Breakfast links: Spending money, honestly and otherwise
The day in ethics
Most witnesses criticized the proposed DC ethics bill for not doing enough or creating unneeded bureaucracy. (DCist) … The OCF complaint against Kwame Brown raises criminal as well as civil issues (Examiner) … Should councilmembers have to reveal their tax returns? (Harry Jaffe)
Health and taxes up for debate
Today is the final DC budget vote. $45 million for Medicaid-related programs has jumped ahead of police and affordable housing in the line for future revenues. Jack Evans wants to prioritize restoring the bond tax exemption, while Mary Cheh suggests switching it back to an income tax but only on incomes over $400,000. (Post)
Not just a political prop
A DC senior citizen objects to Jack Evans’ arguments saying the bond tax would hurt seniors. She notes that seniors with many municipal bonds aren’t the ones “just scraping by.” (Poverty & Policy)
He messed with the wrong cyclist
A driver deliberately tapped a woman on a bike with his car—twice. Unfortunately for him, she’s a cop. She called it in and officers ended up finding drugs and more as well as charging him with assault. (A Girl and Her Bike)
Labor dispute delays ART
Many ART drivers didn’t come to work yesterday due to a labor dispute with the private operator, and that’s continuing today. All routes but the 61B are still running but there will be delays. (Post)
US Open still punishing Metro riders
Liz Farmer also notices the injustice in asking Metro riders to pay $8 to get to the US Open while parking 15 miles away is free. A transportation consultant doesn’t understand the problem. (Examiner)
Hybrid trains?
Philadelphia will install batteries on their tracksmany of their trains
And…
A 90-year-old man still farms a 1-acre plot right by Downtown Silver Spring (Post) … PriceWaterhouseCoopers made a video about their employees who bike commute … Police district changes include Dupont and Fort Dupont. (LITV, Borderstan)