Voting
Dear Voters:
Please see John LaBeaume's message below.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
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Please continue urging readers in the next edition of themail to get out
and vote in the upcoming primary on September 12, which we all fear will be a record low
turnout, especially among Dems in Wards 1, 3, 5, and 6, where voters face no contested
races. They can write in if they are unenthusiastic or dissatisfied with the candidates on
the ballot before them (as I am planning to do), but at least make their voice heard. We
all know how low turnout DC elections can be used to beat up on DC voters and their
limited voting rights.
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Not surprisingly, the Post has endorsed Charlene Drew Jarvis for
re-election as Ward 4 councilmember. The paper cites her role in shepherding construction
of the new convention center, the MCI arena and other downtown development as the
rationale for its support. For many of us, those are precisely the reasons why we support
her opponent, Adrian Fenty. Ms. Jarvis's focus on downtown stands in sharp contrast to her
poor record of providing constituent services to Ward 4 residents. To counter that aspect
of her record, the Post's Colby King (who probably penned the paper's endorsement in the
first place) used his September 9 column to attack the messenger, Beth Solomon, for
sending anti-Jarvis mailings to Ward 4 households. At the same time, though, he
conveniently avoided any mention of “The Progressive Voice,” a blatant piece of
Jarvis campaign material that has suddenly started to appear on Ward 4 doorsteps under the
guise of a community newspaper. It would have been nice had King been objective enough to
look at both sides of the race.
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I was given a briefing of the “Do's and Do not's” when I first
started running for the Democratic nomination for Ward 2 City Councilmember. One of the DO
NOT'S was “Thou shall not place more than 3 campaign posters on any one city
block.” DCMR Law #108.10 states “No more than 3 versions of copies of each sign,
advertisement, or poster shall be affixed on one side of a street within one block.”
I was told that this law would be vigorously enforced by Mr. Vaughn at the Board of
Elections and Ethics. This is a story about the gross incompetence of the DC bureaucracy
in NOT enforcing our laws. This story is comical.
17 July - I filed a complaint with Ms. Cecily Collier-Montgomery asking
that Councilmember Evans remove excess posters. Pictures were sent with the complaint to
her and to Councilmember Evans. 18 July - Tom Sherwood on Channel 4 TV had a spot on TV
showing the violations and interviewed Councilmember Evans. Councilmember Evans stated on
TV that signs in violation of DCMR 108.10 would be removed.. 1 Aug. - I wrote a second
letter to Ms. Collier-Montgomery asking what was being done about my complaint. 4 Aug. -
Ms. Kathy Williams (The general counsel for Ms. Collier Montgomery) writes me telling me
that a formal complaint must be made to the Clean City Coordinator (Mr. Vince Spaulding)
and explains the procedure. She told me that she forwarded am copy of my complaint to Mr.
Spaulding. 13 Aug. - I file a formal complaint with the Clean City Coordinator listing the
violations. One of the locations listed was the 4900 Block of Reservoir Road, where there
are 19 signs on one block! 28 Aug. - I write a second letter to Mr. Spaulding since no
response has yet been received to my complaint. I also filed another complaint listing
examples of 22 additional violations.
There have been approximately 10 other E-mails and letters between Mr.
Spaulding and me within the last four weeks. Unfortunately, there has not been any
enforcement. His most recent correspondence to me ends by saying: “I believe that
conflict is good as it often times causes issues to be moved to a point where something
positive comes out of a situation. . . . I look forward to our continuing to stay in
contact and I will keep you posted on any new developments that come to my attention.
Thank you.” There still has not been any enforcement of DCMR Law 108.10. Why make
laws if our public officials are to timid to enforce them, especially when they have to
make a powerful member of our city council abide by the same regulations that you and I
must obey?
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Disclaimer: I do not actively support Jack Evans and I am all for new
blood on the council. Pete Ross needs to tell us what he is running FOR, not why he is
running AGAINST Jack Evans. Even Mr. Ross's posters have the little “Jack” with
a slash through it. That doesn't tell me anything. Jack Evans may very well be worth
booting from office, but why is Pete Ross better?
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My browser could not find http://www.ward2.com.
Does it exist?
