DC cabby 'kidnaps' Councilmember's daughter over cash

WASHINGTON (WUSA9) - DC Councilmember Mary Cheh says her own daughter was technically kidnapped in a taxicab dispute over cash or credit.

"It was really egregious," Cheh said during the District Council's Transportation Committee annual review of the DC Taxicab Commission. "Said that she had to pay cash."

All DC cabs are required to either accept credit cards, or go out of service if their credit card machines are not working, Taxicab Commission Chair Ron Linton told Cheh during the hearing.

Cheh said when the driver demanded cash, she told him that she would get it from inside her home.

"Whereupon this driver locked all the doors," Cheh said during the hearing. "Drove many blocks away. And called the police saying he had a fare that was refusing to pay."

The hearing comes in the wake of a December WUSA9 investigation showing 20% of DC taxis tested refused to accept credit cards.

Linton told Cheh the driver could lose his license over locking her daughter inside.

Cheh said, technically, it could be a felony.

"If you transport somebody against his or her will under those circumstances, that actually meets the definition of kidnapping," Cheh, who is a professor of law at George Washington University said.

The taxi commission chair agreed and said the driver could lose his license over the act.

During our December investigation, Linton downplayed the problem, suggesting our sample size was too small.

In the hearing he acknowledged it is a significant problem and taxi violations have even plagued his own family.

Linton My daughter came down from Boston to visit and in four cab rides, generated four complaints. It's unbelievable.

Early in the hearing, Councilmember David Grosso spoke of his own family's experience.

Linton says he'll investigate Cheh's and Grosso's experiences, as he says his office does all complaints.

He also testified he is increasing enforcement and wants to add a mystery shopper to ensure drivers are doing their jobs.

A year-long WUSA9 investigation has also found taxis ignoring black passengers at rates ranging from 25% to 33%.

Under questioning from Cheh, Linton acknowledged during the hearing, that during his own testing of 100 cabs, 24 refused hailing passengers, in violation of District law.

Matters of the Heart

By Katrina Forrest

February is National Heart Month and with heart disease still serving as the leading cause of death for both men and women nationally, it is important to know the factors associated with the disease and take the necessary precautions to get screened, eat healthy and live an active lifestyle. 

Each year about 600,000 Americans (1 in 4) die from heart disease.  High blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol and smoking are the key risk factors and surprisingly, about half (49%), of Americans have at least one of the three risk factors. Other factors that lead to an increased risk for heart disease include diabetes, obesity, poor diet, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol use.

Here in the District, we face a startling reality when it comes to heart health related deaths and emergency response.  In a report published by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in 2013, D.C. residents died at a higher rate from preventable heart attacks than any other jurisdiction in the country.  The CDC report found that, in the District, the rate of avoidable deaths from heart disease, stroke and hypertensive disease was 99.6% per 100,000 population.  The most affected demographic was African-American males ranging in age from 65-74.

Given the severity of this problem in the District, it would seem that emergency responders would have the requisite training to identify and understand the importance of swift action in exigent circumstances.   Unfortunately, this has not been the case. 

The District has a history of unresponsiveness from emergency service professionals entrusted with upholding the highest standards of care and response. In 1999, a 21-year old woman, Julia Rusinek collapsed on a busy street corner. A bystander saw her on the ground and ran to the firehouse less than a block from where she fell. Firefighters said another engine was on the way and that their ambulance crew was going off duty. She was declared dead at a hospital less than a mile from where she fell.  Last year on New Year’s Day, a 71-year old resident died of a heart attack when he had to wait 40 minutes for emergency responders on a day when one-third of D.C.’s firefighters called out sick.  D.C.’s Fire and EMS Department is in the news once again as yet another elderly man, age 77, collapsed and later died from a heart attack suffered on January 25, 2014. This latest incident elicited public outrage as the collapsed man lay dying in front of a N.E. fire station, while a firefighter stood idle, refusing to provide assistance until someone called 911.  

