Guest Post: Regulating Money in Politics - Creating Cleaner and Fairer Elections

Written by Guest Blogger: ANC 7C04 Sylvia Brown

On January 17 civic activists Bryan Weaver and Sylvia C. Brown filed paperwork with the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics (BOEE) to establish the D.C. Committee to Restore the Public Trust. The committee will work to get a ballot initiative to ban corporate contributions to D.C.’s political funds on the November 6 general election ballot.

Political funds include candidate campaign committees, constituent service funds, legal defense funds, and transition and inaugural committees

The Council of the District of Columbia debated and passed an overhaul of city ethics laws in the wake of a guilty plea by former Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas, Jr. in late December 2010. Members of the Council and the Mayor continue to be under legal scrutiny. During the debate, however, amendments to regulate political contributions were knocked down.

Weaver, who is a former Ward 1 Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner and Council candidate, said, “I was hopeful that the DC Council's ethics law would have addressed corporation contributions, but the Council punted. The ballot initiative aims to address the loopholes in District laws that give undue influence over elected officials.”

“Restoring the public trust in our civic process matters,” Brown said. “The Council's ethics initiatives did not go far enough. It's always been hard to engage residents in the civic and political processes but at no point in the District do I think it's harder than now.” Brown currently serves as Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner 7C04 in Deanwood.

Twenty-three states and the federal government ban corporations from directly contributing to candidates. D.C. law has individual contribution limits, but corporations can flout the law by creating multiple entities known as limited liability companies, or LLCs. LLC’s do not have to disclose their true ownership and take advantage of the loophole by setting up multiple companies to "max out" the contribution amounts, even though they are owned by the same corporation.

Brown continued, “As Chairman of the Committee and a civic activist on the federal and local level I understand politics can be a money game. However, the District is behind the curve.  Our City leadership is lobbying other states to support DC’s statehood and voting rights in Congress. Our civic and political processes need to grow up, too.”

The BOEE is slated to hold a public meeting on February 13 to consider the initiative’s language and short title. With successful BOEE approval, the DC Committee to Restore the Public Trust will hit the ground running with petitions in time for the April 3 primary. Supporters of the corporate contributions ban will need to collect approximately 23,000 in 180 days.

To get more information about the D.C. Committee to Restore the Public Trust friend http://www.facebook.com/dcpublictrust and follow @dcpublictrust.

Guest Post -- DC Politics: It’s Been a Loooong Year

Written by Guest Blogger: ANC 7C04 Sylvia Brown

Have you ever had that awkward moment at work where you come in, get busy, take a breather and pat yourself on the back, and then look at the clock and realize it’s only…10 %@#*$ o’clock!

Mayor Vincent C. Gray may be thinking that same thing. Yep, the Mayor, who prefers to be called Vince, has only been mayor for a year.

There have been a number of efforts to reset the Administration—from shifts in personnel to starting new programs. Next week two prime restart buttons are being pushed.

On Tuesday, February 7, 7:00 p.m. at the historic Sixth and I Synagogue (600 I Street NW) the 2012 State of the District Address is slated to be delivered. Gray will give his outlook for the city’s future and growth.

Later in the week on Saturday, February 11, 9:00 a.m. the Mayor is hosting the One City Summit at the Washington Convention Center. The citywide chat-and-chew session will reportedly give the diverse swath of District residents a chance to weigh-in on the direction of their city. According to figures reported in mid-January about 989 residents had registered for the event. The Mayor hopes for at least 1,000 Washingtonians to participate. Snacks and lunch will be provided to attendees. More importantly, residents will have access to the Mayor and Cabinet heads. Pre-registration at www.onecitysummit.dc.gov is encouraged but not required.

Wards 7 and 8 are on the brink of immense change. Too often, though, our village set—late 20s-early 40s—doesn’t come out and participate in these feel-good but high visibility events. I challenge us to flip the script and not be obvious and not play the stereotype. We can:

-          plan to carpool to the State of the District and the One City Summit.

