Four years ago, Adrian Fenty arrived in the D.C. mayor’s office as a government outsider with an extensive vision for reform. During his term, he executed a good part of his agenda with admirable efficacy. His success, however, has not translated to an impressive re-election platform.

Specifically, his plan for reducing unemployment within the District is lackluster at best. As the city continues to feel the pain of the recession, voters in Tuesday’s Democratic primary would be better served to take a chance on Fenty’s principal challenger, D.C. Council Chairman Vince Gray.

A core component of Gray’s campaign is his specific and expansive job creation strategy. If elected, he plans to organize a job summit before taking office. The purpose of the summit – whose participants would include business owners, job training specialists and labor representatives – would be to identify which sectors in the city’s economy have the most potential for growth and job creation.

Gray has stated he would use the findings of the job summit to funnel the funding already dedicated to workforce development and job training to high-growth and high-demand economic sectors. Under Fenty, the Workforce Investment Council, which oversees this funding, has been unfocused and inefficient.

In addition, a recent report by the D.C. Auditor indicates that the city has become sloppy in enforcing the D.C. First Source Law. The law directs all government contractors paid with taxpayer dollars to choose District residents for 51 percent of their new job spots. The newest audit found that contractors are falling far short of that requirement, depriving residents of hundreds of jobs and about $14 million of salary income. While Fenty makes no mention of it on his website, Gray highlights his intention to correct this failure in his lengthy economic plan.

In contrast to Gray, Fenty’s plan for job creation is vague. He has done very little in the past four years to address the rampant unemployment in Wards 7 and 8, where rates have risen to 19 percent and 30 percent, respectively. Gray, however, has stated explicitly that he will concentrate some economic development energy in those areas.

Although he has underperformed in employment expansion, Fenty has excelled in his education and public safety campaigns. He has increased the number of District police officers and, in 2009, the homicide rate in D.C. dropped 25 percent. Fenty’s calling card, however, is the sweeping education reform he has spearheaded since taking office. Under his administration, D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee has so successfully reshaped the city’s schools that the DCPS has been awarded $75 million in federal funds as part of the Obama administration’s Race to the Top rewards program.

If Gray wins Tuesday’s primary and is elected in November, he should ensure that the improvements in both of these areas are maintained. In terms of education, he must retain Rhee in order to cement Fenty’s critical reforms. Although he has not directly stated that he will do so, his past support for Fenty’s education overhaul as council chairman, and his preference for a strong chancellor are both promising signs in that regard.

Fenty rode a wave of overwhelming support into office in 2006. He was elected as a trailblazer – a man of new ideas with the wherewithal to carry them out. His re-election campaign, however, is less than impressive. He covers little new ground in his platform, and still fails to adequately address the city’s worrisome unemployment. Gray, on the other hand, inspires confidence with his multi-pronged economic development strategy and his focus on the especially troubled Wards 7 and 8. He offers the fresh take on job creation that D.C. desperately needs. Fenty’s record makes him the safe vote, but Gray’s innovative economic plans make him the right one. “

Four years ago, Adrian Fenty arrived in the D.C. mayor’s office as a government outsider with an extensive vision for reform. During his term, he executed a good part of his agenda with admirable efficacy. His success, however, has not translated to an impressive re-election platform.

Specifically, his plan for reducing unemployment within the District is lackluster at best. As the city continues to feel the pain of the recession, voters in Tuesday’s Democratic primary would be better served to take a chance on Fenty’s principal challenger, D.C. Council Chairman Vince Gray.

A core component of Gray’s campaign is his specific and expansive job creation strategy. If elected, he plans to organize a job summit before taking office. The purpose of the summit – whose participants would include business owners, job training specialists and labor representatives – would be to identify which sectors in the city’s economy have the most potential for growth and job creation.

Gray has stated he would use the findings of the job summit to funnel the funding already dedicated to workforce development and job training to high-growth and high-demand economic sectors. Under Fenty, the Workforce Investment Council, which oversees this funding, has been unfocused and inefficient.

In addition, a recent report by the D.C. Auditor indicates that the city has become sloppy in enforcing the D.C. First Source Law. The law directs all government contractors paid with taxpayer dollars to choose District residents for 51 percent of their new job spots. The newest audit found that contractors are falling far short of that requirement, depriving residents of hundreds of jobs and about $14 million of salary income. While Fenty makes no mention of it on his website, Gray highlights his intention to correct this failure in his lengthy economic plan.

In contrast to Gray, Fenty’s plan for job creation is vague. He has done very little in the past four years to address the rampant unemployment in Wards 7 and 8, where rates have risen to 19 percent and 30 percent, respectively. Gray, however, has stated explicitly that he will concentrate some economic development energy in those areas.

Although he has underperformed in employment expansion, Fenty has excelled in his education and public safety campaigns. He has increased the number of District police officers and, in 2009, the homicide rate in D.C. dropped 25 percent. Fenty’s calling card, however, is the sweeping education reform he has spearheaded since taking office. Under his administration, D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee has so successfully reshaped the city’s schools that the DCPS has been awarded $75 million in federal funds as part of the Obama administration’s Race to the Top rewards program.

If Gray wins Tuesday’s primary and is elected in November, he should ensure that the improvements in both of these areas are maintained. In terms of education, he must retain Rhee in order to cement Fenty’s critical reforms. Although he has not directly stated that he will do so, his past support for Fenty’s education overhaul as council chairman, and his preference for a strong chancellor are both promising signs in that regard.

Fenty rode a wave of overwhelming support into office in 2006. He was elected as a trailblazer – a man of new ideas with the wherewithal to carry them out. His re-election campaign, however, is less than impressive. He covers little new ground in his platform, and still fails to adequately address the city’s worrisome unemployment. Gray, on the other hand, inspires confidence with his multi-pronged economic development strategy and his focus on the especially troubled Wards 7 and 8. He offers the fresh take on job creation that D.C. desperately needs. Fenty’s record makes him the safe vote, but Gray’s innovative economic plans make him the right one. “