District residents are experiencing heart related deaths at a higher rate than anywhere else in the country and this problem should not be exacerbated by institutional policies that have led to a failure to act.   These deaths are preventable if residents have access to information on risk factors, quality health centers and free screenings, but when it comes to matters of the heart, we must also ensure that our emergency medical service providers are acting out of compassion and not a callous adherence to questionable policies.  Addressing these deficiencies is paramount to correcting this troubling problem in the District.

*This post is part of an ongoing series of posts by Councilmember Grosso’s staff to support professional development. All posts are approved and endorsed by Councilmember Grosso.

Grosso To Host Poetry Evening at Wilson Building

By Sarah Anne Hughes in Arts & Entertainment dcist on Feb 11, 2014 1:30 PM

Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large) will host a poetry evening at his Wilson Building office this Wednesday. D.C. Poet Laureate Dolores Kendrick and the D.C. Youth Slam Team are scheduled to perform.

"As a strong proponent for the arts, I am delighted to welcome the arts community to my office for yet another opportunity to showcase their artistic talent," Grosso said of his third open house in an email. "These events serve as an enriching opportunity to engage with the public and highlight D.C.'s thriving arts community. The talent in the District is enormous, as evidenced by the D.C. Youth Slam Team's second-place finish during the Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festival."

Members of Free Minds and D.C. Scores Youth Poets will also preform. The event runs from 6 to 8 p.m.

Despite The Streetcar, D.C. Plans To Replace H Street Bridge

By: Martin Austermuhle, WAMU, February 11, 2014

The Hopscotch Bridge connects H Street NE to North Capitol Street while crossing over Amtrak tracks behind Union Station. D.C. officials say it will have to replaced within five years. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/44144211@N07/5147592328/

It was two years ago that D.C. officials decided to route a planned streetcar line over the H Street Bridge, allowing for a connection to Union Station. But now they say that the bridge will have to be fully replaced within five years, likely forcing the city to reroute the H Street streetcar line it hopes to start running this year.

The 2.4-mile streetcar route runs up and down H Street and Benning Road NE, and in 2011 city officials decided to run streetcars up and over the bridge — colloquially known as the Hopscotch Bridge — in order to connect to Union Station. But officials with the D.C. Department of Transportation say those tracks will be temporary, and will come down when the city starts replacing the bridge within the next three to five years.

"We always knew that this would be a temporary entrance into Union Station," said Nic Nicholson, DDOT's chief engineer, at a D.C. Council hearing on Friday. "At such time as we could coordinate and replace the bridge, we would have a temporary measure for streetcar as we replace the Hopscotch Bridge."

"We're doing the minimal in that track placement to get service going with the full intention of coming back within the next three to five years and replacing the bridge," he added.

During the hearing, Council member David Grosso (I-At Large) worried that the eventual replacement would only lead to more frustration among H Street residents, who have dealt with streetcar-related construction since 2008.

"My feeling and my fear with this project is that if we don't do it in a systemic, laid-out and planned way, I'm afraid that we're going to lose the faith of the people in getting this done right. This is not a great start," he said.

Nicholson said Amtrak's changing plans for an expanded Union Station and a new high-speed rail line complicated DDOT's original expectation that it could punch a hole through the base of the bridge and avoid running the streetcar over it.

"Once Amtrak started planning and revising its master plan to accommodate that, what came into conflict was our initial plans for our connection of streetcars to Union Station," he said.

The DDOT officials said that the Benning Road Bridge over Kingman Lake and the Anacostia River will also have to replaced, but no streetcar tracks have been placed on that portion of the road for a planned connection to neighborhoods east of the river.

The D.C. Council unwisely revises ethics rules

By Editorial Board, Washington Post, February 9, 2014

THE D.C. COUNCIL has come up with an inventive way to handle nettlesome advice from ethics officials: Change the rules. That’s so much easier than changing behavior that people of lesser understanding might find inappropriate.

The council voted this week to change its rules of conduct as they relate to constituent service. The unusual move to change the council code in the middle of a term was, The Post’s Mike DeBonis reported, in reaction to an advisory opinion issued in August by the Board of Ethics and Government Accountability.