[The site was down temporarily, but is back up now; I tried it today.
— Gary Imhoff]
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Is anybody surprised? Surprised that Jack Evans has big business behind
him? What's new? Nothing that I can see, as I have said before, he and Jarvis are all
about answering to the big and the powerful. He needs to be removed from this office and
someone with real integrity voted in. Money should not be getting any of them re-elected,
but THE PEOPLE. Our voice should be the loudest and the clearest.
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Please take note of a new web site that is designed to provide a forum for
those who wish to comment on Jack Evans' performance: http://www.cleanhands-ward2.com.
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Ward 7 Candidates Forum Results
Rhoma Battle, holsall@erols.com
On Wednesday, August 30, 2000, over 200 people attended the Coalition of
Ward 7 Civic, Religious & Community Organizations' Candidates Forum, which was held at
the Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church in Southeast Washington, D.C. While the forum was
open to all who attended, 164 (or 74%) of the attendees indicated on the sign-in sheet
that they were from Ward 7 zip codes 20019 or 20020. The remaining attendees either did
not sign-in, did not indicate where they were from, or indicated that they were from zip
codes not in Ward 7. All sponsoring organizations were represented at the forum (Dupont
Park Civic Association, Far Northeast-Southeast Council, Fort Davis Civic Association,
Hillcrest Community Civic Association, Marshall Heights Community Development
Organization, Inc., Holy Comforter Evangelical Lutheran Church, Penn-Branch Citizens Civic
Association, Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church, Pennsylvania Avenue Baptist Church Social
Concerns Committee, Randle Highlands Citizens Civic Association, Southeast Neighbors,
Inc., and St. Timothy's Episcopal Church).
All candidates responded in the affirmative to the Coalition's invitation
to the forum. At-large candidates (Brazil, Griffiths and Schwartz) participated in the
forum. Ward 7 council candidates (Chavous, Ford, Hunter and Jackson) participated in the
forum. Gary Feenster accepted an invitation but did not participate in the forum, and Joe
Madison, who was scheduled to moderate the forum, did not show. After the Ward 7
candidates made their closing remarks, a "non-partisan, non-binding and
unscientific" survey of forum participants was taken. There were a total of 160
surveys submitted, with 2 surveys deemed illegible. There were a total of 213 votes cast
for At-large candidates. Carol Schwartz received 87 votes, or 41 percent of the total
votes cast for the At-large candidates. Harold Brazil received 74 votes, or 35%, Arturo
Griffiths received 45 votes, or 21%, and the Write-In choice received 7 votes, or 3% of
the total votes. (86 votes were reported for Schwartz, 46 votes were reported for
Griffiths, and 0 votes were reported for the Write-In choice on August 30, 2000).
There were a total of 155 votes cast for the Ward 7 council candidates.
Kevin P. Chavous received 76 votes, or 49% of the total votes cast for the Ward 7 council
candidates. Robert B. Hunter received 45 votes, or 29%, Mary Jackson received 28 votes, or
18%, Durand A. Ford received 3 votes, or 2%, the Write-In choice received 3 votes, or 2%,
and Gary Feenster received no votes.
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My son began school (public) on Tuesday. A few days earlier we found out
there would be 32 children in his fourth grade class, and 31 in the other fourth grade
class. According to DCPS, he is supposed to have only 22 children in his class. (I have
heard other conflicting numbers from our Home and School Association, but the maximum
number I have heard is 24 children per class.) Needless to say, there were a large number
of irate parents wanting to know how our class sizes could have gotten so huge. The
principal finally sent home a letter of explanation stating he has known about the problem
since June. However, since the DCPS fiscal year runs October to October, he has not been
allowed to hire an additional teacher until October 2 because, “This additional
teacher was not part of our budget plan for SY 2000-2001 and therefore requires separate
evaluation and approval by DCPS for implementation.” However, it seems that approval
process takes from June until October. This is ridiculous. The Fiscal Year should run July
to July if there is no room for adjustment to account for surprises once the budget is
set. Furthermore, I have heard that we are overcrowded to a lesser extent in other grades
as well and are now short of books and supplies. I guess our school won't be able to order
new books until October, and they will probably arrive in April if we are lucky. Paul
Vance has a huge task ahead of him. I saw no improvement under Ackerman, hopefully he can
do better.
