Payday

Dear Nibblers:

I wasn’t there and I didn’t witness anything, but I think the facts are pretty much agreed upon. A woman ate the last bite of her Payday candy bar as she descended the escalator into the Metro. A Metro security guard not only admonished her for eating in the subway, which would have been a questionable call in itself, but also wanted to issue her a $10 ticket. The woman kept walking and apparently said something smart-alecky to the security officer, who then had the terrible judgment to arrest her, handcuff her, and hold her in custody for over three hours.

That’s bad enough, but people get short tempered and make mistakes all the time. What’s worse is the reaction from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, which had the time and distance to respond in a temperate and measured way. Instead of being conciliatory, instead of apologizing to the mishandled and abused subway rider, WMATA defended the overreaction of its security guard. It said to Washingtonians, essentially, that the customer is always wrong, that when we’re on the subway we’re at their mercy and under their control, and we should keep our mouths shut and obey. They’re not here to serve us; they’re here to herd us. WMATA has been campaigning recently to convince subway riders, especially, that lack of money and funding is the cause of the ever deteriorating service on Metro, the increasing numbers of service delays, breakdowns, and overcrowded cars. WMATA has been trying to get riders on its side to accept higher fares and to lobby for increased subsidies from local governments and the federal government.

But WMATA’s reaction to this incident raises two questions for me. First, if WMATA’s managers sees their riders as their enemy, why should we support them? Second, if this is a good example of the judgment that we can expect from WMATA’s managers, why isn’t it more likely that the system’s problems result from poor management rather than from too little money?

Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com

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Brazil’s Truth
Ed Dixon, jedxn@erols.com

I just received a glossy Harold Brazil brochure in the mail. At least the Ward 3 version. There were a couple shots of Brazil amongst the powerful and connected and one of him in campaign T-shirt with public works employee. The font is big enough that the brochure doesn't really say much, but the last sentence, in a blurb under the banner “A History of Fighting for All of Us,” reads, “Today the government has the resources to provide services every resident needs.”

It’s not clear than why then Ted Trabue of the Greater Washington Board of Trade, Steven Trachtenberg of the DC Chamber of Commerce, and Tom Davis (R-Va) of the US Congress have all testified before Congress otherwise. Nor why the Office of the Chief Financial Officer is paying half a million to lobby the Congress for a federal payment. In fact, this contradiction makes one wonder why Harold Brazil was such a baseball stadium advocate while the government was equivocating on a major teacher pay raise contract. This lack of foresight has caused great doubts citywide about the stability of the public schools. Needless to say, the public schools are a major fiscal responsibility of the city's fiscal overseers and key to the economic (and democratic) development of the city. Is Brazil really competent enough to continue serving in our government?

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The Third World, or Where Is All the Gravel Coming From?
Larry Seftor, larry underscore seftor .the757 at zoemail.net

My old house in DC had a paved alley and I didn’t pay much attention to the dirt and gravel alley one block away. Actually, I never noticed that alley until it rained and all the dirt and gravel washed into the street. Now, several years later, I am in a nicer house but find myself with my own dirt and gravel alley. Over the past two years I have watch the dirt and gravel wash away until the alley is becoming marginally passable. I understand that the city will, if the situation has become bad enough, add more gravel. However, paving the alley apparently requires some common assent of the surrounding homeowners. Can anyone please explain to me why Washington, DC, the center of a large, sophisticated metropolitan area, has dirt alleys? I feel like I am back in rural New Mexico.

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It Is All Taking, Just More or Less
Larry Seftor, larry underscore seftor .the757 at zoemail.net

The headline in Saturday’s Post states that “DC Tax Relief [Is] Inequitable” and describes where the “savings” will go. The implication is that D.C. has a pool of money to distribute and the debate is who should receive it. That is backwards thinking. The fact is that taxes are always a taking. When governments decide they need less money the choice is to take less; nothing is being given away and nothing is being returned. Wards 2 and 3 pay a ridiculous share of the tax burden in DC. Therefore this reduction in taxes only erases part of an existing inequity. This tax reduction shifts the tax burden of Wards 2 and 3 from a ridiculous share to a slightly less ridiculous share. The bottom line fact is that Wards 2 and 3 pay too much and get too little in services. If members of the council are interested in equity perhaps they could arrange for Wards 2 and 3 to get a more equitable share of services. I would like to see an occasional police patrol, as I saw when I first moved to DC. And I would like the twice a week trash pickup that other areas of the city receive.

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Reading About Fathers
Margaret Feldman, mefeldman@aol.com

Given the well-known importance for children of having a father, and putting this together with summer reading programs for children, has anyone ever seen a reading list of books available to children of different reading levels that show loving, capable fathers? Maybe someone knows a librarian who could be asked.

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Buying Without a Service Contract
Bryce A. Suderow, streetstories@juno.com

Yesterday I visited the DC income tax office at 941 N. Capitol Street. The X-ray machine that examines packages was broken. I asked, "How long has it been broken?" The response was, "About a year." I asked, "Why hasn't it been fixed?" The reply, "They didn't get a service contract on it and each time the technician comes, the company charges money. So we're not allowed to call the technician any more."

I thought this was rather odd. Anyone else hear similar stories?