Having had to admonish council member Vincent B. Orange (D-At Large) for improperly intervening with inspectors seeking to close a business for health-code violations, the ethics board thought it would be helpful to offer guidance in an area in which it admitted there were no “bright lines.” Mr. Orange had defended his actions as “clearly acceptable constituent service.” The thoughtful 18-page opinion by Government Ethics Director Darrin P. Sobin drew on best practices in good government and included useful examples of how officials should and should not conduct themselves.

We would have thought council members who claimed to want to improve the image of a body where there has been serial wrongdoing (including the forced resignations of three members) would have welcomed the opportunity to up their game. Instead, they crafted language to give themselves wiggle room in their ability to throw their weight around and practice retail politics. It’s unclear, for example, if Mr. Orange’s intervention on behalf of a campaign contributor would have constituted a violation under the amended rules.

Only two council members, David Grosso (I-At Large) and Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6), opposed the change initiated by Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D). “[The board] is doing what they were asked to do . . . and now we cut their legs out from them,” Mr. Grosso told us. Mr. Wells, a candidate for mayor, said the move sets a “bad precedent.” We agree and urge the council to undo this wrongheaded decision.

Not only was the move a slap in the face to the city’s independent ethics board, but it also sends a troubling message about the commitment of the council chairman and his colleagues to good government.

The D.C. Workforce Investment Council's Role in Employment Services

By Anne Robinson

Last fall, Councilmember Grosso was appointed by the Chairman of the Council to serve on the D.C. Workforce Investment Council (WIC). As the staff member assigned to this issue, I began to research and understand the history of the D.C. WIC and I found it to be fascinating.  It has a tangled history, both on the national level and here at home.   The important theme throughout is how integral a role it plays in steering our residents down the employment path.  I hope you will join me on my journey down the path to better understanding how employment services operate in the District. 

The functions of the D.C. WIC are largely defined by requirements in the federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA). The mission of WIC is to oversee the creation and improvement of services and programs that address the workforce development needs of the region's employers and the District's residents.  Members are authorized to advise the Mayor and District government on all functions designated to the WIC.   The Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) has administrative oversight of the WIC on behalf of the Mayor.  So, where did WIA come from? 

In the 1930s, unemployment insurance programs were created to combat the impacts the Great Depression had on employment.  Throughout the proceeding decades, the federal government developed new plans and policies that expanded unemployment insurance benefits to also address displaced workers and job training.  As time went on, responsibility for the unemployment insurance programs slowly shifted from federal control to being administered more on the state and local level.  In 1998, the Workforce Investment Act was implemented with the goal of further authorizing states to provide employment and training services through federally-funded workforce development programs and One-Stop Job Centers (now referred to as American Jobs Centers).   The Job Centers provide career counseling and planning, resume and interview assistance, direct job placement, classroom and on-the-job training, access to a jobs bank, information about labor markets, and unemployment compensation.

WIA mandated that all states create Workforce Investment Boards (WIB) to implement policies at the state and local levels for the workforce programs.  The D.C. Workforce Investment Council (WIC) was created in accordance to WIA that same year. 

By statute, the Board must be comprised of members of the business community, directors from agencies receiving federal workforce dollars, and two members of the D.C. Council.  The legislative intent of WIA is for the WIB/WICs to approve the spending and business plans for One-Stop operators and report compliance metrics to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).   Unfortunately, the intent was not fully realized under both the Williams and Fenty Administrations.  Since their inception, the D.C. One-Stops have been solely operated and managed by the Department of Employment Services (DOES).   DOES was supposed to report to the WIC who is the responsible body reporting to DOL under federal law.  This did not happen. DOES has not been in full compliance with DOL standards for operating the One-Stops since 1998 and the authority granted to the WIC was largely ignored.   

In 2012, Mayor Gray began to implement the WIA required DC Workforce Development Strategic Plan 2012-2016.  To date, the strategic plan has been a necessary cornerstone to move workforce development in the right direction.  The plan includes reinvigorating the WIC, getting DOES in compliance with DOL, and getting more residents back to work.  Over the past 2 years, the WIC Board has worked diligently to bring DOES management of the D.C. American Jobs Center to a higher compliance standard. This is being done through a newly adopted business plan and strong oversight of DOES by the WIC.  