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Don’t Sell School Sites
Mary Filardo, 21st Century School Fund, t21stcsf@erols.com
I am very concerned about the strategy the charter school folks are using
to solve their facility problems. They have encouraged Ishtook to amend the District's
appropriation bill with a provision that will essentially give private non-profit
corporations linked to public charter schools the right to a “taking” of public
property. Since a public charter school cannot hold title, the public charter school will
not own the public property, a private entity will. A charter school will be able to force
a sale of district surplus schools. For the District, the issue is not the buildings, it
is the land. The average size of DC public school elementary school sites is about 2.5
acres, middle or junior high schools average 5 acres, and the largest high school site is
less than 20 acres and averages less than 10 acres. In the neighboring counties sites are
typically 15-20 acres for elementary; 20-25 for a middle school, and 40 acres or more for
a comprehensive high school. We do not need, want, or expect to meet these standards for
our urban school sites, but we also do not want to be in the situation that many of our
urban counterparts are in, where they cannot find any land anywhere in the city for
schools. A delegation from California just visited DC, Baltimore, and NYC looking at how
schools are accommodated in urban settings. They are struggling with the fact that their
planners did not account for the enrollment changes of their urban districts. They have
been forced to use contaminated sites, or to bus students long distances out of the urban
centers to facilities in outlying areas.
The District needs to have foresight. It should be able to bank land for
future use as school sites. In the meantime this land can be park land, used by the
District for other agency use, including by charter schools. The District ought to be
extremely careful about the sale of public land for purposes of raising revenue. It is a
non-renewable resource. The cost in the future of purchasing land for public use or
devising alternatives will be extremely costly. A visiting California school administrator
recounted that when building schools they have to figure that one half of their cost for
school construction is land acquisition, the other is the cost to build the school.
What should charter schools do? There is a comprehensive educational
facility master planning process underway. The charter school folks need to show up at
these open public meetings and struggle with the rest of us about how to see that public
school children have nurturing, educationally appropriate, healthy and safe learning
environments. There has not been a backlash about public charter schools, even as they
have destabilized the education environment in DC and delivered education, similar to the
DCPS, with a mixed record. I suggest they think twice about their Congressional tactics
and question who will really benefit from this land grab.
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City Council and Mayor Support CNG Buses
Elliott Negin, enegin@nrdc.org
The NRDC-Sierra Club Clean Bus Campaign has some good news to report: both
Mayor Williams and the City Council earlier this week wrote letters to the Washington
Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) urging the agency to stop buying diesel buses
and only buy compressed natural (CNG) buses from now on. Specifically, the mayor and the
City Council (all 13 members) asked Metro to change its order for 100 diesel buses for
next year and instead buy 100 CNG buses. On Thursday morning, September 7, the Metro board
endorsed a resolution calling on its staff to find the funding to buy 100 CNG buses and
retrofit a fueling station. We still have the sticking point of trying to find funding,
and we still have a Metro general manager and staff who do not want this to happen, but we
do have momentum. The NRDC-Sierra Club would like to thank readers of themail who sent
letters, faxes and E-mails to the City Council and the Metro board supporting our goal.
On September 15, between 11:30 am and 1 pm, Metro is hosting a concert at
Freedom Plaza in front of the National Theater (13th and Pennsylvania NW) and the Clean
Bus Campaign will have a table there with information on our campaign. Please come by, or
contact me at the E-mail above for more information on how you can get involved.
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The question was raised about our gas prices here. I wanted to put things
in perspective. First, I agree that gas prices are too high. However, I just concluded a
trip to the Pacific Northwest. In Washington State regular gas was anywhere from $1.65 to
$1.70 a gallon. In British Columbia, Canada, the prices were around $0.75 a litter! (This
equals around $2.80 a gallon!) Talk about people complaining about gas prices! You did not
see quite the same number of large SUV's on the roads in British Columbia. We can only
hope for the OPEC members to find a way of bringing oil prices down to more reasonable
levels.
