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June 8, 2003

Speak Up

Speak Up in themail, June 8, 2003

Dear Speakers:

This is the perfect time to speak up, both in and out of themail. Several important citywide issues are pending before the City Council, and this is your opportunity to testify at hearings on them. On Wednesday, June 11, at 1:00 p.m., the Committee on Education, Libraries, and Recreation will hold a public roundtable on the appointments of Carrie Thornhill (http://www.dcwatch.com/council15/15-218.htm) and Robin Martin (http://www.dcwatch.com/council15/15-217.htm) to the DC Board of Education. On Thursday, June 12, at 10:00 a.m., the Committee on Finance and Revenue will hold a public hearing on the “Baseball Revenue Amendment Act of 2003,” http://www.dcwatch.com/council15/15-270; and at 3:30 p.m., the Committee on Economic Development will hold a public hearing on the appointments of Marie Johns (http://www.dcwatch.com/council15/15-219) and James Hudson (http://www.dcwatch.com/council15/15-220) to the National Capital Revitalization Corporation Board. On Thursday, June 17, the Committees of the Whole, Judiciary, and Government Operations will hold a joint hearing on the pay raise for MPD Chief Charles Ramsey, http://www.dcwatch.com/council15/15-273.htm, which has become an issue both of police department performance and spiraling pay levels in DC government.

If you've never testified before the City Council on an issue that is important to you, this is a good time to start.

Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com

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Structural Imbalance and Management Issues
Mark David Richards, Dupont East, mark@bisconti.com

Following is a very brief overview of the report, “District of Columbia: Structural Imbalance and Management Issues” (GAO-03-666, in PDF format at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d03666.pdf), issued this week by the US General Accounting Office (GAO). The report examined the assertion that a good part of DC's service costs are structural and beyond the local government's ability to control, even if all management efficiencies could be successfully implemented. This follows GAO's preliminary report in September 2002 and the 2002 Federal City Council report by McKinsey and Company, which found that DC is on a path to a $500 million budget deficit by 2005. Hopefully, the GAO will give public presentations to explain the report — it is tough to wade through without a tutor! The main finding seems to be that in DC, due to a variety of factors such as poverty, the cost of government services is expensive and outstrips DC's ability to raise the amount of revenues needed. As for methodology, the 145-page report established benchmarks and made comparisons using different methodologies and assumptions to suit differing opinions, including comparing DC to dense urban areas and to states. Regardless, the report confirmed a DC structural imbalance ranging between $470 million and $1.1 billion. Whatever the amount is, it is the difference between what the DC government can collect in revenues at average tax rates (including federal grants) and its ability to provide average services. Due to the structural imbalance, DC must have higher tax rates than average simply to provide average services. Government waste only exasperates the problem. The GAO report concluded that DC's actual 2000 spending was five percent below that needed to fund an average level of services for urban areas. The net result of the structural deficit is that less money is available to invest in the future, capital spending for infrastructure. These costs have been and continue to be deferred.

The report found that the per capita cost of funding average services in DC is 75 to 85 percent more than average (DC services cost more than, but compare with New York, California, Massachusetts, Texas, and New Jersey). When GAO adjusted for DC's service cost and workload factors, but not the cost of the federal presence or special circumstances, it found DC spending 18 percent more than “what would be necessary to fund an average level of services.” GAO also estimated DC to be spending 18 percent more for average elementary and secondary education costs, but said that if management problems and special education costs were taken into account, DC may actually be spending less than what is needed to fund an average level of education services. GAO found that the cost of providing police services four and a half times higher than the national average, but, when adjusted for the DC high-cost environment, spending on police was 40 to 66 percent below “what would be necessary to fund a national average level of services.”

