Good morning, Washington. The sun has come out once again after an impressive storm left four inches of rain behind across the metro area. The Washington Post is declaring that, thanks this latest bout of rainfall, our 11-month drought is over. That’s good news, as is the news for allergy sufferers in the city, at least in the short-term: rain like this usually reduces tree pollen counts by washing it away, thus reducing allergy symptoms, although over the longterm it can also increase the growth of grass and eventually produce more pollen.
Cigarette and Property Transfer Taxes to Increase: The Post says that the D.C. Council looks set to increase taxes on cigarettes (by $1 a pack) and property transfers to make up a $35 million budget shortfall. The deal would maintain most of Mayor Fenty’s priorities in his $5.7 billion spending plan for fiscal 2009, with some key exceptions, such as scuttling plans to reopen Klingle Rd., and moving some funds from the police department’s budget to give small businesses property-tax relief.
Lottery Contract on Council Agenda: The Examiner reports that D.C. Council Chair Vincent Gray has agreed to put the pending D.C. lottery contract on today’s agenda, despite his vocal objections to the proposed deal. Gray is believed to have enough votes to stop a potential deal with W2I, composed of international lottery firm Intralot and W2Tech, a local start-up owned by Alaka Williams and her husband, Warren Williams Jr. Warren Williams used to own the controversial Club U, and the pair are reportedly in business with Sinclair Skinner, a college friend of Mayor Adrian Fenty.
Briefly Noted: Baby girl born on the Beltway … D.C. students plan a walkout next week to protest school closures … The Red Cross might move some workers out of D.C. to N.Va. … Former Barry adviser sued for more than $1 million in owed taxes … Fairfax County shelves a report that grades students by race.
This Day in DCist: In 2005, free wireless internet on the National Mall was on the table and the D.C. Council was holding hearings on funding the new baseball stadium.
Photo by Brian Knight Photography
