February 5, 2008
Morning Roundup: Super Everything Edition
Good morning, Washington. It's Fat Tuesday! It's Super Tuesday! It's the Tuesday after President Bush's proposed 2009 budget was introduced! Can you feel the excitement, D.C.? The Post writes that our metro region's leaders aren't exactly pleased with the way next year's budget came out, saying it would strip millions from environmental programs designed to protect the Chesapeake Bay and keep pay raises for civilian government workers below those of military personnel. The budget does call for a few bright spots for the District, however: Bush called for $500 million to begin construction of a giant Homeland Security Department headquarters in Southeast, which is a big victory for D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton; and a $6 million increase, to $14 million, in the amount the federal government contributes to the D.C. Water and Sewer Authority to reduce sewer overflows into rivers and creeks. Otherwise, Budget Tuesday isn't looking all that Super, unless you count the hurricanes currently being blended all over town in anticipation of the possibility that we could soon know which new bozo will be crafting budget proposals next year.
Council to Vote on Paid Sick Leave: The D.C. Council is taking up a lot of different legislation in its session today, but perhaps none more interesting than the mandatory paid sick leave bill. The bill, which would make D.C. only the second jurisdiction in the country, after San Francisco, to require sick leave for all workers living within its borders, is expected to be changed by amendment before it's voted on today, and support within the Council appears to be too close to call at this point. Mayor Fenty has already expressed concern about the bill's potential effect on small businesses.
Introducing the Dulles Bus Project: You know folks are hopelessly cynical about the Dulles Rail project when they're considering scrapping the whole thing in favor of more buses. Virginia lawmakers predisposed to bus rapid transit to the airport are bringing back the BRT argument, reports the The Examiner. Could dedicated bus lanes actually solve the Dulles Rail mess?
Briefly Noted: Judge says D.C. officials ignored special-ed crisis ... New Clarendon Center project gains approval ... Opponents of the D.C. gun ban filed their briefs with the Supreme Court yesterday ... Police search for missing mother and her three young children.
This Day in DCist: In 2007 we got excited about how well area women's basketball teams were doing and noted a format change at 94.7 FM.
Photo by chinchillax
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DC also gets an extra $33 mil for education initiatives and another $54 mil for school improvement, split among public, charter, and private school vouchers. So, once again, DCPS made out pretty damn well, considering.
Additional busses to Dulles would definitely be nice. The 5A bus from DC, which is only $3, only runs once every hour, making it a not very appealing option - especially after taking a long flight home. I'm sure there's not a whole lot of busses to places in the suburbs of VA as well.
I think that it's at least a good short-term affordable solution.
My prediction on the sick leave bill: it gets tabled on a 7-6 vote. I understand the appeal of this bill. But no one has any idea as to the costs involved, the implementation of the new system, and how to track compliance. I am consistently amazed (although by now I really should not be) at how Council members vote on stuff without having any idea of what they are voting for and what the ramifications may be. The amazing lack of independent research by Councilmembers and their staffs is shocking. Stuff gets passed, it doesn't do what its proponents said it would do, the Councilmembers who passed the bill say "whoopsies", and then they pass something else. It's high school government, except with a massive amount of money at stake.
SF has more independent businesses (an actual thriving independent business culture) yet mandatory sick leave, requirements for benefits to LGBT partners, and a living wage law. It's amazing they can make it work! (Of course, they also have bans on chain stores in most neighborhoods, but even those that don't still have a ton of independent businesses.) This has nothing to do with independent businesses, don't be fooled.
As for Dulles rail, how about mandatory bus lanes that would begin on a flyover from an intermodal station at West Falls Church? You could transfer right at the platform if it was done right, and if later there was money for rail or a people mover, it could be converted to that.
"Could dedicated bus lanes actually solve the Dulles Rail mess?"
Depends on how you define "Dulles Rail Mess". If the idea behind the project is simply to find a way to shuttle more people to and from the airport, then a rapid transit bus line to Dulles might offer at least a partial solution.
However, if the idea is to link in Tysons and other parts of Northern Virginia with the Metro system, then more bus lines will not be solution to anything. Ignoring for a moment the fact that the vast majority of commuters will not make a rail-to-bus transfer (or vice versa), bus lines are simply never going to ferry around as many passengers as rail.
I am consistently amazed (although by now I really should not be) at how Council members vote on stuff without having any idea of what they are voting for and what the ramifications may be.
They know exactly what the consequences are: they get to look like they're looking after widows and orphans, and big, out-of-town businesses get stuck with the bill. Then, when those businesses have to cut benefits to other employees, or raise the cost of services to compensate, the Council gets a shrinkwrapped Booger Man to use for their next re-election campaign. "I passed common-sense legislation to force Booger Man Inc. to provide a living wage and free healthcare to working families like Jabba here and the rest of the Hutt family."
Speaking of buses, what was up with the bus fire by L'Enfant Plaza? I saw the shell of the bus being towed away, and it looked like a big deal, but the media doesn't seem to agree. WTOP mentioned that there was a fire on its traffic alerts, but that's about it.
Cminus - I came down the VRE platform just before 7am and turned the corner to see a commuter bus by the curb, fully engulfed in flame. It was quite spectacular, especially the exploding tires. No idea what caused it, didn't look like anyone was hurt. Nobody seemed to concerned about crowd control - several people just kept walking by it - literally within about 10 feet of the thing - as it continued to burn and the firemen were hosing it down. After a few minutes, it was out and I managed to get downstairs and take my green line train to Branch Ave no problem.
I was also curious about the bus fire. I saw it's charred remains as I came out of the metro, and could smell the scent of burnt chemicals. It was all roped off and stuff, but yeah, I could walk right by it no big deal. Surprised I haven't heard more about it.
Speaking of commuter buses, has anyone else noticed how those Loudoun County Transit buses always seem to have the shittiest drivers of them all? If they aren't in the left lane on I-66 doing either 45 or 85, they're pulling some sort of bullshit illegal maneuver or parking illegally someplace downtown.
fantastic =
http://gothamist.com/2008/02/05/conan_obrien_th.php
GREAT PICTURE!!!! Truly makes the case that DC is the capital of un-date-able men!