As we continue to learn and track the employment system we intend to continue sharing with you what we discover.    DOES will have their annual oversight hearing before the Committee on Business, Consumer, and Regulatory Affairs on Wednesday, February 26 at 10:00 am in Room 500 of the John A. Wilson Building.  We urge you to engage by watching, testifying, or sending us your questions so we can ask them for you. 

*This post is part of an ongoing series of posts by Councilmember Grosso’s staff to support professional development. All posts are approved and endorsed by Councilmember Grosso.

Now is the Time to Take a Stand for D.C. Workers and Home Rule

For Immediate Release

September 25, 2013

Today, Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large) called on Mayor Gray and Chairman Mendelson to refuse to shut down the D.C. government in the face of the impending federal shutdown.   A D.C. government shutdown will have a seriously difficult impact on D.C. workers and the local economy.

“A shutdown, imposed by the federal government, with no pay for D.C. workers, will make it impossible for many D.C. employees to pay their bills and feed their families. It is offensive that the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is telling the D.C. government how to spend the money we raised through taxing D.C. residents and businesses.  D.C. is the only local jurisdiction impacted in this manner and one thing is true, if D.C. were San Antonio, there would be a battle at the Alamo over this,” said Grosso.

“Chairman Mendelson and the Mayor should not send a plan to OMB, but instead should declare that all D.C. employees are essential,” stated Grosso.  “The citizens of the District of Columbia passed a budget autonomy referendum last year and it goes into effect on Jan. 1.  That referendum frees D.C.’s budget from the burdensome annual Congressional approval.  We should immediately take our budget into our own hands and refuse OMB’s requests for shutdown plans.”

###

The Ones Who Put Their Shoulders to the Wheel

By Jonetta Rose Barras, Washington Post, February 5, 2014

Copyright Washington Post

Asked to speak last week at a luncheon sponsored by the D.C. Federation of Citizens Associations, I was supposed to offer insight about the city government and the current political landscape. But the lesson that day was all mine. I was reminded, sotto voce, of the critical role played by seemingly ordinary citizens in creating an ethical government, growing a vibrant city and refurbishing our democracy.

A couple of decades ago, the District barely had two nickels to rub together. Wall Street rated its bonds as junk, exacerbating the city’s downward trajectory. Unsurprisingly, some residents escaped to the suburbs and parts unknown. Others — Anne Renshaw, Marie Drissel, the Rev. Lionel Edmonds, Robert Brannum, Dorothy Brizill, Gary Imhoff, Terry Lynch, Greg Rhett, Sam Bost, David Mallof, Ellie Anderson, Ron Drake, Helen Haggerty, Paul and Barbara Savage, for example — never gave up on the city.

They demanded better management of D.C. finances, construction of more downtown housing, enhanced neighborhood commercial corridors and improved delivery of government services for the poor and working class. They helped fire residents’ imaginations, inspire new leadership and create an exciting vision of the city’s future. The District blossoming before our eyes today owes much to the work of ordinary citizens, some of whom sat last week in the ornate and elegant upper room of the DACOR Bacon House in Northwest.

It’s easy, sometimes, to be swirled by the pontificating and gesticulating of politicians in an election season. Sometimes it’s difficult not to be caught in their self-aggrandizing delusions, assertions of being once and future architects of all things good in the District, which get amplified by their insistence that people spend their days counting construction cranes in the sky.

An element of municipal growth, undoubtedly, can be tracked by brick and mortar. But a city’s true greatness is its people: their diversity; their shared values; their spirit; their willingness to work on behalf of the collective, setting aside superficial differences often manufactured by ambitious, sometimes corrupt, politicians; their determination to shape their destinies.

Chatting with attendees at the federation’s luncheon and other residents around the city, I was struck by their keen awareness of the moment in which the District finds itself. They were anxious about the mayoral race, understanding that a wrong choice could have devastating consequences, but not necessarily on those cranes or other physical components of the city. Rather they were worried about possible injury to the people: their psyches, their belief in government and politics.

Leadership matters.