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Let me add my endorsement concerning John Koskinen to Margaret Clark's
comment. His roots and interest in D.C. self-government run deep. I first met him when he
managed the Ward 3 school board campaign of Sue Lieberman in Washington's first election
campaign in 1969. He's a dedicated and serious public servant and is a good bet to assist
the Mayor in reforming our government.
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Changing Demographics
Thomas A. (Tad) DiBiase, TwoDeacons@aol.com
In response to Ted Gest's posting on the Post's article on the
changing demographics in the city, I offer only an anecdotal observation: as an Assistant
United States Attorney here in DC for over five years I've been picking my juries from
panels that seem to be getting whiter and whiter. It used to be that it was a given that
the pool of jurors (derived from voting lists and driver's license holders) was a lock to
be majority black. That has really changed over the last two years or so. The panel from
which I just selected a jury this week was at least two thirds non-black, and this seems
to be the norm. It seems to me that many of the newest people to DC are 20 and
30-something, single white folk. I don't pretend to draw any great conclusions from this
but do struggle to decide whether “web designers” and “network
engineers” are pro-government or pro-defense!
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Vehicle Registration
Andrew Aurbach, apaurbach@asaa.net
After not receiving a vehicle renewal notice in the mail, but rather in
the form of a $100 ticket, I went on-line to discover that indeed, you can register,
renew, and perform a variety of other functions on-line. Well, at least they took the
credit card number, and allowed me to print up a receipt. We will see if I actually
receive the stickers and paperwork in the snail mail. In the meantime, I hope I don't get
another “friendly” reminder. Funny thing is, my tags expired on August 31, and
the ticket was written in the wee hours on September 1. I am glad our police are so hard
at work in the “wee” hours.
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I have used the system, and it apparently worked perfectly. I received my
new stickers (registration and parking) within a week or two after renewing on-line. Go to
the link you posted (http://www.dmv.dcgov.org) or
go straight to: http://dmv.washingtondc.gov/main.htm,
where you'll get re-directed from the first site. On the left menu bar, select
“Online Registration” which is second from the bottom. From there, you should
have no trouble handling the rest. Keep in mind that to renew your registration online,
you will need the registration renewal notice that was sent to you in the mail, your
license plate number and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), or your registration card,
your current auto insurance card or policy number, and a Visa or Mastercard credit card.
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DMV Registration via the Internet
Michelle Treistman, mktreist@gwu.edu
The correct site for this is http://dmv.washingtondc.gov/main.htm. I
registered on-line on August 12 and received my new stickers September 2. These 3 weeks
included a side trip to the leasing company, SOP for leased vehicles. Very efficient.
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What’s New on DMV Web Site
Robert Andrew, RDAndrew@erols.com
The correct web site address for DC DMV is http://dmv.washingtondc.gov/main.htm. New
items are: graduated licensing, digitized driver's license, DMV facility RFK Stadium Lot
8, extended Inspection Station hours, neighborhood drop boxes at DC DMV locations and
District police stations, online registration, seven new express service windows, credit
card payments now accepted at 301 C Street NW, and designated lanes and hours for taxicabs
and fleet vehicles at the Inspection Station. Coming soon are registration renewal by
telephone and kiosks, and ticket payments by telephone.
[Matthew Gilmore, dcplgem@altavista.com,
also sent in this address. The DMV can be reached at either address; as noted above, both
point to the same page. — Gary Imhoff]
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In response to Mark David Richards recent posting regarding statehood and
Puerto Rico, I can add a couple of thoughts. First, PR has not exactly embraced the
statehood notion. In late 1998, a plebiscite was held where over 50 percent voted for the
choice “None of the above” when asked whether they favored statehood,
independence, or status quo (commonwealth status). And with the recent Vieques bombing
incident, US-Puerto Rico tensions have also increased. Second, Puerto Rico has it pretty
good now with its current commonwealth status. Unlike DC, the island can borrow money from
the US capital markets at ridiculously low rates because interest on bonds issued in PR
are exempt in all US states. For an island with a population of just less than 4 million,
Puerto Rico has borrowed over $25 million to develop its infrastructure and keep its
fragile economy humming. DC only has about $3 billion outstanding, due in part to the fact
that their borrowing rates are significantly higher. Additionally, Puerto Ricans benefit
from many federal subsidy programs yet do not have to file federal income taxes. Thus, tax
burdens are low and reported earnings are conveniently understated. Reported per capita
personal income is about $8,000 per year but a visit to the island reveals that Puerto
Ricans enjoy a seemingly higher standard of living than that. With these subsidies and
benefits, it is easy to see why Puerto Ricans are ambivalent about statehood. Perhaps DC
residents should compare the benefits they do not enjoy (that are bestowed upon other
jurisdictions which lack voter rights) and push for greater equality.
