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November 8, 2009

Duplicity

Dear Voters:

Wednesday, I wrote in my introduction to themail that, “It’s my inclination to carp and complain about everything, but I can’t find anything in this bill to object to.” I was writing about Eleanor Holmes Norton’s “District of Columbia District Attorney Establishment Act” (http://www.dcwatch.com/govern/occ091102.htm), and I was wrong, completely wrong. In 2002, the city council placed an “Advisory Referendum on the Establishment of an Office of the District Attorney for the District of Columbia Resolution” on the ballot (http://dcwatch.com/election/init014.htm), and it received 82 percent of the vote. That referendum created an independent, elected Office of the District Attorney to replace the appointed Office of the Attorney General and to assume all its duties.

Del. Norton attempted to present her bill in Congress as the fulfillment of the referendum that the voters approved, and the language is similar enough to the referendum’s that I actually believed it. I read the bill as replacing the current Attorney General position with the new District Attorney. But I got an E-mail from someone in the Attorney General’s office that said I was duped and that altered me that in fact the Norton bill was worded so that it subverted the meaning of the referendum. In fact, the Norton bill is interpreted so that it only transfers the area of prosecuting minor crimes from the Attorney General’s office to the new DA’s office, and DCIst was right when it wrote that. The bill leaves the Attorney General’s office in place. In other words, if Norton’s bill were passed, Attorney General Peter Nickles would remain in charge of his major duties: covering up evidence of cronyism and corruption in the Fenty administration, hiding information from the public and denying access to that information to the city council, and misinterpreting laws in order to claim that the Fenty administration doesn’t have to obey the law.

Even worse, the Norton bill ensures that the intent of the referendum, to establish an independent, elected District Attorney, won’t be fulfilled. If Congress passes Norton’s neutered version of the DA bill, it certainly won’t revisit the issue any time soon, and the District won’t get an independent DA for decades. Norton’s betrayal of the voters is a good lesson for me. Don’t ever stop being cynical about politicians; don’t ever pass up an opportunity to carp and complain about their duplicity and bad intentions.

Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com

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Yet Another Topic for themail
Jay E. Vinton, jayvinton@nih.gov

And here’s another new topic for themail. My impression is that the DC government has been slashing funds and beds for the homeless, right at a time when I would assume that the homeless population is increasing. Yet, once again, I have heard virtually no protest about this either.

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Recycling Program
Virginia Johnson, virginiamjohnson@verizon.net

Here is my new topic for themail: DC’s recycling program. Recently the City Paper wrote an expose on the program and how it’s basically broken for most who live in DC. The reason is noncompliance on the part of private contractors hired by apartment and condo buildings (a.k.a. commercial, not residential, establishments) — recycling gets picked up, but does not actually get recycled, about 50 percent of the time, according to the City Paper article. In response to this piece, I believe, Councilman Graham sent a “Dear Friends” message highlighting his recent work on the issue: an October 15, hearing, the first in a series on DPW on the status of recycling in the District of Columbia, which focused entirely on residential recycling. The councilman noted that “all of our recycling programs need to be reinvigorated! It has been twenty years since the District passed the recycling law.”

In response to a request for testimony, I responded to Mr.. Graham with a reply all message of my own, and in my efforts to point out the sad state of recycling in the District, I include excerpts here. “While any attention to recycling is good, your recent actions were geared to a distinct minority of your constituents (house dwellers). I am sure they appreciate it. However as the recent City Paper article exposes, their recycling program works. The real problem is that recycling does not work for roughly 75 percent of DC residents. My guess is that in our ward, Ward One, the reason for that is noncompliance caused mostly by lack of enforcement of the laws. So while press conferences announcing profits, educating youth, and rah rah events are all well and good, the glaring answer is right in front of us: enforcement.

Apartment management companies, condo boards, and condo management companies all need to be brought in. Not “educated.” They know all this by now! They need to be put on notice that if their private contractors do not actually recycle from beginning to end, then there will be fines. Or something along those lines. After all, someone’s profiting on selling the idea of recycling. The majority of your constituents fall into the group that thinks it’s recycling but is probably only doing so about 50 percent of the time, according to the City Paper article. Did you even know that we do not even have a recycling center where we can bring materials to be recycled? As someone who voted against the plastic bag tax, Mr. Graham (and please forgive my forthrightness), I will be pleasantly surprised if there is meaningful improvement taken on this issue.

