DC Government

“Dear PoPville,

I just got a shock receiving my property tax bill that I want to see if anyone else has experienced. I updated my Columbia Heights rowhouse kitchen and added a powder room last year and (stupidly, it turns out) applied for a building permit. The total cost was $40-50K. The permit triggered a supplemental assessment. The supplemental assessment increased the market value of my house by almost 50% (not counting land value), which I appealed and they adjusted it slightly.

Now I’m learning that just having the supplemental assessment not only increased my assessed value, it meant that I lost the 10% collar on my taxable assessment (i.e. rule that says assessment can only increase 10% a year) that is part of the homestead exemption (the other part is the deduction from value of around $70K). Since I bought a real dump of a house, that 10% a year limit meant my taxable assessment was only about 60% of the market assessment. Suddenly my property taxes have almost doubled. (more…)

In addition to Piney Branch, Reno Road is sprouting a particularly glorious crop this year. Where are your favorite spots besides the Tidal Basin Avenues to view the hubcaps?

This photo does zero justice to how deep this pothole is – I feel like even the word pothole doesn’t do justice to how deep this trench is:

Looking forward to seeing this year’s potholepalooza numbers.

Photo by PoPville flickr user Lorie Shaull

Ed. Note: Speaking of which:

At Mayor-Council breakfast, @MayorBowser says next month’s #MarchForOurLives will be held on Pennsylvania Avenue & organizers expect 500k participants. DC’s public safety agencies are working on logistics. pic.twitter.com/EJKgaqoDcB

— Deputy Mayor Donahue (@SafeDC) February 27, 2018

From the Mayor’s Office:

“Mayor Bowser announced that she is introducing legislation to ban the possession, use, and sale of bump stocks in the District of Columbia. The Mayor will introduce the legislation to the DC Council, and once approved by the Council, it will move to Congress for the congressional review period. Mayor Bowser will work with Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton to fight back against any congressional interference with this common-sense legislation. (more…)

Update on the man some are calling a hero and some are calling an outlaw. In theatres May 2019.

From MPD:

“Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department seek the public’s assistance in identifying and locating a suspect and vehicle in reference to 11 Destruction of Property offenses of government operated traffic cameras in the District of Columbia.

On Tuesday, February 20, 2018, members of MPD responded to several locations in the Fifth and Sixth Districts for the report of inoperable traffic cameras. Upon arrival, officers observed damage to the traffic cameras. Investigators have since determined the damage was due to vandalism. (more…)

From DPW:

“The Department of Public Works (DPW) will resume residential mechanical street sweeping on Thursday, March 1. To ensure streets are swept thoroughly, motorists are asked to obey the signs posted with the days of the week and hours of the day when parking restrictions will be enforced. The fine for violating this restriction is $45. Signs posted along street sweeping routes indicate that the program runs from March 1 through October 31. (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user dullshick

From the Mayor’s Office:

“Mayor Bowser today celebrated that Washington, DC is now home to at least 700,000 residents. In December, the Bowser Administration announced that, according to new U.S. Census Bureau estimates, Washington, DC was quickly approaching 700,000 residents. Based on calculations by the DC Office of Planning’s State Data Center, it was predicted that the District would hit 700,000 residents in February 2018. (more…)