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This is to let you know that the September, 2000 on-line edition has been
up-loaded and may be accessed at http://www.intowner.com.
Included are all community news stories, editorials (including prior months' archived),
restaurant reviews (prior months' also archived), and the text from the ever-popular
“Scenes from the Past” feature. Also included are all current classified ads.
Starting this month, we are now making available in this web site edition the Selected
Street Crimes listings, to be found immediately following the Community News entries. The
next issue will publish on October 13, and the web site will be updated within a few days
following.
To read the lead stories, be sure to click the link on the home page to
the following headlines: Adams Morgan Garage A Go, Developer Insists; Bitter Debate
Dividing Neighbors. Neighborhood Parking Regs. Soon to be Eased; Ward 2 Councilmember Jack
Evans Calls Meeting. St. Thomas' Park Construction to Begin; Free Patio Bricks Available
by Calling. ACLU Lawsuit Exposes Serious DC Police, Federal Agency Constitutional Wrongs.
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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS AND CLASSES
GWU 2001-2010 Campus Plan Hearing Sept. 13th
Jim McLeod, Foggy Bottom jmcleod@attglobal.net
Residents of Foggy Bottom and West End neighborhoods may get their chance
to comment on GWU’s Foggy Bottom Campus plan (Application, No. 16553) September 13th.
GWU presented its testimony at the first hearing in April. The second hearing is scheduled
for Wednesday, but so is another matter. Residents able to attend may be pleased to hear a
District agency standing up for them. In its September 8, 2000 supplemental
recommendations regarding the GWU campus plan, the D.C. Office of Planning recommends that
the BZA deny the University's current application. OP states that the current plan will
cause “undue harm to the surrounding neighborhoods of Foggy Bottom and West
End.” Lack of on-campus student housing and GWU purchasing off-campus housing stock
are the key concerns for residents, ANC-2A, the Foggy Bottom Association, and the Office
of Planning.
When I moved to my neighborhood more than 20 years ago, the southern side
of my block (2400 PA AV) consisted of three apartment buildings, a local grocery store,
and St. Stephen the Martyr Church. One apartment building converted to a hotel, The
Melrose (formerly The Bristol), and we now have a convenience store instead of a grocery,
but there are still long term residents on this boarder of Foggy Bottom forming a living
link with of residents of neighborhoods to the north — West End and Dupont Circle,
which are all part of the collection of neighborhoods forming a horseshoe around the
central business district (other neighborhoods are Logan Circle, Shaw, Chinatown and the
Pennsylvania Quarter — the mall separates us from southwest neighborhoods). Some of
us are fighting to keep that link alive. It's refreshing and encouraging not to have the
Office of Planning rubber stamp GWU plans.
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A School Board President and District 1 Candidates forum will be held on
Tuesday, october 10, at 7:00 p.m., at George Washington University Hillel House, 2300 H
Street, NW. The moderator will be Jonetta Rose Barras. Sponsors: ANC Assembly, DC
Appleseed, DC Voice, and the League of Women Voters. For further information call
387-2966.
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8th Street SE: Capitol Hill’s Main Street, National Building Museum
D.C. Builds, Tuesday, September 12, 12:30 – 2 pm. The commercial corridor along 8th
Street, SE, between Pennsylvania Avenue and the Navy Yard’s Latrobe Gate, will soon
undergo a $10 million renovation. The project will include streetscape improvements, new
sidewalks and signage, tree planting, and the rehabilitation of building facades. Linda
Parke Gallagher, president and co-chair of the Barracks Row Main Street Project, will
discuss how her organization is working with community and government agencies to
transform one of Washington's oldest commercial centers into a vibrant, attractive
destination for District residents and tourists. Free. Registration not required.
