Councilmember at Large

League of Women Voters^®
of New Orleans

Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson-ELECTED. "Arnie" D. Fielkow-ELECTED.

Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson - ELECTED

NAME: Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson
YOUR CAMPAIGN WEB ADDRESS: http://www.jackieclarkson.com
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR PUBLICATION:
ADDRESS: 4124 General de Gaulle Drive, New Orleans LA, 70114
PHONE: (504) 392.5377 - campaign headquarters
(504) 710.1203 - Townsend Jordan, campaign manager
FAX: (504) 392.5379
EMAIL: jackie@jackieclarkson.com
PARTY AFFILIATION: Democrat
PROFESSION: Realtor
PRESENT EMPLOYER/POSITION (if self-employed, what type of business):
City of New Orleans, City Council
HIGHEST LEVEL OF EDUCATION (include graduation date):
Attended Tulane University
APPLICABLE TRAINING:
Numerous Realtor certifications, including CRS (Certified Residential Specialist), CRB (Certified Residential Broker), and Certified Real Estate Management
CIVIC EXPERIENCE:
Founding Member, Board of Trustees, National World War II Museum
Member, New Orleans Federal Alliance (NOFA) for Federal City
President, Louisiana Association of Realtors
Member, LSU/Tulane Cancer Research Center Consortium
Board Member, New Orleans Opera
Board Member, University of New Orleans Board for Business and Higher Education
Board of Governors, Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre
Board Member, Catholic Cultural and Heritage Center of New Orleans
Board Member, Overture to the Cultural Season
Board Member, GNO Young Audiences
Member, New Orleans Military Advisory Committee
Advisory Board, Delgado Community College
Board of Ambassadors, Holy Cross College
Advisory Board, Louisiana Philharmonic
Advisory Board, NORD/NOBA Ballet
Member, Save Our Cemeteries
Member, Audubon Institute
Former Trustee, New Orleans Museum of Art
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE AND POLITICAL ORGANIZATION MEMBERSHIPS:
I am politically independent and do not belong to any political organizations. My experience in public service includes:
City Councilmember, District C, 1990-1994
Louisiana State Representative, District 102, 1994-2002
City Councilmember, District C, 2002-2006
Councilmember-at-Large, 2008-present
1. Given the strong mayoral system established by our City Charter, what can Councilmembers do to address the crime problem?
Crime is our most pressing problem in New Orleans. Poor leadership, improper funding, and a focus on misdemeanor crimes have too long plagued our criminal justice system.
First, the Council can use legislative tools to shift the focus of the criminal justice system toward removing violent, felony offenders from our streets and neighborhoods, rather than spending time and resources on non-violent and minor offenses. As one example, I conceived and authored legislation enabling the NOPD to issue a second summons to minor offenders rather than spend their time making an arrest and hauling the offender to jail. This was a truly positive step in the right direction, but I have more work to do to see that this legislation is implemented effectively.
The Council can also use budgetary tools to shift the focus of the criminal justice system toward violent, felony offenders. I have led the fight again and again to fully fund the District Attorney's Office so that it can fund diversion programs that redirect non-violent criminals through a rehabilitation program, freeing up lawyers and court time for the violent criminals that plague this City. At the District Attorney's request, I have also led the fight to see that the Public Defender's Office receives funding so that cases of the indigent can be heard in a timely manner.
The Council can also use its legislative powers to demand accountability from public safety agencies. If I am re-elected, I plan to propose a charter change that would establish performance-based budgeting as a permanent method of our budget process for appropriate agencies. This would enable the Council to demand accountability from agencies as they receive City funds.
Lastly, we can use legislation to propose innovative ideas that affect public safety. A prime example of this is the independent police monitor, which I worked with another Councilmember to add to the Office of the Inspector General charter amendment. This is an important step in accountability within our police force and in building trust between the police and our neighborhoods.
2. Would you support any level of decriminalization of drugs? If so, in what form?
I do not support the decriminalization of drugs. I do, however, support diversionary programs for non-violent, minor drug offenders, because these programs free up badly needed space in our criminal justice system for violent offenders and because they make these non-violent, minor drug offenders more employable in the future.
3. How do you propose to improve communication and cooperation between the Mayor's Office and City Council regarding such issues as adoption and oversight of the budget, supervision of Department heads, etc?
First, there should be some tension between the executive and legislation branches. We are meant to check and balance each other, and we approach government from different perspectives. Some disagreement is normal and even good for the City.
Outright disrespect and breakdown of communication between the two branches, however, only hurts the City. Although I have often disagreed with the Mayor and even sometimes my fellow councilmembers, I have maintained working relationships with them all. These relationships have enabled me to push through 7-0, Mayor-supported votes on issues like the Inspector General, the Master Plan with the force of law, and Federal City.
If I win re-election and serve again as the Council's leadership, I plan to meet with the new Mayor and new Council within my first ten days of office. At that time, I plan to propose a system through which the Mayor and the Councilmembers-at-Large work in consensus on the Mayor's legislative agenda. At that time, I also plan to propose and schedule regular meetings between the Council's leadership and the Mayor, with occasional meetings with pertinent committee heads. Establishing regular methods of communication that are not cancelled when personalities clash are issues heighten the differences between the two branches is key.
Since I have several planned charter changes - two of the most important having to do with budget and contracting, both of which heavily involve the Mayor's office - I plan to involve the Mayor and his administration from the start to build a consensus.
4. Do you favor provision of recycling by the City? If so, how would you implement and fund it?
Absolutely. I have been on record in support of recycling for years. As a Girl Scout leader, I led my girls to recycle before it was fashionable!
I am open to various implementation options - whether the program is run through the City itself or whether we issue an RFP for already existing or new recycling services to bid for this contract. I favor curb-side collection over recycling centers because I believe this is more effective and user-friendly.
I believe there are surplus funds already available for a recycling program in the inflated sanitation contracts the City currently has. Let's take another look at these contracts, trim the waste, and redirect some of the funds to a recycling program.
Also, any recycling program needs to begin "at home" - we need to implement the program at City Hall.