-          chat online and/or in person to come up with three-five issues we’ll push for Wards 7 and 8 at the One City Summit.

What do you say? What do you think?

11th Street Bridge Update: 13th Street Ramp to Remain Open!

ART of WAR Concept: With regard to precipitous heights, if you are beforehand with your adversary, you should occupy the raised and sunny spots, and there wait for him to come up
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Hello Ward 8!

A couple of weeks ago I wrote blog post regarding the construction of the new 11th Street Bridge. In particular, I discussed Anacostia Resident's disappointment in learning that DDOT planned to close access to the 13^th Street ramp prior to the opening of the new bridge. As a result, this would have added about 15 minutes to our daily commute just to leave the greater Anacostia neighborhoods.

Well today, I received some GREAT news. As a result of the community voicing our concern, DDOT has reconsidered their proposal. They will in keep the 13^th Street Ramp open until the 11^th Street Bridge is complete. Great work Everyone! I have included the official press release below.

Gray Administration Announces 13th Street SE Ramp to Close After New Local 11th Street Bridge Opens in Late Spring 

As part of the continuing efforts to expedite the 11th Street Bridge Project construction while minimizing impacts on residents and motorists, Mayor Vincent Gray and District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Director Terry Bellamy announced today that the ramp from 13th Street, SE to the inbound freeway bridge will remain open until the new local bridge opens late this Spring.

“My Administration continues to successfully advance the 11th Street Bridge Project with as little impact on residents and motorists as possible,” said Mayor Gray. “I’m happy to announce that we’ve worked with contractors to have the 13th Street ramp close only after the new local 11th Street Bridge opens in late May/early June.”

The 11th Street Bridge Team considered closing the 13th Street ramp in March 2012 to more quickly build new ramps from southbound DC 295 to the new inbound 11th Street Freeway Bridge and from the new outbound 11th Street Freeway Bridge to northbound DC 295. 

Closing the ramp prior to opening the local bridge would reduce commuter traffic passing through local neighborhoods but would also cause local motorists to be detoured via Howard Road to northbound I-295 to cross the inbound 11th Street Freeway Bridge.  “As has been a hallmark of the 11th Street Bridge Project under the Gray Administration, we proactively communicated with residents and motorist as early as possible about the ramp closure but continued to consider additional options that would reduce the impact,” said Director Bellamy.

“As a result, this project continues to be a model for how major infrastructure projects in the District can be built in partnership with residents and other key stakeholders.”

The new ramps between the freeway bridges and DC 295 are scheduled to open by fall with additional new ramps between the local bridge and both directions of DC 295/I-295 opening later in 2012 and early in 2013.

Streetcar Meeting

ART of WAR Concept: Therefore the considerations of the intelligent always include both benefit and harm. As they consider benefit, their work can expand; as they consider harm, their troubles can be resolved.
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The Federal Transit Administration and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) are hosting the fourth public meeting for the Anacostia Streetcar Extension Environmental Assessment and Historic Preservation Study, on Thursday, January 26, 2012, 6:30 pm – 8 pm, at Savoy Elementary School, 2400 Shannon Place, SE.

The study team will provide an update on the status of the route alternatives that are being evaluated to create a transit connection between the Anacostia Metrorail Station and the 11th Street Bridge.

The remaining proposed route alternatives that were presented at the last public meeting held for this study have undergone further analysis based on overall study goals and objectives, community input and technical evaluation. DDOT is seeking public input on the remaining four alternatives to identify the preferred route alternative for this study.

The study team will also share information about: 1) the upcoming milestones that are planned for this study; 2) the opportunities that will be made available to review and comment on the Draft Environmental Document that will be prepared for this study; and 3) the next steps that will follow the conclusion of this study.