It was refreshing last week to realize that at least one of the District’s elected officials understands that. Council member David Grosso (I-At Large) endorsed Brianne Nadeau, who is vying for the Ward 1 seat held by Jim Graham. Graham was lambasted last year by the city’s ethics board and reprimanded by the council for behavior in 2008 connecting the city lottery contract with a Metro land development deal.

Grosso went against a tradition: D.C. Council members do not publicly endorse a colleague’s opponent. I have not always supported his public policies. I am against his push to legalize marijuana in the District. I am not convinced of the need for public financing of local political campaigns. But I have admired his determination to help create a new politics in the city.

Integrity is not a sometime thing, practiced in one venue but not another. The common aphorism warns that “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” In other words, we are, indeed, our brother’s and sister’s keeper.

The gray hairs have multiplied on more than a few of the heads I saw at last week’s affair. The strides of some — once energetic — have begun to slow. No worries. A new generation of citizen-leaders has been forming across the city; people like Eboni-Rose Thompson, Josh Lopez and Daniel del Pielago, for example, have moved in, advocating around various critical issues. Equally important, federation members also have reached out to some of those young professionals who have been arriving in droves, claiming the District as home. They hope to persuade them that seeing something and tweeting something is simply not enough.

Citizenship has never been a spectator sport. Engagement and sweat equity are demanded.

Gender Disparities on Board and Commissions

While preparing for a December hearing to consider nominations to various Boards and Commissions, Councilmember Grosso noticed something— there were far more men than women under consideration for appointment. We found ourselves wondering if this was a coincidence specific to that day and those specific Boards, or if there was a broader trend of gender imbalance. We reviewed the memberships of all the Boards before the Committee on Business, Consumer, and Regulatory Affairs (BCRA) and then the 150 plus Boards and Commissions citywide. Our question was answered—there are significant and often egregious gender disparities. 

During our research, another problem presented itself.   Much of the information we were searching for, we could not find.   If information is not publicly available then how can residents know who is on Boards and Commissions and what they are doing?

Gender Disparities

Looking at the broader list of the Boards and Commissions with information available online (more on that below), almost a third of the memberships are dominated by men, including several powerful entities:

•         Alcohol and Beverage Control Board– 6 men, 1 woman
•         Business Regulatory Reform Task Force – 11 men, 6 women
•         Commission on African American Affairs – 11 men, 4 women
•         Housing Production Trust Fund, Board of Directors – 6 men, 3 woman
•         Interfaith Council – 23 men,2 women
•         Streetcar Financing Task Force – 13 men, 1 woman

Disappointingly, Boards and Commissions covering topics that are historically associated with gender stereotypes are especially prone to such imbalances: 

•          Advisory Panel on Special Education – 4 men, 15 women
•          Board of Industrial Trades – 7 men, 1 woman
•          Board of Nursing – 0 men, 7 women
•          Board of Social Work – 0 men, 5 women
•          Constructing Codes Coordinating Board – 11 men, 0 women

There are, of course, male nurses and female construction workers, but according to these numbers, their perspectives are marginalized.  D.C. prides itself on being forward thinking, but the reflection of sexism in these leadership positions contrasts starkly with our vision of a city that stands for equality.  And this discussion does not begin to consider other measures of diversity. 

Public Access and Information Sharing

What was equally disturbing and frustrating was the amount of information that we simply could not find online.  We were looking for details about the membership of these entities.  We hoped to find a list of names.  Maybe some biographical information.   Figure out when the next Board meeting would be and when the last one was held.  Who attended?  Did anyone take notes?  Did anything happen? 

The District’s Office of Boards and Commissions (DOBC) has a list of the Boards and Commissions, but it does not provide enough information about what they do and who sits on them.   Sometimes, the Board or Commission is housed under a local agency and that agency is responsible for listing the information.  However, it did not matter if we were looking for information at DOBC or the agency’s website because the information often was not there. 