Why do DC services cost so much in DC? GAO identified waste in Medicaid, elementary and secondary education, and public safety totaling “tens of millions of dollars annually.” But waste isn't the only problem. GAO highlighted costs that show up in Medicaid, health and hospitals, special education, fire, and police and corrections spending that cannot simply be wished off the budget books. These costs are mostly associated with special populations, the high rate of poverty (and low-income children), crime (associated with the high 18- to 24-year-old population), the high proportion of people without private insurance, and the high proportion of people with chronic health conditions (including HIV/AIDS). GAO also discussed DC's “legacy of deteriorated infrastructure and its responsibility for funding its 40 percent share of the metropolitan area's mass transit system.” The cost of the federal presence is also an unknown factor.

DC is a revenue-rich area: GAO estimated DC's total revenue capacity per capita is 47 to 60 percent more than other areas. Other states with higher revenue capacity than DC are Alaska, Connecticut, Wyoming, Massachusetts, and Delaware. Nevertheless, between 2000 and 2003 there have been declines in DC tax revenues: franchise (-27.2 percent), individual income (-18.8 percent) and sales (-4 percent), which have been mostly offset by other taxes (+37 percent), property taxes (+22.6 percent), and gross receipts taxes (+11.9 percent). The federal presence, which creates indirect benefits, is a double-edged sword. If DC didn't have constraints imposed by Congress, such as the law prohibiting DC from taxing the DC-source income of nonresidents (like 41 states and cities like Philadelphia, Detroit, and Cleveland), DC would have more money. One persistent problem GAO identified is that data is not available or properly tracked to tabulate how much DC spends to provide special services to the federal government that are not reimbursed or the cost of federal prohibitions. GAO roughly estimates the commuter service cost between $44 to $77 million, not including road costs. GAO also estimated that DC's sales tax revenue capability is lower than 31 to 49 states, in part due to exemptions for the federal government, embassies, and military personnel. The economic loss from not having voting Congressional members was not discussed. Although DC has a higher per capita debt load compared to the fifty states (at $6,501 per person), its bond rating has improved since 1998, and DC reduced its debt in 2001 thanks to tobacco settlement bonds.

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Senior Service at Department of Motor Vehicles
Edward Cowan, edcowan1114@yahoo.com

[Ed Cowan asked the DMV about its policy regarding expedited service for seniors at the automobile inspection station. He received this reply from Anne Witt, Acting Director, DC Department of Motor Vehicles.] “The procedures for seniors (62 or older) is they are required to get in the inspection line and a greeter will pull them out and direct them to the shortest line to have their vehicles inspected. We require them to get in line to eliminate confusion from other residents waiting in line. (Sad fact — some of our residents don't feel that seniors should be given priority treatment). At one point, there were special dates and times for seniors; however, the station manager felt that seniors should be given special consideration every day. When we had special dates and times seniors were required to go to the office to have their vehicles inspected. This practice has not been in place for more than a year.

“In order to address your concern, I've met with the Inspection Station Manager and his supervisor about the need to be consistent and predictable in our administration of this policy, and the greeters have been advised and are being more closely monitored. I appreciate your bringing this to my attention. I believe it's very important for us to improve and achieve consistent quality and experiences.”

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Speaking of Selective Enforcement
John Whiteside, johnwhiteside at earthlink dot net

I chuckled at the commentary about picking and choosing which laws to obey. It makes sense, since MPD clearly picks and chooses what laws to enforce. Among those that don't make the cut are traffic laws. My commute takes me through downtown DC each evening. Traffic is bad, of course. But the bad situation is worsened by the lack of enforcement. The worst problem: cars that enter intersections that are already blocked, and wind up stuck in the box when lights change, blocking traffic on the cross streets. The result: gridlock for blocks. This isn't exactly hard to enforce, but I've never seen it actually being done.

Last night was particularly bad. Intersection after intersection was completely blocked, not a police car in sight. Here's a great candidate for camera enforcement, or even just putting a few officers at key intersections. People would learn pretty quickly that blocking the box leads to fines, and stop. (Last I heard, in New York it was a $200 violation.) But of course this would require the police to enforce the law, which apparently is no longer part of the job description. After getting through a series of blocked intersections, I did finally see a police car, running a red light at 16th and P.