I am happy that the streetcar conversation has started up again. If this project moves forward, I hope DDOT will consider using a model of the streetcar that will complement the historic character of the surrounding neighborhoods and not that ”big red bus” they spent all the money on years ago. I am a firm believer that part of the long-term economic vitality of the downtown Anacostia area is the appreciation of historic preservation. We can have brand new streetcars but make them fit within context of the surrounding neighborhoods.

Also, one of the biggest problems that occurred in the past was DDOT never demonstrated to area residents that streetcars could work in Ward 8 -- that it is possible for a streetcar to share MLK Ave and Good Hope Rd with the existing traffic. Right now all we can see are backed-up streets during rush hour and it makes us wonder if a streetcar will add to the traffic headache. The opening of the new 11th Street Bridge will hopefully reduce the amount of cut-through traffic during peak hours. If we are able to see the benefits of the new bridge maybe we can get more residents' support.

Below are the four proposed streetcar routes. I prefer Options #1-3 because it encompasses both the neighborhood and commercial corridor of MLK Ave. It also addresses the concern some of the business owners have about a streetcar interrupting supply delivery.

Option #1: - Travels through the heart of the community
- Major activity centers are connected along Good Hope and MLK Ave
- Lessens traffic/parking impacts
- May have adverse effects in residential areas

Option #2: Travels through the heart of the community
- Major MLK Ave activity centers are connected
- Incorporates undeveloped land west of MLK Ave (future development)
- May have adverse impact on traffic

Option #3: Travels through the heart of the community
- Major MLK Ave activity centers connected
- Incorporates undeveloped land west of MLK Ave (future development)

Option #4: The Streetcar will run along the CSX railroad track - my least favorite option
because it does not touch the existing commercial corridor of MLK Ave or the neighborhoods.
But this optionavoids the traffic concerns

 Here is the "big red bus" streetcar I spoke about earlier. The District spent nearly $10 million
on three cars so it is more likely we will see this model first.

Here is a pic of the Streetcars used in San Francisco. It adds to
the charm of the city.

Just in Case You Missed It: Pics from the 2012 MLK Parade Celebration!

The MLK Jr. Parade is Back!

ART of WAR Concept: An army may march great distances without distress, if it marches through country where the enemy is not.
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I love a good Parade!  In the next couple of weeks the streets of Ward 8 will welcome back it’s very own – The Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade. A year ago, I wrote an article inquiring what happened to the MLK Jr. Parade. It had disappeared since the spring of April 2008. But this year a dedicated team of community residents, business owners and many others have been working and planning this event for months.

Meeting after meeting, weekend after weekend they have been working to ensure it’s a success.  We will see the final outcome of all this hard work on Monday, January 16^th, 2012 on the civil rights leader’s birthday. Along MLK Jr. Ave,  District civic associations, community/political groups, local government officials, motorcycles, corvette clubs and the great Ballou High School Marching Band will participate in such a long awaited event. This will truly bring the community together.

For those of you that enjoy a little history, the MLK Parade in Ward 8 began in 1979 from the vision of Calvin Rolark and his wife, then Councilmember Wilhelmina Rolark. It was a national effort to persuade Congress to designate King’s birthday January 15, as a national holiday. It has always been a discussion as to whether the event should be held on his birthday or in April when the weather is warmer. I think we can all agree that with the opening of the MLK Memorial on the National Mall, it is appropriate to have the Parade that celebrates the beginning of life of this great man on his birthday.

With the opening of the new 11^th Street Bridge, it would be awesome to one day extend the parade route across the new bridge down to the MLK Memorial. This will allow the Parade to become truly a City-wide event.

The last time I participated and helped organized the Parade, I was a candidate for the Ward 8 Councilmember seat. To see the hundreds of residents lining both sides of MLK Jr. Ave. as participants and spectators, you could not help but feel so much positive energy all around. The music from the marching bands, recognizable faces, engine noise from the corvettes and the colorful  banners was truly an overwhelming experience. We constantly hear of the struggles within our community. This is a day to highlight our community’s talent and accomplishments.

