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Good morning, Washington. Not too upset about the coming Metro fare hike, are we? WJLA is reporting that only four people showed up to last night's hearing on the measure. Of course, the meeting was held way out in Reston and was only the first of six opportunities that Metro riders will have to voice their opinion on the price increase. Maybe you're just biding your time.
Tax Scandal Grows Even Bigger: This is getting ever-more ridiculous. The Post's done its own analysis, and has come at a number even higher than yesterday's $20 million-ish number. The current sum? A whopping $31 million. Better still, one of the fraudulent payments was apparently made to "Bilkemor LLC." There's plenty more in the article, but still no indication that the extent of the scam has been fully discovered.
Rhee May Bring In Consultants: Michelle Rhee is starting to reveal clues to how she may deal with the city's poorest-performing schools. As the Post reports, Rhee explained the "restructuring" process that failing schools enter under No Child Left Behind during a presentation to Roosevelt and Cardozo High officials. Among the measures that she says she may undertake during the process: bringing in charter school consultants. Rhee specifically named three such organizations, one of which — St. Hope — she's had professional experience with in the past.
Briefly Noted: Fenty announces plan for preserving affordable housing, helping homeless... Deer causes VRE delays... Arlington deputy sheriff killed in car accident... Stolen SUV found, sans unloaded guns that were in it... BREAKING: Adams Morgan full of drunk people... Construction worker goes nuts over parking ticket...
This Day In DCist: One year ago Washington got a new starting quarterback and a new Metro chief. Two years ago the Dalai Lama was in town.
Image posted to DCist Photos by Flickr user brents pix
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What Adams Morgan really needs is the good old fashioned Paddy Wagon. Instead of throwing drunks (unruly, happy drunks are fine) into taxis throw them into the drunk tank. A night in a DC jail will make a few think twice about getting ripped at the flip cup table.
Well since the meeting was held "way out in Reston" all of those people complaining about the parking rate increase could have driven their cars to the meeting. I guess the parking rates should go up to the max!
Oh, but that would require that DC abandons its "zero tolerance" policy for policing. Drunk tanks admit that people can do stupid stuff that violates the law without really being punished for violating the law. When has that happened since the Reagan era?
What I really want to know about DC Public Schools is who in the DC government is getting all the cash that charter schools are clearing forking over to be allowed to totally f*ck over neighborhoods when they locate into buildings clearly not suited for schools and neighborhoods clearly not suited to handle the extra traffic and parking issues while they admit virtually no kids from area in which they are situated?
Better still, one of the fraudulent payments was apparently made to "Bilkemor LLC."
Dear Sirs,
Again, dcist shows its leftist bias against fine, upstanding local Capitalists like those at Bilkmor LLC. Do the terms "slander" and "defamation" ring a bell? As Bilkmor's legal counsel, (the Law Offices of Long, Ropy, and Brown), you will be hearing from us shortly. Although you will be able to smell our dispatch from several blocks away.
Sincerely,
M.E. Rotica (Esquire, Dr., Dr., Mr. MD)
Somebody should let WJLA know it's not "Adam's" Morgan.
Bilkemor LLC?
Damn, those chicks were cocky. Although, I wouldn't be terribly surprised to find out that they have no idea what the word "bilk" means and thought it was just a nonsense word that wouldn't raise any suspicions. Which, sadly, would only be half-wrong.
I don't know about you, but I think we should look into any refunds received by GraftNow LLP, L'Coeur Upsion Inc., We Are Stealing Your Tax Dollars LLC.
Yes, I am upset about the hike, but I feel that it will not matter if I go to the meetings or not. The fare will be raised no matter what.
Reid, is it possible for us to push for the name of the new stadium to be We Are Stealing Your Tax Dollars LLC Nationals Field?
OMG - they should have their sentences reduced just for thinking up and using the name Bilkmore LLC!!!
Reid, is it possible for us to push for the name of the new stadium to be We Are Stealing Your Tax Dollars LLC Nationals Field?
Really? We're going to do the stadium thing again?
I was going to go to the Metro meeting, but there were residual, minor delays on the Blue, Orange, Green, and Purple lines that evening.
I was going to go to the Metro meeting, but there were residual, minor delays on the Blue, Orange, Green, and Purple lines that evening.
Yeah, NBC-4 reported that there was a NIMBY on the tracks.
And the name of the Washington Nationals baseball stadium is . . . Bilkmore Field!
Really? We're going to do the stadium thing again?
Alright, point taken. I'll settle for Nationals Field at Bilkemor Park. Deal?
Damn it. I guess Mike gets the credit for that one.
Although mine sounds classier.
Please let's do the stadium thing again. Nothing like beating a dead horse and dreaming up BS lines like that the average DC taxpayer is paying for the stadium when those tax dollars could have gone to make our schools extra dreamy(actual facts be damned).
You know, maybe it's just me, but if Metro's having a hearing that requires you to take the train, then take a bus, then take a special shuttle, it's got more problems than can be addressed by a fare hike.
Common sense!
Please let's do the stadium thing again. Nothing like beating a dead horse and dreaming up BS lines like that the average DC taxpayer is paying for the stadium when those tax dollars could have gone to make our schools extra dreamy(actual facts be damned).
... or dreaming up the BS that a $600 million corporate tax in no way restricts the city's ability to raise future taxes, opportunity costs be damned. But hey, with the DC money tree, I suppose anything's possible. Just ask those nice ladies from PG County.
I posted this on the WJLA site as well, but I just found this funny and wanted to share. On the channel 7 news this morning, the Metro fare increase story was intorduced as "Sarah Lee runs the MATH for us." (Nobody doesn't like...) Then she reported on someone whose metro costs are "$220/week". I don't think so. $220/month is more like it.
$220/month is $55/week which is $11/day - sounds about right for parking and a roundtrip.
$220/week is $44/day and over $11k/year
"You know, maybe it's just me, but if Metro's having a hearing that requires you to take the train, then take a bus, then take a special shuttle, it's got more problems than can be addressed by a fare hike."
Well for one there are going to be more meetings that are very Metro accessible. Also, since one of the most contentious elements of the fare hike is the parking fee, I would think a meeting place easily accessible by car would attract all those that are hooting and hollering about paying for parking.
The thing is, people will spout off to a reporter or a blog that they are outraged at paying more for parking or whatever, but unless organized, everyone except the most dedicated or the least occupied will just go home and watch Dancing With the Stars instead of attending a public meeting on that topic that they pouted so much about.
ghetto: DCs problem isnt some mystical inability to raise taxes now or in the future. In fact, if anything the corporate baseball tax may mean less tax hikes in the future because of the fairly amazing tax revenue stream coming in from the baseball stadium district over the next few decades. This is one of those rare examples of when a tax in DC actually produces revenue and investment, unlike say the billions we flush down the toilet for DC schools and a bloated and incompetent city work force.
unlike say the billions we flush down the toilet for DC schools and a bloated and incompetent city work force.
Oh! Oh! And don't forget the $31+ mil in tax revenue theft! But I guess that counts as incompetent theft, since they got caught. I'm sure there's NOBODY else with their hand in DC's till.