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Open Letter to DCPS Community
Crystal Proctor, dcpsfightingfortruth@gmail.com

Dear DCPS employees past and present, parents, guardians, students, and DC community: I am writing this letter to issue a challenge to us all. We as a system are under fire. For those of you that are still in the classroom, please do not be lulled into a false sense of security. This school system is under attack and teachers are on the front lines. In the past few weeks it has become clear that the Washington Teachers Union is either unwilling or unable to protect and successfully defend us, so we must do it ourselves. Some of my friends and I have been on a letter writing campaign and have sent letters to everyone from the DC city council to President Barack Obama. My focus right now is Oprah Winfrey. It may sound silly, but understand that Ms. Winfrey profiled Michelle Rhee as one of the most powerful women in America and is planning on having her on the show. I think that it is important that we get our side of the story to her. Michelle Rhee has been allowed to control the press for far too long. (Contact Oprah’s web site by clicking http://www.oprah.com/contactus).

I have sent letters to Oprah, but if we flood her web site she will be forced to at least investigate what is going on. It only takes a few minutes to go to her web site and send an E-mail. We all have a story; now it is time to tell that story. From former principals, to teachers, to custodians, to office staff, and to the students, it is time that we go global with our story. Talking on the blog is great, but we are preaching to the choir.

I have friends that are teachers all over the country and believe me we they are watching what is going on in DC. If Michelle Rhee wins here it will spell trouble for all educators across the country. We cannot continue to sit back and wait for others to save us; we must save ourselves. Please feel free to forward this letter to all friends in DCPS past and present. Sincerely, A RIF’d DC Teacher Fighting For Truth.

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A Fresh Start for a Better Tomorrow Today/2010
K. West, kap8082@aol.com

The District of Columbia needs a fresh start today for a better tomorrow. Some of the top issues facing our city include the definition of marriage, education/school leadership, finances/financial leadership, procurement/contracting activities, the attorney general’s performance and leadership, the management and leadership style of public officials, and general pocketbook issues. As we approach 2010, many citizens want to be able to vote on the definition of marriage. Thirty-one states, including most recently the state of Maine, have defined marriage by citizen vote. In DC, citizens’ voting rights are mere rhetoric. DC officials can call foul and violate voting rights at will under the guise of civil/human rights. Freedom of speech rights take a back seat to the city leadership’s priority agenda to redefine marriage and attack those who have different beliefs or who want to see the will of the people expressed at the ballot box. DC officials ignore the cries for a voter ballot initiative and believe their two days of stacked and orchestrated hearings show democracy at its best, thereby ignoring the need for a ballot measure in 2010, when 415,000 registered voters could conceivably come out to vote. New Jersey and Virginia showed what happens on Election Day when politicians don’t listen to voters. The states went from Democrat to Republican. And Maine allowed a voter referendum that reinforced the will of the people.

DC campaigns will also need to focus on education and the leadership of the DC public schools. With Chancellor Rhee announcing her engagement to the mayor of Sacramento on the West Coast, perhaps her leadership and accomplishments in DC will become mute. But for now, current and aspiring city leaders might want to focus on the chancellor and the deputy mayor for education and scrutinize and rein in some of their policies. More citizen participation and respect for citizens might be encouraged. Those controlling school finances may need to be replaced. It is difficult to comprehend how someone did not foresee deficits when hiring teachers. Actually, the whole DC Office of the Chief Finance Officer needs to be reexamined, and perhaps another model explored. What about having an elected CFO or State Comptroller? It may be an idea whose time has come. Additionally, the procurement/contracting process may need an overhaul to become more accountable and responsible. Citizens cannot rely on the attorney general to make the right call. One day he says something is wrong and the next day he says it is right. He sometimes acts like the mayor’s campaign manager and mouthpiece instead of like a public official accountable to the citizenry. It would be ideal if DC could have an elected attorney general accountable to the voters instead of one that seems like the mayor’s private attorney on the taxpayers’ tab. DC could use leaders that demonstrate a leadership style that is more inclusive of the public’s interests and vision. Another issue is unemployment. “It’s the economy, stupid,” as we have heard in a prior national campaign. People need jobs to hold onto their homes, healthcare, and clunkers.

