DC Government 2009 Wish List - Top 10

The top 10 areas that I'd like to see progress on in 2009 -- or at least the top 10 that come to mind at the moment....

10. DDOT addresses dangerous intersections, such as the crosswalks at New York Avenue NW at 4th and 5th Streets NW where pedestrians have 20 seconds to cross 6-10 lanes of traffic.

9. DC government disposes/better maintains the hundreds of vacant property it OWNS throughout the city, such as properties in the Home Again program.

8. MPD provides assurance that ShotSpotter (detects the location of gunfire instantly) is fully operation and producing results in the Third District.

7. Election reform ensures every citizen's vote is actually counted (no more touch screen ballots without a paper trail). Consideration of eliminating set-aside seats for minority parties on the DC Council and authorizing open primaries through a referendum vote.

6. Generally, more consistent enforcement of DC laws -- all of them -- and applying the law equally to all, i.e. permitting/construction and "quality-of-life crimes."

5. An effective, well-managed Advisory Neighborhood Commission representing the Shaw, Mount Vernon, and Penn Quarter neighborhoods.

4. Tax relief and other support for small businesses in areas that were hit by high property tax increases over the past decade so that they do not go under and find themselves replaced with more Starbucks and Subways.

3. The DC Council stops giving away public property (i.e. the Southwest waterfront for $1 a year for 99 years) without a transparent, open competitive bidding process. Next up: Franklin School?

2. Renovation of abandoned and neglected parks, such as Carter G. Woodson Park, 2nd and Massachusetts Avenue NW, 6th and N Street, or the Chinatown Park at 5th and Massachusetts Avenue NW. Let's see at least one more forward in 2009! Also - more dog parks.

1. When federal legislation to provide DC with a vote in the House fails yet again (or is declared unconstitutional), I hope the DC Council will restart discussion of true Home Rule issues (as opposed to license plates and billboards at the baseball stadium). Potential action items include having our own prosecutors and judges, an elected attorney general, placing federally-controlled small parks (aka "reservations") under DC control, and legislative and budgetary autonomy. DC Council passes a resolution urging Congress to move forward in one or more of these areas.

Cold?

I'm even more appreciative I bought that space heater... this is just wrong. The Washington Post is attributing the loss of heat to an operator error. And it's not the first time we are hearing about major Washington Gas issues in this area of Shaw, as discussed here or here. To whom exactly is Washington Gas and its management accountable?

GAS OUTAGE IN NORTHWEST AFFECTS 400 +

District, Washington Gas Work to Resolve Problem, Care for Residents

Washington, DC - A serious interruption of gas service in a section of Northwest and affecting more than 400 households in the Shaw neighborhood has Washington Gas officials and several DC city agencies pulling together.

Currently, the outage affects residents in an area between U Street to Rhode Island Avenue and 8th Street to Vermont Avenue NW.

Emergency Management officials have obtained space at the Kennedy Recreation Center to be used as a warming center. Kennedy is located at 1407 7th Street, Northwest.

Officials are surveying individual residences in the affected area to determine their heating needs. Many residents may be using alternate heating methods, such as space heaters. Fire officials remind that if space heaters are being used, at least three feet of space should be allowed around the heater. Also, if you leave the room, you should turn the heater off.

Fire officials also remind that if anyone ever smells an odor of natural gas, please call 9-1-1. If anyone is in need of medical transport, call 9-1-1..

Further updates will be given as necessary.