Masochism
Dear Masochists:
It is said that, at least in a democracy, we get the government that
we deserve. Are we in Washington that undeserving? Perhaps we are, since
our expectations of service and honesty are so low. Or perhaps we are
just masochists, and enjoy being abused. In general, contributors to
themail tend to support being punished with higher taxes, more traffic
tickets, and more parking tickets, with no corresponding evidence of
better government services, safer roads, or easier parking. In some
countries, Catholic penitents lash themselves with whips until they
bleed, and feel better afterwards, in the assurance that they have
absolved themselves of their sins. What sins have we committed that make
us welcome the lashes of DPW and DMV and DHS and DCRA and DCPS and DC
government in general? Please explain it to me.
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
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Big Paying Jobs
Ed T. Barron, edtb@aol.com
It seems that there are some big paying jobs in the DC School System
administrative offices. Superintendent Vance announced the elimination
of 126 jobs in the school administration offices, which will save $16M
on next year's payroll [http://www.dcwatch.com/schools/ps020502.htm].
Unless my calculator has blown a circuit that amounts to an average
salary of over $129K per job. That's not too bad for an administrative
office job these days. Someone should be looking at the school system to
see if we are overpaying folks for simple administrative work that could
be done by most high school graduates (not necessarily DC HS Grads) at a
much lower annual salary. That would enable more money to be applied to
where it can better educate our students, in the classrooms.
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ANC6A Follies
Mark Eckenwiler, eck~spammenot~@panix.com
The DC Auditor's report on the pathetic state of ANC6A's finances is
here. You'll laugh (monthly phone bills of more than $900), you'll cry
(ANC funds spent on flowers for a funeral), you'll experience deja vu
(checks illegally made out to “cash”; thousands of dollars in
undocumented expenses). http://64.49.68.206/frames/DCA/Reports/DCA1502.pdf.
For recent comments by several members of the ANC, see the local
discussion at http://www.voiceofthehill.com/Discus/messages/78/108.html?1020424744.
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Mark Richards proposes an interesting constitutional amendment that
would provide much of the needed right to self-government sought in DC.
It is not entirely clear that the micro-management of DC's budget is
adequately addressed, and I think that should be more explicit. The
major concern that I have is in section 5, which leaves the courts and
prisons to the federal government. This is something that DC needs to
eventually control as much as any other function. DC suffers from not
controlling our own courts as any other jurisdiction does. The DC jails
have suffered under the move to federal control as safe guards for DC
prisoners have been removed, from their access to families to down to
access to condoms. It would also do harm to the US Constitution to cite
legislation as a controlling text. The Constitution must stand as the
guiding set of rules and principles which all others laws must adhere.
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Kudos to Cooper, Harris, and Richards
Tom Matthes, tommatthes@earthlink.net
After being critical about the attempts to involve the United Nations
in the DC voting rights debate, it is only fair to complement Timothy
Cooper, Charles Harris, and Mark Richards for their op-ed in the Washington
Times. There is only one prerequisite to pursuit of a remedy to the
issues of DC self-government and votes in Congress, and that is to obey
the Constitution. Their proposal does so, and they deserve praise for a
thoughtful and reasonable approach.
The only analysis I'll offer right now is I suspect September 11 has
killed statehood prospects indefinitely, and a security-conscious
Congress is unlikely to grant it. Lack of time prevents me from
commenting further, but this proposal fulfills my biggest concern of not
undermining our constitutional rule of law. It deserves a thorough
discussion and a fair hearing.
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Support for Equal Constitutional Rights
Amendment
Sam Farmer, Dupont East, sam@letsfreedc.org
I wanted to voice my support for the Equal Constitutional Rights
Amendment put forward by Mark David Richards. My additional reasons for
supporting the amendment that were not mentioned in the Times op-ed are:
a) we should be equal; b) the problem lies in the constitution and
therefore the solution lies in an amendment; and c) voting rights for
all races (15th amendment), women (19th amendment) and age (26th
amendment) all took amendments. For more information visit http://letsfreedc.org/issue/solutions.php.