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Clusters vs. PSAs
Richard Black, pea dot nut2 at verizon dot net

I live within the northeast boundaries of the Capitol Hill Historic Zone but also on the southern border of the area served by the 5th District MPD. The last time I visited the 5th District station to get the report on an accident that left one car leaning on my front wall, I was told by the officer on duty that where I lived wasn't part of the 5th District. She was mistaken, of course. In the last couple of years I've called 911 several times to report ongoing drug dealing on the corner near my house and a man who consistently used my back alley as his toilet. As often happens in this town, from what I'm told, I got no response from the police. No squad car was sent out and no follow calls were made to me explaining why my calls were ignored. A neighbor tells me she was mugged in broad daylight, got immediately on her cell phone to report the crime and a description of the perpetrator, only to wait over two hours for the police to show up to make the report which subsequently got lost in the shuffle.

With the new cluster plan, I am now slated to be moved into the 1st District. I can at least hope that having officers who patrol most of the Hill and are more used to responding to these types of crimes will translate to an improvement for me in this most basic quality-of-life service. The MPD needs to get its act together if we are ever going to make this the first class city it should be. Perhaps neighborhood norms and expectations, as represented in the cluster idea, will help rationalize the process. One thing I refuse to contemplate is more of the shoddy same.

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PSAs: Clusters Versus ANCs
Richard Layman, rlaymandc@yahoo.com

Lars Hydle's arguments about Kingman Park and its assignment to a particular Ward and ANC in a way that separates it from the adjacent neighborhoods, actually prove, counter to his arguments, why ANC boundaries are not a logical organizing mechanism for PSA districts. ANC boundaries change, and they have to, to ensure “one person, one vote.” These boundaries change as the population changes within the various neighborhoods of the city. Say what you will, but the cluster boundaries don't change because they reflect broad neighborhood boundaries that don't change. Kingman Park will always be in Cluster 25, even as the ward boundaries move west to reflect increases in population in the western part of the city.

The ANC that I live in, ANC6C, now has four SMDs in NW, west of North Capitol Street. Crime in my neighborhood has nothing to do with activities at the forthcoming Newseum on Pennsylvania Avenue NW or the Starbucks across from the Archives Metro Station. But they would be in the same PSA if it followed ANC boundaries.

It would make little sense to have downtown split up into different PSAs to reflect Ward and ANC boundaries, because these boundaries have little to do with the geographic and other factors that influence criminal activity and the means to deal with it. I have to presume that is true for the rest of the city. Just because Ward 4 jumped west of Rock Creek Park, or Ward 7 west of the Anacostia doesn't mean that we should change police districts to cross those boundaries.

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Master Business License Scam
Chris Kelly, Hanover Place, dcreardon@aol.com

I was caught in the scam. About two months ago I got an invoice from the DC government for $113.00 for a Master Business License (I am a landlord). If the invoice was not paid by X date, the fee went up $100.00 I believe, so I paid on time. Now I hear that the Council has rescinded the MBL legislation, but the $6 million they have already collected will not be refunded.

What's up with this? Happen to anyone else? I want my money back!

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DC Tax Refunds
Warren Gorlick, wgorlick@cftc.gov

Like David Sobelsohn, I am also having problems with my DC income tax refund. The Office of Tax and Revenue web site indicates that they received my DC tax return on March 3. By May 2, having not seen my refund, I called OTR and discovered that they believed I owed them a substantial amount of money, rather than the other way around. This problem turned out to be that OTR had no record of the checks I had sent them to pay estimated 2002 taxes (though OTR had no problem cashing my checks quickly after I had mailed them). Even after I faxed OTR the canceled checks showing I had paid the estimated taxes, it took ten more days before OTR would acknowledge that the error was on their part. At that time, OTR said it would take two more weeks to send me my refund. Now nearly four weeks have passed, and there is still no refund in the mail. Calls to the OTR representative who assisted me on this issue earlier are not being returned. I think in the end I will get my refund, but I suspect I will have to badger and call OTR many times about this, and it is a big waste of time for all concerned. By contrast, I have had absolutely no problem with respect to my federal refund.