While most of the Boards and Commissions could be found online, at least 30 percent are unavailable. Those that are online provide inconsistent levels of information, some of it woefully outdated.   Some examples of entities that have little or no information online include the following:

•          Advisory Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect
•          Board of Behavioral Health
•          Board of Consumer Claims Arbitration
•          Board of Dentistry
•          Commission on HIV/AIDS
•          Commission on Latino Community Development
•          District of Columbia Statehood Commission
•          Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board
•          Washington Convention Center Advisory Committee

As Councilmember Grosso noted in comments before the BCRA Committee, this represents a failure of government transparency and accountability.   Additionally, the lack of information can be construed as a violation of D.C.’s Open Meetings Act (OMA).  OMA mandates that these government affiliated bodies publicly advertise their meeting times and locations, as well as provide meeting minutes.   

So…now what?

These public bodies in D.C. have an important role to play—they are making decisions about the granting of licenses to local business, setting policies and procedures, or giving a voice to our city’s diverse community.  This is why it is vital that their information is open to the public.  Unfortunately, some of the city’s current set of Boards and Commissions do not serve any good purpose or have remained dormant for years.  Mayor Gray called in December 2012 to reform the problem by abolishing 30 of the least functioning of them.   A bill is currently before the Council, but has not yet been brought up for a vote.  Passing such legislation would be a step in the right direction, but it will not solve problems of transparency or gender imbalance.

Reviewing other jurisdictions around the country shows that publicizing information about these public bodies is not hard to do.   Baltimore, San Francisco, Nashville, and Denver—cities of similar size to D.C. but diverse in location and reputation—all have easy to find, centralized lists of Boards and Commissions accompanied by basic information such as membership and meeting times.  What’s more, they include information about how to apply to join these public bodies—encouraging residents to engage with local government is critical to a vibrant and functioning city.  Greater community engagement improves government accountability, and vice versa.  So, what should D.C. do?

In December, Councilmember Grosso called on the Mayor’s Office to make the membership and other key information about Boards and Commissions available and published online by the end of January.  This would require that the DOBC collect this information with the help from individual agencies and then have the Office of the Chief Technology Officer aggregate the information in one centralized location on the DOBC website.  If the Executive branch cannot accomplish this task, Councilmember Grosso is prepared to introduce legislation to make the government operate in a more open and accessible manner.  It would be similar to San Francisco’s law that requires the government to make this information easily accessible online.   These bodies make vital decisions and recommendations, and residents of D.C. should know how to voice their support or air their grievances.   The Boards that grant professional licenses or have a direct say in how government works should be balanced, open, and available to the public. 

Making this information public and easily accessible will also, we hope, encourage more District residents to apply for openings on Boards or Commissions that fit their skill sets, areas of expertise, or interests.  Asking residents to participate in government is how we make the city function through heightened participation.   We want all residents to know what any given Board or Commission does, when it meets, and, most critically, what impact it has on the District.    

*This post is part of an ongoing series of posts by Councilmember Grosso’s staff to support professional development. All posts are approved and endorsed by Councilmember Grosso.

“What’s clear is that under the current system, the wealthy and connected are almost entirely shielded from the consequences of marijuana being illegal, while the poor and non-white face catastrophe for engaging in the same behavior.”

— http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/marijuana-legalization-elites

D.C. Legislator Wants To Expand Access To Medical Marijuana

In his letter, Grosso asks Garcia to expand the list of qualifying conditions to include post-traumatic stress disorder, epilepsy, Crohn’s disease, dystonia, and endometriosis, as some states with medical marijuana programs do. By doing so, he wrote, the department could “prevent further needless pain and suffering for District residents.”

Winter Weather Alert

The weather forecast calls for a dusting of up to two inches, with the accumulation chances greater as you head towards Baltimore. But the real threat here is the temperature drop. The National Weather Service says “unseasonably cold weather will settle into the region Friday and Friday night. Wind chill values may approach zero friday morning.”

So bundle up D.C. and remember: If you see a person in need of shelter, call either 1-800-535-7252 or 202-399-7093 to connect with D.C.’s shelter hotline.

D.C. Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large) sends Season’s Greetings and well wishes for the New Year and provides a snapshot of his year-end legislative victories in the areas of health, criminal justice, education and ethics reform. Grosso also informs residents of some of his legislative priorities for the upcoming year and encourages them to reach out to his office on issues of importance to them.  Be on the lookout for Grosso’s year-end newsletter also.