When thinking of the possibility of new leaders, two names come to mind as people to draft for to run for the DC council. Jeff Smith, former Ward 1 school board representative, might make a worthy candidate for Ward 1 whether or not Councilmember Graham is indicted for the taxicab scandal. Activist Carolyn Steptoe, who carries a “non Democrat” registered voter card, might be an ideal challenger to go against Councilmember David Catania. She is active and has run for office before, which helped whet her appetite for political office. She is smart, stays on top of the issues, and has no messy baggage. She hails from Ward 5 and is an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner. Steptoe is also an entrepreneur. The best potential “Anybody but Fenty” — ABF — candidate is still being debated to see who would be the best to go one on one with the mayor. Thoughts of who might run for the council chair are coming up if Chair Vincent Gray gives up his seat to run for mayor. I’m still in shock from the performances of Councilmembers Phil Mendelson and Jack Evans (chair pro tempore) at the same-sex marriage hearing (their intimidation of witnesses); it is clear that the city may need more options to consider. Maybe Councilmember Kwame Brown will run for chair if he doesn’t seek the mayor’s seat. The better person might be Councilmember Yvette Alexander. The changing of the guard and political landscape elsewhere on Tuesday gives hope to the voters in the District of Columbia for a better tomorrow. The vote in DC won’t be a referendum on President Obama, but will demonstrate the frustration with the elected leadership or lack thereof. The litmus test for the 2010 elections will be whether or not a person respects the rights of citizens and is willing to listen to the will of the people. Will democracy be able to ring from every corner of the nation’s capital by allowing us to vote on the definition of marriage? It sounds like the Republican gubernatorial candidates in New Jersey and Virginia listened to the public, as the states went from Democrat to Republican. DC, are you listening? The election won’t be about liberal or conservative labels, but on who is actually listening to the people. The DC Democratic State Committee might want to adopt the same litmus test and regain the respect of the voters and their belief in democracy at home. And the DC Republican Party might want to begin to think along the lines of the new governors for New Jersey and Virginia and follow their lead. And all might want to think about the verdict on the definition of marriage in the state of Maine.

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Residential Street Cleaning Has Ended
Kevin B. Twine, kevin.twine@dc.gov

Residential mechanical street cleaning ended for the season on Friday, November 6. “No parking/street cleaning” restrictions has been lifted and motorists may park along posted, alternate-side, daytime street sweeping routes without being required to move their cars on street-cleaning days. Residential street sweeping is suspended for public safety concerns during the winter. Trucks used to clean the streets release a fine spray of water to control the dust as they sweep. When the temperature drops to freezing or below, sweeping is discontinued to prevent freezing and accidents to vehicles and pedestrians.

Overnight sweeping scheduled for the District’s major roadways, which include Pennsylvania, Georgia, Constitution, and Independence Avenues, will take place as usual all winter, weather conditions permitting. Motorists are urged not to park in these areas during the posted overnight sweeping hours.

By suspending the street sweeping program, DPW personnel can focus on leaf collection, which began November 2, and the upcoming snow removal season. Residents and business owners will be notified when street sweeping resumes again in the spring of 2010.

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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS

Raise Your Voice for Quality Education, November 9-November 24
Parisa Nourizi, parisa@empowerdc.org

Attend the DC VOICE Ready Schools Project Town Halls. The Ready Schools Project is a community action project that has community members conduct interviews with school principals asking them questions in areas such as staffing, professional development, school climate, etc. This year 102 school principals were interviewed by numerous community members. By releasing data in a town hall style meeting, you will be able to join the discussion regarding education reform in the District. Come join students, parents, educators, faith-based leaders, government officials, and members of the business community to discuss school related data, as well as possible recommendations for improvements. Child care will be provided.

Ward 4, with co-hosts Councilmember Muriel Bowser and State Board of Education Member Sekou Biddle. Monday, November 9, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., at Roosevelt SHS, 4301 13th Street, NW.

