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What JACK EVANS has
done for Foggy Bottom-West End
Neighborhood Preservation
George Washington University, the IMF/World Bank, embassies
and downtown office buildings are some of the forces constantly threatening the
residential fabric of Foggy Bottom:
- Recognizing the negative impact the soon-to-be-built American
Red Cross headquarters building will have on the six neighboring residential
buildings, Jack worked for more than two years with community leaders and organizations to
stop this proposal. Jack sent letters to federal agencies, coordinated meetings with top
city officials and executives of the American Red Cross, and attached conditions to the
Mayor's requested DC tax-free bond for the American Red Cross.
- Seeking to protect the neighborhood from adverse environmental
effects of new development, Jack enacted legislation to change the boundaries of the
Central Employment Area (CEA) to provide environmental effects consideration
in the development of 5 Foggy Bottom sites and for all new GWU major
construction projects.
- In an effort to increase housing in Foggy Bottom,
Jack supported a 0% commercial, mixed use building with residential, retail and hotel uses
at 2200 M Street in the old Blackie's parking lot.
- Jack worked with residents to fight the illegal demolition of
the historically-contributing buildings next to the landmarked 2501 Pennsylvania
Avenue and for a building with residential uses and in character with the 25th
Street and Pennsylvania Avenue blocks.
- In order to encourage developers to place a priority on
downtown housing, Jack introduced an amendment to the City's tax increment financing law
which provides lower financing costs for private building projects, such as housing, that
are of special benefit to the City.
Public Safety
The safety of Foggy Bottom area residents remains of paramount
concern:
- Jack is a vocal and consistent advocate of increased
foot patrols in the Foggy Bottom area -- and has dogged the Metropolitan Police
Department (MPD) for their delays in implementing this popular and effective policing
method.
- Jack fought successfully for aggressive anti-panhandling
legislation to curb the intimidation of residents, especially the elderly.
- Jack successfully worked with City officials to remove the homeless
trailers near the Watergate residential buildings and fought the move of the
Western Presbyterian Church's homeless feeding program from a commercial
area to the residential area of Foggy Bottom. As a result, Jack secured $346,000 from the
International Monetary Fund for a homeless feeding program in the commercial area of Foggy
Bottom.
Parking and Traffic
Combating the lack of parking and ensuring a smooth traffic
flow are critical challenges in the Foggy Bottom area:
- At the request of the West End Citizens Association, Jack has
worked with dozens of government officials to secure a much needed traffic light
at 21st and F Streets.
- In an effort to alleviate the terrible shortage of parking
available for Foggy Bottom residents, Jack authored and secured passage of legislation to
prohibit Ward 2 neighborhood parking stickers for students with cars
registered out-of-state. As a result, parking has improved for residents.
Green Space and Parks
Foggy Bottom must work vigilantly to both preserve its trees
and parks, as well as counter the dirt and trash which result from its central location:
- Foggy Bottom is in dire need of more green space -- when one of
the neighborhood's most popular parks was threatened to be replaced with a large-scale
development, Jack moved swiftly to enact legislation to protect the park west of 26th
Street between Virginia Avenue & L Street. Jack is currently working to
beautify the park and upgrade its playground equipment.
- When the Francis Swimming Pool was renovated
(at Jack's urging) in the mid-'90s, Jack led Foggy Bottom efforts to reverse the D.C.
Government's proposal to transform this neighborhood center into a regional facility with
limited use for local residents.
- Jack sponsored legislation increasing sanitation fines
and increasing the number of city sanitation inspectors. He meets regularly with D.C.
government officials to encourage vigilant enforcement of the sanitation laws.
- Jack successfully fought last year to increase funding for the
Department of Public Works Tree Division in order to keep Foggy Bottom and other
neighborhoods "the city of trees."
- Knowing the challenges Foggy Bottom faces in battling graffiti,
Jack has introduced legislation which would greatly enhance penalties for those seeking to
deface our City.
Senior Citizens
One of Foggy Bottom's greatest assets is its population of
senior citizens. Jack has sponsored dozens of legislative initiatives to protect and
enhance the lives of senior citizens:
- As Chair of the powerful Committee on Finance & Revenue,
Jack is currently pushing tax relief for senior citizens earning less than $30,000 through
a real property tax reduction.
- Jack is currently working to secure passage of the proposal to
increase the pension exclusion for senior citizens age 65 and over who retired from either
the federal or District governments from $3,000 to $6,000.
- Scholl's Cafeteria is a popular meeting space for people of all
ages throughout the District, but especially in Foggy Bottom. As such, Jack worked with
community leaders to successfully lobby the landlord to not impose draconian rent
increases which would have forced this beloved institution to close.
Tenants
The backbone of the Foggy Bottom community is our tenants --
preserving the rights of tenants is a core effort of Jack Evans:
- Jack authored The Tax Parity Act of 1999 which reduces the
Class 2 Property Tax rate (the Rental Residential rate) from $1.54 per $100 of assessed
value to $.96 per $100 of assessed value, or 37.6%. The end result should be a reduction
in rent for all tenants.
- In 1995 and 2000, Jack co-introduced legislation to
re-authorize D.C.'s rent control for five years. Jack's efforts on this and numerous other
tenant bills have earned him the endorsement of TENAC (the city's leading tenants-rights
group) in every election.
Taxes
Knowing that the high rates of D. C. income tax have driven
both high- and low-income residents out of the city.
- Jack introduced and brought to passage a sweeping tax-reduction
plan in 1999 that reduced the highest income tax rate for residents and businesses from
9.5% to 8.5% over five years, and reduced the rate from 6% to 4% for residents earning
less than $10,000.
- Jack has introduced the "Earned Income Tax Credit Act of
2000" to provide tax credits to the near-poor and working poor (similar to the
federal earned-income tax credit).
Jack Evans Biography
Councilmember for Ward 2 since 1991.
Chair of Council's Committee on Finance & Revenue.
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) Board, 1993-98 (Board Chair in 1993
and 1996).
Washington Council of Governments, 1993-98 (Board Chair, 199?).
Dupont Circle Advisory Neighborhood Commission, 1989-91 (Chair, '89-90).
Member of Foundry-United Methodist Church.
Educated at University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and University of Pittsburgh
School of Law.
Married to Nod Soderberg Evans & father of triplets: Katherine, John and Christine.
Let's Re-Elect Jack Evans!
for more information, contact: John Ralls at 265-7065 or Karen
Hamrick at 965-3776
Paid for by Committee to Re-Elect Jack
Evans, Dennis Bass, Treasurer |