Lawmakers Debate Whether To Seal Records For Marijauna Possession

"Often people don’t realize that even something as minor as a marijuana possession charge can keep residents from obtaining employment, housing or even scholarship money for higher education," Councilmember Grosso said.

Not everyone is born to lead a country and create change but #NelsonMandela committed his entire life so that the people from South Africa would be free from apartheid.

D.C. Honors the Life and Legacy of Nelson Mandela

The world mourns the loss of a courageous leader, Nelson Mandela, a man who sacrificed his life to end apartheid in South Africa in his fight for peace and equality.  Not everyone is born to lead a country and create change, but Nelson Mandela committed his entire life so that the people of South Africa would be free from apartheid. The road to freedom is a long one – Mandela spent 27 years in prison but never lost hope or direction. He was confident that he “could lead his people in the right direction.” He never lost sight of “a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities.”

We will remember Nelson Mandela as one who inspired and united the people of South Africa and led them to freedom through peaceful acts. His vision became a reality – four years after being released from prison – Mandela in 1994 voted with his people for the first time in his life and shortly thereafter became the first Black President of South Africa.

Nelson Mandela’s legacy will live on forever in the hearts and minds of D.C. residents who marveled his life. His actions and leadership has significant meaning to our city. The legacy he created will live on through future generations as we continue to break down barriers and strive for equality among all people. We will cherish and honor his memory and the contributions that he has made to his country and to the world.

D.C. Legislator Wants Green Card Holders To Be Allowed To Vote In Local Elections

D.C. Legislator Wants Green Card Holders To Be Allowed To Vote In Local Elections

By:

Martin Austermuhle

December 3, 2013 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kcivey/480629716/

Much like in the rest of the country, voting in local D.C. elections is limited to U.S. citizens.

Voting and jury duty are two hallmarks of U.S. citizenship, but one D.C. legislator wants to extend at least one of those to non-citizens.

Council member David Grosso (I-At Large) today introduced a bill that would allow legal residents who are not U.S. citizens to vote in municipal elections, provided they’ve lived in D.C. for 30 days prior to the election.

During the Council’s legislative session, Grosso said that the measure would allow the city’s growing population of non-citizens to weigh in on local issues that affect them.

"Pot holes, community centers, playgrounds, minimum wage, taxes, Supercans, snow removal, alley closings, alcohol license moratoriums, red light cameras— these are all important issues that voters in the District of Columbia entrust their leaders with. And unfortunately, not all of our residents have say in choosing the individuals who make these decisions. In my opinion, that is unjust," he said.

According to the U.S. Census, in 2012 some 54,000 D.C. residents — roughly eight percent of the city’s population — were foreign born but not yet naturalized U.S. citizens. Ninety percent of those were over the legal voting age of 18.

In 1992, residents of Takoma Park, Md. voted in a referendum to allow non-citizens to vote in local elections. The proposal passed narrowly, 1,199 to 1,107, and allows even undocumented immigrants to vote, provided they have lived in the city for 21 days preceding an election.

Six other locations — three towns, three villages — in Montgomery County allow the same. In 2004, Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) introduced a bill to the same effect in D.C., but it was rejected. Last May, legislators in New York considered a bill of their own that would allow non-citizen legal residents to cast ballots.

Opponents of the idea — which in New York included Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, Jr. — say that voting is a sacred enough practice that it should be limited to U.S. citizens.

D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray recently signed a bill allowing undocumented immigrants to gain special driver’s licenses. D.C. has also limited its cooperation with federal immigration authorities, limiting the time it holds immigrants wanted for deportation proceedings.

Disclosure: This reporter is a Green Card holder and D.C. resident.

Local Resident Voting Rights Act of 2013

This morning along with Councilmembers Graham, Bowser and Wells, I introduced the Local Resident Voting Rights Act of 2013. This bill would grant DC residents who are not U.S. citizens but are legal permanent residents voting rights for local municipal elections.