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I don’t quite believe this a local business is resorting to
spamming. This arrived in my E-mail this morning: “Reminder: Middle C
Music Store Grand Reopening, Friday, May 3, 2002, 6:30-8:30 p.m., 4530
Wisconsin Avenue, NW, 202/244-7326, at Brandywine Street, just north of
the old Hechinger's, Black Tie or Not. I am proud, pleased and excited
to announce that my wife, Myrna Sislen, has bought Middle C Music Store
in partnership with Angelo Parodi, formerly of Politics and Prose
Bookstore (see 'Guitarist saves Middle C at last moment,' and Tom
Sherwood column, Northwest Current, April 4).”
I didn’t request this or sign on to any list and I don’t like the
reference to Politics and Prose Bookstore, a store that I respect. Also
I’m not on the Politics and Prose mailing list, so I don’t know how
they got my E-mail address. This is spam, plain and simple, I won’t
shop there. I won’t buy anything a spammer sells and I urge the
readers of the mail to boycott the store because they are filthy
spammers.
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Parking Tickets
John Whiteside, john at logan circle dot net
I'd like to disagree with Ron Eberhardt's contention that parking
enforcement hurts those of us who live here. Having lived somewhere
where parking enforcement was a lot tougher, I miss it! As 14th Street
and the areas east of Logan Circle get more businesses attracting people
from out of the neighborhood, parking is getting tougher. And I, for
one, miss the resident parking system that Boston has, which was far
more helpful for residents and far tougher on visitors. In Boston, you
get a free residential permit if you can demonstrate that you live at
the city address where your car is registered. Residential parking was
zoned by neighborhoods far smaller than our wards, so as a South End
resident my permit was good in my neighborhood, but not a few blocks
away in the Back Bay or Bay Village. And most of the resident parking
zones were reserved for residents 24x7, with no visitor parking
whatsoever. (Most streets had small visitor parking stretches, either
metered or with two-hour limits but no meters, for visitors.) Main thoroughfares were typically unzoned and metered, so the spots in
front of businesses were available to visitors for two hours at a time.
And enforcement was quite strict.
I don't see how making it easier for residents to find parking at
home hurts us.
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Hurrah for Cameras and Tickets
Ron Linton, rml.ch@verizon.net
I'm really puzzled by the outcry against the issuance of notice of
fraction by the District of Columbia. Red light running is a problem, a
serious problem that causes death and injury. How should we prevent red
light running other than by issuing tickets? If you eliminate the
cameras, the tickets have to be issued by police officers. Do we really
want taxes to go up to cover the number of officers necessary to
effectively reduce red light running, or should we look to technology to
save lives. I can't believe people seriously are in favor of not
enforcing red light running or speeding. They certainly won't be once
they or people close to them are killed or injured.
I was astounded by the woman from Annapolis quoted in today's Post
who was outraged by the fact the DC tickets people who overstay their
meter. I would say that as soon as Annapolis stops ticketing District
cars violating their parking meters we should grant reciprocity. Without
parking tickets who do you equitably distributed parking opportunities?
As long as its cheaper to get a parking ticket than to pay for a parking
lot it will be a first come first serve policy. If someone has a better
mousetrap for solving problems now dealt with by issuing tickets they
ought to bring it forward.
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Ron Eberhardt certainly moves to the head of the whine zone with his
diatribe about excessive ticket writing being “harassment (that) ...
adversely affects the quality of life.” Perhaps I see things with a
clarity that Ron does not. It seems to me that it is trivial to avoid
the minor penalties by simply playing by the rules . As one who gets his
car inspected on time and can work within the parking restrictions, I
fully applaud the city's efforts to get others to do the same.