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Tax Return
Richard Urban, rurban@urbangrocery.com

I filed my return on April 10, and also have not received my refund.

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DC Tax Refunds/Payments
Ted Gest, tgest@sas.upenn.edu

I had something of an opposite experience to that of David Sobelsohn, who is still waiting for his DC income tax refund. We owed money to DC, mailed it on April 14, and then waited for a month or so before our check was cashed. Moral to this story may be that if want to maximize use of your funds, make sure you don't overpay your DC income tax.

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Giant Bonus Bucks
Annie McCormick, amccormick@itic.org

Regarding Ralph Blessing's post regarding Giant Bonus Bucks and the schools in the District. I volunteer tutor for Good Shepherd After School Center in Adams Morgan. (They always need volunteers during the school year, hint, hint). I asked the program's Director to give me the name of some of the schools in the neighborhood that the children attend. I designated three schools (the maximum) for my Giant and Safeway card purchases. In February I received postcards from Giant notifying me that the schools I had designated had not signed up. I then telephoned each school individually (Adams Elementary, HD Cook, and Marie Reed), and explained that there was money in escrow for them and all they had to do was sign up. I just now checked Giant's web site. None of the three schools is registered. Another round of phone calls today. Adams said they are aware of the program and that they have tried on register on line at least four times, but she didn't seem surprised that none of the attempts was successful. (Twenty-eight designations for $120.72). Marylee from HD Cook said that she couldn't remember exactly, but she remembered getting something from Giant at the beginning of the school year and that the application was different from in years past, and she thought they didn't sign up because they felt uncomfortable giving a bank account number to Giant. She also indicated that programs that offer free money to schools should come to the schools. I replied that it is a school's job to go and get what is theirs and not wait for money to be handed to them. (Fifteen designations for $60.31 — money that could have gone to another school, but it won't because it is designated for Cook and someone there feels “uncomfortable” filling out the form, not to mention intimidated because this year the form looked different. Top that off with feeling entitled to have money approach her and wants it handed to her without filling out some paperwork.) The call to Marie Reed was answered in an unintelligible mumbled voice and resulted in the telephone equivalent of a blank stare. When she finally understood what I was talking about, she asked me if I had a number to call. She didn't even want to make the effort to find a phone number herself. (Twenty-three designations for $121.60.) Compare those three (grand total of $302.63) with the top earner, which was Eastern High School for $12,227.87! Apparently Eastern didn't feel uncomfortable filling out a form and giving Giant the information they needed to give the school money. Great job, Eastern!

So it's not only the parents who are not involved in supporting their own children's schools by signing up for cards and designating schools, but also the administration of the schools themselves who have a resource to tap into. Some won't even make a simple effort to sign up for the programs. Here I am thinking I am doing something good for kids. But they go to some schools where the administration won't spend a few minutes to apply for what is theirs. So the answer to Mr. Blessing's question is a simple “yes.” “Something as simple and painless as signing up for free money for the schools is too much of a bother” — both for the parents and for some of the administrators of the schools themselves.

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Beach Drive Is My Lifeline
Dawn Dickerson, ddd668@aol.com 

I too support the efforts to keep Beach Drive open to vehicles. I live in the District and work in Rockville, MD. Had it not been for Beach Drive, I would have quit my job three years ago.

I tried using Wisconsin Avenue when I first started working in Rockville and the commute was unbearable. And, although I was always taught that Beach Drive was not supposed to be used as a shortcut through the city (I am a native Washingtonian and learned early on about protecting the ecology in the park), the fact that it is open and available to me has helped my mental health. I can't tell you how relaxing it is to drive through the park after a stressful day at work, taking in nature, no traffic, no lights, no stop and go. (Although they could stand to pave some of the roads. Beach Drive can be a bumpy commute in a car with bad shocks.) But Beach Drive has really saved my life (and sanity) as far as I'm concerned, and I couldn't afford to loose that.