I know the Parade will be a success. It is an opportunity for Ward 8 residents to put down the cares of the world for a couple of hours and see the life, sights and sounds of the District’s strong and celebratory spirit.   This day is also reserved to remind us of the importance of service to others. It calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to provide solutions to our most pressing national problems. As community leaders, we still have a long way to go in the improvement of the quality of life in our Ward. We must empower residents to aim higher and reach further to meet these  goals.

So hats off to the committee who has worked so hard in planning the Parade this year. Whether its 80 degrees or 50 degrees, let us all be sure some out on Monday January 16, 2012 to celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Be sure to bring a neighbor or a friend out to enjoy the Parade!

New Anacostia Bridge - 2 Months of Unnecessary Inconvenience

Art of War Concept: With regard to precipitous heights, if you are beforehand with your adversary, you should occupy the raised and sunny spots, and there wait for him to come up

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I’m sure you all have noticed the progress being made on the new bridges being built across the Anacostia River. This is pretty exciting because all the morning cut-through traffic in the downtown Anacostia area will soon come to an end and Anacostia will have its own local bridge that will allow us to drive, walk and/or bike across the river.   In addition, the new bridges will allow Maryland and VA commuters to get to downtown DC without using Good Hope Rd or MLK Ave.

The good news of progress is almost always accompanied with a little not so good news.   DDOT has plans to close the 13^th Street ramp before the new 11^th Street bridge is completed. This was not the original plan DDOT proposed to the community years ago when first informing us of the new bridge. The new proposal closes the 13^th Street Ramp on March 1, 2012, months before the 11^th Street Bridge is completed—summer of 2012.

The reason for the change is because the bridge construction was a Design-Build project. This means, as sections of the bridge are built the design may change a little. What has changed was the portion over the 13^th Street ramp. If you were to drive up the 13^th St ramp and look to the left and right, notice the bridge is not connected. The only way to complete this section is to close off traffic on the ramp.

You are probably wondering, what does this mean for me? If you live in Fairlawn, Anacostia, Hillsdale and other greater Anacostia neighborhoods, for at least 2 months, you will have to find an alternative route to leave the neighborhood. These routes include:

·         To Suitland Parkway or Howard Rd to access the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge

·         To Malcolm X Ave at MLK Jr. Ave to north or southbound 295

·         To Pennsylvania Ave to access the Sousa Bridge

  

Traffic studies estimate that it will take 12 minutes to leave the neighborhood-apparently only Anacostia residents will be affected by this change.  Residents on the other side of the river will be fine.

I’m not sure about you, but I’m very disappointed in this proposal. As usual, the underlying reason for this change is MONEY. If the bridge is completed earlier, all parties involved get a monetary bonus.  This includes the construction company, the District and the contractors. In return, Anacostia residents get inconvenienced for 2 months. Get this, in a recent meeting, even the contractors advising residents of the bridge stated they would not be in favor of this proposal if they were living East of the River.

To my understanding if residents speak up enough, there might be a possibility to put forth for a new proposal. One that would include keeping the 13^th bridge open until the 11^th St bridge is completed. Today, I wrote the following email to Mr. Terry Bellamy, Director of DDOT.

Dear Mr. Bellamy,

My name is Charles Wilson, a resident of Historic Anacostia. Recently I learned that DDOT plans to close access to the 13^th Street Ramp prior to the opening of the 11^th St bridge. This will force me and other neighbors to find an alternative route out of Anacosita. As you can imagine, my neighbors and I are very disappointed in this proposal. We hope that DDOT will reconsider and keep the 13^th Bridge open until the 11^th St Bridge is completed.

If you are in agreement, feel free to copy and paste my email or send one of your own to Mr Terry Bellamy at Terry.Bellamy@dc.gov

Soon the 13th Street Ramp will be closed. You

will have to find another way out of the neighborhood for 2 months.

If you look in the distance, you can see the
disconnected sections of the bridge overpass

The Mayor and other City Officials at the grand opening of
the new bridges. More changes are coming...