(Remember, tying up a meter keeps someone else from using it.) Ron's
comment that “This is surely one of the most punitive cities in the
US” only shows that Ron has very limited experience. Most of the
places in which I've lived in the US are much tougher, and much more
pleasant to live in as a result. Frankly I only wish there had been a DC
cop to ticket those scofflaws who sped up when I recently tried to cross
Wisconsin Avenue in a crosswalk with one of those new pedestrian right
of way signs.
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Meter Feeding Update
Tim Cline, Columbia Heights, Timandann@aol.com
An actual reply to the meter feeding question I raised in themail on
April 29. I have been told by Mr. Lamar Russell of parking
administration (thanks to Jim Graham's office for making that happen)
that the correct answer is that as long as a car is moved even one
space, it ought not be ticketed for meter feeding (“observed
overparking the limit”). He said that I could send my ticket in with
an explanation (and no money) quoting him and then wait and see what
happens. Michael Bindner's comment about moving outside the ward was
incorrect with regard to meters. That only applies to residential permit
restricted parking. I'll pay the 15 bucks — and be happy that the
Mayor's new proposed ticket rates are not already in effect or I'd be
out $40.
I know that Mr. Williams and the council see only more revenue from
increases in parking fines and it has nothing to do with parking;
otherwise (for example) residential zones would be restricted 24/7 not
just during the day — after all, residents of Adams Morgan, Dupont
Circle, Georgetown, et al., are not only squeezed out of parking during
the day, but nights and weekends when they are home and can't find
parking.
One final note. There are several places in town where parking
garages are available only to those who pay for monthly parking or
arrive very early. And many of these garages have waiting lists to get
monthly parking.
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Kudos to the Mayor and Leslie Hotaling for raising the fines on
illegal parking. I noticed that the folks bitching in the Post story
were commuters. Good! We on Capitol Hill shares the problem of many
other neighborhoods with nonresidential cars parking. I will spare you
the long, boring economist lecture. The short version is that
enforcement is not enough. It is cheaper to park illegally in our
neighborhoods than it is to pay for a parking spot. The fine has to be
big enough to change that calculation. I worry that by lowering the fine
from the Mayor's proposal, the Council has given us the worst of all
possible world: increased nuisance but not large enough to change the
behaviors of the commuters. I say: put a $50 fine on parking in a
residential area without a zone residential sticker!
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Towing
Irina Livezeanu, irinal+@pitt.edu
I had a good experience with the Metropolitan Police recently. I had
failed to notice the temporary signs on trees in my NW neighborhood
recently for an emergency parking ordinance because of pro and
anti-Israel demonstrations. So my car, parked in a prohibited spot, was
towed. But they towed it to another parking spot just a couple of
streets away, and I had to pay nothing to retrieve it. I was stunned
with happiness having expected a huge headache and fine.
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Yes, the DC Council wasted the opportunity to talk about getting the
word out to all DC residents and visitors about Mayor Anthony Williams'
great Neighborhood Action and Chief Charles Ramsey's Policing for
Prevention initiatives. If the DC Council as our honorable leaders, DC
residents and visitors will work diligently together to make these two
initiatives successful, DC could become the model city and capital of
the world. These two initiatives work with each community, agencies and
police to provide better services and fight crime and disorder. Their
positive success depends on your support and participation. To find out
details and how you can participate in these two significant initiatives
please call Neighborhood Action's general phone number, 727-5146 and
Policing for Prevention at 727-1585/8751/9913.
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I'm a liberal Democrat. I like Connie Morella. If the House of
Representatives weren't up for grabs, I might even vote for Connie
Morella, if I lived in Maryland. I have friends who've worked for Connie
Morella. They think she is wonderful. That said, if you want the
District to have any semblance of voting rights anytime soon, you need
the House of Representatives to be in Democratic control. It's that
simple. The last time the House was held by Democrats, Eleanor Holmes
Norton had voting rights in the Committee of the Whole. This is
tantamount to full voting rights (and a big step in the right
direction). The ability to give full voting rights to Norton is in the
power of the leadership. While Connie Morella would probably vote to
give voting rights to Norton, she will never have that chance if the
Republicans hold the leadership. For the Democrats to get the leadership
(and give Norton her vote), Connie Morella must lose.