Myths and Legends of Washington, D.C, Historical Society of Washington,
Tuesday, September 12, 12:00 pm, brown bag lecture. Join Steve Hoglund in the Heurich
House's conservatory as he exposes the myths and provides the truth behind the legends
that pervade our city Find out if the hooves of equestrian statues tell the fate of their
rider, why there is a tidal basin and more. Members and non-members $5. Reservations
required.
Transit-Oriented Development in Arlington, National Building Museum Smart
Growth, Wednesday, September 13, 12:30 – 2 pm. Robert Brosnan, director of the
Arlington County Planning Department, will discuss the transit-oriented development in the
Rosslyn-Ballston corridor and how similar planning can be replicated in other parts of the
Washington metropolitan region. Free. Registration not required.
Treasure Talk, Library of Congress, Wednesday, September 13. John Sellers,
historical specialist in the Manuscript Division, talks about the letter that Mary Todd
Lincoln wrote to her husband advising him to remove Gen. George B. McClellan from command,
in the "American Treasures" exhibition, Southwest Gallery of the Jefferson
Building, at noon. Public contact: 707-9203.
African American history author lecture and book signing, National
Archives theater, Thursday, September 14, 12:00 p.m. Dr. Ira Berlin will discuss Remembering
Slavery: African Americans Talk About Their Personal Experiences of Slavery and
Emancipation. This work is a book and tape set of the recordings of interviews with
former slaves conducted by the Federal Writers Project in the early 1930s. Ira Berlin is a
preeminent slavery historian and founding director of the Freedmen and Southern Society
Project at the University of Maryland. Reservations are recommended; call 208-7345.
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Learning Pro is offering Phono-Graphix training over two weekends in
Laurel, MD. Phono-Graphix is the best way to teach reading and can easily be incorporated
into public school classrooms. The cost of the 5-day course is $500. Trainees must also
purchase a kit from Read America at the end of the course. The dates for the course are
Oct. 7, 8, 9, 14, 15. Another course is scheduled in December. Call Julie Sullivan for
more details, 410-988-9199.
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CLASSIFIEDS — HOUSING AND PARKING
There are a number of condominiums currently for sale and soon to be for
sale at 1421 Columbia Rd NW. The building was originally renovated in 1981 to provide
affordable housing, and we are trying to keep it that way. Since we are now less than one
block from Columbia Heights Metro, we are starting to get interest from investors, which
we do not want! We want resident owners. There are three two-bedroom apartments listed
now, at around $68,000. One is available for lease option. For more info, please E-mail
Victoria McKernan, Victoriamck@mindspring.com.
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Parking Space for Rent
Paul Kelsey, pkelseyw@aol.com
My neighbor has an off street (not off-alley) parking space for rent, just
a block from the U Street Metro. Safe and large private driveway. Call her direct to
discuss cost and location for a site visit at 265-0829.
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Apartment for Rent in Friendship Heights, D.C.
Stephanie Faul, steph@faul.com
One-bedroom basement apartment — bright, clean, full bath, kitchen,
shared laundry, separate entrance, two and a half blocks from the Friendship Heights Metro
in DC. Walk to shopping, movies, Metro. Rent is $725 and includes utilities; available
after September 15. Write to steph@faul.com for more
information.
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CLASSIFIEDS — SERVICES
Want to learn French? Want to practice on a more regular basis? I am happy
to help. French national with teaching experience. Phone 232-3562 or E-mail chugon@hotmail.com.
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CLASSIFIEDS — VOLUNTEERS
The Latin American Youth Center is seeking young men and women between 18
and 29 years old to serve in their AmeriCorps program. We have ten full-time positions
open. For more information, please contact LAYC at 319-8641 or check the web page at http://www.layc-dc.org.
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CLASSIFIEDS — RECOMMENDATIONS
Can you recommend a carpenter or handy person? Our kitchen drawers come
off their guides and the closet doors behave in much the same manner. Has anyone had a
good experience with someone doing this sort of repair? Contact: tmunzer@hotmail.com.
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