“All politics is local” is a common phrase in the U.S. political system. And while plenty of ink is spilled in this town giving the play-by-play on the endless rounds of political tug-a-war on the federal level, what most District residents care are the tangible things that affect their day-to-day life.

Pot holes, community centers, playgrounds, minimum wage, taxes, supercans, snow removal, alley closings, alcohol license moratoriums, red light cameras…these are all important issues that voters in the District of Columbia entrust their leaders with. And unfortunately, not all of our residents have say in choosing the individuals who make these decisions. In my opinion, that is unjust.

Since 1970, the District of Columbia has had a steady increase in the number of foreign-born residents. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2012), approximately 53,975 residents in the District are foreign born, but not naturalized U.S. citizens.  Over 90% of that population is 18 years of age or older. These are law-abiding taxpayers who should have the opportunity to have their voices heard in local elections.

For most of American history, noncitizens were permitted to vote in 22 states and federal territories. It was not until the 1920s that, amidst anti-immigrant hysteria, lawmakers began to bar noncitizens from voting in local and statewide elections.

Currently, there are seven jurisdictions where noncitizens can vote in local elections in the U.S., six of which are in neighboring Maryland. None of these cities or towns has experienced incidents of voting fraud with regard to noncitizens voting in federal elections.

A similar bill was introduced in the Council in 2004 and unfortunately due to the political climate at the time regarding immigration reform, did not receive a full consideration by this Council. Almost ten years later, its time for us to reignite this conversation. After all, if we are in fact ‘One City’, how can we continue to deny every legal District resident of age their one vote?

Local Resident Voting Rights Act of 2013

This morning along with Councilmembers Graham, Bowser and Wells, I introduced the Local Resident Voting Rights Act of 2013. This bill would grant DC residents who are not U.S. citizens but are legal permanent residents voting rights for local municipal elections.

“All politics is local” is a common phrase in the U.S. political system. And while plenty of ink is spilled in this town giving the play-by-play on the endless rounds of political tug-a-war on the federal level, what most District residents care are the tangible things that affect their day-to-day life.

Pot holes, community centers, playgrounds, minimum wage, taxes, supercans, snow removal, alley closings, alcohol license moratoriums, red light cameras…these are all important issues that voters in the District of Columbia entrust their leaders with. And unfortunately, not all of our residents have say in choosing the individuals who make these decisions. In my opinion, that is unjust.

Since 1970, the District of Columbia has had a steady increase in the number of foreign-born residents. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (2012), approximately 53,975 residents in the District are foreign born, but not naturalized U.S. citizens.  Over 90% of that population is 18 years of age or older. These are law-abiding taxpayers who should have the opportunity to have their voices heard in local elections.

For most of American history, noncitizens were permitted to vote in 22 states and federal territories. It was not until the 1920s that, amidst anti-immigrant hysteria, lawmakers began to bar noncitizens from voting in local and statewide elections.

Currently, there are seven jurisdictions where noncitizens can vote in local elections in the U.S., six of which are in neighboring Maryland. None of these cities or towns has experienced incidents of voting fraud with regard to noncitizens voting in federal elections.

A similar bill was introduced in the Council in 2004 and unfortunately due to the political climate at the time regarding immigration reform, did not receive a full consideration by this Council. Almost ten years later, its time for us to reignite this conversation. After all, if we are in fact ‘One City’, how can we continue to deny every legal District resident of age their one vote?

“I’m thankful that we have so many young D.C. residents who are heavily engaged in the political process. Since I have been on the D.C. Council, I have tried to create a more transparent system where residents can offer input and engage on issues that are important to them whether it is education, the budget, increasing the minimum wage – you name it! Over the last few months, I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with students from Powell Elementary, Wilson High School, Center City Public Charter School, and Archbishop Carroll High School on some of these very issues. It’s easy for us to think of kids today as uninformed and uninterested, but I’ve had a very different experience. The young people who contact me to offer their input have been engaging, witty and incredibly honest about their frustrations and hopes for our city. These conversations keep me encouraged about the future, and for that I am thankful.”

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Blog/Famous for DC

What about DC are you most thankful for this season?

We asked our friends around town what about DC they were thankful for this season. Here are their answers.