"Arnie" D. Fielkow - ELECTED

NAME: Arnold "Arnie" David Fielkow
YOUR CAMPAIGN WEB ADDRESS: http://www.fielkow.net
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR PUBLICATION:
Address: 1522 St Charles Avenue, New Orleans LA 70130
Phone: 504-234-0600
FAX: 504-301-4542
Email: afielkow@bellsouth.net
PARTY AFFILIATION: Democratic Party
PROFESSION:
City Council At-Large member - one term
Chair, Youth & Recreation, Special Development Projects and Economic Development Committees
Sports Administrator
NFL - Executive Vice President New Orleans Saints
Southern League of Professional Baseball Clubs - President and General Counsel
Continental Basketball Assn. (NBA development league) - Deputy Commissioner
Attorney
Member of the Illinois and Wisconsin Bar Associations
Co-founder of the law firm of Grossman, Solomon, & Fielkow, P.C.
PRESENT EMPLOYER/POSITION (if self-employed, what type of business):
City of New Orleans, Councilmember-at-Large
HIGHEST LEVEL OF EDUCATION (include graduation date):
1981 graduate of the University of Wisconsin - School of Law (B.A. Northwestern University - Phi Beta Kappa)
APPLICABLE TRAINING:
One full term as City Council At-Large member
As senior management official for the New Orleans Saints, presided over all administrative/business departments, including marketing, sales, regional development, government affairs, community relations, business media relations, and youth programs
Played college-level tennis and represented the United States of America internationally on a silver-medal winning mens basketball team in the 15th Maccabiah Games in Israel
Published author for periodicals and public speaker at national sports and media events, including recent appearance before the National Press Club in Washington D.C. as co-founder of the New Orleans Fleur-de-lis Ambassadors
CIVIC EXPERIENCE:
Board of Directors for Greater New Orleans Inc., United Way, Each One Save One, the World Trade Center of New Orleans, the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, Touro Synagogue and the National Conference for Community and Justice
Chair of Sports Cluster for GNO, Inc., executive committee member of the Super Bowl XXXVI Host Committee, and co-chair with wife Dr. Susan Fielkow for the 2009 March of Dimes, March for Babies
Recognized by the Anti-Defamation League's A. I. Botnick Torch of Liberty Award in 2007, the 2004 TOP "Ten Outstanding Persons" Award from the Family Service of Greater New Orleans, and the 2003 Sanchez to Sanchez to Smith Award from the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Voted "Best New Orleans City Councilmember" by Gambit Weekly in 2007, 2008 and 2009, named one of New Orleans Magazine's 2006 "People to Watch," named "Favorite Local Politician in 2008 by New Orleans Magazine, and in 2009 named "New Orleanian of the Year" and "Second Most-Admired (Male) New Orleanian by the readers of New Orleans Magazine.
Active youth coach in the New Orleans Carrollton neighborhood program
POLITICAL EXPERIENCE AND POLITICAL ORGANIZATION MEMBERSHIPS:
Currently City of New Orleans Council President and four years as At-Large member
Chair, City Council's Youth and Recreation Committee and Special Development Projects and Economic Development Committee
1. Given the strong mayoral system established by our City Charter, what can Councilmembers do to address the crime problem?
The current Council has taken a leadership role in evaluating "best practices" involved with key issues like crime. It is without question that solving our crime problem will require teamwork among the new Councilmembers, the new Mayor and in fact, the entire community. As a Council leader, I will demonstrate in legislation and in civic action that violent crimes cannot be the norm in our neighborhoods.