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Closing Beach Drive
Michael Bindner, mikeybdc at yahoo dot com

Am I the only one on this list who is wondering why Rock Creek Parkway is still federal, not to mention Dupont Circle or Farragut Square or a thousand other little bitty parks in this city? Frankly, the answer to this whole question might be to give most of the federal parkland in the District to the District (with restrictions on development for non-park use). There is nothing national about most national park property in the District. It is time for the feds to give it up. The competency of the current Mayor to manage it is a separate question to be left up to the voters (the same group who gave us Mrs. Kelly).

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311 or 911?
Ralph Blessing, rblessin88@hotmail.com

[In the last issue of themail, I wrote: “It would be interesting to get an official response to Rae's suggestion, but I would disagree. If a crime is ongoing, if it can be prevented, or if the perpetrator is still on the scene and can be apprehended by a quick response, then I would recommend calling 911 regardless of whether you regard the crime as a major or minor one. Contrary opinions?” — Gary Imhoff]

That's exactly the distinction that the police from our PSA have made to us in community meetings: 311 if it's after the fact but 911 if something is still in progress. I agree.

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Regarding “A 911 Call”
Rae Kelley, rkelley@asprs.org

I'm not defending the actions of the 911 operator; this person should consider rethinking a career which causes him to deal with the public. But wouldn't this tree situation been more suited for the non-emergency number? I agree that the system is in shambles, but we as citizens take a part in the problem. If we flood the emergency number with non-emergency situations, the real emergencies will not be able to get through.

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There Must Be a Better Way Month
Len Sullivan, lsnarpac@bellatlantic.net

What's better than trying to solve DC's structural imbalance by packing 100,000 middle-income residents into DC, especially with children? Why are any groups trying to force major changes in HUD's very successful HOPE VI program when it's done so much to help DC's public housing situation? How can we turn St. Coletta's transit-oriented-development-defying site alongside the Stadium/Armory Metro entrance into a revenue producer for the city? What do DC's juniors and seniors want to do to fix their high schools and surrounds? NARPAC's answers can be found in the June update of its web site at http://www.narpac.org/INTHOM.HTM. Try a new approach to making DC better. Get positively involved. It might help.

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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS

An Evening with Robert Prosky, June 9
Isabel Barranzuela, ibarranzuela@arenastage.org

Don’t miss this very special, one-night-only event: “A Life in the Spotlight: An Evening with Robert Prosky.” Arena Stage legend and former company member Robert Prosky recounts personal stories and shows video clips highlighting his amazing forty-five-year acting career. As an award-winning actor, Robert Prosky has been in thirty-five feature films, more than two hundred plays, and numerous television shows, and has shared the spotlight with some of the greatest actors of our time. Join us for a compelling evening, which will stir your memory, make you laugh, and celebrate the extraordinary talent of this Washington resident. This special benefit performance by Robert Prosky will support the artistic mission of Arena Stage.

Monday, June 9, at 7:30 p.m. in the Kreeger Theater. Tickets are $65 per person. ($50 is tax-deductible). To purchase tickets, click http://www.arenastage.org or call 588-3300 today!

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DC World War Memorial Meeting, June 11
Krista Schreiner Gebbia, DC Preservation League, krista@dcpreservation.org

Beginning in 1996, the DC Preservation League has announced annually a list of Most Endangered Places to draw attention to Washington DC’s historically, culturally, and architecturally significant places that may be threatened with destruction, ill-advised alteration, or demolition through neglect or abandonment. Modeled after the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s program, DCPL solicits nominations for its annual list from individuals and organizations and evaluates nominations through its Landmarks Committee. Each site has a task force that works throughout the year to host programs to raise awareness and develop possible preservation solutions for each resource.

