.C. Political Flames: Bid for Council Seat Adds Controversy to At-Large, Ward 4 Races". The Washington Post. June 8, 1988. p. B3.Knight, Athelia. "Jerry Moore Seeks Council Comeback". The Washington Post. June 17, 1988. p. B1.

Washington Metropolitan Council AFL–CIO and Greater Washington chapter of Americans for Democratic Action endorsed Lightfoot's candidacy.Knight, Athelia. "AFL-CIO Group Endorses Cropp for D.C. Council: 'Good Track Record' Gets Nod Over Jarvis". The Washington Post. July 27, 1988. p. B5.Sherwood, Tom. "Resident To View NW Plan: Time to Move? Court Cases Move Action Away From District Building". The Washington Post. October 6, 1988. p. DC1.

Lightfoot was elected to the Council with 27 percent of the vote."District of Columbia Results". The Washington Post. November 9, 1988. p. A38. He was inaugurated on January 2, 1989.Sherwood, Tom. "Unity Emphasized At Inauguration Of D.C. Council". The Washington Post. January 3, 1989. p. D1.

First term In the District of Columbia, corporations and partnerships are allowed to donate to political campaigns.Abramowitz, Michael; Morin, Richard. "D.C.'s Lucrative Loophole: Campaign Contributors Able to Skirt Limits". The Washington Post. June 18, 1990. p. A1. A person who owns several entities can have each entity donate separately in order to get around the maximum donation allowed by law. Lightfoot introduced a bill that would eliminate that strategy by including donations by corporations and partnerships in each owner's total maximum donation.

During the Government of the District of Columbia's financial troubles in 1991, Lightfoot proposed increasing the utility tax in order to honor the Council's promise to give $36 million in raises to government employees.Richardson, Lynda. "Hall Hopes To Salvage Pay Raises: D.C. School Funding Debated at Hearing". The Washington Post. March 5, 1991. p. C3. The Council unanimously passed the utility tax three months later.Sanchez, Rene. "Cash-Pinched D.C. Council Kills 1 Tax, Raises Another: Ward 6 Feud Also Settled in Brazil's Favor". The Washington Post. June 5, 1991. p. D1. Lightfoot turned down two salary increases that members of the Council were given.Sanchez, Rene. "Dixon Nominee Under Fire". The Washington Post. June 6, 1991. p. D3. Lightfoot was one of twelve council members who voted to end the employment of 2,000 mid-level managers because the government did not have the cash to pay them.Henderson, Nell; Sanchez, Rene. "D.C. Council Backs Dixon On Firings: Management Cuts To Begin in October Under Compromise". The Washington Post. July 3, 1991. p. A1. When an arbitration panel decided that police officers must be given four-percent raises each year for three years, Lightfoot protested, saying the District did not have the cash.Sanchez, Rene. "14% Raise Backed for D.C. Police; Dixon to Challenge Arbitration Ruling". The Washington Post. September 11, 1991. p. D1. Lightfoot was also concerned that it would set precedent to also give raises to other governmental employees, which would require increases to income tax rates.

The District of Columbia Board of Education had full authority of its own budget.Sanchez, Rene. "Budgetary `Heresy'". The Washington Post. March 7, 1991. p. J2. Lightfoot proposed an amendment to the Charter of the District of Columbia to give the Council the authority to veto line-items from the education budget.

The District of Columbia Parole Board successfully petitioned the Council to increase its budget in order to hire 22 new parole officers."Parole Board Priorities". The Washington Post. March 19, 1991. p. A18. When the District of Columbia Parole Board decided to use the money to move to larger space rather than hire new parole officers, Lightfoot criticized them, saying, "We're paying money for rent instead of hiring parole officers."

Lightfoot was also critical of a line-item in the District's budget to pay for an outside security firm to guard the Department of Administrative Services when the Bureau of Protective Services could perform the same job.Henderson, Nell. "In District's Budget, Employment Is Job 1". The Washington Post. April 4, 1991. p. J3.