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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
Sam Donaldson will be the featured speaker at the “Presidents,
Politics and Power” program offered by the Fairfax County Public
Library on May 13 at 7:00 p.m. in the Board Auditorium of the Fairfax
County Government Center, located at 12000 Government Center Parkway in
Fairfax. This live event is free and open to the public, and you do not
need to register to attend. Donaldson will discuss Ronald Reagan's
presidency. For details, check the Library's Web site at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library.
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Justice in Bhopal Tour Comes to DC
Parisa Norouzi, PNorouzi@foe.org
Survivors from the worst chemical disaster in history will be touring
the US from May 3-18 to hold Dow Chemical accountable for the Bhopal
disaster. The tour will be in Washington on Monday, May 6, at 6:30 p.m.,
Martin Luther King Public Library, Room A10, 9th and G Streets, NW
(Metro station: Metro Center/Gallery Place). Contact Shivani Chaudhry,
785-8700, or Neil Tangri, Essential Action, ntangri@essential.org,
387-8030. For more information go to http://www.bhopal.net
and http://www.corpwatch.org.
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Sharon Ambrose Campaign Kickoff Event
Chuck Burger, caburger@msn.com
Sharon Ambrose (D-Ward 6) will kick off her campaign for the Ward 6
Council seat on Saturday, May 11 from 9:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. at the
historic Old Naval Hospital located at 921 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, one
block from the Eastern Market Metro. Welcoming the many new and old
friends to the newly redistricted Ward 6 will be a focus of the event.
The Kick-Off Gala will include some uplifting entertainment by the 40
member Community Action Group Gospel Choir as well as breakfast and
refreshments, followed by Ambrose’s presentation of her vision for the
future of Ward 6 and her plans to continue to build strong
community-based coalitions.
Following the official Kick-Off, there will be an Open House at
Campaign Headquarters at 310 6th Street to meet the campaign staff and
pick up election petitions. For additional information and inquiries
please call the Campaign Office at 543-7166.
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CLASSIFIEDS — FOR SALE
Sideboard, about 5' long, with three doors, shelves, drawers, dark
wood, a little detail. Good shape, a few finish problems that can be
fixed — nice piece to put in a spare room and store things in. I just
don't have room for it. $75 or best offer. I can E-mail you pictures and
you can see it/get it from my home in Logan Circle. E-mail j@logancircle.net.
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CLASSIFIEDS — SPACES
Great Office Sublease, Silver Spring
Jon Katz, jon@markskatz.com
1400 Spring Street. Sublease one or two windowed offices and possible
additional secretarial space in the greenest and most beautiful area of
downtown Silver Spring. Near Metro, plentiful parking, and Silver Spring
District Court. Conference room to share with existing law firm. Rent
starts from the $500's; month-to-month lease available. 24-hour access
for tenants; on Saturdays, lobby remains unlocked, and air conditioning
and heat stay on through 1:00 p.m. Call Jon Katz, 301-495-4300, or visit
http://www.markskatz.com/announcement.htm.
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Apartment for Rent
Judith Rosenfeld, jsr2@earthlink.net
Sparkling, sunny 1 bedroom garden apartment available May 15 in
Kent/Palisades (between Arizona Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard)
convenient to busses, Sibley, GU, AU, GW's Mt. Vernon campus and Canal.
Apartment has 20-ft., south-facing living room, full kitchen and bath,
and independent state-of-art heating/AC system, private driveway, brick
patio and exclusive use of big, beautiful garden. Rent includes all
utilities and cable with HBO. One (mature, employed, nonsmoking tenant)
only; please, for at least a year's lease. Sorry, no pets.
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CLASSIFIEDS — RECOMMENDATIONS
My husband and I are looking to buy our first home. We are going to
buy in the District and are looking for a buyer's broker familiar with
DC who is also a licensed agent. If you have any success/horror stories,
please E-mail me at danampatton@hotmail.com.
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