This year's list includes the DC World War Memorial. Completed in 1931, the temple is located on the National Mall in West Potomac Park. It was the first memorial on the Mall to list all Dc residents who lost their lives in the war, regardless of their race, class, or gender. The Dc War Memorial is the only local Dc memorial on the National Mall. On Wednesday, June 11, at 6:30 p.m. the DC Preservation League is holding a meeting to discuss the preservation of the DC World War Memorial. If you are interested in attending please call 783-5144 or E-mail info@dcpreservation.org.

For more information about the Memorial visit http://www.dcwatch.com/richards/020526.htm.

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Human Needs Not Baseball Schemes Rally, June 12
Parisa Norouzi, parisa@wishdc.org

Do you think DC has higher priorities to invest in, rather than give away precious local assets to lure Major League Baseball to town and make already wealthy wannabe team owners even wealthier? Do you feel that it is an affront to the people of DC that Mayor Williams pledged $338 million for baseball just days after closing a $323 million budget shortfall for 2003, and passing a 2004 budget that reflected over a hundred million in cuts to local programs? Raise your voice! Come represent the issues you think are more important than baseball!

Join us for the “Human Needs Not Baseball Schemes” Rally! Let Mayor Williams and the Council know that we want a safety net, not a stadium! Thursday, June 12th, 9:30-10:30 a.m., Freedom Plaza, 14th and Pennsylvania, NW. The Rally is sponsored by: Washington Innercity Self Help, MANNA Inc., Institute for Local Self Reliance, Fair Budget Coalition, Coalition for Homeless and Housing Organizations, National Coalition for the Homeless, DC Statehood Green Party, Community Council for the Homeless at Friendship Place, and many other concerned citizens! For more information contact Parisa at WISH, 332-8800.

Directly following the rally, the City Council Finance and Revenue Committee will be holding a hearing on the financing plan for baseball. To testify call 724-8058. Sign the online petition against public funding for baseball in DC at http://www.leagueoffans.org.

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Women in Film Creative Citizens Forum and Gala Awards Dinner, June 12
Dorinda White, dorindaw@aol.com

Join us for the Creative Citizens Forum: “Ms. Smith Goes to Washington,” at The Washington Club at 15 Dupont Circle, Thursday, June 12, 8:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Breakfast session topic: “Runaway Productions,” 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. Panelists will discuss the role federal and state governments play in determining if film and television producers keep their US productions in this country or not. Panelists: Rita O'Brennan, President, Maryland Production Alliance; Dawn Keezer, President, Film US; Stephanie Antosca, President, ThinkFilm, Inc.; Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn. Panel discussion topic “Hollywood’s Global Impact”: 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Panelists will discuss how the US film and television industries impact on global perceptions, politics and cultures. Panelists: Caroline Baron, President and Founder, FilmAid International; Preston Padden, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Government Affairs, The Walt Disney Company; Laura Lane, Vice President, International Public Policy, AOL-Time Warner, Inc.; Congresswoman Diane Watson. Luncheon Session Topic: “Ready, Set, Activism,” 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Panelists will discuss the responsibility of the creative citizen in this country to work with government at all levels in supporting and protecting those rights that are essential to a creative culture and society. Panelists: Mary Jean Collins, Vice President, National Field Director, People for the American Way; Marie Gallo Dyak, Senior Vice President, Government Relations, Entertainment Industries Council; Congresswoman Louise Slaughter. Please note that all Congressional representatives have been invited and are subject to change.

The 10th annual Women of Vision Awards Gala will be held Thursday, June 12, at the Capital Hilton, 16th and K Streets, NW. Reception and silent auction, 6:30 p.m.; dinner and awards ceremony, 7:45 p.m. Women of Vision honorees will be Ruby Dee, Ricki Green, Sharon Percy Rockefeller, and Carole Simpson; the Women of Vision leadership award will be presented to Amy DeLouise.