In addition to my history enhancing youth recreation and adequately funding the various segments of the criminal justice system, I will support new programs using community mobilization, youth outreach, public education, faith-based leadership, and criminal justice participation to create a climate in which violence in unacceptable. As a member of the recently-formed Child and Youth Planning Board for Orleans Parish, I support positive youth empowerment, improvements to the juvenile justice system, and a humane and productive Youth Study Center, so that one mistake need not lead to a lifetime of crime.
With a focus on the root causes of crime, the City Council has a chance to bring major reform to the New Orleans Recreation Department by voting to put an amendment to the Home Rule Charter to a vote of the people next fall. These reforms, developed over the past two years and modeled on the successful Baton Rouge recreation department among others, come with a price tag. However, this transformation of NORD will signal an important shift in the city's priorities. Will we spend the dollars on our children at the beginning of their lives, with quality recreational opportunities that build character and offer mentoring? Or, will we continue to spend the money after they get into trouble - in the juvenile justice system and jails as we are now?
2. Would you support any level of decriminalization of drugs? If so, in what form?
Currently I would not eliminate criminal penalties or remove legal restrictions against any drug.
I support intervention programs including education, job training, and drug testing, for non-violent drug offenders. Our incarceration rate is the highest in the nation, and yet New Orleans has the nation's highest murder rate. Clearly incarceration alone is not the answer. I am, and will remain, always available to discuss with other public officials and citizens "best practices" to resolve and improve our city's challenges.
3. How do you propose to improve communication and cooperation between the Mayor's Office and City Council regarding such issues as adoption and oversight of the budget, supervision of Department heads, etc?
It is essential that the executive and legislative branches of government collaborate on issues affecting the city. One problem in the current budgeting process facing the City Council and the Administration is the brief time frame that is allotted to the Council for in-depth review of departmental budgets. Given the Council's limited accessibility to financial and departmental program data, accurately assessing which departments are performing well and which are not, also known as the "Budgeting for Outcomes" approach, is a daunting task in a 30-day time frame. Standardized line item formats and labeling are needed for every departmental budget submitted. While budget adjustments can be made throughout the year, the Administration's formal submittal of the budget should allow more time for Council review. It requires a City Charter change to accomplish this and other suggested improvements which I have made regarding the budgeting process.
4. Do you favor provision of recycling by the City? If so, how would you implement and fund it?
Our recent history with Katrina and our location near the vanishing coast demonstrate that New Orleans should take every opportunity to be a leader in sustainable living. This includes recycling, and generally, creating less waste, in order to be better stewards of the environment.
The curbside recycling program used by the City pre-Katrina was extremely popular and should be reinstated. For now, drop off centers may be a quick answer during this stage of our recovery. The new coalition "NOLA Recycles 2010" published a valuable platform that includes examining recycling options, proper disposal of construction and hazardous waste, and City Hall recycling. The City could provide funds as before, with monthly fees to households and general tax dollars. Residents of New Orleans rank recycling high among quality of life issues that must be addressed, and recycling options should be included in future RFP for waste management.

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