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Initiative and Corrigendum
Mark Eckenwiler, themale at ingot dot org

In the last issue [themail, July 28], Jon Desenberg asked why Dorothy and Gary are bothering to challenges the slots petitions when Congress would never allow slots. I'd like to offer two good, closely related reasons.

First, it strikes me that home rule doesn't mean much if we rely on the notion that Congress will save us from ourselves. Worse, leaving the job to Congress, instead of handling it via local challenge, feeds the perception that DC is incapable of governing itself effectively, and that we need special parental supervision.

Second, we need a robust DCBOEE challenge process because Congress won't step in on every harebrained initiative, and because the initiative process (in many places, not just DC) has become so subject to the corrupting influence of well-heeled out-of-state interests. Instead of being a tool for grassroots democracy, initiatives have increasingly become “greenbacks democracy,” as Oregon's secretary of state recently put it. Bringing a challenge to the current slots petition forces DCBOEE to establish or clarify ground rules — such as the now reaffirmed requirement that a DC resident witness each petition signature — that will inhibit, if not completely prevent, abuses by future initiative proponents. And a successful challenge serves notice on future proponents that the Board is willing to enforce those rules and even invalidate an entire set of petitions in the face of pervasive fraud. (Too bad John Ray's out-of-state clients didn't get the word about the Tony Williams disaster two years ago.)

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I’ll Tell You Why We Should Bother
Tom Heinemann, tom_heinemann@yahoo.com

In response to Mr. Desenberg's question [themail, July 28]: Ms. Brizill and Mr. Imhoff are working day and night to ensure that our democratic process works. They are ensuring that this gambling referendum has the integrity to go before the voters of DC. If the referendum does go forward, it is the right of every voter to campaign for or against the initiative and to vote for or against it.

As we are all aware, DC is a democracy that is still in its infancy. We've been voting for a council and Mayor for only thirty years! Yet Congress still lords over our legislative process and “approves” our budget. It is a situation like no other. Therefore, it is a matter of principle that we, as residents of the District of Columbia, exercise our democratic rights in addressing the gambling referendum. To not do so would cede whatever democracy we have to Congress — not one of whom is accountable to us.

Just think how preposterous this would be in any other state.

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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS

At-Large Candidates Forum, August 5
Ralph Blessing, rblessin88@hotmail.com

The Shepherd Park Citizens Association and the Ward 4 Democrats are sponsoring an At-Large DC City Council Candidates Forum on Thursday, August 5, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Shepherd Elementary School, 7800 14th Street, NW. All four declared candidates will participate: incumbent Harold Brazil and challengers Kwame Brown, Sam Brooks, and Alvin Bethea. Moderators will be Sam Ford of News Channel 8 and Denise Rolark Barnes of the Washington Informer.

[Alvin Bethea withdrew from the at-large race on July 29, so will probably not participate in this forum. — Gary Imhoff]

DC Public Library Events
Debra Truhart, debra.truhart@dc.gov

Tuesday, August 3, 10:30 a.m., Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Library, 901 G Street, NW, Children’s Division, Room 200. Derick Riley, better known as "Mr. Derby," provides an interactive and engaging song and dance experience for all in attendance. Traditional and classic nursery tunes are performed live. This jam session will enthrall children with his playful musical magic. Ages 4 to 7. Public contact: 727-1248.

PhoneFriend educational coordinator Betty Ayomike presents information to help children become more aware of the dangers and issues that may affect them in a home alone situation. PhoneFriend is a public Service provided by Prevent Child Abuse of Metropolitan Washington, a United Way agency, in cooperation with the Government of the District of Columbia, Department of Human Services and Office of Early Childhood Development. Ages 8 to 12. Public contact: 671-0212.
Tuesday, August 3, 10:30 a.m., Watha T. Daniel/Shaw Neighborhood Library, 1701 8th Street, NW
Wednesday, August 4, 10:30 a.m., Washington Highlands Neighborhood Library, 115 Atlantic Street, SW
Thursday, August 6, 10:30 a.m., Benning Neighborhood Library, 3935 Benning Road, NE

Thursday, August 4, 10:30 a.m., at Northeast Neighborhood Library, 330 7th Street, NW, and August 5, 10:30 a.m., at Cleveland Park Neighborhood Library, 3310 Connecticut Avenue, NW. Mark Tabron, an award-winning music video producer, brings his interactive performances for teens as part of Holla’ Back at DCPL. Tabron’s upbeat performance combines a motivational story with songs about positive affirmations, getting and staying motivated and utilizing the opportunities in their lives. Ages 12 and up. Public contact: 698-3320.

Wednesday, August 4, 1:00 p.m., Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Library, 901 G Street, NW, 2nd Floor East Lobby. Poetry Read Here: D.C. Public Library staff will read their favorite poems. Public contact: 727-1281.

Wednesday, August 4, 1:30 p.m., Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Library, 901 G Street, NW, Room 110. Henry "Dis-com-bob-u-lating" Jones, motivational speaker and professional boxing announcer, presents a dynamic and inspiring discussion that will enlighten teens about making the right choices in life. He offers guidance in developing a positive attitude, so that teens can succeed in their educational pursuits and become future leaders. Ages 12 and up. Public contact: 727-5535.

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