WIFV members' fee with gala discount, $75.00; WIFV members' fee without discount, $100.00; nonmembers' fee with gala discount, $125.00; general registration fee, $150.00. Registration fee covers continental breakfast, lunch and materials.

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Free Blogging Workshop, June 14
Phil Shapiro, pshapiro@his.com

For those who might be interested, I'm teaching a free workshop on blogging (blogging is a rapidly growing form of personal journalism on the Internet) in the computer training center, room 315, of MLK library in downtown DC. The workshop will take place Saturday, June 14, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. This workshop will explain the various choices you can make in setting up a blog, and we'll take a look at how to do blogging via a blog I set up for myself at http://teachme.blogspot.com. The workshop will also explain why blogs are one of the best tools for nonprofit organizations to get their ideas out in front of the public. Kindly send me an E-mail if you'd like to attend. There are currently fourteen open slots. For those who can't make the workshop, but want to learn the material covered, an excellent book on blogging is We Blog, by Paul Bausch.

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The Sanchez Sisters at Woman’s National Democratic Club, June 24
Pat Bitondo, pbitondo@aol.com

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, who represents the 47th district of California and Linda Sanchez, who represents a district in southern California will be luncheon speakers at the Woman's National Democratic Club, 1526 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, on June 24 at 12:30 p.m. Loretta Sanchez works on bipartisan projects relating to the Homeland Security Act and plays a central role in the fight against terrorism. She is the ranking woman on the House Armed Services Committee. Linda Sanches, serves on the Judiciary Committee and her areas of focus include civil and judicial reform, immigration, and trade protection. Don't miss them!

This is an Educational Foundation event and is tax deductible. For more information, telephone 232-7363, Ext. 3003, E-mail pfitzgerald@democraticwoman.org.

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CLASSIFIEDS — HOUSING

Great Two Bedroom in Mt. Pleasant
Elizabeth Buchanan, elizabethbuchanan@yahoo.com

Mt. Pleasant/16th Street, NW. Huge first floor 2 bedroom/1.5 bath apartment in prewar brownstone. High ceilings, 6 ft. bay windows, oak floors, washer/dryer, air conditioning, five huge closets, Metro, buses. Pets OK. Parking available. $1800/month. Available in June. Call 986-2745 or 468-2638.

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House or Apartment Needed for a Week in August
Sid Booth, SidBooth1@aol.com

For a family event the first weekend in August, we are seeking a house or large apartment to accommodate up to five very responsible adults visiting Washington from overseas. If you plan to be out-of-town at that time and would consider renting your place, please contact me to discuss details.

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CLASSIFIEDS — VOLUNTEERS

Tenants Seek Volunteer Legal Counsel
Arthur Jackson, Jr., arthurjackson@blackplanet.com

A group of District of Columbia tenants is seeking pro bono legal counsel for tenant rights, real estate contracts, environmental cases. Tenants have volunteer paralegals to assist legal team. Contact by E-mail at arthurjackson@blackplanet.com.

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CLASSIFIEDS — WANTED

Minolta Camera
Virginia Johnson, virginiajohnson@netzero.net

Looking for Minolta XD series camera. Please E-mail me with “camera” in the subject line.

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CLASSIFIEDS — SERVICES

Consultant to Small, Minority, and Women Owned Businesses
Arthur Jackson, Jr., arthurjackson@blackplanet.com

District of Columbia small, minority, and women-owned businesses seeking certification as SBE, MBE, WBE or LSDBE certified contractors, suppliers or consultants can visit our website to learn about how to get your business certified. Also, we can assist startup or existing business in preparing business and marketing plans. Web address: http://www.ahjgroup.com.

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CLASSIFIEDS — DONATION

Appliances for Nonprofit
Maureen Flanagan, maureenflanagan@starpower.net

I have a refrigerator, electric stove with double oven, and dishwasher available for donation, located in Silver Spring. Does anyone know a nonprofit that could use these?

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