Ward 6, with co-hosts Councilmember Tommy Wells and State Board President Lisa Raymond. Tuesday, November 10, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., at Stuart Hobson MS, 410 E Street, NE.

Wards 7 and 8, with co-host Councilmember Yvette Alexander. Saturday, November 14 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., at Ward Memorial AME Church, 241 42nd Street, NE.

Wards 1 and 2, Friday, November 20 from 9:00 to 10:45 a.m., at All Souls Church, 2335 16th Street, NW.

Ward 5, with co-hosts Ward 5 Council on Education and Councilmember Harry Thomas, Tuesday, November 24, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., at Luke C. Moore Academy SHS, 1001 Monroe Street, NE.

RSVP at http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2m8nkbfg1f1okhg/start.

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Environmental Health Group (EHG) Events, November 10
Allen Hengst, ahengst@rcn.com

World War I munitions, bottles filled with chemical warfare agents and contaminated soil have been found in and around the Spring Valley neighborhood of northwest DC. The Environmental Health Group (EHG) seeks to raise awareness of the issues and encourage a thorough investigation and cleanup. Every Saturday at 1:00 p.m., please join the Environmental Health Group for an informal discussion about Spring Valley issues. In the cafe at the Tenleytown Whole Foods Market, 4530 40th Street, NW (one block north of Tenley Circle). For more information, visit the EHG on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Washington-DC/Environmental-Health-Group/67807900019.

Tuesday, November 10, 7:00 p.m.: Monthly meeting of the Spring Valley Restoration Advisory Board with the US Army Corps of Engineers. Plans for the release of a report outlining alternatives for disposing of chemical weapons stored behind Sibley Memorial Hospital, and the mandatory thirty-day public comment period on these alternatives, will be discussed. Geophysical surveys continued in the Dalecarlia Woods between Dalecarlia Parkway and the reservoir; the survey team has completed approximately fifteen of the sixty-two acres. At Saint David’s Church basement, 5150 Macomb Street, NW (one block north of MacArthur Boulevard). For more information, see http://www.nab.usace.army.mil/projects/WashingtonDC/springvalley.htm

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In Recognition of Veteran’s Day, November 11
Victoria Murray, victoria.murray@dc.gov

The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, in partnership with the Double Nickels Theater Company, Inc., and President Lincoln’s Cottage at the Old Soldiers’ Home, present Soldiers Speak, an afternoon of Reminiscence Theater. Join us as we recall eras of yesteryear; stirring the recollections of Veterans and their loved ones. Reinvigorating the art of communication, performers will share their values and celebrate the lives of those who serve and protect our country.

Wednesday, November 11, 2:00-3:30 p.m., Armed Forces Retirement Home, Robert H. Smith Visitor Education Center, Group Program Room, Rock Creek Church Road, NW, at Upshur Street, NW. For more information, contact victoria.murray@dc.gov, 724-5613.

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Heart to Heart, November 12
Gary Imhoff, gary@dcwatch.com

WUSA reporter and anchor Bruce Johnson will read from and sign copies of his book, Heart to Heart, on Thursday, November 12, 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m., at Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th Street, NW.

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Local Dems, GOP Cosponsor Bipartisan Debate on Afghanistan Troop Levels, November 18
Thomas Smith, tmfsmith@starpower.net
Paul D. Craney, pauldcraney@yahoo.com

The Ward Three Democratic Committee and Ward 3 Republicans will cosponsor a bipartisan debate, The Hard Path Forward, on whether the US military presence in Afghanistan should be increased or reduced. This is the first joint program sponsored by local Democratic and Republican political activists.

Wednesday, November 18, 7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m., at the University of the District of Columbia, David A. Clark School Of Law, 4200 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Building 39, Room 21. Participants, Dr. Assem Akram, Professor, American University, School Of International Service; Matthew Rojansky, Executive Director, Partnership for a Secure America; Michael Darner, Legislative Assistant, Office Of Rep. John Conyers; Mackenzie Eaglen, Research Fellow, Heritage Foundation. For more information, contact Thomas M. Smith, Chair, Ward Three Democratic Committee, 364-7130, tmfsmith@starpower.net or Ward 3 Republican Party Chair Marya Pickering, 703-967-5023, marigold316@aol.com.

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